Ayr Racecourse praised in the Westminster parliament.

Dec 9 2011 by Lisa Boyle, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

AYR Racecourse has been praised in the Westminster parliament for the role it plays in the Ayrshire economy.

Sandra Osborne MP mentioned the facility during a debate in the House of Commons on the betting levy.

Racecourses across the country are suffering as more and more bookmakers base themselves outside the UK to avoid paying the charge.

The Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock MP said: “I took the opportunity to emphasise to the minister on the floor of the house the significant role that Ayr Racecourse has in the Ayrshire economy and to highlight how the racecourse has diversified as a business and is now one of our most popular tourist attractions.

“This is a credit to the management and the workforce and I took the opportunity to put on record my thanks for everything they contribute to the local area.”

During the debate, Mrs Osborne said: “The racecourse does not just sit back and wait for funding in the form of a levy or anything else; it has built a business and has greatly diversified over the past few years, outwith race days. I have watched with great pleasure as Ayr Racecourse has changed from a run-down facility, lacking investment and vitality, to one of our most popular attractions.

“Having said all that, since I have been a member of the house, I cannot remember a time when levy negotiations have been anything other than a problem. Every year, with monotonous predictability, we can look forward to protracted, unsatisfactory, adversarial negotiations that go to the brink and do not achieve a positive outcome.”

The annual payment from betting to racing has fallen from an average of £106 million to £59 million in three years – a drop of almost 50 per cent.

One of the most important reasons for the fall in racing’s funding position is the move offshore by bookmakers and betting exchanges.

Bookmakers can advertise and transact in the UK but not contribute to the levy or pay taxes.

Alan Macdonald, Ayr Racecourse Chairman, said: “We are grateful to Sandra for her continued support and have been in touch with her to tell her so.

“The levy is a very important source of income to a racecourse and it is imperative we have the backing of our local MP on issues like this when they are discussed in parliament.

By saying what she said at such a debate Sandra underlines just how important Ayr Racecourse is to the local economy not only as a tourist destination but as an employer.”