Riccarton racecourse

Press, 19 August 1982, Page 20

Riccarton racecourse

Sir,—Patrons at Riccarton racecourse would have found very little that was “grand” about this day. The comment, from the Australian visitor was very accurate — a six-hour ordeal without so much as piped music over the loudspeakersystem. As for the SIM improvements to the public stand, the design is all wrong and bottlenecks occur at every narrow doorway as people try to buy food or invest and collect on the horses. Perhaps the club only had its normal crowd of 2060 or 3000. in mind at the time of alterations. How did it manage to break through the price freeze regulations the day before the races and raise the admission price to $3? I strongly advise the C.J.C.’ executive to spend an evening at Addington Raceway and see how a race meeting should be run—Yours, etc., R. J. WARREN.

August 10, 1982. [Mr M. J. Aim, secretarymanager of. the Canterbury Jockey Club replies: “The club provides live music and entertainment during the summer and Easter meetings and will give consideration to extending this to. some other race days. It has been made clear to us by a number of patrons that they find piped music ihstrusive and we, therefore, have no plans to introduce this. Comments received by the club indicate

that patrons generally enjoy the $1 million alterations to the first and third floors of the public stand and the excellent crowd that attended throughout the meeting appeared to reinforce that view. The club does however, appreciate that facilities are fully extended on the major days and looks forward to being able to renovate the second, floor when it is in a financial position to do this. The introduction of the sell-pay computer system scheduled for November, 1983, will considerably reduce congestion through faster selling and pay out. The C.J.C. made application for an admission price increase to the Department of Trade and Industry under the undue hardship provisions of the Price Freeze Regulations some time before the meeting. The club received approval the day before the first day of the Grand National Meeting to increase the admission charge to $3. If the correspondent wishes to discuss any matters further the club would welcome direct contact."]