The Racecourse Prices Index: how much does a pint and baguette cost at Epsom?

In the Racecourse Prices Index (RPI) we report from Britain and Ireland's racetracks on the cost of going racing.

Racecourse report: entry, food and pint prices from Epsom

Epsom

Date visited: Saturday, June 4, 2022

Was it a big day?

One of the biggest and most historic. The feature race was the Cazoo Derby, run in memory of legendary jockey Lester Piggott. The fixture was sold out and attracted a big crowd, despite the early downpour.

How much was entry on the gate?

Like all big days, the prices vary depending on the stand. Tickets for the Queen's Stand, the premium offering, cost £115 when they first went on sale, while the Upper Tattenham enclosure, one of the cheaper, went on sale at £20, and was free for people under 18.

It cost £15 to access the Jubilee Festival enclosure, while under 18s went free. There was no charge for children under four in any of the enclosures, while The Hill in the centre of the track was free to all.

Other than restaurants/hospitality, what were the food and beverage options?

There was a dizzying array of food and drink outlets in the various enclosures, ranging from a macaroni and cheese stall to a row of self-service kiosks from which a pint of Madri Excepcional was £7.

For those after something a little more refined, a Bellini cost £12, while the cheapest cigar in the Queen's Enclosure set you back £25 – neither of which were sampled, but are assumed to be good quality.

What's the damage?

Bottle of water: £2.80
Cheapest pint: £6.70 (Pravha), £7 (Staropramen)
Guinness: £7
Champagne: £11.50 (flute of Pannier Brut)
Steak baguette: £12 (with or without fried onions)

All drink prices taken from the main racecourse bar, or where there are multiple bars, one chosen at random. The drinks prices were uniform around the track, but different bars offered different drinks.

What was the steak baguette like?

Steak baguettes: passed the taste test at Epsom

Lovers of unhealthy food will naturally be drawn to the siren song of the retro wagon offering steak baguettes, which are available with or without fried onions, as well as with mushrooms or slices of cheese.

The service was friendly and quick, and the baguette looked very much like the one on the advertising board. The steak was tasty, although a touch overdone, and cheese makes everything better.

And the queues?

The bar staff seemed to cope really well on a busy day – there was enough of them. Racegoers were still queuing two deep for drinks in the Queen's Stand following the first, while it was unsurprisingly a bit busier in the mains stand, but a straw poll revealed few issues.

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