Policing the 2026 Cheltenham Festival

With the return of the Cheltenham Festival this week (Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 March), Gloucestershire Constabulary is offering advice and information to help racegoers and local residents have a safe and enjoyable time.

• What do we do at Cheltenham Festival?

We work closely with the Jockey Club, owners of Cheltenham Racecourse, and other partners such as South Western Ambulance Service and Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in the run up to Cheltenham Festival to ensure the event runs smoothly.

During the Festival, we adopt the same neighbourhood-style of policing we practice throughout our communities all year round and this involves regular visible patrols of the site by uniformed officers.

Other resources, including armed officers, plain-clothed officers and the police drone, will also be on site.

 

• How we're tackling Violence against Women and Girls

In addition to resources working at and around the Racecourse, we will have an enhanced community policing presence across the town throughout the event.

Officers will be conducting high visibility patrols to provide the public with reassurance and detect and deter crime, where unacceptable behaviour towards women is identified, we will respond appropriately, as tackling male violence and intimidation against women and girls is a priority.

Project Vigilant, which is aimed at targeting perpetrator behaviour in the night-time economy which is often displayed before a sexual offence takes place, will also be running in Cheltenham every day of the Festival.

The initiative involves a team of dedicated, specially trained officers in the Force Control Room with access to CCTV along with plain clothed officers and uniformed officers on the ground.

Plain clothed officers are looking out for the specific behaviours, and it is then uniformed colleagues who will be alerted and intervene when risk behaviours are seen.

The Constabulary will also place adverts across social media; in bars, clubs and in bus stops around Cheltenham, to remind men to speak out and step in if they witness harassment against women.

Intervening doesn’t have to be dramatic or confrontational. There are four ways to help, which you can remember by thinking: STOP.

S – Say Something, T - Tell Someone, O - Offer Support, P - Provide a diversion.

Anyone who feels vulnerable or in danger can visit our Community Engagement Vehicle to seek support or a place of safety. People can also approach our Cheltenham Guardians and Street Pastor colleagues for assistance.

Anyone with concerns about someone or something they’ve seen is asked to report these to an officer or call 101; any emergencies should be reported by calling 999, this includes incidents where there’s a threat to life, risk of harm, a crime is in progress, or offenders are nearby.

 

• How we’re tackling anti-social behaviour in Cheltenham

Concerns have been raised about anti-social behaviour (ASB) related to the Cheltenham Festival and we are once again working with our partner agencies such as Cheltenham Borough Council and the Jockey Club to deter it from taking place.

In addition to resources working at and around the racecourse, we will have an enhanced community policing presence across the town throughout the event.

Police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be conducting high visibility patrols, with a particular focus on identified ASB hotspots, around transport hubs, licenced premises and along popular walking routes.

There is also a particular focus on communities living within the vicinity of the Racecourse, who we know can be adversely affected by the anti-social behaviour of some.

We will have our Community Engagement Vehicle in the town centre from 10am to 7pm every day.

The community policing operation will handover daily to an enhanced Night Time Economy operation, which will see additional officers deployed on foot to conduct high visibility patrols of the town, again focussing on identified hotspots.

 

• Policing of illegal drugs

One thing we won’t tolerate is drug use at the Cheltenham Festival and anyone found in possession of drugs will be dealt with appropriately and proportionately. This could include being evicted from the site or arrested.

Racegoers are advised that security checks will be carried out at the entrance of the site. The Racecourse’s security staff and drug detection dogs are well practised in finding prohibited items.

There will be drugs amnesty bins upon entry to the site which can be used to discard small quantities of drugs and we encourage racegoers to use them to prevent facing further action if caught with the drugs once on the site.

Anyone who suspects someone is supplying drugs on site is asked to report it to a police officer, call 101 or report it online using our online reporting form.

 

• The use of drones

Did you know that there is a drone no fly zone at Cheltenham Festival?

A restricted air space is in operation above the Racecourse and anyone flying an aircraft without the necessary permission will be committing an offence.

There is an exclusion zone in place for all four days of the event between the hours of 10.15am and 8pm.

Flying a drone without the necessary authorisation could result in equipment seizure and potential prosecution.

A drone will still be sighted at the festival as ITV Racing has permission to fly one as part of its aerial coverage of the action. Police Drones will also be in operation during the festival to assist policing operations.

 

• Travel advice

As we see each year, roads in Cheltenham will be busier during the Cheltenham Festival.

Please plan ahead and allow yourself plenty of time for your journey or consider public transport.

Before you set out on your journey, you are advised to check the latest updates on road and public transport networks:

• Visit highwaysengland.co.uk or follow @HighwaysSWEST on X for updates on motorways approaching the area.
• Follow @GlosRoads on X for updates on smaller roads in and around Cheltenham
• Visit the Cheltenham Racecourse website for travel information and follow the Cheltenham Racecourse X feed
• Make sure you are fully prepared for delays before setting out. Regardless of how you’re getting there, make sure you take plenty of water with you as well as snacks and a first aid kit, just in case.
• If travelling by car, ensure you check your vehicle well in advance, including oil level, tyre pressure and spare tyre.

 

• Safety advice

We want everyone to be familiar with the following advice ahead of this year’s Cheltenham Festival:

• Arrive early for extra security measures. There will be security checks for visitors as they come onto the site in order to keep everyone safe and arriving in plenty of time will help prevent delays.
• Be patient with security checks and don’t give security, staff or stewards a hard time. It might seem inconvenient, but these measures are in place to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable time. You can find out more on security checks here
• Help us to keep everyone safe - if you see something that doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and tell security or police on-site. In an emergency, always call 999 and look around you for help from Racecourse stewarding staff – especially those with radios who can raise the alarm quickly.
• If at any point you believe your own or someone else’s drink has been tampered with, alert security or a police officer and seek medical advice either by calling the NHS non-emergency number 111, or by visiting one of the on-site medical facilities. Adding a substance to someone’s drink without their knowledge or permission is a serious offence and could result in serious harm if the person suffers an adverse reaction.
• If you spot someone acting suspiciously, report it to a police officer or to a member of security staff immediately. Don’t leave it to someone else.
• If you see something on social media that concerns you relating to security at the Festival, report it.
• Don’t leave bags unattended or anywhere they could cause a security scare. And never agree to look after anyone else’s bags, no matter how genuine they seem.
• If there is an incident, listen to staff and any announcements. Cheltenham Racecourse have emergency plans to help you keep safe.
• Remember, the chance of being caught in a terrorism incident is small. But if it happens – Run, Hide, Tell.

 

• Personal property advice

If you are bringing a phone, tablet or other electronic device to the Cheltenham Festival, you are advised to protect it.

Anti-theft apps give us the best chance to find stolen electronics and most are free to download and quick to install.

We advise people to record the make and model of their valuables, if it’s a phone then note down the IMEI number and the account username and password of any tracking app.

You can also register your property (phone, tablet, camera, etc) on the Immobilise database. It takes only a few minutes and it’s free.

Racegoers are also reminded to be discreet with their valuables. Keep it out of sight such as in a front pocket if possible or in one of our free phone pouches, or leave it at the free property lock-ups. Keep it safe, keep it hidden.

 

• Reporting concerns or crime to us

If you are at Cheltenham Festival and need to speak to us, please feel free to approach an officer.

• If a crime is in progress or there is a threat of immediate danger, call 999.
• To report non-emergencies:
• approach an officer and report directly to them
• call 101
• or report it online using our online reporting form

To help us locate you in the event you do need us, we recommend you download the What3Words app beforehand.