You caddies! Wimbledon increases ‘bribe’ to golfers it wants to drive from course
A WEDGE has been driven between members of a prestigious golf club over a new multi-million-pound offer from the All England Lawn Tennis Club to quit their course.
If the bid is accepted, up to 500 long-serving members of Wimbledon Park Golf Club in South-West London will each be compensated with a sizeable five-figure sum, while about 300 who joined less than ten years ago will not get a penny.
Unsurprisingly, the issue has sparked growing tension on the fairways and in the bar.
Club members include I’m A Celebrity stars Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly. Two years ago, the club rejected a £25 million offer to surrender its lease, which runs until 2041, even though the deal included a £50,000 ‘bribe’ for players who had been members for more than a decade.
The Wimbledon tennis hierarchy want the land to stage their qualifying tournament, and officials dismiss the fears of concerned residents that the site may become home to permanent buildings and car parks.
One veteran member said: ‘The new bid has been described as substantial and that’s led to some frank conversations in the bar. It’s inevitable when you realise some people could get a big payoff while others won’t get a penny.
‘I’m close to giving up the game so the money would be useful, but I feel sorry for younger members who don’t want to have to go. It will all depend on how much is being offered. There’s talk of £100 million being acceptable.’
Chairman Jenny Gaskin has written to members – who pay a £3,000 joining fee and an annual subscription of £1,425 – advising them of the new approach. She said although the deal had to remain confidential as it was commercially sensitive, the offer was ‘substantial’. She added: ‘The directors are reviewing the implications of this offer.’
The All England Club said it would be inappropriate to comment on the new offer, but moved to allay fears that the site would be overdeveloped.
A spokesman said: ‘Any future development proposals and philosophy will protect and celebrate the heritage of the park, stay true to our ethos of tennis in an English garden, and be delivered in partnership with the local community.’