The challenges

Each year Neptunus has the honour of providing an array of top-of-the-range facilities where first-class hospitality and entertainment is available to thousands of visitors.

Neptunus are appointed by Ascot’s Business and Events team to transform the centre of the historic racecourse, situated on land owned by the Crown Estate, into a festival-style experience fit for a King. They are charged with providing racegoers with facilities of exceptional quality in a temporary village that needs to double up as an after-race party venue for Royal Ascot’s hospitality partner, Smart Group.

Therefore, the creative team at Neptunus must constantly look at innovative ways to enhance the experience for racegoers, ensuring that the temporary infrastructure is functional, accessible and befitting with such an amazingly high-profile and stylish occasion. Every year Neptunus seek to introduce new innovations across the hospitality village ensuring a fresh and functional look to enhance the spectator experience for both new and regular clientele.

The solution

In 2026 Neptunus’ designers and technicians yet again rose to the occasion. They created a spectacular new look with an eye-catching circular covered viewing area within the Salacia, a fully rounded structure allowing 360 degree views.

Named after the female Roman divinity of the sea and wife of Neptune, the Salacia was originally created as an iconic building that became the centrepiece of Tomorrowland, one of the world’s largest and most high-octane electronic dance and music festivals staged annually in Belgium. The visually imposing multifunctional structure has since featured at other global festivals, exhibitions, product launches and hospitality events before making its UK debut at Royal Ascot.

The Salacia formed a unique and stylish shelter to shade racegoers from the sun and keep them dry in any rainy spells. Offering a clear span of 30 metres, the Salacia was extended with a five-metre canopy fitted with angled branding bespoke printed graphics. The roof was hydraulically lifted into place with flexibility for heights up to 12 metres. For Royal Ascot the height was limited to ensure spectators from the grandstands had a clear view of all the racing action across the course.

Overall, Neptunus’ technicians took just two weeks to erect over 6,000 square metres of temporary structures and then managed the turnkey fit out of services including carpets, linings, lighting, power distribution, heating and air conditioning, toilets and external decked viewing areas to accommodate thousands of spectators.

The verdict

Dan Waite, Ascot Racecourse Build Manager, said: “Neptunus have provided, for the first time seen in the UK, the Salacia for our Village Enclosure. The supply of this structure was to the highest quality standard from planning to delivery. With the artwork printed PVC to give it the touch of Royal Ascot, it fits perfectly within the space and provides comprehensive weather cover much needed in the enclosure.”