Dozens of venues to sell alcohol and offer late-night food during race week

More than 30 venues in Cheltenham have been granted temporary licences to sell alcohol or offer late night food during race week.

During Cheltenham Festival record numbers of visitors are expected to visit the town and many bars and restaurants hope to cash in after two difficult years of trading.

The event was held behind closed doors in 2021 due to the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.

But this year, things are back to normal and some 34 venues have applied to Cheltenham Borough Council for temporary event notices.

Licensing officers will proactively visit and engage with bars, clubs and other licensed premises to ensure they comply with their licence conditions, check on accredited door staff, and deal with any issues which may arise with these venues during the festival, which runs from March 15 to 18.

Cabinet member for customer and regulatory services Martin Horwood (LD, Leckhampton) said: “The festival is a hugely important event for Cheltenham and we look forward to welcoming the return of festival spectators and visitors.

‘’But it’s also a big challenge for the council and its partners to manage and ensure people who visit Cheltenham during that week do so knowing that they will have a safe and enjoyable stay.

“I really want to thank council staff for all the extra efforts they make during race week.”

The venues which have been granted a temporary event notice for the week are listed below.

By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter