The price of Guinness is among a number of changes made for the 2026 Cheltenham Festival
The price of Guinness at the Cheltenham Festival has been slashed following an outcry from racegoers. A pint of the black stuff is the go-to tipple for many of the tens of thousands who descend on the Cotwolds for the four-day extravaganza, which straddles St Patrick’s Day.
Last year, however, the ‘cheers’ turned to jeers for many punters when they spotted how much a pint of the Irish stout would set them back – a whopping £7.80, while the alcohol-free version was just 40p less.
Lagers and ales were barely cheaper, with a ‘premium larger’ £7.40, with a Doom Bar the same as a regular Guinness. Refreshingly, bosses appear to have listened to the complaints, with the price of a regular Guinness dropping to a slightly more reasonable £7.50 for the 2026 Festival.
Meanwhile, a non-alcoholic Guinness will cost slightly less at £7.30. Premium lager and Doom Bar prices remain unchanged from 2025.
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As an added bonus for Guinness drinkers, for the first time, punters will be allowed to consume alcohol in front of the grandstand along the rails, meaning spectators won’t need to gulp down their drinks before watching the action.
Guinness is one of a few things coming down in price at Cheltenham, although accommodation costs remain sky-high. An average five-night stay is now £3,772, according to Booking.com, while renting a three-bed townhouse near the course for the four days costs £8,812.
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At the cheaper end of the spectrum, Airbnb prices ranged from a one-bedroom cottage nine miles from the course for £579 to a single-bedroom apartment less than two miles away for £2,500. The cheapest Booking.com option was a guest house four miles from the track for £1,033.
Organisers have introduced measures to make the Festival more fun and affordable to the average punter. Ladies Day is back after being shelved seven years ago.
Bosses expected the move to trigger an invasion of female fans with £10,000 in prizes on offer to the most stylish race-goer. Meanwhile, the daily capacity has also been cut by 2,500 to 66,000 to give the crowd a more comfortable experience, with less-packed stands and smaller queues for food and drink.
Multi-ticket offers were available to reduce the entrance price. The moves are the biggest revamps in Cheltenham’s 166-year history. Though the event may be cheaper to attend, the extra interest has driven up the cost of staying in the area, which is beyond the control of racing chiefs.
The changes have been given the thumbs up by legendary-jockey-turned pundit Ruby Walsh, who said: “I’m very impressed with the changes. I think less is always more, so bringing down the capacity to me is a no-brainer.
“There has to be a customer experience. People have to walk out thinking, ‘I want to go there again’. Ladies’ Day? I’m all in a dither. I have no idea what hat I’m going to wear! I am a man with a girl’s name so I’d better make an effort.”
