Wimbledon town centre's pavements have become stained and grimy, with residents labelling them "filthy" and "messy" as the long, dry summer leaves little rain to wash away spillages. The issue has prompted calls for Merton Council to take urgent action.
Residents express disgust
Local resident Tom Kelleher said: "They are a disgrace and not what is expected in Wimbledon or any self-respecting village, town, or city in the UK. Any visitors to the area must think the council and residents of Wimbledon are happy to live in these conditions, which will leave a lasting negative impression."
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) visited the town centre to assess the pavements and speak to residents. An agent from Hawes & Co estate agency, overlooking the area outside the New Wimbledon Theatre, said: "I came back from Spain last week and it made me realise how dirty the place is. It does look messy and scruffy." He added that the uncleanliness could impact house prices, saying, "It is supposed to be an affluent area."
Council response and contrast
Mitcham resident Alan Hutchings, visiting for shopping, said the council should be doing more, adding, "This is supposed to be the richer end of the borough, where they spend all of the money." The contrast was visible outside Wimbledon Quarter, where shopping centre staff had jet washed their areas, while the adjoining council-owned pavement was blackened with stains.
Merton Council confirmed it does not have a statutory duty to pressure wash pavements throughout the year, but operates a jet washing programme across borough town centres, particularly in high-footfall areas. Residents also noted a perception that cleaning efforts were focused on Wimbledon Village ahead of the Tennis Championships, though the council said cleansing work was scheduled after the tournament.
Lack of rain and other issues
Some residents blamed the lack of rain for the build-up of dirt. One resident joked: "I think a lack of rain is the issue, there is nothing to clean it down. I mean it doesn't look great, especially if you have all this mess out in front of your shop. Yet if everything is dirty its fine and no one will notice." The council said rain does not remove existing stains but can make recent spillages less visible, and the Thames Water hosepipe ban has not affected its street cleaning.
Morden residents Stephen and Judith Line, also visiting, highlighted chewing gum build-up and piles of bin bags outside eateries. Judith said: "Many things have been tried, but people still chuck things on the floor." She added, "People want clean pavements and litter-free areas, but you can't have everything. If the council are doing that, we think what are they not going to do in its place."
Political pressure
Merton's Lib Dem opposition has written an open letter to the Labour-led council urging it to "keep our streets clean", calling for a pavement maintenance plan, enforcement action on commercial waste, and regular updates on cleaning. Lib Dem Leader Cllr Anthony Fairclough said: "Merton Labour talks a lot about 'Civic pride,' but Civic Pride means more than managing down to the minimum statutory grade for litter and detritus. It means a visible, reliable standard for the public realm in our busy town centres."
A Merton Council spokesperson responded: "The Council has a borough-wide jet washing programme in place that operates across key, prominent areas within its five town centres: Mitcham, Morden, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Village and Colliers Wood." They added that Wimbledon receives daily street cleaning, with pressure washing once or twice a year, and that street cleaning has increased since the service was brought back in-house.
A source within Merton Labour criticised the Lib Dems for not supporting Labour's plan for targeted funding for a deep-clean programme, including regular jet washing in town centres.
