Latest news with #SaveWimbledonPark
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Wimbledon fans accused of 'defecating and urinating' in woods while queuing
The All England Club has responded to claims from a local campaigner that fans queuing to buy tickets to Wimbledon have been defecating and urinating in local woodland A local campaigner has claimed that Wimbledon fans are defecating and urinating in the woods while queuing. Tennis fans have been queueing overnight to purchase tickets to watch the action and it has been alleged that local woodland is being misused by some. Simon Wright, a member of Save Wimbledon Park, told the PA News Agency that the problems are particularly bad in the Horse Close Wood area. "We've come across used tissues – it's clear what they've been used for," he said. "Human faeces are far worse than animal faeces in terms of the microbiological load they carry. It's partly the health risk, but it's also the lack of respect. "There's a postcard-sized notice saying please respect these woods – it's a bit mealy-mouthed. Last night, I met three guys heading off there to have a p***." However, the All England Club says they have not seen any evidence to substantiate the claims and stated that stewards regularly patrol the area in a bid to keep it well maintained. More than 40,000 people have passed through the queue across the first four days of the tournament. Similar claims were made back in 2015, with a Wimbledon park user telling the Wimbledon Guardian: "I can't bring myself to go near it to clear it away and why should I? "All you can smell is dry wee, people have been weeing all over the place. It hasn't been very well organised this year if this is happening." At the time, the All England club said issues were down to the actions of a "very small minority" with a spokesperson stating: "This was deplorable behaviour and completely unacceptable that the anti-social actions of a very small minority should besmirch the good reputation of the vast majority of queuers." Merton council, who are responsible for maintaining the park, added: "There is no excuse for this type of behaviour, especially given that we provide mobile toilets to cope with the extra demand during the championships. "We are confident that the vast majority of park users use the facilities available should they need to and if there is a small minority of people abusing the park in this way, we would ask that they, too, use the facilities provided."
Telegraph
a day ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Wimbledon tennis fans ‘defecating in woods near queue'
Wimbledon fans are defecating and urinating in nearby woodland as crowds queue overnight for tickets to the tournament, it has been claimed. Simon Wright, a member of Save Wimbledon Park, said areas of the historic parkland – particularly in Horse Close Wood, a secluded section of the park formerly known as Piggy Woods – are being used by some in the queue as makeshift lavatories. The Piggy Woods nickname dates back to the Second World War, when residents kept pigs there as part of the wartime food effort. Mr Wright, 68, said: 'We've come across used tissues – it's clear what they've been used for. Human faeces are far worse than animal faeces in terms of the microbiological load they carry.' He said the problem was especially bad in the oldest part of the woods, adding: 'There's a postcard-sized notice saying please respect these woods – it's a bit mealy-mouthed. Last night, I met three guys heading off there to have a p---.' Mr Wright, who lives near the park, claimed children had come into contact with human faeces while playing in the area. He described the problem as both a health risk and a sign of growing pressure on the park from the size of the Wimbledon queue.
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Foulling claims levelled at Wimbledon tennis fans
Wimbledon fans queuing overnight for tickets are allegedly defecating and urinating in Horse Close Wood, a section of nearby Wimbledon Park, according to local campaigner Simon Wright. Mr Wright, from the Save Wimbledon Park residents' group, claims to have found human faeces and used tissues, raising concerns about health risks and a lack of respect for the historic woodland. He stated that discreet signage urging visitors to respect the woods has proven ineffective, and he has observed individuals using the area as a toilet. A spokesperson for the All England Club said they have not seen any evidence to substantiate the claims but confirmed that stewards regularly patrol the area to ensure it is well maintained. Concerns about sanitation and limited toilet facilities for queuers have been raised previously, with similar complaints reported in 2015 and 2022.
