Resting place Racing fans’ ashes could be stored in wall at course
CHELTENHAM Racecourse wants to establish a special area for horse racing fans’ ashes. It means lovers of the sport could become permanent residents at Prestbury Park.
The Jockey Club, which owns the home of National Hunt racing, has submitted a planning application to Cheltenham Borough Council to have a columbarium.
That is a wall made up of individual niches or spaces, each containing urns with a person’s cremated ashes inside them.
If it is allowed, it will be located close to the entrance to the Centaur. The Jockey Club is working with a company called Spirit of Sport on the project.
A report with the planning application says: “Columbaria in the UK fall under the remit of the Department of Justice, who have advised that there is no licensing requirement, but that planning is a local authority issue. The ground is not required to be consecrated.
“Fans will be able to arrange their final resting place in advance of their passing knowing that they will secure their personal space in their chosen location at the racecourse.”
The plan is to build a wall about 10m wide, 2.3m high and 750mm deep. It would contain about 700 niches and be clad in granite or quartz.
There is nothing in the application about whether people would be charged to have their ashes in the wall and, if so, how much it would cost.
The council hopes to determine the application by October 7.