I joined ‘the queue’ at Wimbledon, where fans can get in for £30 – here’s how you can do the same

“Wake up, time to wake up,” came the cry, “15 minutes to pack up your tents.”

I looked at my watch, just after 5:30 a.m. Of course I was already awake, because a couple of ducks had decided to fly past my tent at low altitude a few minutes earlier.

Not that I had the best night’s sleep anyway. The sound of hundreds of tennis fans arriving in the early hours just a few meters from my tent would not be my favorite soundtrack for an uninterrupted eight-hour journey.

Yet I literally made my bed by joining the famous Wimbledon queue at Wimbledon Park on Sunday afternoon, following in the footsteps of millions of tennis fans since the queue began in 1926.

With the majority of tickets allocated via a public vote, queuing is the only option for those not lucky enough to get one. Unless they have £1,000 or more to spend on hospitality tickets.

We had arrived just after 1pm, ready to queue for the first day of Wimbledon on Monday. With the queue due to start at 2pm, we were surprised to find that two rows of tents had already been set up by eager fans.

As we stood at the end of the line and unfolded our tents, the first hurdle had been taken.

Once you have pitched your tent, the queuing begins in typical British fashion. Campers wait patiently until the stewards come down the line and hand you tickets. This will guarantee you a place on the first day.

The championship organisers have introduced a comprehensive code of conduct for queuing, including a maximum of 30 minutes out of your tent, a maximum of two-person tents and a ban on camping stoves. They have left no stone unturned: even takeaway food must be delivered to a specific gate.

These rules may not have been followed to the letter. There were indeed a number of tents that exceeded the two-person limit, and my visit to the nearest pub for the second half of the England v Slovenia match may have lasted longer than half an hour thanks to Jude Bellingham’s late goal.

The key queue itself, however, remained in place. Whether this was because the system was holding back queue jumpers, or because the nation respected the sacred nature of long lines of people, is unclear.

With England’s victory secured, the competitors settled down with their cans of beer and Pimm’s, hoping to get some sleep before their rude awakening on Monday.

Despite the harsh conditions in the camp, I woke up to see hundreds of people lying on picnic blankets in the line behind me. They had probably joined before sunrise. That confirmed my motivation to get a bad night’s sleep.

Although latecomers would likely have ended up on the Wimbledon grounds, our queues of around 750 ensured some good seats.

With only 1,000 tickets allocated to those queuing for Centre Court and Court One, the earlier you arrive the better. Some campers even choose to camp two days in advance for their tickets. If you can brave the lack of showers, this will almost certainly grant you access to Centre Court.

Camping done and dusted off; the second phase of our queue began. And oh, there were queues, and queues within queues.

Our group decided to split up and go through the coffee and baggage claim lines, hoping to avoid the worst of the crowds, while some remained in the main queue at the entrance.

Even with our forward-thinking approach, queuing is inevitable, so expect to wait half an hour at both venues before you actually get to your place in the Wimbledon queue.

Queuing is free, but at baggage claim you pay per item. Smaller bags cost £1, while larger bags and tents cost £5 each.

With pastries and coffee, but still somewhat in shock, we jumped in line for, you guessed it, more queues.

But this time we were in the top flight as the stewards allowed us to join the back of the queue towards the stadium and of course the new Wimbledon ‘queue village’.

After an eternity of being pushed forward, we were finally greeted by an honorary steward who had no doubt been to many championships. He kindly assured us that although we were only a dozen places short of Centre Court, the tennis court on Court One would be better.

With Court One firmly on our wrists, we finally arrived at the Wimbledon queuing village, where Amex cardholders get a £20 discount if they spend over £140.

I paid for two tickets for Court One and got a discount, so the total for the two £80 tickets was only £140.

Courts two and three tickets were also offered for £50, although prices will increase as the tournament progresses.

You can also buy a ground pass for just £30, which allows you to soak up the atmosphere and sit on the famous Henman Hill.

Once you’re inside, you can also try to get a resale ticket for one of the courts for £10-£15.

The financial product partnerships continued in the village, where we each got an affogato (at 8am) from my brother’s Barclaycard. We also treated ourselves to a free Lavazza coffee, but decided against the non-alcoholic Stella Artois at £6.60.

As the clock struck eleven, we passed through the sacred gates and were led to the championships.

Within the grounds, it is still possible to do Wimbledon on a budget. While a Pimm’s might set you back £11.95, strawberries and cream are capped at £2.50. You can also opt to take away food, avoiding even more queues and expensive meals.

Fans are also allowed to bring two cans of beer (or Pimm’s of course) or a bottle of wine into the stadium, making even the most boring tennis match long enough.

Fortunately, thanks to the Court One tickets, we were able to see the top seed Jannik Sinner ride to victory in the first round, despite the consequences of a slight lack of sleep.

Is it worth it?

Participating in the Wimbledon vote is undoubtedly the least difficult way to get tickets. Most of the tickets for the three biggest courts are allocated to the public vote.

However, there is no guarantee that you will be among the lucky winners.

If you want to go to Wimbledon on a budget, spending money on a bond or a ticket to a hospitality tournament is not an option.

The cheapest hospitality tickets will probably still cost you around £1,000, while a bond can quickly run into the tens of thousands of euros.

Debentures offer premium seating in Centre Court and Court One for a period of five years, and access to exclusive hospitality areas. Not surprisingly, they come with a hefty price tag.

However, if you join the queue, you can still buy a ticket if you lose in the public vote.

If you arrive early, preferably in the early hours rather than camping overnight, you will have a better chance of getting ground passes and a better chance of getting onto the bigger courses.

If you choose to queue, you can also enjoy the championship atmosphere and the sun… if you see it.