ROA relocates offices to outside of London

The Racehorse Owners Association (“ROA”) is today announcing its move to a new office in Reading. The move is part of its drive for regional visibility to better represent owners and better engage with other important racing stakeholders around the country.

Charlie Liverton, CEO of the ROA, said: “Racing exists outside of London and it is our belief that we can better serve the interests of owners and of racing as a whole by being closer to the action. The ROA has a clear aim to protect, promote and sustain both ownership and racing. This can and should be done in collaboration with and closer to the people that create and support our sport on a day to day basis.

“Our owners have clearly stated, both at our regional meetings and as part of the feedback in the 2016 ownership survey, the need for more regional visibility. Our new Reading office is just one part of delivering that visibility.

“The new base will allow us to maintain the service we currently provide to owners whilst reorganising our structure so that we can reach more people across the country than ever before and begin to deliver the more hands-on support, as requested by our owners, at racedays and beyond.”

Louise Norman, Head of Ownership at the ROA, said: “We are always listening to owners and looking to develop both how we improve the experience for existing owners, and attract new owners to the sport. With the offices in Reading, our owners can expect to see us out and about a lot more throughout the year, promoting their interests and the value of owners to racing.”

The Racehorse Owners Association will be based in the recently refurbished TW12VE building, Forbury Road, Reading, from 1 April 2020, securing a ten year lease. The move comes after the lease on the offices at 75 High Holborn, which is home to the BHA and other racing organisations, came up for renewal. The ROA has declined to renew its sub-lease in London to support its regional visibility strategy.

The ROA’s drive to expand its visibility across the country is part of a wider strategic impetus to ensure the organisation is effectively promoting, protecting and sustaining ownership and racing. The new drive to shape the ROA in both owners’ and racing’s interests is being informed by the ROA led industry ownership survey that has received over 4,500 responses to date from across the industry including owners, breeders, racecourses, trainers and other racing industry bodies.