Latest news with #SouthwestLondon
Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Times
Wimbledon says court expansion will secure its future in SW19
Wimbledon's destiny is being played out in the High Court, the tournament's organisers arguing that expansion with an 8,000-seat stadium and 38 practice courts would 'secure the future of the championships in this location'. A legal challenge to the grant of planning permission for the scheme on a golf course opposite the All England Club was delayed by an hour as more than 150 local residents queued to gain admission to the court on Tuesday. The £200 million expansion is being supported by leading players including Novak Djokovic, who described it as a 'win-win', and the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, who said it was a 'great idea'. Sir Ben Ainslie, Britain's most successful Olympic sailor, said the plan would improve water quality in the lake used for sailing at the neighbouring Wimbledon Park. The lake will be restored to its original design by Capability Brown. Local residents claim the golf course, which was established in 1898, has similar protections to green belt or royal parks and that allowing development on the site would set a 'dangerous precedent'. The Save Wimbledon Park campaign argues the Greater London Authority (GLA) was wrong last year to grant planning permission for the scheme, which will almost triple the size of the All England Club's grounds in southwest London. Wimbledon is supporting the GLA's opposition to the judicial review of the planning permission. The All England Club says the scheme 'will deliver one of the greatest sporting transformations for London' since the 2012 Olympic Games. • Wimbledon 2025 live: scores and results from quarter-finals Andrew Parkinson, the barrister representing Wimbledon, told the hearing the scheme would 'improve the functioning and operation of the championships'. He said the club's existing facilities 'make a significant contribution to the health and wellbeing of communities'. The scheme, he added, would help 'secure the future of the championships in this location [and] these benefits would continue to be delivered'. The local community would be given access to 27 acres of new parkland, at least seven new grass courts and 10,000 free tickets would be given to local children to attend Wimbledon's qualifying competition at the site, which at present is held several miles away, the court heard. • Stuart Fraser: Wimbledon needs this expansion to remain world's top tennis tournament Mark Westmoreland Smith KC, representing the GLA, told the court the authority 'considered that the development would directly benefit the health and wellbeing of communities, whether by directly providing access to high-specification sport facilities by communities or by securing the expansion and improvement of public spaces'. The All England Club acquired the golf club from Merton council in 1993. It purchased the leasehold after reaching a deal with golf club members in 2021. Sasha White KC, representing Save Wimbledon Park, called on the court to quash the planning permission and 'remit it to [Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London] to be made lawfully'. 'This application involves a remarkably large area of land … equivalent to 50 football pitches,' he told the court. 'You could not have a more protected piece of land in London.' • Wimbledon 2025 live: latest results and scores White said protective covenants of the site, its status as metropolitan open land — the urban equivalent of green belt — its position in a conservation area and preservation orders of trees at the golf course combined to make a 'compelling case' for refusing permission for the scheme. Andy Hamilton, a comedian and writer who lives near the site, said outside court: 'They are going to decimate the park, at huge cost to the local environment and the local community.' The hearing continues for two days and a judgment is expected in the autumn.
