Wimbledon denies tennis fans are going to the toilet in 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 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 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”.