Raceday Steward in Ascot

Welcome to Ascot where tradition meets innovation and excitement is the heartbeat of our business. We are a destination for over 500,000 guests each year where passion, elegance, and celebration converge. As one of the world's leading racecourses, Ascot is renowned for its rich heritage spanning over 300 years. We are committed to building a Global lifestyle brand, wrapped around the world-class horse racing we run. At Ascot, we believe in preserving the beauty of our surroundings and minimising our ecological footprint.

As a Raceday Steward, you will play a vital role in ensuring the safety, security and enjoyment of all racegoers. Working as part of the Raceday Stewarding Team, you will be responsible for directing, managing and assisting visitors within your allocated area, while delivering excellent customer service that reflects the values and high standards of Ascot.

Raceday Stewards are highly visible, mobile and active throughout the day, typically working up to 8 hours, and must be confident operating in busy, fast-paced environments both indoors and outdoors. You will be required to understand and support Ascot Racecourse Emergency Procedures and work closely with Safety Stewards and Supervisors in the event of an incident or evacuation.

A key responsibility of the role is maintaining controlled access to restricted racing areas, ensuring only appropriately accredited individuals are permitted entry. Stewards must remain vigilant at all times, identifying and promptly reporting hazards, defects, fire risks or suspicious items that could pose a risk to guests, horses or colleagues. Raceday Stewards are not expected to search or eject guests, nor engage in conflict, but instead act as calm, professional and approachable representatives of Ascot, escalating issues appropriately through supervisory channels.

The Bowler Hats are Ascot’s directly employed stewarding team and the public face of the racecourse on event days. Passionate, knowledgeable and guest-focused, Bowler Hats place strong emphasis on customer service and creating a welcoming, inclusive guest experience. There are five stewarding teams deployed across the racecourse, each supporting different operational areas.

• Operational Areas:
• Concourse: The main public-facing area, featuring bars, food outlets and live entertainment. Stewards are typically positioned on stairs and escalators, managing guest flow, checking accreditation and answering visitor queries.
• Level 2: Home to high-profile hospitality spaces, including the Royal Box, fine dining restaurants and the Royal Ascot Racing Club (RARC). Stewards in this area often provide a dedicated welcome service, managing access and opening doors for members and guests throughout the day.
• Levels 3–6: Encompassing the King Edward enclosure and forming part of the Royal Enclosure during Royal Ascot. Duties include badge checking and glass containment in very busy environments.
• Lawns: Outdoor roles in all weather conditions, including managing evacuation gates, accessible viewing areas and crowd control points across the grounds.
• Racing Areas: Working within equine and horse integrity zones such as the Weighing Room, Parade Ring, Pre-Parade Ring and horse crossing points. These roles offer a unique behind-the-scenes perspective of raceday operations and require heightened awareness and professionalism.

Your role as a Bowler Hat:

• Arrive on time and be fully prepared for the day i.e. in the correct uniform, have a yellow sheet and staff handbook in your possession.
• Attend the raceday briefing given by your Sector Manager.
• Be aware of who the supervisors are, key activities/plans for the day, and expected behaviours.
• Be familiar with the emergency codes, lost/found children policy, and your radio call sign, if applicable.
• Escalate issues promptly during the raceday to your Supervisor or Sector Manager.
• Maintain and uphold standards as a Steward in The Ascot Way.
• Complete any e-learning as required using online platforms.
• Attend any on-site meetings/training sessions as required.
• Excellent standards of communication and personal presentation.

Availability requirements: You must be available for all five days of Royal Ascot (16 – 20 June 2026). Successful candidates will then be required to attend a training session on Thursday 4th June.

What you can expect from us: The opportunity to be a part of a place ‘Like Nowhere Else' and be part of our Royal Ascot temporary team. Lunch will be provided on racedays. If this sounds like the role for you, we would love to hear from you! We will be paying £15.08 per hour (inclusive of holiday pay).

Our Diversity and Inclusion Vision: We are committed to ensuring guests from all backgrounds and communities feel welcome at the Racecourse and are working to ensure our internal teams are nurtured within a supportive and inclusive environment. Our mission is to eliminate discrimination and prejudice of any kind at our venue and throughout our business. By educating and implementing meaningful actions across all that we do, we can make certain that Ascot is a place for everyone to enjoy. As an equal opportunities employer, Ascot Racecourse is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join our company.

How to apply: Applications will close on 21 May 2026. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should suitable candidates be identified.