- The Roberto Village Bar has opened in time for the first meet of the season at York Racecourse.
- Handover marks the completion of the first phase of a wider project by Lindum York.
- This is the seventh project at the racecourse for Lindum York in the last eight years.
Lindum Group has finished the construction of the new Roberto Bar at York Racecourse in time for the first meet of the season.
This delivers the first phase of a multi-million pound investment to improve facilities to the Southern End of the award-winning racecourse.
The new Roberto Village Bar is part of a wider project at York Racecourse, where Lindum’s York division will also be creating extra lawns, a large open air canopy structure, catering facilities, betting facilities, toilets and a new wrought iron gate that remembers Yorkshire owner-breeder, Reg Bond.
The new building is a high-quality single storey structure constructed with York Handmade Bricks, slate roofing, and Douglas Fir joinery, produced at Lindum’s in-house joinery workshop. The building will provide racegoers with a high specification bar, feature fish and chip shop, Tote and William Hill betting booths and a new Pimm’s bar. Set between the Knavesmire and Bustardthorpe Stands it further adds to the facilities for all standside racegoers.
It is the seventh project Lindum has undertaken at York Racecourse in the last eight years following on from award winning capital projects in the Northern End, Clocktower Enclosure, and machinery and equipment store in 2022.
This project started shortly after the conclusion of the 2023 season last October and has involved up to 100 people working on site each day. With an eye on both the local economy and the inherent sustainability benefits, some 90 per cent of the works have been undertaken by Yorkshire firms, meaning some of the team walk to work.
James Nellist, Lindum York Managing Director, said: “We are thrilled to be handing over, on time this significant upgrade to the Southern End of York Racecourse.
“The new facilities will make a significant difference to the Grandstand & Paddock experience for racegoers, adding some fantastic new food and drink offerings, as well as upgrading the welfare facilities.
“We have been working at the Racecourse for almost a decade and have developed a strong relationship with them over that time. It has been fantastic to be back at the historic venue and to have been part of the continued investment in the visitor’s experience and further cement our connection to this local landmark.”
The next phase will see the historic 1913 Bustardthorpe Stand undergo a significant refurbishment, with a new ground floor extension to include toilets, catering outlets, William Hill shop and extended and enhanced Theakston Bar.
Sustainability has been embedded into the design and construction with solar panels, rainwater harvesting, and a living roof all incorporated. A newly created and landscaped 900 square metre lawn area will be over-sailed by a canopy structure, 6 meters above the heads of racegoers, to give both the outdoor feel of a summer afternoon’s racing while offering protection from the elements.
The project is on track to be officially opened at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.
Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course at York Racecourse, William Derby, said: “The start of every new season at York is exciting, with so much to look forward to, both on and off the track. It is typical of the team at Lindum York, that they have pushed on through the wet weather of winter to get the Roberto Building delivered on time for the Dante Festival. I thank all the hardworking team at Lindum as well as all our talented build and design team for the most incredible transformation of this area of the racecourse, that will further improve the experience of racing at York for generations to come.”
See below time-lapse footage of progress being made at the racecourse, including work on the new bar and the on-going development of the 1913 Bustardthorpe Stand.
