Our People

Helen Lees

Events Sales Manager, Wolverhampton Racecourse

ARC really is a fantastic company to work for. You spend more of your life at work than at home –it’s like an extended family. If you want a job look elsewhere if you want a career choose ARC.

Paula Jones

Commercial Manager Wolverhampton Racecourse

I was so very impressed with the way my whole recruitment process was handled. From the first fairly informal chat to completing the psychometric survey at the final stages everything was totally professional and gave me a real sense of being offered a role in an organisation that does things properly.

Caroline Williams

Deputy General Manager – Chepstow Racecourse

I have always enjoyed working for the business. I love the challenge and the variety that each day brings. When I left a few years ago for a three-year period, I missed the team ethic, product and the sales focus that I had been used to working in. I have always felt that the Company has rewarded me for what I have achieved and more recently have supported me over the last twelve months whilst on maternity leave to enjoy my time off with my little girl.

David Leyden Dunbar

Group Director of Partnerships

ARC offers an extremely fast moving working environment and the variety which each day brings is the part of the job I enjoy most.  At Head Office we’re a small but incredibly dynamic team and we work collaboratively with all our colleagues on the racecourses to deliver the results that are expected. As part of this, my primary role is developing, implementing and taking full ownership of the group’s overarching commercial partnership strategy aimed at the delivery of our long term business objectives and working with the commercial teams at each course to exploit every one of our assets to its full potential. 

Michael Bloomer

Group Management Accountant, Head Office (Millbank)

ARC is a phenomenal company to work for, being within the Racing, Events & Hospitality industry is a great experience in itself, plus you have the best, supportive colleagues surrounding you. One of the great qualities of the business is how it drives to develop, whatever department you may be in. I have personally been given numerous opportunities to progress from first starting out as a Finance Assistant, developing through the ranks to a racecourse accountant, then to a Financial controller and finally achieving a Head Office position as the Group Management Accountant.

Charlotte Caple

Sales Manager Chepstow Racecourse

I have been at Chepstow for 6 years. In this time, I have grown from being a Sales Executive to a Sales Manager. I take pride each day in knowing that I work for one of the biggest organisations within British Racing.

Working for ARC has certainly helped me through the years gain confidence, experience and much more. They offer support where it’s needed and praise where its due.

Having a busy competition life outside of work, ARC has certainly helped with this by having flexible working hours, supportive line managers and a dedicated team.

Sam Blount

Front Office Manager, Wolverhampton hotel

ARC has given me more confidence in being a manager. I feel valued by the company and have been rewarded with a place on the ‘Under Starters Orders’ development programme. I have only been on the development program for just over a month, but the support I am feeling from other members of senior management is amazing. ARC encourage me to progress in my career.

Stella Goodwin

Events Development Executive at Bath Racecourse

Lauren Beresford

Events Executive at Uttoxeter Racecourse

I am proud to say that I completed the Junior Development Programme for Arena Racing in 2018. The programme enabled me to explore and learn about all aspects of the ARC business by the various modules which were organised throughout the year.  It was great to have the chance to visit other courses and share best practice ideas with other colleagues.  I truly believe that by completing the programme it has helped me gain a better understanding of the wider areas of the business and this has been key for my personal development.

Hark Thandi

Group CRM Manager, Central Marketing

It’s the people that I work with on a daily basis that makes ARC such an attractive place to work. When I joined in September 2017, I was able to adapt and fit straight in due to how welcoming everyone made me feel, and this was not only staff in my office but all members of staff across each racecourse and head office. The flexible office hours and being able to travel around keeps things very interesting and exciting. The work is challenging but I have amazing support and work with genuine people which brings out the best in me.

Ben Stores

Sales and Marketing Executive

The opportunities within ARC are endless, with the racecourses up and down the country and a strong preference to promote within, there is always opportunities to further your career in any walk of the business.

I was recently selected onto the Under Starters Orders development course and although in its early stages, I can already see it is a fantastic opportunity to grow. Having met other ARC employees from all over the country, making valuable connections with people and visiting other venues it’s an experience like no other. As an employee it makes you feel extremely valued that such faith has been put into you and your work.

Kim Crump

Regional HR Manager Arena Racing Company

As an employee who has recently returned from maternity leave I was especially pleased to have had my flexible working application approved. Having a baby is such a life milestone so naturally I was apprehensive and nervous about returning to work but to be able to balance my work and personal life has made the transition back into work a lot easier than I originally thought. Having family friendly policies within the Company really make a difference and it’s reassuring to know that the Company appreciates this.

David Gath

Head of Digital

Here in the ARC Digital team we are busy transforming our entire digital estate, which is huge! We’re responsible for the design and technical development of all of our digital properties which includes individual websites for all of our racing venues plus a number of brand and subsidiary sites, around 30 websites in total. We also develop all of our own web management tools in-house to give our racecourse and business colleagues maximum flexibility in communicating their unique brands and customer offers.

We are a friendly and enthusiastic team with a real diversity of skills and experience. We work in an ‘Agile’ manner which enables us to be responsive and hugely flexible. There is a real ‘can-do’ attitude in the team and we always rise to the many challenges that come our way from around the business. We pride ourselves in embracing new technologies, digital trends and working practices so we are constantly evolving the way we work and how we do things. In addition to all of that we regularly get to watch afternoon racing from our office window, which looks directly out onto the finishing straight at Wolverhampton Racecourse!

Hayley Plimley

Senior Development Programme

Back in 2016 I undertook the ARC Senior Development Programme. Following a successful application, a bespoke plan was written for me by ARC Senior Management to ensure that I had the tools to drive my career forward.

As part of the course I gained funding to complete a level 7 in Strategic Leadership & Management via the Racing Management Academy at the British Racing School in Newmarket. The course lasted 7 months and explored all aspects of management and the tools necessary to become a successful leader. The course also provided the opportunity to experience numerous aspects of the racing industry with visits to the Tattersall Horse Sales, the gallops of Newmarket, a tour of an equine hospital and Darley Stud, plus guest speaker sessions with racing industry leaders. This really opened my eyes to the industry that I am fortunate to work in.

The programme also allowed me to work on the awarding-winning Silk Series project alongside ARC Group Directors, exposing me to the Senior Team and raising my profile. The support and opportunity has been fantastic. My skills have developed, I have received a promotion and I am now leading a high performing team of 9 great people.