Thursday 11 October 2018 11:31, UK
Wimbledon has moved a step closer towards its goal of expansion following a successful general meeting of members of the neighbouring golf club.
The All England Club has made an offer, reported to be £65m, to buy Wimbledon Park Golf Club's land in a move that would see its estate roughly triple in size.
Under the golf club's current articles of association, only members of 10 years standing or more can benefit from any windfall, making it unlikely that a sale would be approved.
However, the 75 per cent majority needed to change the articles to give an equal share of the sale to all members was received at the general meeting held on Wednesday night.
"We are encouraged that the members of Wimbledon Park Golf Club have taken a decision which enables them to consider the AELTC's offer for the early release of the land at a vote later this year," an All England Club spokesperson said.
Another vote is to be held in December on whether to accept Wimbledon's offer, clearing the way for expansion.
Wimbledon owns the lease and will acquire the land anyway in 2041, but buying it now would enable the club to keep pace with the other three grand slams, who have all either undergone or are undergoing substantial improvement programmes.
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