Cheltenham Festival worker Rhys Carlson says everyone is excited for this year’s event to get underway after a year behind closed doors in 2021.
Four days of racing will bring thousands of punters to Prestbury Park, giving Cheltenham’s economy a huge boost.
Carlson said: “In terms of the economy, it’s going to be an absolute dream for Cheltenham. It’s going to be brilliant for small businesses and everyone’s going to be benefitting from this. It’s a really, really nice time to be in Cheltenham.
“This year’s going to be electric. We’ve sold out Thursday and Friday already, and we’ve almost sold out the other two days as well. It’s going to be really busy but everyone’s going to have a really good attitude because they’ll just be glad to be back.”
Last year’s Festival was forced to be held without fans due to covid-19, and Carlson explains just how different it was to the usual traditions in Gloucestershire.
He said: “Last year, we had to section different parts of the racecourse which was a complete nightmare. It was to make sure no one could catch covid, but to have everyone freely on the course and to have the maximum capacity is an absolute joy.
“The weirdest thing was the atmosphere. There was no one on the front straight to watch the races in front of the Princess Royal Grandstand, which was really strange because you’re used to it being filled with in excess of 50,000 people during festival week.
“It kind of ruined the event a bit, but at least it could go on. This week will be as good as it can be.
“I am absolutely stoked and just glad to have all the people back. Last year was the weirdest raceweek I’ve ever worked at and it’ll be fantastic to get all the tickets sold out.
There are still some measures in place to prevent the spread of covid-19, as Carlson clarifies: “We have a few protocols still in place to make sure that people are safe.
“We’re trying to make sure people wear masks inside and use all the hand sanitiser stations, and if anyone has concerns, we have lots of people on standby who you can ask questions.
Thankfully, in comparison to the last two years, covid-19 cases are low in Cheltenham, so everyone can enjoy themselves at the Festival and contribute to a big week for the town and the surrounding area.
