Oh we do like a queue! British tennis fans begin erecting tents

Oh we do like a queue! British tennis fans begin erecting tents more than 24 HOURS before action begins as hundreds wait outside for gates to open

  • All England Tennis Club claims that queuing is ‘as much a part of the Wimbledon experience as the tennis’ 
  • The lines of tennis fans are forbidden from playing loud music, the ‘excessive consumption’ of alcohol
  • Most Wimbledon tickets are allocated through a public ballot, but a limited number are released each day 

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Scores of tennis fans have grabbed their tents and pitched up outside Wimbledon to secure their place in the orderly ticket queue for the upcoming Championships.  

Although prime spots in the stands are like gold dust, any mad scramble for the box office is squashed by a strict set of rules which all spectator hopefuls must obey. 

The All England Tennis Club – which prides itself on hosting a civilised sporting event – claims that queuing is ‘as much a part of the Wimbledon experience as the tennis itself’.

Therefore instead of the campsite descending into a jungle of tents, the famous south west London patch is instead organised into neat single-file rows.

Scores of tennis fans have grabbed their tents and pitched up outside Wimbledon to secure their place in the orderly ticket queue for the upcoming Championships

Today tennis lovers hauled their camping gear on to the grass and formed a long procession of tents under the watchful eye of the marshalls who imposed the rigid queue structure

Today tennis lovers hauled their camping gear on to the grass and formed a long procession of tents under the watchful eye of the marshalls who imposed the rigid queue structure

Although prime spots in the stands are like gold dust, any mad scramble for the box office is squashed by a strict set of rules which all spectator hopefuls must obey

Although prime spots in the stands are like gold dust, any mad scramble for the box office is squashed by a strict set of rules which all spectator hopefuls must obey

Instead of the campsite descending into a jungle of tents, the SW19 patch is instead organised into neat single-file rows

Instead of the campsite descending into a jungle of tents, the SW19 patch is instead organised into neat single-file rows

Today tennis lovers hauled their camping gear on to the grass and formed a long procession of tents under the watchful eye of the marshalls who imposed the rigid queue structure.

Fans were pictured in shorts and t-shirts erecting their tents early this morning to bag entry to the Championship which kicks off tomorrow.

Although temperatures cooled from yesterday’s record-smashing 91F annual high, Wimbledon revellers will still roast in 82F heat.     

The lines of tennis fans are forbidden from playing loud music, the ‘excessive consumption’ of alcohol and any other anti-social behaviour if they want to avoid being kicked out before they even get in.

Fans were pictured in shorts and t-shirts erecting their tents early this morning to bag entry to the Championship which kicks off tomorrow

Fans were pictured in shorts and t-shirts erecting their tents early this morning to bag entry to the Championship which kicks off tomorrow

Those camping out in a bid to land prime seats are only allowed tents holding a maximum of two people while barbecues, fires and smoking are all banned

Those camping out in a bid to land prime seats are only allowed tents holding a maximum of two people while barbecues, fires and smoking are all banned

Those camping out in a bid to land prime seats are only allowed tents holding a maximum of two people while barbecues, fires and smoking are all banned.

Queuers are allowed a ‘temporary absence’ from their place in line to get food or visit the toilet, but these ‘should not exceed 30 minutes’.

In 1924, Wimbledon introduced a public ballot to apply for tickets, but this has always been oversubscribed. 

The first round of the ballot opened in September and the last people to find out if they have been successful are informed as late as July. 

But a limited number of tickets are released on each day of the competition, which is why so many fans have today flocked to the Wimbledon lawn.  

Queuers are allowed a 'temporary absence' from their place in line to get food or visit the toilet, but these 'should not exceed 30 minutes'

Queuers are allowed a ‘temporary absence’ from their place in line to get food or visit the toilet, but these ‘should not exceed 30 minutes’

A limited number of tickets are released on each day of the competition, which is why so many fans have today flocked to the Wimbledon lawn

A limited number of tickets are released on each day of the competition, which is why so many fans have today flocked to the Wimbledon lawn

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk