The price of a Pimm’s has not deterred the crowds at Wimbledon during the opening week. By midday on Monday, the tent on Henman Hill was doing a healthy trade, ensuring punters could make their way around the grounds with reusable cup in hand – even at £11.20 a glass. On the pristine fresh lawn, blankets and hampers were unfurled as corks were popped: a bottle of Lanson Le Black Label Brut Champagne costs £87 at Wimbledon, but visitors to the All England Club want to look and feel part of the tournament as much as watching the tennis, soaking in its tradition and history.
Even a cost of living crisis has not stopped the great British picnic from getting under way in record numbers. The opening few days drew the tournament’s biggest attendance since 2015, with more than 11,000 people coming through the queue to join those already with tickets to Centre Court and the other show courts. Inside the grounds, the meticulously kept paths and walkways, lined with blooming hanging baskets, heaved with men in crisp linen shirts and women in summer dresses.
