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The Jockey Club
Project Management | Creative | Signage & Graphics | High Access Installation
The Client
With the launch of a dynamic new brand, the 2023 Grand National presented an incredible platform on which to showcase this by means of a full suite of signage solutions ranging from stencil cut vinyl to projecting signs, acrylic displays, branded fascias and bespoke lightboxes.
DELIVERABLES
Graphic Design
Signage & Graphics
Lightbox Hire
Installation
D-Rig
![](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/rebranded-reception-desk.jpg)
![](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/many-cloud-lightbox.jpg)
Exceeding Expectations
In 2022, Heckford were selected to be involved with a core suite of signage requirements for the Grand National and the team at Aintree were so delighted with what was achieved that Heckford were asked to play a much larger role in the signage for the 2023 Grand National.
In many ways, the suite of signage would be more important for 2023 as it was the first showcase of the new branding for The Jockey Club.
![A wall mounted lightbox showing the 1839 Restaurant branding](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/wall-mounted-lightbox.jpg)
![A wall mounted acrylic print of a horse race](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/clear-acrylic-display.jpg)
![The ticket information stand at the Grand National](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/fascia-graphics.jpg)
![](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/rum-ginger-bar.jpg)
The Rum & Ginger Bar
Project Management | Survey | Signage & Graphics | High Access Installation
Celebrating the Legacy of Red Rum
The Irish Bar Transformation
The Irish Bar at Aintree racecourse has been a popular venue for many years, being a multi-function area of the site which welcome guests year round not to mention being a particular hive of energy at the Grand National. In 2023, we helped to deliver an incredible transformation into the RUM & GINGER BAR.
Before
After
!['Before' shot of the Rum and Ginger bar at Aintree with 'Carling' branding only](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_20221012_165557-1365x1024.jpg)
![Rebranded bar with raised letters and vinyl covering with the title Rum & Ginger Bar](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_20230416_132833-1365x1024.jpg)
Impactful High Elevation Walls
The vast walls which sat 8m from the floor, framed by statuesque pillars presented an opportunity to present a timeline of Red Rum’s legacy. First our certified team undertook a detailed survey to map out the dimensions along with locations of specific fixtures to ensure critical assets were clear of those. We then produced full colour vinyl graphics, reinforced with matt laminate for longevity and protection and wrapped 35m length of the elevated walls along with the pillars to create an impactful finish which would be a talking point for all visitors.
The entrance windows went through an incredible shift with the application of full colour contravision allowing an effective visage from the outside but transparency from the inside.
Revamped tables and dynamic walls
The suite of tables in the Irish Bar provided a unique canvas for full colour graphic wraps, heat applied to echo the textures of the original wooden finish and then finished with formica colour coordinated trims.
![Bar tops covered with vinyl coverings, walls decorated with legends of Aintree](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/graphics-wraps.jpg)
![](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_20231026_144153-scaled.jpg)
Accessibility Signage for Haydock Park Racecourse
Interchangeable Gate Signage | braille tactile printing
Accessible Signage
The conversation around accessibility has gained momentum in recent years, and rightly so. Venues across the UK are increasingly recognising the necessity of creating accessible environments for both staff and visitors. One often overlooked yet essential aspect of this discussion is inclusive signage and this is another area in which we can help.
Signage plays a vital role in making venues more accessible. From signs indicating accessible routes, facilities, and emergency exits, to braille and tactile signs for visually impaired visitors, inclusive signage can drastically improve the experience for visitors with disabilities.
As part of it’s goal to lead the field in accessibility, the team at Haydock Park Racecourse tasked Heckford with updating their core remit of accessible signage.
Our team at Heckford visited site, surveyed the areas and proposed both changes to existing signage and interchangeable signage for their entrances, which allows the signs to serve different purposes based on the event taking place. Our in-house production team used state-of-the-art, multi-layered tactile printing to bring the accessible signs to life. You can discover more about our tactile printing below.
![Examples of the accessibility signage at Aintree](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/accessible-signage-726x1024.jpg)
Interchangeable Gate Signage
Our in-house creative team set up the new designs to ensure brand compliance.
The client needed the panels to be interchangeable, thus our production team created a solution by way of a black acrylic trim fitted to the panels, presenting a sleek and efficient way for replacement panels to be slid into place, communicating different messaging depending on the event.
![Example of the interchangeable signs](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/interch-example-1-1800x953.jpg)
Braille
As part of our commitment to delivering the highest level of print solutions to our clients, Heckford recently invested in the VUTEK h3 – a fantastic technology which has re-imagined, reinvented, re-engineered and refined high-volume, superwide-format hybrid inkjet printing.
Just one of the exciting applications of this technology is ‘Tactile Print’ which works by way multi-layer printing allowing us to print messaging as Braille.
Typesetting was not an issue as our Creative Studio are well versed in the specialised area of setting up of Braille characters. We then reverse printed the main graphic to the reverse of 5mm clear acrylic and then applied the Braille to the front. This resulted in an aesthetically sleek finish while being accessible.
![Image of a tactile print with raised braille printing](https://hkfd.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_20231026_144118-1365x1024.jpg)