Arena delivers as key supplier for the Randox Health Grand National

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Arena was once again selected as structures and furniture supplier for another major race meeting hosted by The Jockey Club: The Randox Health Grand National at Aintree from 4th to 6th April 2019.

Having worked closely with The Jockey Club for more than 35 years, Arena have provided a variety of structures, seating and furniture for the various events; Epsom Derby, Newmarket and The Festival at Cheltenham – so they are no strangers to the race day run of events and their exacting requirements.

Dan Bluff, account director for Arena said: “This is my first year working on this event and what a thrilling fixture to be involved in.”

“The builds were fantastic again this year, with new feature wall panelling within the rooftop restaurant structure and added interior detailing to give it that luxury feel for race-goers as they relax and dine.”

As well as supplying and building the temporary structures for the three-day event, Arena delivered temporary grandstands, staircases, viewing platforms and a range of furniture for the hospitality suites, food and beverage outlets, the parade ring, behind the scenes areas for owners and jockeys, and perhaps the most highly-regarded section of all, the Queen Mother Stand.

The prestigious event attracts thousands of race-goers each year for racing, music, food and entertainment, with millions more across the globe tuning in from home, so the pressure is always on for suppliers to get it right.

Chris Morris, recently appointed CEO for Arena UK & Europe said: “The seating, structures and furniture were delivered safely and on schedule which is crucial for such a long-running event with the Grand National entering its 172nd staging at Aintree this year.

“A key client benefit of working with Arena is having multiple event elements delivered and installed by one company, and with over 1,000 items of furniture alone, it demonstrates the sheer scale and magnitude of this event. Teams working on site that get along and work well together can be the difference between a successful event and a complete disaster. Our clients are in safe hands with Arena, we have years of experience working on complex events across multiple product and service offerings and always deliver the Arena Standard unequivocally.”

Dave Withey, UK Group sales director, who has managed and delivered requirements for Aintree on more than 20 occasions said: “As well as the build being on schedule and in line with safety requirements, it was such a great display of Arena’s seating kit with twin-tiered viewing decks utilising the Arena deck system, and the west tip-covered Grandstand with facilities in the under croft highlighting the intricate structures we are capable of creating. 

“With all elements combined, it’s like a live brochure before your very eyes, and the perfect demonstration of exactly what we can do, and the quality you can expect for your event.”

The three-day event kicked off with Grand National Thursday featuring seven races, while ladies turned out for Friday’s coveted Ladies’ Day competition alongside the usual racing fixtures. All eyes were watching both on the racecourse and in homes around the world for the Grand National at 5.15pm UK time on Saturday, 6th April.

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com