The planned expansion of the Wimbledon site which the All England Club says is vital to prevent the tournament sliding down the tennis Grand Slam pecking order. Photo: AELTC
The planned expansion of the Wimbledon site which the All England Club says is vital to prevent the tournament sliding down the tennis Grand Slam pecking order. Photo: AELTC
The planned expansion of the Wimbledon site which the All England Club says is vital to prevent the tournament sliding down the tennis Grand Slam pecking order. Photo: AELTC
The planned expansion of the Wimbledon site which the All England Club says is vital to prevent the tournament sliding down the tennis Grand Slam pecking order. Photo: AELTC

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Opinion

As tennis fans gather Wimbledon worries expansion won't get over the line

  • English
  • Arabic
Chris Blackhurst is a former editor of The Independent, based in London

June 22, 2022

Everywhere you go in my part of south-west London it is impossible not to know a major, possibly the major tennis tournament in the world, is about to commence.

Bars, restaurants and shops have giant yellow Slazenger tennis balls in their windows, alongside tennis rackets. Some are decked out in the green and purple colours of the Wimbledon championships.

On the roads, there are Wimbledon branded black Land Rover Defenders ferrying players back and forth to the practice grounds. At the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club itself, home of the competition, last-minute preparations are under way to welcome the crowds that will soon arrive.

For two weeks this leafy, quiet corner of the capital will be busy and heaving, firmly atop the global sporting calendar. This being the first “proper Wimbledon with spectators” since Covid, the atmosphere is especially buzzy and upbeat. There is, though, a cloud threatening the mood.

The famous tennis club sits in a bowl. At the top, in one direction, is the spire that provides the TV cameras with their iconic panoramic shots. Between church and courts is almost 30 hectares of landscaped parkland, which makes for a fabulous vista, as the architect, Lancelot "Capability" Brown, intended.

The greenery houses a golf club, Wimbledon Park. All of it, including golf course, has been bought by the All England Club, with the objective of building its Parkland Show Court in a 28-metre-high, 8,000 seat-stadium, extra facilities and 37 further courts for practice and the qualifying tournament, presently held at nearby Roehampton.

Wimbledon Village shops are ready for the tournament. Mark Chilvers for The National
Wimbledon Village shops are ready for the tournament. Mark Chilvers for The National

Residents and historical protection groups object, saying the Wimbledon expansion will create an eyesore and destroy the area’s carefully cultivated ambience. The parkland is Grade II* registered, designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation, and an official Open Space.

The All England Club bought the land from Merton Council in 1993 and agreed to a restrictive covenant, “not to use it except for leisure or recreational purposes or as an open space and not to build on it”. It then leased the site back to the golf club, but has now bought out the lease, in a deal that saw the golfers, including television presenters Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly — better known as Ant and Dec — and broadcaster and journalist Piers Morgan, each collect £80,000.

Wimbledon argues that since it leased the land to the golf club, tennis has exploded in popularity, and in financial potential. This year, 500,000 spectators will attend over the fortnight, and millions around the world will watch on TV. Last year, the All England made a profit of £43.3 million on increased revenue of £288m.

Despite that success, the club maintains the additional courts and buildings are vital because Wimbledon is in danger of losing prestige and falling down the pecking order of rival Grand Slam tournaments in terms of what it offers and what it can therefore earn.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 05: Aerial view across the grounds as spectators watch the big screen on the outside of No.1 Court during Day Seven of The Championships - Wimbledon 2021 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by AELTC/Joe Toth - Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 05: Aerial view across the grounds as spectators watch the big screen on the outside of No.1 Court during Day Seven of The Championships - Wimbledon 2021 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 05, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by AELTC/Joe Toth - Pool/Getty Images)

The opposition is unimpressed, and since last year, more than 1,200 people have made formal objections to council planning officers. The two sides are at loggerheads and passions are running high.

In several respects, the tennis club does not have a leg to stand on — it’s protected open parkland and the covenant is there, in black and white. But if the All England is correct — and it has consistently shown itself to be a smart judge, constantly making changes that have kept Wimbledon at the peak of the sport — it should be allowed to redevelop.

Wimbledon out to crush opposition – considerately

The championships may only last a fortnight but they’re a godsend to the economy of the surrounding district, to London and to Britain. They’re a fixture of the summer season, a magnet for foreign visitors, a global advert for British tradition and success.

It’s true that the vista will be spoiled — however hard Wimbledon tries, a new stadium is not easily hidden. But that view was available only to those in the smart apartments and large houses overlooking the parkland. It was not land either that could be walked upon, except by golfers.

Wimbledon, though, is determined — it’s agreed to all sorts of expensive environmental and aesthetic measures to blend in the new project. It’s also willing to let locals have access to the grounds outside the championships, and in a first for the tournament, it’s prepared to throw in free tickets for the new show court.

The planned expansion of the Wimbledon site. Photo: AELTC
The planned expansion of the Wimbledon site. Photo: AELTC

Even this may not be enough to win the necessary approval. There are local left-wingers who regard the championships and the All England as elitist. The recent change in control of neighbouring Wandsworth council, from Tory to Labour, does not augur well for Wimbledon’s prospects.

