Neptunus' circular Salacia structure gives spectacular new look to Royal Ascot 2026

Racegoers at Royal Ascot enjoyed a spectacular new look to the hospitality village in the centre of the racecourse this year with the introduction of an eye-catching circular covered viewing area created by temporary structure specialists Neptunus.

The Salacia, a fully rounded structure allowing 360 degree views and named after the female Roman divinity of the sea and wife of Neptune, 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. It made its UK debut at Royal Ascot 2026 to provide a unique and stylish shaded shelter for racegoers in the centre of the course.

Neptunus’ Managing Director Ben Keast says: “We have a long-term and very successful relationship with Royal Ascot. It is the world’s most prestigious horseracing festival where Neptunus are entrusted to ensure visitors enjoy an extraordinary experience befitting such a spectacular royal occasion broadcast to a world-wide TV audience.

“Over recent years we have sought to introduce new innovations across the Village Enclosure in the centre of the track to enhance the spectator experience. The introduction of the Salacia was an exciting new addition for 2026. It’s not only a visually very striking structure but it is functional and provides a unique covered area to provide shelter for racegoers from the sun or from rain.”

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 is hydraulically lifted into place with flexibility for heights up to 12 metres.

Keast adds: “For Royal Ascot we limited the height to ensure spectators from the grandstands would have a clear view of all the racing action across the course.”

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.”

Each year at the royal meeting, Neptunus transform the centre of the racecourse into a festival-style environment giving racegoers a unique experience in a stylish temporary village that doubles up as an after-race party venue. The Village Enclosure brings racegoers to the very heart of the action with marvellous views of the thoroughbred racehorses and the traditional daily pre-race Royal Procession as the Royal Family and their VIP guests are driven down the Straight Mile in horse-drawn Landau carriages.

Neptunus’ technicians took just two weeks to erect over 5,000 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.
Alure Globe temporary structures formed a private fine dining restaurant for 2000 guests to create ‘Restaurant in the Village’. A separate less formal hospitality area was created in the newly rebranded ‘The Meadows’ where Neptunus erected multiple smaller Apollonia structures to form street food stalls, cocktail bars and betting facilities.
Each day of the 5-day long Royal Ascot staged from June 16-20 attracted up to 60,000 visitors with around 10,000 utilising the Village Enclosure in the middle of the course.

ABOUT NEPTUNUS
Founded nearly 90 years ago, Neptunus remains a family-run business known for the creativity and innovation of its temporary structures. With a head office in The Netherlands and divisions in the UK, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland and Austria, Neptunus has a proven track record in the design, manufacture and delivery of all types of temporary buildings.

Neptunus Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Neptunus Group based in The Netherlands. Its UK operation is located in Swan Valley, Northampton, where the company has purpose-built offices, storage and maintenance facilities. Neptunus has over 500,000 square metres of high-quality structures in a wide range of styles. Combined with cassette flooring systems, Neptunus’ flexible and spacious structures provide ideal solutions for short- or longer-term rental or purchase requirements. For more information visit: www.neptunus.co.uk

ABOUT ASCOT AND ROYAL ASCOT
Nestled in woodland adjacent to Windsor Great Park lies a place like no other. First discovered by Queen Anne in 1711, Ascot is the most celebrated racecourse in the world. Nothing short of a national institution, this 179-acre expanse of meticulously manicured grounds is home to the most famous race meeting in the world — Royal Ascot.

When the first four-day race meeting took place on this magnificent site in 1768, the Royal Meeting’s remarkable legacy, now under its thirteenth Monarch, began. To this day, there is no occasion quite as revered as Royal Ascot with its unique blend of sport of the highest quality and effortless fashion and style. Featuring eight Group One races and 19 Group races in total, the now five-day spectacular draws a crowd of more than 250,000 racegoers and ignites the passions of viewers in some 175 countries around the world.

Delivering enjoyment for visitors in all seasons, Ascot hosts 26 days of racing each year across both the Flat and Jumps codes. But Ascot is much more than a haven for socialising alongside racing excellence. Hosting an astounding 300 non-racing events every year, it serves as a captivating backdrop for film and television productions, as a venue for conferences, banquets, exhibitions and product launches and it stages an abundance of weddings of all types.

www.ascot.com

PAUL SMITH ASSOCIATES
25th June 2026