“I just haven’t got that money, my pension is only £200 a week”- Racegoer Clive Brown reacts to Cheltenham Festival suffering it’s lowest attendance of the century

It’s day three of the Cheltenham Festival. Day one and two had some surprising results, with Constitution Hill falling in the Champion Hurdle as well a set back from Jonbon in yesterday’s Champion Chase.

They’re not the only big stories as the Cheltenham Festival saw it’s lowest attendance this century with just 41,949 spectators yesterday afternoon.

The first two days of the festival have had a combined attendance of 97,447 which is 35,551 less than the first two days of the 2022 festival.

🚨 Cheltenham Day 2 Attendance:

2025 – 41,949
2024 – 46,771
2023 – 50,387
2022 – 64,431

I’ve never seen Cheltenham so quiet!#CheltenhamFestival pic.twitter.com/CIDZ1DNsom

— Stephen R Power (@racingblogger) March 12, 2025

Bars, restaurants and clubs have all been much quieter than expected. But what is leading to such a decline in attendees?

Racegoer Clive Brown who’s travelled from Durham for the week long festival thinks it’s down to prices, the amount of top quality horse racers and the sheer amount of alcohol consumed – leaving people too drunk to ever make it in to town.

“A pint of Guinness is £8 a ticket is £100, I just haven’t got that money, my pension is only £200 a week”

Cheltenham prices… pic.twitter.com/EbRfWIPoTc

— PintsO’Guinness (@PintsO_Guinness) March 11, 2025

“In 35 years of visiting Cheltenham I’ve only ever had two pints at the racecourse, I couldn’t care the price, there’s nothing worse than them.

I’ve seen people in terrible states and they’re never removed, all the races want to do is get people in to drink beer, they’re not bothered about the racing, they then put music on at the races after to keep them longer instead of going down to town”.

The Cheltenham Festival has become big in Benidorm, many of the Irish instead choose to fly out there and watch it for cheaper.

Racing fans enjoying the Cheltenham Festival in Benidorm

📽️: kelly_a19 on TikTok pic.twitter.com/ECjZKU44b7

— irishracing.com (@irishracing) March 12, 2025

When if ever will something change about the influx of pricing year on year at the Cheltenham Festival?