Racing: Jeans back in Ascot fashion

GOOD NEWS for Status Quo: after almost five years, Ascot has decided to relax its ban on jeans in the Tattersalls enclosure. There is some bad news too, though: the course offers no reductions for pensioners, writes Greg Wood.

Nicholas Beaumont, Ascot's clerk of the course, said yesterday that, after 'monitoring the standard of dress during the summer', punters presenting themselves to the gatemen in 'smart' jeans will now be admitted to the grandstand. Only the Royal meeting will remain denim-free.

'When the rule was brought in, behaviour was not very good on racecourses,' Beaumont said. 'The people causing trouble were very badly dressed, in filthy jeans. Since that time there's been a big swing round.'

However, rumours that Ascot's uptight gatemen will soon swap their bowlers for baseball caps seem fanciful.