I have a confession to make: I judge Wimbledon by more than forehands and footwork. I judge it by the price of strawberries and cream. And in 2025, that price finally moved. For the first time since 2010, the All-England Club ended a 15-year freeze and raised the cost of its most iconic snack from £2.50 to £2.70. Now, as the 2026 Championships approach, that 20p increase still feels like a small but symbolic shift in the economics of elite sport.

For years, I loved that Wimbledon refused to budge on the price. It was a point of pride at SW19, a rare throwback in a world where every concession stand seems to test how much fans will pay. The 2025 rise ended that tradition, but it did not end the value. A portion still costs less than a fancy coffee in most cities. And if you have ever queued on the Hill with a plastic cup of Pimm's in one hand and a punnet in the other, you know the ritual is about more than calories.

Here is the simple math from the reference point:

That may not sound like much. But Wimbledon sells around 140,000 punnets during the two-week event. If sales remain steady, the new price generates an extra £28,000 in revenue. By Wimbledon standards, that is not a fortune. It is barely a rounding error next to the tournament's broader spending. Yet it tells you something important: even the most prestigious events in sport are feeling cost pressures.

A spokesperson for the All-England Club told Mail Sport that Wimbledon would still provide its most popular product at a 'very reasonable price.' I think that is fair. The club has not exactly been sitting still. Over the past decade, it has invested heavily in the grounds. The Centre Court roof arrived more than a decade ago at a hefty cost. A roof over Court 1 followed a decade later. More recently, plans have been approved to expand the grounds with new courts and facilities, including a brand-new show court and improved practice areas.

Those projects are not directly linked to the price of a strawberry punnet. But they do show the financial reality of running a world-class tournament. Running costs rise year-on-year. Energy, labour, logistics, food sourcing, and maintenance all climb. Wimbledon is not immune to the wider cost of living crisis. The 20p increase is modest, but it is a signal that the old price freeze could not last forever.

What keeps me coming back, though, is that Wimbledon still feels affordable in a way that many major sporting events do not. Strawberries and cream remain the best-value food option on site. Compare that to the prices at other top-tier venues, where a soft drink can cost more than a meal. Wimbledon stands out for its affordability on this front. And it stands out for one other key reason: fans are still allowed to bring in their own food and drink, including alcohol.

That policy is huge for budget-conscious visitors. If you are planning a trip to SW19 in 2026, you can pack a picnic. You can bring your own strawberries and cream, your own sandwiches, your own drinks. You will not be forced to remortgage your house for lunch. Very few elite sporting venues offer that kind of freedom. I have taken advantage of it myself, and it makes the day feel more welcoming, more human, and less like a corporate cash grab.

But here is the catch: your homemade version will not match the quality served at Wimbledon. The tournament sources its fruit daily from the family-run Hugh Lowe Farm in Kent. That is not a marketing gimmick. It is the reason the strawberries taste so fresh, so sweet, and so perfectly matched with the cool cream. Every portion is picked and delivered with remarkable care. If you want to match that at home, you would need your own garden or allotment and a very early morning.

So yes, the price went up. I noticed. I grumbled for a second. Then I bought a punnet anyway. The experience of enjoying strawberries and cream at Wimbledon remains just as sweet. The 2025 increase ended a 15-year freeze, but it did not end the ritual. As the 2026 Championships arrive, I will still be in the queue, still hoping for sunshine, still watching the ball fly, and still holding that small plastic cup. Some traditions are worth 20p more. 🍓🎾