Meetings and tickets for 2026/27
The course normally stages all-weather flat racing, including floodlit meetings, but the current position is different: the racecourse website states that it has no licensed racing operator and racing cannot resume. The BHA has transferred fixtures away from Chelmsford. There are no published next-raceday times to plan around as at 2 October 2026. Arena Racing Company (which runs Southwell, Wolverhampton and others) has reached an agreement to take over the course and resume racing at the earliest available opportunity; no date had been announced when we checked.
The racecourse website reports that racing cannot resume while the venue has no licensed operator. Its customer update is the current source for racing status. See the racecourse’s fixture list.
The racecourse’s old fixture listings and ticket information should not be treated as a live race schedule. Its 2 October 2026 homepage says racing is unable to resume because the venue has no licensed operator. No live admission price for a future raceday is published.
A future evening fixture
Chelmsford’s former programme included floodlit all-weather meetings; the racecourse currently says racing cannot resume.
A day in the city
Pair a future visit with Chelmsford Cathedral or Oaklands Park’s Museum of Chelmsford.
A weekend break
Stay in the city centre for restaurants, cinema and direct rail links.
Family visits
The city has indoor play and swimming options, while Hylands Estate has a castle-themed adventure playground.
Which enclosure should you choose?
Chelmsford City lists outdoor grounds admission, a Grandstand option, restaurant packages and separately ticketed marquee hospitality. Access and food inclusions differ by fixture. The official 16 September 2026 update says fixtures are on hold and ticket sales are paused, so listed prices are historical rather than available for purchase.
Public grounds
General Admission
Outdoor public entry; the 2026 feature-day ticket excluded the Grandstand and marquees. Standard rates are historical while sales are paused.
Public plus stand
General Admission with Grandstand
Higher public ticket for selected fixtures, with Grandstand and related facilities; inclusions vary by event.
Casual hospitality
Sports Bar Package
Casual Grandstand package with meal vouchers collected at the Ticket Office; no 2026 price is published.
Four-course dining
The Fairwood Brasserie
Ground-floor four-course dining with a private home-straight terrace and reserved raceday table.
Fine dining
The Club Restaurant & Lounge
First-floor five-course restaurant with panoramic views and a strict smart dress code; under-18s are not admitted.
Trackside hospitality
The Queen Charlotte Marquee
Trackside marquee with private terrace; 2026 listings offered cream tea and afternoon tea packages.
Feature-day hospitality
The Summer Marquee
Large marquee with private terrace and catered hospitality; its 2026 Ladies Day package included a three-course meal.
Private hospitality
The Parade Ring Marquee
Central private venue with terrace, bar, kitchen and lawn beside the pre-Parade Ring.
Private hospitality
The Orchard Marquee
Garden marquee listed for raceday and music events; no 2026 ticket rate or specific racing view is published.
Compare every enclosure side by side: prices, views, bars and food, dress codes and entrances.
Dress code at Chelmsford City Racecourse
Chelmsford permits informal general admission clothing but asks visitors to avoid team shirts, swimwear, vests and bare tops; unsuitable footwear is discouraged for safety. Fairwood Restaurant adds restrictions on shorts and trainers. The Club Restaurant and Lounge requires smart clothes, including a jacket, shirt and tie for men, with no shorts or trainers. Ladies Day hospitality has additional hat or fascinator requirements, so check your exact package. Non-offensive fancy dress is allowed on standard racedays.
Official clothing advice — checked 14 October 2026.
What will the trip cost?
A quick estimate for your group. Where we have confirmed a ticket price it’s filled in; otherwise add the price from the racecourse’s booking page. Change any figure to match your plans.
Getting to Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City Racecourse is in Great Leighs, five miles north of Chelmsford, beside the A131. The nearest stations are Chelmsford and Braintree, from which the racecourse recommends booking a taxi. The venue’s latest status is that racing cannot resume, so transport services offered only on racedays may not be operating.
By car
The entrance and main car park are off the A131 bypass. The racecourse lists approaches from the A131, A120 and M11, and says free car and coach parking is available. Its current travel page gives the What3Words location PUNTERS.AWARD.POPULAR. Thirty Blue Badge spaces sit beside the ticket office; availability is subject to capacity.
By train and taxi
Chelmsford and Braintree are the nearest rail stations. The racecourse FAQ gives approximate driving times of 15 minutes from Chelmsford and 10 from Braintree; the newer travel page says the nearest station is an 18-minute drive. Arrange a local taxi in advance because the venue is in Great Leighs, not beside either station.
By bus
The racecourse lists First Bus services 70 and 352 from Chelmsford Bus Station; both pass through Great Leighs and continue towards Braintree. The course specifically advises against walking to it along the busy A131. A seasonal return shuttle from Chelmsford has operated on selected feature days, but the venue says service dates vary.
On-demand bus
The racecourse links to Essex’s DigiGo demand-responsive service, which covers Braintree, Notley and surrounding areas. The current page quotes fares from £3 and says a journey can be booked up to seven days ahead through the TravelEssex app. Check the service map and operating hours for the chosen date.
Parking at Chelmsford City Racecourse
Chelmsford provides free parking for raceday and private-event customers. The main car park is beside the entrance off the A131 bypass and is reached using the A131, A120 or M11. Use CM3 1QP for sat-nav directions. Spaces are allocated on a first-come basis and remain subject to capacity, including the accessible bays. Blue Badge parking is close to the ticket office. Check the current event instructions and follow directions on arrival rather than expecting an individually reserved bay.
Official parking advice — checked 14 October 2026.
Coming by train?
Book trains to Chelmsford.
Hotels near Chelmsford City Racecourse
Chelmsford is the nearest city base, with hotels and serviced apartments around the station, cathedral and Bond Street. Channels Hotel and the Lion Inn are options outside the centre, while Braintree gives another rail-connected base. The racecourse is about five miles north of Chelmsford; plan a taxi or bus for the last leg to Great Leighs.
