Down Royal unveils £5million improvements

Down Royal Racecourse recently unveiled the latest in a series of new plans to further enhance the quality experience for thousands of horse racing fans in Northern Ireland.

As part of a series of investments which has seen more than £5 million ploughed into upgrading the facilities on offer, Down Royal has now turned its focus on the famous Moscow Flyer suite, which has just undergone a major £100,000 refurbishment.

This major redesign sees the Moscow Flyer suite regain its position as one of Northern Ireland’s premier hospitality destinations. The brand new bar, décor and high-spec furnishings allow the suite to cater for both the hospitality requirements on site and to provide a more relaxed alternative package for the social racegoer.

More than £20,000 has also been spent on additional soft landscaping at the site as part of a major environmental project. This will improve the immediate physical surroundings aimed at improving the unity and appeal of the facilities following the significant investment and changes which have been made to the racecourse in recent years.

To ensure Down Royal continues to offer both high quality and diversity in the food available to all its customers, Down Royal is for the first time this year partnering with the famous, award-winning Mourne Seafood Bar and Restaurant which will bring the unique experience made famous in Belfast and Dundrum directly to all racegoers attending this year’s Summer Festival on Saturday 21st June.

Down Royal Racecourse is also excited to introduce Taste @downroyal. This is a new, casual hospitality offering which incorporates the best of Northern Irish Produce along with the thrilling experience of being at the races. This relaxed dining option in the newly refurbished Moscow Flyer Suite is a step away from tradition, the suite will be furnished with sofas, poser tables and high stools, there will be no designated seating and the suite will be laid out in such a way to encourage you to relax and mingle with fellow racing enthusiasts. The quality and provenance of the food is the highlight of this package. Light taster bowls of hot food from local celebrated suppliers will be served before racing and during racing a dessert and artisan cheese table will be open for grazing!

Down Royal Racecourse General Manager, Mike Todd, said:

“We have invested heavily in the upgrade of our facilities over the last few years to enable us to maximise our excellent location, our ability to attract the best in competitive racing and our reputation for delivering a thrilling, social experience with a quality hospitality offering.

“These latest investments, combined with the launch of a range of innovative new hospitality choices, guarantee every race-goer in Northern Ireland an even greater experience and our personal assurance of even more quality and choice.”

Last year, Down Royal spent £40,000 adding a new balcony to the Rainbow Communications Suite as part of its continued plans to improve the hospitality offering and bridge the gap between premium hospitality and general admission – and it’s strategy is working well, according to Mike.

“Despite a challenging economic environment, attendance at Down Royal continues to grow year-on-year because of our commitment to delivering quality and choice for all our visitors and we’re delighted by the support and loyalty shown by all our customers – old and new – who quite rightly demand a great day’s racing in top-notch facilities while enjoying superior hospitality.”

Down Royal has invested more than £5 million to date as part of the redevelopment and expansion plans at the Lisburn site.

The Summer Festival of Racing, which takes place on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd June is the highlight of the summer social and racing calendar.

For more details of hospitality packages available, and to book, visit www.downroyal.com, contact 028 9262 1256 directly or email info@downroyal.com.