A pub landlord with an unmatched passion for Wimbledon has been queuing up for tickets for 33 consecutive years – but he still wasn’t first in line.
Harry Taylor, 51, is so devoted to the annual tennis event that he has pitched his tent outside the tournament grounds every year since 1992, making some lifelong friends along the way. Owner of the Red Lion Inn in Bridge, Kent, Harry embarks on his favourite sporting ritual each year, with not even extreme weather or personal injuries dampening his spirits.
Now an expert at the game, Harry boasts a swanky “glamping” set-up and conveniently secures a local gym membership annually so that he can shower. This year was no different as Harry secured his spot in the queue 48 hours prior to the gates opening, arriving at 8:30am on Saturday (June 28), proudly claiming ticket number 17.
Harry said: “As of this morning there are about 6,000 people queueing. And there are more of them coming in. I have got a very good tent which is waterproof and windproof. It is one of the super-duper ones. We have got tables, chairs, and ice buckets. It is like glamping really. I have quite a professional setup.”
With three decades under his belt, Harry is a veteran among the hopefuls lining up. He added: “This is my 33rd year in the queue so I am very experienced. I am the longest queuer left. I am the only one left who has been queueing for over 30 years, the rest are all at about 20.”
Wimbledon’s officials, now well-acquainted with the yearly spectacle of camping fans, have made provisions for first-rate facilities that Harry says are “better than Glastonbury toilets.”
The queue has introduced a new system complete with numbered cards to prevent people from jumping the line, alongside stewards for tent checks, mobile phone charging points, and food stalls arranged for those waiting.
Yesterday marked the hottest opening day on record at the event, according to reports from the Met Office, as temperatures soared to a blistering 33 degrees on the courts.
To battle the searing heat, this year’s organisers have taken extra measures like distributing complimentary water, although Harry concedes that the high temperatures have posed significant challenges. Fortunately, being near the front of the queue paid off, allowing the fan to secure a ticket within a cooler shaded area.
He said: “There are some years where it is raining and muddy and horrible. This year the problem is the heat. We are in the park and there is no shade until about 6pm. It is boiling hot. We have neck fans and have been buying a lot of ice. That’s how we survive. Thank God for little gadgets or this would be impossible.”
He added: “A few people on the centre court will still faint. If you are sat opposite the umpire you will be baking in the sun. It is only for the brave today. Everyone was trying to get in the shady bits.”
The dedicated queuer has faced an additional health challenge this year, with painful sciatica preventing him from fully moving his legs. However, Harry remained determined to stick to his annual tradition.
Thankfully, the event staff extended a helping hand by offering buggy rides from one side to the other, a gesture Harry says was a huge relief. He said: “I have been in pain for about two months, but I thought ‘I must do the queue.’ I am hobbling on one leg in incredible pain, but for the experience I have to suffer it. I thought even if I had to get a wheelchair I would make it. There was no way I wasn’t going to come.”
Harry has met some of his best friends in the queue over the years, and they all keep in touch via a group chat to talk about the games. He said: “It’s not just about watching the game; the queue has sparked lifelong friendships.”
Preferring to attend every other day, Harry manages to maintain a prime position at the front of the queue. He said: “There are loads of tennis tournaments in the world, but Wimbledon is the greatest. If you don’t win Wimbledon, then you are nobody. It is the greatest tournament, you just have to go. Everyone is excited, the players are excited, we in the queue are excited.”
Harry added: “It is incredible. The experience is hard to describe but it is one of the few places in the world where you can come and enjoy a tennis match for not too expensive a price, so anyone can come.”
Die-hard fan Harry also revealed his favourite for this year’s championship – Carlos Alcaraz, lauding the defending champion’s previous win over Novak Djokovic.
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