Wimbledon fans will be in for a shock on the first day of the storied tournament, with prices for food and drink rising once again – and an iconic glass of Pimms costing costing nearly £10.
Punters are set to flood through the gates in SW19 for the start of two weeks of Grand Slam tennis, and as the jewel in the crowd of the grass court season, high prices seem par for the course.
For those looking to quench their thirst, a pint of beer – tournament sponsor Stella Artois likely the favoured choice of the fortnight – will set fans back £8.50, in a nearly-£1 increase from last year’s comparatively reasonable £7.55.
The price of a pint has increased £2 in the past two years, with a Sipsmith’s gin and tonic also rising to £9.80, the same price as Wimbledon favourite Pimms.
Wine is simmilarly priced, with Uncommon rose, red, and white wines available in cans for easy portability, along with non-alcoholic drinks including Kombucha – £3.20 – Frobishers juices at £4, and Heartease Farm canned sparkling presses costing £3.
A pint of beer has risen by almost £1 since last year from £7.55 to £8.50 at Wimbledon in 2024
Punters will be able to choose from a number of high-end sweet and savoury food options
The tournament’s main draw kicks off on Monday morning and will run for the next fortnight
For something a little more lavish, the highest-priced beverage on the menu is a bottle of Lanson Le Rose Creation Brut champagne, at a staggering £95 – £40 more than the limited edition tournament bottle available off the shelf.
Tournament sponsor Evian is on hand to provide the competition’s mineral water, with a 750ml bottle of still priced at £2.95.
But fans are being heartily encouraged to take part in the competition’s new sustainability initiative, which will allow visitors to receive unlimited mineral water refills from the French label’s mineral water fountains for £5 per day.
The tournament’s qualifying rounds found themselves in light crisis when refill stations at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton were deemed ‘undrinkable’ as the system broke down.
Free bottles of water were handed out to spectators during the qualifiers last week, which commentators on social media mocked for not getting the event’s sustainability drive ‘off to a good start’.
Salads, sandwiches, and pasties are among the possibilities on offer at the Tea Lawn Larder
Evian water bottles are available but fans will be encouraged to bring their own bottles to refill
An aptly-named Billionaire’s Shortbread is available for those looking to spend at the event
Both vegans and meat-eaters will be catered for at the tournament’s Sausage Grill station
One of the priciest food options is a chicken and halloumi Greek-style wrap on offer for £14
No doubt hungry after a long day court-hopping in SW19, fans will be looking to pair their Pimms with a cupful of equally-recognisable Wimbledon fare, strawberries and cream.
A serving of the summertime snack will cost punters £2.50, a price which has stayed mercifully fixed for a number of years.
A number of hot snacks including a Kerelan cauliflower, chickpea, and onion bhaji pasty and sausage rolls are also available, for £6.50 and £4.90.
For fans looking for something more substantial, the competition will also sell sausages from their designated sausage grill, with a Cumberland sausage on a brioche role a pricey £7.90, the same price as a vegan option served with kimchi.
Also available are Greek-style wraps, with the most expensive option a gut-busting £14 for a lunch option stuffed with chicken and halloumi.
Fans can cool off with a Jude’s ice cream available in the iconic strawberries and cream flavour
Emma Raducanu (pictured right) will begin her campaign against lucky loser Renata Zarazua
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will begin proceedings on Centre Court in the first match
Come teatime, fans will flock for afternoon tea to cap a supremely British day out, but will have to shell out £9 for the full scone and clotted cream experience.
More manageably priced are an array of cakes including blueberry bakewell and Queen Victoria sponge, available from £3.95 – along with a fittingly-named Billionaire’s Shortbread.
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will get Centre Court action underway as the highest number of Britons in the draw since 1999 gear up to play the first round over the next two days.
Emma Raducanu will supply the first round of British action on the tournament’s showpiece court and attempt to battle past lucky loser Renata Zarazua following the withdrawal of her drawn opponent No22 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova on Monday morning.
