Great Yarmouth Racecourse Hotels: Best Hotels near Great Yarmouth Race Course - RacecourseHotels.com (2023)

It's fair to say that Great Yarmouth is one of the most unusually located racecourses the UK has to offer. Instead of being surrounded by countryside, which is so common, this special racing location is right on the water with the North Sea just a few meters away.

With the racecourse just a short walk from the golden sands of the Norfolk coast, you would be hard pressed to find any other seaside town offering such a special attraction, and for that matter a course that goes so well with a visit to the coast.

hotels

There are many people who love horse racing, but there are even more people who love the waterfront. For that reason, Great Yarmouth is full of different places to stay, many of which are located along the coast. Although the racecourse is not centrally located, there are several accommodation options within walking distance. This means you can easily spend some time on the beach, drop your gear, stroll the course and enjoy the action.

Walking distance

While there are no hotels right on the racecourse's doorstep, there are several that can be reached on foot in 25 minutes or less. Located on North Drive, the road that follows the beach, you have options such as the White Lodge, Gable End, and the Kensington Hotel. A little further inland on the service road are other small hotels or inns such as Dene House, Ryecroft, Maluth Lodge and Sunny Dene. Although slightly further from the sea, Barnard House is also worth mentioning, being just over 10 minutes from the racecourse gates.

De rest van Great Yarmouth

The real heart of Great Yarmouth lies just under two miles south of the racecourse. Here, close to Britannia Pier, you will find the highest concentration of hotels and guest houses. There are simply too many to list individually as the choice is great. If you want to stay overnight on a bigger budget, don't come during school holidays as prices can skyrocket. That said, Great Yarmouth is quite affordable compared to some other coastal towns.

If you're not too concerned about staying close to the coast, Premier Inn Great Yarmouth West is a very convenient option. This means you do not have to drive through the often busy streets of Great Yarmouth and you can park for free on site. It is also ideal for those traveling by train as it is close to the train station, and with a Premier Inn you know exactly what to expect.

Norwich for a city break

The coast isn't for everyone, especially when the sun isn't shining, so we wanted to quickly mention an alternative to staying in Great Yarmouth. The nearby city of Norwich is well served by car or public transport and can offer you a very different type of stay. A typical journey takes 40 minutes and on arrival you have access to many major city center hotels, including two Premier Inns and a Travelodge, as well as more exclusive options.

About Hippodromes

Great Yarmouth has an incredibly busy summer race schedule, so you'll find plenty of convenient venues to visit if you choose. Speaking of convenience, the racecourse is not particularly difficult to get to whether you come by car or public transport. For the first time, most visitors will head east on the A47, which bypasses Norwich before approaching the center of Great Yarmouth. You'll avoid downtown traffic because once you leave the dual carriageway, you'll have to drive north a mile and a half to reach the race track.

While there is plenty of housing around the racecourse, there is no shortage of parking north of the stands. Free parking at each meeting is also free. If you're arriving in Great Yarmouth by train, the journey is doable on foot, but at 30 minutes long you might decide it's a bit too far. This is not a problem as there are very frequent bus services which collect nearby and drop you off just five minutes from the racecourse gates. To get to the train station in the first place, just head into Norwich. This is the only significant stop directly serving Great Yarmouth and there are usually two trains per hour.

The course

The track at Great Yarmouth is extremely long but very narrow. There is a 1.5km straight which connects over two furlongs to a flattened oval with two very tight bends on either side. It is worth noting that the straight of the track had some ups and downs, but was asphalted in 2015 and became almost completely flat.

This extensive work has really improved Great Yarmouth's reputation as it is now a superb galloping course for the horses to really run off. Any horse here will run in a straight line for most, if not all, of their time and the conditions underfoot are generally ideal for racing at a really good pace. Because of the quality of the track, you see some promising riders popping up here early in their careers before moving on to bigger things.

dress code

As the coastline is such a relaxed and laid back place to be, the same feeling applies to much of the Great Yarmouth Racecourse. In most areas of the room, you can wear what feels comfortable, which could be just shorts and a T-shirt for a particularly hot encounter. No matter how hot it gets, shirts should always stay in place.

