Goodwood

Motor racing, horse racing, estate and countryside

Goodwood is the major estate on the doorstep of Chichester, and its influence on the city and the surrounding area is enormous. The estate, owned by the Duke of Richmond, sprawls across the downland north-east of the city, and its combination of motor racing, horse racing, aviation, farming and hospitality makes it one of the most diverse and successful landed estates in England.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, held annually in late June or early July, is one of the world's great motoring events. The hillclimb up the estate's private drive attracts historic and contemporary racing cars, supercars, rally cars and motorcycles, driven by current and former champions. The event draws tens of thousands of visitors over four days and generates enormous traffic on the roads around Chichester. The atmosphere is a unique blend of motorsport enthusiasm, automotive heritage and English country estate, and it has become a fixture of the international sporting calendar.

The Goodwood Revival, held in September, recreates the golden age of motor racing at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, which was active from 1948 to 1966. Participants and spectators dress in period clothing, and the cars that race are all from the pre-1966 era. The Revival has a nostalgic charm that distinguishes it from modern motorsport events, and its attention to period detail is meticulous.

Goodwood Racecourse, on the top of the Downs, is one of the most beautiful horse racing venues in the country. The course hosts flat racing from May to October, with the highlight being Glorious Goodwood, the five-day festival in late July and early August that is one of the social and sporting peaks of the British summer. The views from the racecourse across the coastal plain to the sea are spectacular.

Beyond the headline events, Goodwood operates a hotel, restaurants, a health club, a farm shop, an aerodrome and an organic farm. The Goodwood Hotel and its Kennels members' club cater to a well-heeled clientele, and the estate's restaurants use produce from the home farm. The aerodrome, which was an RAF base during the Battle of Britain, is now a general aviation airfield and the home of the Goodwood Flying School.

For Chichester residents, Goodwood is both a source of pride and occasional frustration. The events bring economic activity and international profile, but they also bring traffic, noise and disruption. The estate's commitment to the local area, through employment, farming and community engagement, helps to maintain a broadly positive relationship.

Beyond the headline events, Goodwood operates a hotel, restaurants, a health club, a farm shop, an aerodrome and an organic farm that together create one of the most diversified estate businesses in the country. The Goodwood Hotel and its Kennels members club cater to a well-heeled clientele, and the estate restaurants use produce from the home farm to create menus that are rooted in the landscape. The aerodrome, which was an RAF base during the Battle of Britain and played a significant role in the defence of southern England, is now a general aviation airfield and the home of the Goodwood Flying School and Aviation Club.

The farm shop deserves particular mention. It sells organic meat from the estate own herd, along with dairy, bakery products, preserves and seasonal vegetables. The quality is high, the provenance is impeccable, and the shop has become a destination in its own right for food-conscious shoppers from Chichester and the wider area.

For Chichester residents, Goodwood is both a source of pride and occasional frustration. The events bring economic activity, employment and international profile to the area, but they also bring traffic, noise and disruption to the surrounding roads and villages. The estate commitment to the local area, through employment, farming, conservation and community engagement, helps to maintain a broadly positive relationship between the estate and its neighbours.