Times
06-07-2025
- Times
Parents of girls killed in Land Rover crash ‘still waiting for truth'
The families of two eight-year-old girls who were killed when a Land Rover ploughed into a tea party at their school have said they 'remain committed to uncovering the truth' two years on. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died while celebrating the last day of the summer term in the grounds of The Study prep school in Wimbledon, southwest London, after the vehicle smashed through a fence in July 2023. The driver, Claire Freemantle, 48, was arrested after the incident but in June last year the police said she had experienced an epileptic seizure at the wheel and would face no criminal charges. That decision was criticised by the girls' families, who questioned the thoroughness of the investigation. In October the Metropolitan Police said they would reopen the investigation after identifying 'lines of inquiry which required further examination'. On Sunday, at a remembrance event on Wimbledon Common, near the school, the girls' families expressed dismay at having to wait so long for answers. Nuria's mother, Smera Chohan, said the families 'have had to fight very hard — harder than any victim should ever have had to', the BBC reported. 'But we remain committed to uncovering the truth about what happened. We still await answers for what happened on that fateful day … and with all your support, we will continue our fight until we have the answers we deserve.' She added: 'Nothing is going to make our lives the same again … we were parents. I sometimes don't know if I'm a mother, I need to know why I'm not a mother and Nuria deserved a thorough investigation.' Lau's father, Franky Lau, said: 'We are still waiting, we want a version of events that adds up.' Helen Lowe, who was the school's head teacher at the time of the crash, said: 'There are still no answers to what happened on that day, and in that two-year period there have been a number of events which involved awful tragedy for children. 'But the people who perpetrated those events have had to be answerable — and we don't have that, which makes it, for the parents and for us, impossible to move on.' Sharon Maher, the school's head teacher, said the quality of the new police investigation, which was launched in October, had 'a very different feel'. She added: 'They've taken our questions seriously … it's more thorough, it's detailed, that's all we've ever asked for.' Freemantle was rearrested in January on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. She has expressed her 'deepest sorrow for the families who have suffered such dreadful loss and injury'. Last summer prosecutors said Freemantle had not previously had an epileptic seizure and was in good health before the crash. She is understood to have surrendered her driving licence. Freemantle was driving away from Wimbledon Common when the £80,000, 3.5-tonne black-and-gold Land Rover mounted a kerb, crashed through a metal fence and collided with a building at the school. Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford said: 'Our main priority is to ensure the lines of inquiry identified by the review are progressed. I would urge people to avoid speculation.' The Met said: 'Our thoughts are with Nuria and Selena's loved ones at this particularly difficult time. Our investigation continues and we remain in regular contact with the families.'
Japan Times
29-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Wimbledon offers Djokovic 'best chance' to make Grand Slam history
Novak Djokovic admits Wimbledon offers him the "best chance" to make history as he chases a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title in the twilight of his glittering career. Djokovic is dreaming of putting an exclamation point on his incredible career by becoming the most successful singles player in tennis history. The 38-year-old has been tied with Margaret Court on 24 Grand Slam titles since winning his most recent major prize at the 2023 U.S. Open. With Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner emerging as the sport's dominant forces by winning the last six Grand Slams between them, Djokovic believes his most realistic hope of a historic 25th title lies on the lush lawns of southwest London. "I would probably agree that Wimbledon could be the best chance because of the results I had, because of how I feel, how I play in Wimbledon, just getting that extra push mentally and motivation to perform the best tennis at the highest level," Djokovic told reporters at the All England Club on Saturday. Djokovic lost to Alcaraz in the 2023 and 2024 Wimbledon finals and has failed to make the title match in any of his last three Grand Slams. After losing to Sinner in the recent French Open semifinals, Djokovic arrives at Wimbledon in the unusual position of no longer being regarded as the All England Club title favorite. The Serb would draw level with Roger Federer on a record eight men's Wimbledon singles titles if he wins the tournament for the first time since 2022. But Djokovic, who won his 100th tour-level title in May in Geneva, has been dogged by questions about when he will retire since fulfilling his long-held desire for Olympic singles gold in Paris last year. He hinted after the French Open in June that he might not return to Roland Garros and was coy about a potential Wimbledon farewell. "Whether it could be my last dance, I'm not sure, as I'm not sure about Roland Garros or any other Slam that I play next," he said. "My wish is to play for several more years. I would love to be healthy physically and also mentally motivated to keep on playing at the highest level. That's the goal, but you never know at this stage." After battling for years with Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, Djokovic is the last of that star quartet still playing. The former world No. 1 has been usurped by Alcaraz and Sinner over the last two years and he is happy to admit his only remaining goal is to make Grand Slam history. "In a sense you're always hunting because you're always going for the titles — in my also privileged position — the records and more history," he said. "I would say it's slightly different for me now in terms of I don't chase the rankings anymore in that regard. I'm trying to play the best tennis in Grand Slams and trying to win Grand Slams." Djokovic, competing at his lowest Wimbledon seeding (No. 6) since 2018, will begin his campaign against Alexandre Muller of France. The Serb, who has been in every Wimbledon final since 2018, is slated for a quarterfinal meeting with British fourth seed Jack Draper if the favorites prevail. Ultimately, he could be headed for a semifinal against Sinner before a potential final showdown with Alcaraz. Looking ahead to that daunting schedule, Djokovic conceded his performances haven't been consistent enough of late. "My level of tennis has been going quite up and down and fluctuating much more than it was the case for the most part of my career, if you see the last year and a half, too, I've been kind of volatile with my results," he said. "This year I played two semifinals. Unfortunately in Australia I had to retire. In Roland Garros I was outplayed by Sinner. I think I still played a decent level of tennis that showed me that I can still play on a very high level at the later stages."