However, some rules apply to everyone in the Premier Enclosure and Hospitality areas. The requirements are not strict at all, but smart casual is in any case expected. Dressy jeans and tailored shorts are perfectly acceptable, but beachwear, sportswear, ripped jeans, or casual shorts are not. There are no special requirements for Women's Day, and while many participate wearing fancy hats, hats are not required.

of stands

There are three large grandstands at Great Yarmouth Racecourse which can provide some shade from the sun. The two further down the last stretch, with no special title, are the ones you get access to with a grandstand and paddock ticket. If you buy in advance, entry here is £18 per person. adult. There is a huge lawn in front of the two stands and many people choose to have a picnic in this area. Spectators are allowed to bring their own food and drinks, but drinks must be non-alcoholic. A grandstand and paddock ticket also gives access to the parade and winners' quarters.

The other stand at Great Yarmouth is the much more modern Lord Nelson Stand, reserved for Premier Enclosure ticket holders. Within the Premier Enclosure you will find several restaurants, bars and hospitality suites. A ticket pre-purchased here costs £25 as standard. If you want a three-course meal in the Trafalgar restaurant in addition to your entry, you pay £80 per person. head for most meetings. If you prefer to sit outside, Premier cardholders also have access to a large lawn with patio furniture.

main meetings

With 23 races taking place between April and October, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy live horse racing in the Great Yarmouth sunshine. Turnout is generally healthy, especially in high summer, but there are a few specific highlights worth noting. First of all, Ladies Night in July is always a good occasion as many participants come dressed in their best. This includes a wide variety of hats and there is nothing fancy about this particular evening.

However, the biggest gathering at Great Yarmouth Racecourse is the three-day Eastern Festival, which takes place mid-week in September. A long-standing celebration of racing, this gathering is home to Yarmouth's premier class race, the John Musker Fillies' Stakes, on day two. It was an event that caused a real shock in 2012 when a 125/1 outsider finished five lengths ahead of the rest. The festival ends in style as another day is dedicated to the ladies, only this time in the afternoon and not at night. Similar to Ladies Night, this is the perfect excuse to dress up in an elegant yet relaxed atmosphere.

History

Evidence of horse racing in Great Yarmouth dates back to 1715. This was possible because the Great Yarmouth Corporation leased land to a group of innkeepers that could be used for racing purposes. This original course was located close to where Nelson's Monument now stands in South Denes. Its coastal location helped maximize interest, as did the fact that the first meetings coincided with the annual September fair.

It started with racing with pigs and donkeys

Great Yarmouth wasn't an incredibly serious racing venue to begin with, as they had events such as pig chasing (with soapy tails) and donkey races. In the early 1800s, however, things became more formal and there were now three days of thoroughbred racing, one in August, and a two-day reunion the following month. Only the three-day race remained in effect for some time, as additional competitions were not added until 1866.

The move from South Denes to North Denes

Racing continued normally at South Denes until 1906, but at that point the track took a double whammy. Not only did the lease expire, but the grandstand also went up in flames. Since the local fishermen were also looking for more space in the southern area, it seemed like a good time to move. A suitable site was found about three miles up the coast in the North Denes - where the track is currently located.

latest improvements

Two newly built steel frame grandstands were transported across the town and moved to the new venue which was officially opened over 100 years ago in September 1920. At the time the venue was under local government control but eventually became part of Northern Racing and later Arena Racing Company (ARC). As the pitch is privately owned, upgrades may be possible that the council could not provide, such as the Lord Nelson Stand in 2004. Further improvements followed and this continued progress has enabled Great Yarmouth to increase the number of race days. it offers.