Being based in Cheltenham, the majority of us have an interest in one of the most popular weeks of the year – The Festival. Whilst sitting (im)patiently in The Festival traffic on our morning commutes we were thinking about our very own ‘ideal day’ at Cheltenham’s Gold Cup. Our handy flowchart is a guide to those travelling from near and far to Cheltenham.

We begin our day on Friday morning. The big day that we’ve all been waiting for. For those of you who are race junkies you may be feeling a little jaded, but none the less you’ll battle through regardless because Gold Cup is the glory day of racing.

Looking out the window in hope of a dry day – indecisively packing and unpacking our umbrellas. The real big decision is breakfast. Where? When? How? For those keen racegoers who want to experience the whole hog we suggest going out for breakfast. If you’re one for an early tipple there’s a bottomless brunch – more appropriately called a ‘boozy’ brunch – at The Firestation in St James’ square. This vibrant and fresh hub of food and drink will suitably line your stomachs for the day ahead. For those less inclined to a drink before 12, head to The Bottle of Sauce for a hearty breakfast of butties and bacon to fuel you up.

From here, take whatever route you think will reduce traffic time – you will indefinitely hit  chaos at some point so prepare yourselves for the journey.

You’re here! You made it to the races! Amongst the hustle and bustle you make your way through the turnstiles with your tickets held firmly in hand. For those of you wishing to get a ticket on the gate – good luck, it’s sold out. Unless you’re prepared to sell your arm or leg we suggest you head back to a suitably comfortable pub or screen.

Now to decide why you’re really at the Gold Cup. If you came for the day out, take it in, have a wander, go and see the stalls, place a couple of bets, and wander round in the hope of seeing a celebrity. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the Guinness Village – the hub of fun and entertainment (always a good meeting spot for those of you who get lost). For those of you who ‘came for the insta’ grab a drink, go and find the horse statues, the parade ring, the moet bar – get snap happy. For those gambling gurus, find a bookies, grab a pint and your racing post and find the perfect viewing spot!

So you made it. Seven races including the Gold Cup. What next? How do you feel? Broke and sad? For the sake of your current financial status there’s only one place to go… Spoons. For those of you on the other end of the spectrum, you’re on top of the world and grinning from ear to ear. There is only one way forward for you and that is champagne, champagne, champagne! You won! Go for it. For those of you in the middle ground pottering around on the lookout for food. If you fancy a three course dinner (booking advised) head for dinner at either Brasserie Blanc in Montpellier, The Feathered Fish (a short walk to Pitville) or The Daffodil in The Suffolks. For those or you who fancy ‘pub grub’ (ish) and a boogie head to our picks: Harry Cooks, a lively choice where you’ll be sure of live music. Other options include Whittle Taps, newly refurbished and also good fun or alternatively The Tavern which serves tasty food with funky tunes till late! For those of you who may have had too many, grab yourself a Charlie’s Chips and head to bed!

From here on, whether you went for a meal, to spoons, or trooped on with champagne you’ll be wondering where to catch some mad clubbing tunes. If one of your dancing shoes has slipped off, it’s probably time to go home as your chariot awaits. For those night owls you have the choice of bringing out your disco diva in Fever, get moo-vin’ in Moo Moos, sip on cocktails in Aqua Vitae, or having a more lively affair with spilt beer in Bierkeller. Alternatively pray for drinks in the bizarrely restored church that is Vodka Revolutions.

From here we bid you farewell and we hope you enjoy your hangovers and empty pockets!

To see our flow-chart go to our Facebook page!

www.facebook.com/finnickcreative/

(Check-in next week to see what we got up to!)

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