RNS Number:2691L
Arena Leisure PLC
19 May 2003



                               ARENA LEISURE PLC

                    ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ('AGM') STATEMENT


Arena Leisure Plc ("Arena" or the "Company") today held its Annual General
Meeting at Royal Windsor Racecourse. All resolutions were duly passed.

During the AGM, Arena's Group Managing Director, Ian Penrose, made the following
remarks:

"Arena continues to be the UK's busiest independent racecourse operator. A total
of 248 fixtures will be staged at Arena's six racecourses this year, being 20%
of all UK race days. Underlying trading at our racecourse division for the year
to date is significantly ahead of last year. Corporate hospitality bookings for
the summer are encouraging.

"At the time of our preliminary results we announced a unique deal with Gala
Casinos to open the UK's first 'Racino' at Wolverhampton and to extend the
on-site hotel. Planning permission for this development will be submitted within
the next month. Royal Windsor racecourse is a special venue and we have been
working closely with all interested parties on our proposals for the course. We
expect to make further announcements later this year.

"Current trading of attheraces is in line with our plans. As predicted in our
preliminary results announcement, attheraces has already achieved the same
pari-mutuel betting turnover during the first 16 weeks of this financial year as
it did during the whole of 2002. Record viewing figures were achieved during
Aintree's Grand National Festival and attheraces betting turnover continues to
grow monthly, recently achieving its biggest betting week ever. Betting turnover
on international live racing from the US and France is also encouraging.

"As announced on 8 April 2003, the Office of Fair Trading ("OFT") served a Rule
14 Notice to the British Horseracing Board ("BHB") and the Jockey Club following
its investigations into the governance agreements notified to it by these two
bodies. The OFT's investigation has focused on the greater freedom of
racecourses to organise their racing, the amounts that racecourses must offer
owners in prize money and the supply of race and runners data. Arena expects the
BHB and Jockey Club to respond to the OFT's Notice towards the end of June.
Arena will make further announcements in due course with regards to the effect
that this Ruling may have on our racecourse operations.

"Arena also announced on 8 April 2003 that the OFT also issued a Rule 14 Notice
to the Company expressing significant concerns that the 49 racecourses which
sold certain media and betting rights to attheraces in June 2001 acted
collectively in the negotiations. We are currently in discussions with our joint
venture partners in attheraces and with the Racecourse Association as to how an
outcome may be reached which satisfies the OFT. Our initial response will be
submitted to the OFT during June 2003. Further announcements will be made in due
course."



For further information on 19 May, please contact:


Ian Penrose, Group Managing Director

Arena Leisure Plc

Or

Nick Davis, Director of Communications

Arena Leisure Plc


Care of Bell Pottinger Financial

Emma Kent      Tel: 020 7861 3875

Miles Bake      Tel: 020 7861 3863

Thereafter:

Ian Penrose      Tel: 020 7495 2277

Nick Davis      Tel: 020 7495 2277






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