The Racecourse Prices Index: how much for food and drink on a hot day at Ripon?

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 Ripon

Ripon

Date visited: Saturday, August 13, 2022

Was it a big day?

Yes, it was Ripon's biggest raceday of the year with plenty of racegoers enjoying the Yorkshire sunshine. The highlight race was the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap, while the Hornblower Conditions Stakes provided the best of the undercard.

How much was entry on the gate?

The Club enclosure sold out before the day, but tickets for the Paddock enclosure were available on the gate for £19, while tickets for the Course enclosure on the inner of the track cost £8.

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

There was a variety of outlets and the main place to visit was the Fountains Cafe, which also had burger and hog roast options outside of it. There was also a wood-fired pizza stand for those wanting an Italian flavour, and margherita flavour was the cheapest at £11.

The homely feel to the track was complemented by its traditional sweet shop and there were ice cream vans in all enclosures. Three bars were kept busy and each offered free glasses of water.

What's the damage?

Bottle of water: £2.00
Cheapest pint: £5.60 (Amstel)
Guinness: £6.30
Champagne: £39.50
Burger: £5.40

What was the burger like?

The cheeseburger, which was 20p more than the standard offering at £5.60, did just the trick. While it was not what you may find in an upmarket restaurant, it didn't feel like a greasy spoon either, and having the American cheese melted into it was a nice touch. Having experienced plenty of burgers at sporting events, it passed the test.

And the queues?

Despite a large crowd, queues remained relatively small. There were plenty of bars to choose from, but each was manned by at least five members of staff to keep drinks flowing and queues moving.

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