It’s not just the price of the alcoholic drinks that has left punters seething at the Cheltenham Festival this week. Organisers are currently battling a social media backlash after one race-goer shared his drinks receipt on Tuesday, proving he paid £31.20 for just four pints of Guinness.

That followed a rise of 30p per drink on the famous stout from 2024. It’s not even the most expensive option on offer, with a 187ml measure of wine setting you back £9.70. However, if you’re heading to the famous venue for the final two days of the 2025 extravaganza, don’t be tricked into thinking that staying sober will mean a cheap few hours.

The Guinness alcohol-free option, a drink rising in popularity in the UK, costs £7.40. That comfortably exceeds the price of an alcoholic drink in most British pubs and stadium venues.

That notion hasn’t escaped critics, with @andyb861 writing on X: “£7.40 for Guinness zero is daylight robbery!!” @WattyRacing added: “£7.40 for a Guinness Zero when I paid £4 for one at the rugby on Saturday, glad I've still never set foot at the festival yet.” @steve_ackford added: “The 0% is taking the mick.”

The prices have prompted one group of racing fans to instead head to Benidorm this week to follow the festival in bars and place bets online. Some trip members appeared on national radio on Wednesday to outline how much they were saving, as opposed to the week’s cost at Prestbury Park.

Sure enough, @G1Brady backed the fans’ actions abroad, posting: “Guinness zero £7.40 wow, no wonder people have f***ed off to Benidorm, @Cheltenham Races only has itself to blame.”

A 330ml bottle of alcohol-free lager is hardly a bargain either, costing £4. Avoiding the alcohol menu altogether in favour of fizzy drinks still means forking out too.

Soft drinks are being sold for £3.10, while a small bottle of sparkling or still water is £2.50. Despite the extortionate cost, Guy Lavender, the chief executive of Cheltenham Racecourse, has defended the increases this week.

“The price of a pint at the Cheltenham Festival had not increased since 2022 until this season,” he said. “When considering how to price food and drink we benchmark against comparable venues locally, while factoring in associated costs like temporary facilities and increased staffing to cater for larger crowds.”