Wimbledon locals are furious over plans to let croquet players drink at a bar serving mostly Pimms after games. 

The famous Wimbledon tennis club wants to serve alcohol at its Southlands Pavillion for croquet players to enjoy a “sociable and respectful” drink.

Locals were concerned the 11am-8pm licence would lead to more noise coming from the club and traffic from taxis collecting players. 

Ben Williams, a lawyer representing the famous tennis club, said: “These are post game drinks, these aren’t waifs and strays partying on the grounds, it is nothing of the sort.

“They won’t be taking their drinks out into the street.

"The type of person that would be using the license is not going to be a teenager or someone who is 20-30 but typically somebody who is of the age that would be coming to it in the right frame of mind.”

Mr Williams told a licensing committee meeting on Thursday (October 13) there would be a “relatively low stock” of alcohol with mostly Pimms served. 

He added: “They are going to enjoy a sociable and respectful drink at the end of play before they go back to the club and change.  

"But local resident Kirsten Kulukundis called the daily licence from 11am-8pm “extremely intrusive” to neighbours. 

Fellow neighbour, Carol Blades, said: “You are trying to make out that this will be like a maiden aunt’s tea party, it is not, it has the potential to be severely disruptive to the local residents.”

When the application was first submitted it was for the licence to operate from 10am until 1am the following morning.

Mr Williams said this was a mistake but resident Jonathan Roe said that while he didn’t object to the current application, the process had been “very badly managed”. 

He asked: “I do not understand what carelessness allowed you to present the original application from 10am-1am. Can you explain what thinking process went on at the All England club to have the cheek to apply for licence from 10am until the following morning?” 

Mr Williams responded: “There was an error in the application, it was never the intention for the club to operate for those hours. It is a pretty visible and obvious error, it was not a try-on and it would be preposterous to think that the club would want that.”

The club said the purpose of the licence would be for up to 50 players and their guests to have a drink after matches. 

Mr Williams added: “There is a fear that this is going to be something that this is not, there will be no change in the way that people use the venue and the numbers of people using the venue.

"It is just that while they are they can legitimately enjoy and alcoholic beverage rather than having to take their own.”

A decision on the application is due to be published by Merton Council in the coming days.