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Wimbledon deny tennis fans are going to the toilet in the woods outside park
Wimbledon fans queuing overnight for tickets to the prestigious tennis tournament are allegedly defecating and urinating in nearby woodland, a local campaigner has claimed. Simon Wright, 68, a member of the Save Wimbledon Park residents' group, stated that sections of the historic parkland, particularly Horse Close Wood – a secluded area once known as "Piggy Woods" – are being misused as makeshift toilets by some queuers. The nickname dates back to the Second World War, when local residents kept pigs there as part of the wartime food effort. Mr Wright told the PA news agency: "We've come across used tissues – it's clear what they've been used for. Human faeces are far worse than animal faeces in terms of the microbiological load they carry." He added that the problem is particularly acute in the oldest part of the woods, where discreet signage urging visitors to "respect the woods" has proven ineffective. "There's a postcard-sized notice saying please respect these woods – it's a bit mealy-mouthed," he said, recounting an encounter: "Last night, I met three guys heading off there to have a piss." A spokesperson for the All England Club said they have not seen any evidence to substantiate the current claims but confirmed that stewards regularly patrol the area to ensure it is well maintained. They noted that more than 40,000 people had passed through the queue in the first four days of the Championships, praising the Southfields community for welcoming guests with "their usual good will and hospitality". Mr Wright, who lives near the park, claimed that local children have come into contact with human faeces while playing in the area, describing the issue as both a health risk and a symptom of increasing pressure on the park due to the size of the queue. "It's partly the health risk, but it's also the lack of respect," he added. Save Wimbledon Park is a group that opposes the All England Club's plans to build on neighbouring parkland. Concerns about sanitation were previously raised by Mr Wright with his MP, Fleur Anderson, and the leader of Wandsworth Council following a particularly challenging year in 2022, when fewer portable toilets were available. Similar complaints surfaced a decade ago; in 2015, the Wimbledon Times reported instances of human waste, urine "baked dry in the sun", and long queues for limited toilet facilities in the park. At the time, Merton Council confirmed portable toilets were provided and warned that offenders could face prosecution, while the All England Club described the behaviour of a "very small minority" of queuers as "deplorable" and "completely unacceptable".
Leader Live
a day ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
MP demands answers over travel chaos at Wimbledon
Paul Kohler, the Labour MP for Wimbledon, posted a letter to X on Wednesday addressed to the Commissioner of Transport for London, raising concerns about repeated issues on the District Line, including signal failures and a fire alert at Southfields – the station closest to the All England Club. He said the problems had severely affected the journeys of residents, commuters and visitors, warning: 'Attendees are now being caught up in cancellations and delays.' I'm acutely aware of ongoing issues with District Line services, affecting both my constituents & visitors during this busy period. I've contacted TfL for urgent updates on recent issues & requested a meeting to discuss improving reliability of services in short & longer term. — Paul Kohler🔶MP for Wimbledon (@PaulKohlerSW19) July 2, 2025 Mr Kohler said he had been told Wimbledon station was 'very crowded' on Tuesday and called on TfL to outline what extra support is in place to keep services running smoothly during the rest of the tournament. On Thursday, Campaign group Save Wimbledon Park, which opposes the All England Club's expansion plans onto nearby parkland, said the tournament's impact on the local area goes beyond the grounds themselves. 'We love the tennis – we do,' the group posted on X. 'But there is a real cost to being taken over, even for just two weeks a year. 'Streets are closed, bus routes diverted, parking a nightmare, tube travel ridiculous and traffic at gridlock.' We love the tennis – we do. But there is a real cost to being taken over, even for just two weeks a year. Streets are closed, bus routes diverted, parking a nightmare, tube travel ridiculous and traffic at gridlock. — Save Wimbledon Park (@SaveWimbldnPark) July 3, 2025 A TfL spokesperson said: 'We apologise to customers affected by the disruption on the District line, which is due to a track fault at Tower Hill. 'Our engineers are working hard to rectify the fault as soon as possible and restore a good service. 'District line customers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys and to check before they travel using TfL Journey Planner or the TfL Go app.' Despite the travel disruption earlier in the week, conditions have brightened up for day four of the Championships. Sunshine and 24C temperatures returned to south-west London on Thursday, after rain caused delays and sent fans scrambling for umbrellas on Wednesday. On Centre Court, Novak Djokovic continues his bid for an eighth Wimbledon title as he faces British number three Dan Evans in the second round. World number eight Iga Swiatek also returns to action, taking on American qualifier Caty McNally. Number One Court hosts men's top seed Jannik Sinner against Australia's Aleksandar Vukic, before teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva plays Italy's Lucia Bronzetti. Maria Sakkari will meet 2022 champion Elena Rybakina later in the day, while British hope Jack Draper faces a tough test against former US Open winner Marin Cilic.