New York Times
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Mozart Played Here, Retired Soldiers Live Here. It's Also the Site of an Art Fair.
The Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home for British Army veterans, has stood in Southwest London for over 330 years, outlasting monarchs, wars and even, according to a 1969 New York Times article, a 'vulgar' invasion of Mod fashion boutiques. Next week, the centuries-old building, just north of the Thames, will be the site of the third edition of the Treasure House Fair, with dealers from London, New York and beyond selling rare works, including paintings by French and Dutch masters, 18th-century English furniture and antique jewelry. The event will have a fitting backdrop on the South Grounds of the hospital. 'When the hospital was opening, we were still persecuting people for witchcraft,' said Tina Kilnan, the heritage manager at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. And Chelsea was still a small village with only some 300 families, not yet even part of London. The hospital was founded by King Charles II in 1681 for soldiers 'broken by age and war,' as they are described in a Latin inscription on the building. The king was inspired by the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, a complex that was originally built for the same purpose. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hannah Waddingham, 5ft11, was told she was 'too big' to be on camera and says Ted Lasso co-stars told her take her heels off when filming together
has revealed she was told she was 'too big' to appear on camera. The 5ft 11in actress claimed that she was turned away from roles due to her model stature, saying the general sentiment was 'you'll be too big on camera so stay in your lane'. Hannah revealed that this wasn't an issue when it came to working with Jason Sudeikis, the 6ft 1in creator and star of Ted Lasso, who was happy for her to wear heels and be taller than him on screen. However, Hannah confessed that there were several men who asked her to remove her heels when filming. She recalled in an interview with The Sunday Times: 'I even had a couple of day players [actors on set briefly] in Ted Lasso going, "Is it all right if she doesn't wear shoes in this scene?" The heels stayed on.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Hannah - who previously worked as a plus-size model - also revealed that her confidence to get into acting was knocked when a drama teacher at her college told her that she wouldn't work much because it 'looks like one side of her face has had a stroke'. The striking actress once revealed a casting director branded her a 'lanky freak' during the early stages of her career. However, today London-born Hannah is world's away from receiving negative remarks about her appearance, with fans marvelling over her beauty on social media. Born and raised in southwest London, Hannah attended private girls' school Streatham and Clapham High School before going on to study at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts. Following her graduation, Hannah - who is the daughter of opera singer Melodie Kelly - concentrated on making it as a theatre actress. One of her first jobs was in the interactive dinner show Joni and Gina's Wedding - where audience members take on the role of wedding guests and are invited to engage with actors. In 2000, Hannah released the single Our Kind of Love - which was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber for his musical The Beautiful Game - to commemorate the composer's 50th birthday. In 2002, she went on to appear in a production of Space Family Robinson before going on to star as Lady of the Lake in Spamalot, which earned her an Olivier Award nod. The show, which was both a West End and Broadway hit, went on to be nominated for seven Laurence Olivier awards in 2012. Alongside her West End work, Hannah began auditioning for more and more TV and film roles - having made her big screen debut in 2008's How To Lose Friends and Alienate People. In 2014, Hannah was cast as Tonya Dyke in the hit ITV series Benidorm before hitting the big-time in 2016 when she was cast as Septa Unella in the fifth season of Game of Thrones. The role put Hannah on the Hollywood map - leading her to then be cast as Jackson's mother Sofia in the hit Netflix series Sex Education in 2019. Two years later, Hannah's career reached all new heights when she bagged a starring role as warm-yet-icy football club owner Rebecca Welton in Apple TV+'s Ted Lasso. Hannah's latest roles have seen her star in Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning and Lilo & Stich.
