Deaf communities welcomed to Dubai Duty Free International Weekend with James Bay as new initiatives unveiled

Newbury Racecourse have announced a number of initiatives to make their final music raceday of the summer – Dubai Duty Free International Weekend with James Bay – an accessible fixture for deaf communities.

BRIT-award winner, James Bay, will make his debut at Newbury Racecourse live after racing on Saturday 20th September and for the first time at any UK music race fixture, interpreters will enable deaf racegoers to enjoy both the day’s racing commentary and James Bay’s live performance celebrating the 10th anniversary of his multi-platinum debut album, ‘’The Chaos & The Calm’’.

A number of other initiatives, including the provision of a dedicated space at the Racecourse, behind-the-scenes tour, jockey meet and greet, and a panel discussion will all be available for the deaf community on Saturday 20th September.

The provision of interpreters and the broader initiatives being introduced at Newbury Racecourse are generously supported OLBG, the online betting guide, at a time when statistics reveal that one in three adults in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus and more than 150,000 use British Sign Language.

To complement the initiatives and in an effort to make the raceday as accessible as possible the Racecourse are offering members of the deaf community a preferential rate on tickets. For more information on how to access these exclusive tickets please reach out to the Racecourse via the button below.

Connor Robson, Newbury Racecourse’s Partnership Manager, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to unveil this programme of initiatives and thank our longstanding partner, OLBG, for their support in doing so. We’re always striving to make our racing experiences as accessible as possible, and we look forward to welcoming the deaf community to the Racecourse on Saturday 20th September.’’

Richard Moffat, CEO of OLBG, commented: “What a fantastic initiative from Newbury Racecourse. We’re delighted to support opportunities that make racing more accessible, just as we do through our partnership with the OLBG Owners Club at Newbury and by growing shared racehorse experiences with Harry Derham Racing. We hope members of the Deaf community have a brilliant day and enjoy some of the behind-the-scenes experiences on offer.”

BRIT award winner James Bay commented: “I’m really excited to be performing at Newbury Racecourse, especially as we mark 10 years since ‘Chaos and the Calm’. It means a lot to be part of the first deaf aware music raceday in the UK—music is for everyone, and I’m proud to be involved in an event that’s making sure no one is left out of the experience.”

Lorna Page, Training & Services Manager at Deaf Unity, commented: “Deaf Unity is proud to partner with Newbury Racecourse for the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend, an exciting initiative to welcome deaf and hard of hearing individuals to the event.”

This pioneering initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing the raceday experience for deaf audiences—learn more and book tickets for the Dubai Duty Free International Weekend here.