It’s certainly true that membership of the club is afforded only to the privileged few. Tennis, as well, is hardly a people’s sport. It’s mostly played in private clubs and is not noted, in the UK anyway, for its diversity and inclusivity.

... too often in the past, where architecture and heritage are concerned, we’ve allowed the regulations to stand in the path of progress

Nevertheless, strides are being made to improve, and in this regard, Wimbledon, despite the exclusivity of the All England, is in the vanguard. Much of the cash generated by the championships is going towards initiatives to make tennis more popular.

Which is the point. Because Wimbledon is a fine example (some might say, increasingly rare example) of something that Britain does extraordinarily well. To risk that hegemony seems crazy.

There are rules, of course there are, and they should be followed. But too often in the past, where architecture and heritage are concerned, we’ve allowed the regulations to stand in the path of progress, when compromise and reasonableness would achieve an acceptable result for both sides.

The All England should be prevailed upon to pay due heed to the legacy of Capability Brown and the concerns of the various groups and residents. That means going as far as possible to make the plans conform and non-objectionable. But equally, it should be acknowledged, where Wimbledon is concerned an exception can and must be made. It’s a matter of national interest and importance, culturally and economically, and Wimbledon has to prevail.

Wimbledon through the years – in pictures

  • A view of the outside courts and centre court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London. All photos: Getty Images
    A view of the outside courts and centre court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London. All photos: Getty Images
  • Fans queue to enter Wimbledon on day one of The Championships, the world's oldest tennis tournament, in 2021.
    Fans queue to enter Wimbledon on day one of The Championships, the world's oldest tennis tournament, in 2021.
  • The UK's Andy Murray, a Wimbledon champion, serves to his opponent under the closed retractable roof of Centre Court in 2021.
    The UK's Andy Murray, a Wimbledon champion, serves to his opponent under the closed retractable roof of Centre Court in 2021.
  • Fans stream past court 18 during The Championships in 2019.
    Fans stream past court 18 during The Championships in 2019.
  • Spectators applaud and take photographs as Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates his record eighth Wimbledon men's singles title on the balcony of Centre Court in 2017.
    Spectators applaud and take photographs as Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates his record eighth Wimbledon men's singles title on the balcony of Centre Court in 2017.
  • Serena Williams leaves court with the Venus Rosewater Dish after her victory in the final of the Ladies' Singles in 2015. She has won the title seven times.
    Serena Williams leaves court with the Venus Rosewater Dish after her victory in the final of the Ladies' Singles in 2015. She has won the title seven times.
  • Strawberries - the traditional food of Wimbledon spectators - are carried around the grounds in 2013.
    Strawberries - the traditional food of Wimbledon spectators - are carried around the grounds in 2013.
  • Fans cheer as Scotland's Andy Murray poses with the men's singles trophy in 2013, ending the UK's 77-year wait for a home-grown winner.
    Fans cheer as Scotland's Andy Murray poses with the men's singles trophy in 2013, ending the UK's 77-year wait for a home-grown winner.
  • Andy Murray and his brother Jamie compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wimbledon.
    Andy Murray and his brother Jamie compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games at Wimbledon.
  • Roger Federer poses for a portrait at Wimbledon in 2007.
    Roger Federer poses for a portrait at Wimbledon in 2007.
  • Tennis racquets and equipment from a bygone age displayed at the All England Lawn Tennis Club Museum at Wimbledon.
    Tennis racquets and equipment from a bygone age displayed at the All England Lawn Tennis Club Museum at Wimbledon.
  • Devoted fans often create large queues for a limited amount of tickets sold on the day. These fans are queuing for tickets in their sleeping bags in 1986.
    Devoted fans often create large queues for a limited amount of tickets sold on the day. These fans are queuing for tickets in their sleeping bags in 1986.
  • Germany's Boris Becker celebrates after his defeat of Kevin Curren in the Men's Singles Final in 1985.
    Germany's Boris Becker celebrates after his defeat of Kevin Curren in the Men's Singles Final in 1985.
  • Chair umpire Jenny Higgs and the tournament umpires show off a new official uniform before the start of The Championships in 1981.
    Chair umpire Jenny Higgs and the tournament umpires show off a new official uniform before the start of The Championships in 1981.
  • Sweden's five-time singles champion Bjorn Borg is surrounded by young fans in 1973.
    Sweden's five-time singles champion Bjorn Borg is surrounded by young fans in 1973.
  • A view of No.1 court in 1970. It was replaced with a new No.1 court in the 1990s, with a retractable roof added in time for the 2019 tournament.
    A view of No.1 court in 1970. It was replaced with a new No.1 court in the 1990s, with a retractable roof added in time for the 2019 tournament.
  • A view of the courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club during The Championships in 1966.
    A view of the courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club during The Championships in 1966.
  • British tennis player D W Butler in action on Centre Court in 1946, during the first Championships at Wimbledon since the Second World War.
    British tennis player D W Butler in action on Centre Court in 1946, during the first Championships at Wimbledon since the Second World War.
  • Fred Perry, the Englishman who won the men's singles title three times during the sport's amateur era, leaps over the net after defeating Australia's Jack Crawford in the 1934 final.
    Fred Perry, the Englishman who won the men's singles title three times during the sport's amateur era, leaps over the net after defeating Australia's Jack Crawford in the 1934 final.
  • Diana Waring, 11, is lifted up for a view of the Junior Tennis Championships of Great Britain at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in 1930.
    Diana Waring, 11, is lifted up for a view of the Junior Tennis Championships of Great Britain at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in 1930.
  • Suzanne Lenglen of France and Lili de Alvarez of Spain at The Championships in 1926.
    Suzanne Lenglen of France and Lili de Alvarez of Spain at The Championships in 1926.
  • Anthony Wilding of New Zealand and Henry Roper Barrett of Britain competing in the men's singles at Wimbledon in 1910.
    Anthony Wilding of New Zealand and Henry Roper Barrett of Britain competing in the men's singles at Wimbledon in 1910.
  • Wilfred Baddeley and Joshua Pim in action during the men's final at Wimbledon in 1891.
    Wilfred Baddeley and Joshua Pim in action during the men's final at Wimbledon in 1891.
  • The first international tennis match takes place at Wimbledon, in 1883. The match, between the twins William and Ernest Renshaw of England, and Clarence M Clark and JS Clark of the USA, was won by the Renshaws.
    The first international tennis match takes place at Wimbledon, in 1883. The match, between the twins William and Ernest Renshaw of England, and Clarence M Clark and JS Clark of the USA, was won by the Renshaws.
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8pm: President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Medahim, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElggo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20August%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Luma%20Makari%20and%20Mirna%20Mneimneh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Education%20technology%20%2F%20health%20technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Four%20employees%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

