Cheltenham punters have flown to Benidorm instead of going to races due to how much cheaper it is for pints
The 2025 Cheltenham Festival is upon us with horse racing punters descending in their thousands on to the iconic race course.
Running until Friday (14 March) and including the legendary Gold Cup Day, it is the event in the annual racing calendar to attend and place a bet or five on.
And while many will watching the festival live on ITV1, for some it is all eyes on Spain - and in particular, the iconic seaside resort of Benidorm - as the cost of going to the festival remains expensive for some.
Just look at the pints. For 2025, you're talking just under £8 for a pint of Guinness. Sure, it's just days before St Patrick's Day, but for many it's a joke.
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It is up 30 pence on 2024's prices, with a pint of Guinness 0.0 setting you back £7.40. As for a 330ml can of 'premium lager', that'll cost you £7.40 with 500ml tinnies of Doom Bar going for £7.80.
A single measure of Jamesons, Captain Morgan Spiced rum, Smirnoff vodka, Gordons gin, or Gordons pink gin, will set you back £7.20 to £7.30. Wine is £9.70 per small can (187ml).
Over in Benidorm, preparation for the big festival took place well in advance.
A location loved by Brits all year round, one bar called the Winning Post set up giant screens as well as 12 TVs around its premises. Dubbed 'Costa del Cheltenham' and 'Cheltenhamerife', the resort embraces all things horse racing.
Owner of the bar, Colleen Holm, told the Racing Post: "Benidorm will be rammed for Cheltenham week. Cheltenham just keeps getting bigger and better each year for us."
Jake Scoff from Featherstone in Yorkshire is in the town for a stag do. A group of 16, they paid £110 per person for three nights in a hotel.
"My flights cost just under £170 return from Leeds-Bradford to Alicante," he added.
Others paid around £200 for a return flight between Birmingham and nearby Alicante. But with pints at around £2 in the resort, you don't half make your money back quickly if you're going for the whole festival.
You do have to pay to secure your spot in the bars showing the races. The likes of the Winning Post sold day tickets at €15 (£12.50) a seat or €55 (£46.50) for all four days.
On the cost of booze at the festival itself, Cheltenham's managing director Ian Renton said: "Throughout the course of this review process there have been three distinct strands which have been impossible to ignore - value for money, the need to provide the best experience possible and the competitiveness of the race programme.
"We understand that when people are paying to attend premium events they expect a premium experience and that has been at the front of our minds when committing to significant investment to improve our car parks, launching a park and ride system and offering more course-facing areas to enjoy a drink while watching the racing."
Renton added: "We also know that, at a time when we are all impacted by the rising cost of living, value is more important than ever. As with any event of this size, it is never possible to make changes which are welcomed by everyone.
"However, we have prioritised listening to our racegoers to put them and their experiences at the heart of the Festival, with the ultimate goal of delivering something that not only meets but exceeds expectations."
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Tom Earnshaw