Chelmsford city centre
Choose this area for walkable restaurants, shops and rail connections. The County Hotel has 58 bedrooms and sits within a short walk of the station; Premier Inn’s city-centre hotel is near the cathedral and shopping streets, while Travelodge is another central chain option.
- The County Hotel, Four-star city-centre hotel with 58 bedrooms, a restaurant and a short walk to Chelmsford station
- Premier Inn Chelmsford City Centre, Central hotel near the cathedral and shops; family and accessible room types are listed
- Travelodge Chelmsford, City hotel convenient for the cathedral, the Meadows shopping centre and Oaklands Park
Great Leighs, Boreham and the outskirts
These choices are closer to the course by road or offer a quieter village setting; they are not walkable from the racecourse. Check transport before choosing a stay, especially if you are visiting an evening event.
- Channels Hotel, Hotel and lodge on Pratts Farm Lane East, in the countryside east of Chelmsford
- The Lion Inn, Boreham, Visit Essex-listed village inn on Main Road, between Chelmsford and Great Leighs
- Holiday Inn Express Braintree, Chain hotel in Braintree, a nearby rail and road base for the racecourse
Find a hotel
Compare hotels near Chelmsford.
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Evenings in Chelmsford and Essex
Chelmsford city is the place to plan a proper evening out away from the racecourse. Its central venues include restaurants by the River Chelmer, a multi-screen cinema, a theatre and group entertainment.
- Dinner and a film
Bond Street and Everyman
Bond Street brings riverside restaurants together with Everyman, a six-screen cinema. Its own visitor guide says the restaurants and cinema stay open into the evening, and there is underground parking beneath the development. It is a simple city-centre choice for dinner followed by a film.
- Theatre and live culture
Chelmsford Theatre
The city-centre theatre programmes comedy, drama, music, dance and cinema. Its listings included a comedy performance on 13 October 2026, a dated example of the touring shows that make this a useful evening option; the programme changes through the year.
- Food, drinks and group activities
Chelmsford after dark
Chelmsford For You’s After Hours guide brings together city restaurants and bars, comedy and cathedral events, plus group activities such as axe throwing, augmented-reality darts and karaoke. For a specific meal, Visit Essex lists Mowgli Street Food in the centre and Galvin Green Man in Great Waltham, a village restaurant in a building dating to 1341.
The racecourse is outside the city. Treat these as Chelmsford-area plans and arrange a return journey to Great Leighs separately.
Things to do while you are here
Chelmsford rewards a longer visit with a medieval cathedral, a local history museum in a Victorian house and a large country estate on the city’s edge.
Chelmsford Cathedral
The city-centre cathedral grew from a medieval parish church and became the seat of a new diocese in 1914. Its visitor page describes a quiet interior beside the busy High Street and provides current opening information; worship and special services can affect access.
Museum of Chelmsford and Oaklands Park
The city museum is based in Oaklands House, a Victorian mansion in Oaklands Park, and uses collections and displays to tell local stories. Its on-site Hive café occupies the house’s original drawing room and welcomes families. Museum opening, ticketing and parking details are published on its visitor page.
Hylands Estate
Hylands combines a restored country house, stables and 574 acres of parkland. The estate has a castle-themed adventure playground, café, bookshop and resident artists’ studios. Its park opens daily from 8am to 5pm; the estate lists two entrances, with the park entrance closest to the playground.
On the day
The venue’s visitor pages explain its general arrangements, but the published race timetable is unavailable while racing is paused. The racecourse says it has no licensed racing operator as at 2 October 2026.
Racecourse status checked 2 October 2026 on the official Chelmsford City Racecourse homepage and customer update.
Children at standard racedays
The racecourse FAQ’s standing policy says under-18s enter free to standard racedays and Family Fun Days when accompanied and supervised by a full-paying adult; proof of age may be requested. This is not a live ticket offer while racing is paused, and individual event conditions may differ.
Parking and taxi arrangements
The venue lists free car and coach parking and a taxi point by the main entrance. Its FAQ says taxis must be pre-booked; Blue Badge spaces are nearest the ticket office and subject to availability.
Food, drink and facilities
The FAQ says the Sports Bar, Grill Kitchen, marquees, outside bars and vendors are cashless; Fairwood Brasserie and Club Restaurant & Lounge accept cash and cards. There is no cash machine at the venue, and picnics are not allowed.
Families and groups
Chelmsford combines a documented child ticket policy for standard racedays with city attractions that can fill a family visit while racing is paused.
Children’s admission and city activities
The racecourse FAQ says children under 18 are admitted free to standard racedays and Family Fun Days with a full-paying adult, subject to supervision and possible proof of age. This is the venue’s published general policy, not a current ticket offer: its homepage says racing is unable to resume. In the city, the Museum of Chelmsford’s Hive café welcomes children, Hylands Estate has a castle-themed playground, and Visit Essex lists indoor swimming, ice skating and soft play at Riverside Leisure Centre.
Help on the day and afterwards
In an emergency
Call 999 and give the address, Chelmsford City Racecourse, Great Leighs, Chelmsford, CM3 1QP. Then tell a member of staff.
Racecourse office
Call 01245 360300.
After your visit
Official results are on the BHA results page.
A little history
- 2015The venue reopens as Chelmsford City after its earlier Great Leighs operation closed in 2009.
More Chelmsford City guides
Prices, dates and travel details were checked on 2 October 2026. The racecourse can change prices, times and arrangements, so check your booking page before you pay. This is an independent guide, not connected to Chelmsford City Racecourse. Some links may earn us a small commission if you book, at no extra cost to you; this never decides what we recommend.