New boss takes up reins at Newcastle Racecourse

Jul 26 2010 by Karen Dent, The Journal

THE new boss at Newcastle Racecourse takes up the reins today with a five-year plan to improve the facilities and bring more business into the High Gosforth Park site.

Simon Lane, 36, arrived in the North East on Friday, in time for one of the course’s main race days of the year, the sell-out Ladies’ Day.

He had spent the previous week at Uttoxeter racecourse with the general manager there to get a feel for his new role.

Like his predecessor as general manager at Newcastle, Mark Spincer, Mr Lane does not come from a racing background but is well grounded in the leisure sector.

“I have worked in this industry for 18 years and 10 years as a general manager in health and fitness, hotels and golf,” he said.

“The opportunity here is really exciting and this is an exciting and vibrant place. I’ve not worked in racing before, but I am a fairly regular racegoer.

“I have a background in running events and brought the PGA tour events to the St Mellion course in Cornwall. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to continue to do that.”

Mr Lane was the general manager at the St Mellion international golf resort, which is a venue on the European PGA Tour, and oversaw its £20m refurbishment.

Prior to that, he was the general manager of the Esporta Health owned Riverside Health & Racquets Club in Northwood.

Mr Lane admitted that the presence of a golf course at High Gosforth Park was part of the new post’s attraction.

But he said: “Obviously, golf has been my background for five years and the fact there is a golf course here is an added bonus, but the racing is the main business at the park.”