Detail Dear colleague You will have read that the start of racing at Great Leighs is imminent! The down side is that, now we have a date, a number of independent commercial organisations have emerged, seeking to produce fixtures lists or other “guides” to Great Leighs racecourse that are funded by the sale of advertisement space to local businesses etc. We are aware of one Yorkshire-based company already visiting the Braintree area. I have spoken to other racecourses about it – several of having to live with it, reluctantly, as its hard to discourage - the national fixtures list is freely available from the British Horseracing Authority over a year in advance. We are keen to keep control of our branded material and the standard to which it is produced, and that any other (most welcome) publicity locally is done only in conjunction with our own county’s various recognised tourism and commerce bodies and our local media. I am disturbed that already some smaller local businesses will have been cold-called by companies that neither we or any of the racing authorities have endorsed. Obviously, if local businesses are happy to be involved with them, that’s fine but we would like them to be clear about who is connected with what. We feel uncomfortable that small businesses with a very limited marketing budget will be lulled into buying space on an “unofficial” poster which the displayer screws up when something that clearly is “official” turns up. If you feel it appropriate, please circulate this information to your contacts. If anyone is unclear after receiving such a cold call, they are welcome to contact me. Pippa Cuckson

Pippa Cuckson 01245 362412 or 07717 327236

Russell G Everard