As Ascot prepared on Sunday to issue refunds to their Premier Enclosure customers from Saturday’s Victor Chandler Chase day, I was interested to find out how this public-relations blunder had occurred. Issuing orange spot stickers to those racegoers who failed the new dress code had seemed rather odd.
Smith, plainly dejected, explained that the exercise had been well-intentioned. Clearly, though, it had backfired in spectacular style, with many customers believing they had been issued with 'naughty boy’ badges for not coming up to scratch. Not surprisingly many of those who complained described the experience as “humiliating”.
“The stickers were given out to those racegoers, who had been spoken to [by gatemen] about the new dress code for Ascot meetings. We didn’t want them [the customers] bothered again, so it was a way of identifying them. Strangely enough, it was meant as a customer service. But it has sent out the wrong message, and we apologise,” he said.
It seems a jacket and tie for men and smart dress for ladies are now required to gain entrance to the Premier Enclosure at run-of-the-mill Ascot meetings. This will annoy some racegoers, particularly for jumping during the cold winter months. I am in favour of having a dress code, so long as we all know in advance what it is.
Incidentally, I have noticed that many observers get excessively uptight when it comes to Ascot and its traditions. It truly does not deserve that, even if mistakes have been made.
