Newcastle Racecourse

March 14, 2025

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Client Overview

Located within High Gosforth Park, Newcastle Racecourse is home to the prestigious Northumberland Plate and hosts over 60 all-weather and jumps fixtures annually, making it one of Britain’s busiest racecourses.

Managed by Arc Racing, Newcastle Racecourse is a multi-purpose venue, hosting a wide range of events, including conferences, exhibitions, weddings, private parties, and student gatherings. This diversity creates a dynamic and varied risk profile, requiring careful planning, tailored staffing, and robust operational strategies to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all attendees.

Professional Security has partnered with Newcastle Racecourse for over a decade, providing expert event security services, crowd management, and operational oversight.

Services Provided

Professional Security delivers a comprehensive security operation at Newcastle Racecourse, including:

SIA Security Officers

Concourse Officers

Access and Egress Control

Search Teams

Tailored Security Solutions

Expert Operational Planning

Proactive Substance Abuse Control (including search dogs and Challenge 25 compliance)

Key Statistics:

Over 3,000 hours delivered per annum

Contract Start Date: 2010 – ongoing

Annual Contract Value: £59,000

Average SLA Score: 100%

Challenges

Newcastle Racecourse presents several operational and crowd management challenges:

Diverse crowd profiles: Events attract families, students, and racing enthusiasts, each with different behaviours and expectations.

Crowd volume and flow: Varying crowd sizes throughout the day require strategic staffing, dynamic layout management, and proactive access/egress control.

Alcohol-related risks: Race days often include significant alcohol consumption, increasing the likelihood of aggression, impaired judgment, and disruptive behaviour.

These factors require flexible, expert management and a proactive approach to minimise risk while maintaining a positive attendee experience.

Our Solution

Professional Security implements tailored, proactive strategies to address Newcastle Racecourse’s operational challenges:

Risk assessments: Each event undergoes a thorough risk evaluation to ensure the correct staff numbers, skill sets, and deployment strategies.

Operational expertise: All event managers hold Level 5 Operational Management certificates, ensuring robust planning and execution.

Stakeholder collaboration: We regularly hold Safety Advisory Group meetings with local police and Arc Racing, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and best practice.

Pre-deployment briefings: Staff and course managers receive detailed briefings to confirm responsibilities, protocols, and contingency plans.

Substance control: We take a proactive approach with search dogs, Challenge 25, and officer training to reduce alcohol-related incidents and maintain safe, controlled environments.

Flexible staffing: Officer deployment is tailored to each event type, crowd size, and demographic profile to ensure smooth, secure operations.

Impact & Results

Consistently safe, well-managed events for diverse audiences, from family-friendly race days to student-focused gatherings.

Rapid incident response and proactive crowd management, minimising disruptive events.

Positive compliance with alcohol regulations through proactive search and monitoring protocols.

High levels of client satisfaction, evidenced by a 10+ year ongoing partnership and 100% SLA score.

Enhanced reputation for Newcastle Racecourse as a safe and professionally managed venue.

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