Clapham Junction Insider: Is there a Trust? Wimbledon expansion returns to High Court

Clapham Junction Insider | 10 February 2026 | Cyril Richert

"From Southfields station to the Royal Courts of Justice, a vocal SWP crowd rallied outside the Royal Courts of Justice for the opening of a pivotal High Court hearing on whether a 150-year-old statutory trust protects the golf course land from the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s controversial £200m expansion.

Despite the cold weather (at least without rain) —a stark contrast to last July’s warm sunshine—a similar group of cheerful Save Wimbledon Park (SWP) supporters began their now-familiar transhumance from Southfields to the High Court early Friday morning, January 16th, to demonstrate at the start of the new court hearing against the Wimbledon extension. At least this time there was no delay during the commute.

SWP had a rendezvous with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) at the Rolls Building for the first day of the High Court case to decide whether the land the Club planned to build on was subject to a ‘statutory trust’ for public recreation. The courtroom was packed and overflow seating was organised, but once again—as in July—the diffusion system was poor and audio barely audible."

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