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(Reuters) - Organisers
of the Wimbledon Championships are confident that they will be
able to host more fans than the current allowance of 25% of
capacity at this year's grasscourt Grand Slam following the
latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
Britain moved to stage three of its roadmap for lifting lockdown
restrictions from Monday with Prime Minister Boris Johnson
aiming to lift all restrictions and re-open the economy on June
21.
The Wimbledon will start a week after on June 28 and organisers
All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) said last month that they
were planning for a 25% capacity.
"Further to the Stage 3 relaxation of restrictions and early
positive indications from the Event Research Programme, we are
confident that we will be able to increase our ticketing
capacities for The Championships this year beyond the minimum
25% position we set out last month," the AELTC said in a
statement on Wednesday.
"This confidence is based in particular on the reintroduction of
the rule of six indoors in restaurant settings from 17 May, and
early indications that Stage 4 guidance could include similar
relaxations of the guidance for sports stadia."
Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam cancelled last year due to the
pandemic and it was the first time since World War II that the
grasscourt major was not held.
Organisers have put in place a Minimised Risk Environment to
satisfy health protocols, meaning players will be limited to a
maximum of three in their entourage and will have to stay in
designated hotels, rather than plush private near the venue.
The AELTC said they were staying flexible and delaying ticket
sales till the middle of next month to have more clarity on the
emergence of the fast-spreading B.1.617.2 variant of the virus
which could derail the lifting of restrictions.
"For this reason, we are continuing to leave confirming our
ticketing capacities until as late as possible, with all tickets
to be made available via an online sale, which we anticipate
commencing in mid-June," the organisers said.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Berhampore, India; editing by
Christian Radnedge)
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