COVID Rules To Be Relaxed in England
The Racecourse Association has published a statement welcoming the lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England on July 19th. On July 5th, the Prime Minister announced that the government will be relaxing rules, including the use of face masks and social distancing. The move has been met with some criticism, as cases of COVID-19 are on the rise.
Racing authorities have argued that it is unfair that bigger crowds have been allowed at football matches than racing events. ©ChrisSchweiger/Pixabay
Last Roadmap Phase
The relaxation of coronavirus restrictions has come as good news for racecourses in England. Racecourses can now look forward to returning back to business as usual and start preparing for the return of crowds at full capacity. Social distancing and safety measures are to be scrapped and mask-wearing will become voluntary.
On July 19th, England is set to enter the last phase of the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown. In an announcement, Johnson said that the government is hoping to move away from the use of legal restrictions, instead allowing the public to make their own informed decisions.
However, he also noted that the pandemic is far from over. The lifting of restrictions on July 19th will be confirmed on July 12th, when the latest health data is reviewed. New Health Secretary Sajid Javid has described the plans as “restoration of freedoms”, although critics argue that the relaxation of rules is premature, as case rates are on the rise.
Welcoming the news that rules will be relaxed, the RCA has said that it can now start to work closely with racecourses preparing for the full return of spectators, via its working groups and collaborative partnerships. The sporting body is now seeking clarification on behalf of racecourses in Scotland and Wales.
As the devolved governments have set their own COVID-19 restrictions, there is still some uncertainty as to when those might be lifted. Scotland is hoping to lift all major lockdown rules by August 9th, while Wales is due to announce its next review of COVID measures on July 15th.
That means that racecourses in Scotland and Wales are likely to have to wait a bit longer to see the return of crowds at full capacity at their grounds. Nevertheless, it’s still good news for English courses, which are keen to start recouping the financial losses incurred during the pandemic.
RCA Welcomes Decision
According to chief executive of the RCA David Armstrong, racecourses have lost £400 million because of coronavirus. The difficulties have not only been financial, but personal too. During the pandemic courses were forced to shut their doors to racing fans. Armstrong says that their presence and the accompanying atmosphere has been sorely missed.
Racing officials have been frustrated by capacity limits at their courses, which differ greatly to the limits imposed on other sporting events. Up to 4,000 spectators have been allowed to attend race days since May, while football matches have been allowed up to 10,000 fans in stadiums.
Before the government’s latest announcement was made, Armstrong said that he would present the issue to the DCMS. That was after the government decided to postpone its initial plans for “Freedom Day” on June 21st to July 19th. The RCA has estimated that that four-week delay has cost racing between £15 million and £20 million.
476 days have passed since UK racecourses were allowed to welcome spectators without restrictions. The government’s latest announcement has come as a relief to the industry. The clarity means that racing officials can now start to make proper preparations and look forward to celebrating racing’s biggest events of the year. Armstrong stated:
“With some of the sport’s marquee events to come including the Qatar Goodwood Festival, York’s Ebor Festival and the Cazoo St Leger Festival at Doncaster, our attention now turns to helping racecourses prepare for a fantastic summer.”
Armstrong added that safety measures would not be done away with altogether. Some restrictions may still be practiced for the welfare of those participating in racing. However, the RCA is keen to remove these measures as soon as possible, when it is safe to do so.
Good News for Casinos and Bookies
The British Horseracing Authority has joined the RCA in welcoming the government’s announcement. Speaking on behalf of the BHA, chair Annamarie Phelps explained why the move would offer such an important boost to the industry. Fans will soon be able to enjoy the atmosphere of a day at the races without strict rules.
In order to allow international competitors and prevent the spread of the virus some measures will still be adhered to. However, spectators will still be able to look forward to more relaxed and atmospheric events like those before the pandemic. Like the RCA, the BHA is also seeking clarification from the government on when events in Scotland and Wales will be able to return to greater numbers.
The Betting and Gaming Council has welcomed the lifting of restrictions in England, as this will have a positive impact on casinos and bookmakers. As England moves to the final stage of its lockdown map on July 19th, casinos and high-street bookies will no longer be required to enforce coronavirus restrictions. The pandemic has cost bookies and casinos.
That means that visitors to these venues won’t have to social distance or wear facemasks. The changes will make visiting these locations more appealing to customers and provide a boost to the economy. According to a study by Ernst and Young, casinos are responsible for 11,600 jobs and contributed £500 million a year to the Treasury in tax before the pandemic.
Betting shops provide around 46,000 jobs and paid almost £1 billion in tax in 2020. Betting shops also help to generate £350 million for racing through media rights, the betting levy and sponsorship. The BGC boss went on to argue in favor of relaxing restrictions on travel to encourage more tourism. Dugher said:
“We would also like to see further progress on foreign travel, given that, for example, London’s casinos contribute £120m to the capital’s tourism sector. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister’s announcement is very welcome, and casinos look forward to playing their part in the UK’s post-pandemic economic revival.”
