Newcastle Racecourse

A bit about Newcastle Racecourse..

Situated within High Gosforth Park, Newcastle Racecourse is home to the prestigious Northumberland Plate and stands as one of Britain’s busiest racecourses, hosting over 60 all-weather and jumps fixtures annually.

Managed by Arc Racing, the racecourse has partnered with Professional Security for many years, making it an ideal venue for a diverse range of events, including conferences, exhibitions, weddings, private parties, and student gatherings. With its mixed event profile, the risk profile also varies, necessitating meticulous planning and tailored officer demographics to ensure smooth and secure operations.

The challenges:

The crowd profile can vary significantly depending on the type of event, attracting a wide range of attendees, from families, to students, to seasoned racing enthusiasts. Different age groups can lead to varying behaviours.

Managing crowd volume presents a significant challenges due to the nature of the venue and the varying crowd sizes throughout the day. This requires strategic planning and flexibility in staffing, layout, and crowd management.

With alcohol consumption often a major part of the race day experience, the risk of impaired judgment, aggression, and unsafe behaviour increases. These factors can lead to an increased risk of disruptive incidents, such as confrontations or accidents, requiring prompt and effective conflict management.

Our solution:

To address the diverse and dynamic crowd profiles, we conduct a thorough risk assessment for each event, ensuring that we deploy the correct staffing levels and types that meet the specific needs of our clients.

We regularly hold Safety Advisory Group meetings with local police and Arc Racing, and all of our professional security event managers hold Level 5 certificates in Operational Management, ensuring expert planning and execution of security strategies. Prior to events, we conduct pre-deployment briefings with staff and course managers to ensure everyone is aligned on responsibilities and protocols, even on the day of the event.

To address substance abuse, we implement a proactive approach including search dogs and Challenge 25 to ensure compliance with alcohol-related regulations.