It was party time on the South Downs as the Duke of Richmond launched "glorious" Goodwood festival week with a bang.

Multi-coloured firecrackers marked the start of a five-day race meeting which is more like one big garden party for people from every walk of life.

The meeting is seen as a chance for the racing set to let their hair down after the rigid formality of Royal Ascot.

But if the well heeled thought the heatwave conditions could get them into the plush members enclosure without a tie they had a shock.

The Duke relaxed the rules to allow men to take off their jackets but the tie rule was strictly enforced.

That meant a roaring trade for security officer Nikki Wood who had a carrier bag packed with second hand ties for guests who faced missing their champagne and salmon.

The ties were on sale at £3 a time but all the proceeds were donated to the Injured Jockeys Fund.

Nikki said: "They are quite strict about ties although the jacket rule has been dropped because of the heat.

"You would be surprised how many men turn up without one and we sell loads but it all goes to a good cause."

BBC presenter John Inverdale was one of the guests for the official opening of Goodwood's £4 million new paddock and hospitality complex which has been built in an amphitheatre style.

John has been a Goodwood regular for 31 years but his plans to spend the whole week enjoying the racing have been dashed by work commitments.

He said: "I love it here. The setting is unique and the atmosphere is tremendous.

"I usually try and keep Goodwood week free but tomorrow I have to fly to Edmonton for the world athletics."

John said he first visited Goodwood as a 12-year-old schoolboy to stand on the famous Trundle Hill which overlooks the racecourse.

He said: "I remember that I had my first winning bet here in 1968 on a horse called Jimmy Reppin which was ridden by a big hero of mine, Geoff Lewis."

Tomorrow is the festival's traditional ladies day but there were many fashionable and eye-catching outfits on parade as the meeting opened.

Goodwood was firmly put on the social calendar by King Edward VII who described the meeting as "a garden party with some racing tacked on".

It was his patronage which helped make the Panama hat a tradition with wealthy racegoers since 1906.

Barbara Ewart, manager of the Duke's new-look Goodwood Racing Colours shop, expects to do a roaring trade while the sun shines.

But the shop also has umbrellas to fall back on if the weather turns nasty. Barbara said: "The hats cost £50 and we also have folding ones for £80. I think we will probably manage to sell all the ones we have in stock, which is at least a couple of hundred."

Just a few hundred yards away from the champagne set there was a party in the public enclosure as thousands of people packed the stands and lawns.

One of the early birds to grab a position close to the rails was Kathleen Goldsmith, 76, from Hollingdean, Brighton, with a straw hat to protect her from the sun.

She said: "I am here with my son John and we always come to Goodwood on the Tuesday. It's a nice course and a lovely day out.

"I like a flutter on the horses and dogs and I am hoping for a bit of luck.

"I don't study the form and usually go by the names, especially if they are the same as my children or people I know."

Londoner Barry Maguire, 56, was also hoping for a few winners to pay for his day out.

He said: "Goodwood is probably the most beautiful racecourse in the country, if not in the world, and I always try and come down for the big meeting because there is always so much going on as well as the actual racing."

Those extras yesterday included a parade for the paddock opening staged by the band and mounted troops of the Blues and Royals.

BBC racing presenter Claire Balding helped the Duke stage an opening ceremony which included interviews with many of Goodwood's leading jockeys and trainers, including Pat Eddery, who has ridden 85 festival week winners. The Duke, who has been racecourse chairman for 30 years, said the new complex completed the rebuilding of the Richmond and Gordon enclosures which have both had new grandstands in recent years.

He said the development schemes had included an element of danger because it had removed the "heart of a 200-year-old tradition".

But he said the old grandstands had been replaced with ones that were more attractive and comfortable as well as fitting in with the surroundings. Trainer Peter Walwyn probably summed up Goodwood when he stepped up to the microphone to tell racegoers: "The whole place is magic."