England Test squad

Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts

 
The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T

Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000

Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic

Power: 509hp @ 6,000rpm; 601hp @ 7,500rpm

Torque: 695Nm @ 2,000rpm; 760Nm @ 3,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.9L / 100km; 11.6L / 100km

Full Party in the Park line-up

2pm – Andreah

3pm – Supernovas

4.30pm – The Boxtones

5.30pm – Lighthouse Family

7pm – Step On DJs

8pm – Richard Ashcroft

9.30pm – Chris Wright

10pm – Fatboy Slim

11pm – Hollaphonic

 

Zakat definitions

Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.

Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.

Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.

Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.

While you're here
Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETwin-turbo%2C%20V8%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E503%20bhp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E513Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh646%2C800%20(%24176%2C095)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

While you're here
UAE%20ILT20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMarquee%20players%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EMoeen%20Ali%2C%20Andre%20Russell%2C%20Dawid%20Malan%2C%20Wanindu%20Hasiranga%2C%20Sunil%20Narine%2C%20Evin%20Lewis%2C%20Colin%20Munro%2C%20Fabien%20Allen%2C%20Sam%20Billings%2C%20Tom%20Curran%2C%20Alex%20Hales%2C%20Dushmantha%20Chameera%2C%20Shimron%20Hetmyer%2C%20Akeal%20Hosein%2C%20Chris%20Jordan%2C%20Tom%20Banton%2C%20Sandeep%20Lamichhane%2C%20Chris%20Lynn%2C%20Rovman%20Powell%2C%20Bhanuka%20Rajapaksa%2C%20Mujeeb%20Ul%20Rahman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInternational%20players%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELahiru%20Kumara%2C%20Seekugge%20Prassanna%2C%20Charith%20Asalanka%2C%20Colin%20Ingram%2C%20Paul%20Stirling%2C%20Kennar%20Lewis%2C%20Ali%20Khan%2C%20Brandon%20Glover%2C%20Ravi%20Rampaul%2C%20Raymon%20Reifer%2C%20Isuru%20Udana%2C%20Blessing%20Muzarabani%2C%20Niroshan%20Dickwella%2C%20Hazaratullah%20Zazai%2C%20Frederick%20Klassen%2C%20Sikandar%20Raja%2C%20George%20Munsey%2C%20Dan%20Lawrence%2C%20Dominic%20Drakes%2C%20Jamie%20Overton%2C%20Liam%20Dawson%2C%20David%20Wiese%2C%20Qais%20Ahmed%2C%20Richard%20Gleeson%2C%20James%20Vince%2C%20Noor%20Ahmed%2C%20Rahmanullah%20Gurbaz%2C%20Navin%20Ul%20Haq%2C%20Sherfane%20Rutherford%2C%20Saqib%20Mahmood%2C%20Ben%20Duckett%2C%20Benny%20Howell%2C%20Ruben%20Trumpelman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
List of alleged parties
  • May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
  • 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
  • Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 
  • Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
  • Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters 
  • Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
  • Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

MATCH INFO

Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)

TV: Abu Dhabi Sports

Updated: June 22, 2022, 2:50 PM
TennisWimbledon 2025Architecture