CARLISLE racecourse has been named amongst the top 10 in the UK with the most significant decline in attendance figures over the past decade.

According to racing website, OLBG’s Racing Attendance Report, Carlisle racecourse saw attendance figures drop from 48,694 in 2014 to 32,807 in 2023, marking a decrease of 15,887 attendees or a decline of 32.6 per cent over a 10-year period.

The report highlights the challenges faced by the racing industry, including impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

The Jockey Club said that the industry was in a ‘very different position’ in 2024 and highlighted that were three fewer fixtures run in 2023 versus 2014 as standard, due to fixture list changes and not considering the number of abandonments that also occurred.

One of Carlisle’s biggest fixtures, Ladies’ Night, was abandoned in 2023.

In 2014, three music nights were hosted after racing at Carlisle, down to just one in 2023 which would have been on the abandoned Ladies’ Night.

While other racecourses have experienced similar declines, some have managed to boost their attendance figures, with Warwick racecourse seeing nearly a 50 per cent increase in visitors between 2013 and 2024.

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A spokesperson for The Jockey Club said: “There could be a number of reasons for the trends that we and many other racecourses are seeing.

“However, there is no doubt that the leisure industry is in a very different position in 2024 than it was even just two years ago, when people were looking to get to as many events as possible post-pandemic and before the impact of the cost-of-living crisis was being fully felt.

“Our focus is on putting on the best possible events and giving all racegoers and participants safe, enjoyable and memorable experiences.

“As part of our commitment to provide the very best experiences for all, one of Carlisle’s biggest days of the season, Ladies’ Night, will be moving to a weekend slot from 2025.

“This move will make the historic fixture, which features a whole racecard exclusively for female jockeys, more accessible to a bigger audience, giving more people the opportunity to enjoy one of our biggest days.”