Case Study

Former England cricket captain, Bob Willis, his wife, Juliet and daughter Katie, 16, used to live in Clapham. It wasn't until after they moved to Wimbledon, with its wide open spaces, six years ago that they decided to get a dog. Golden labrador Poppy is now three years old and still very boisterous. Bob takes her out on the common each morning. "I am an early riser. I get up between six and 6.30 each morning and take Poppy for a brisk walk, which takes me just under an hour and 10 minutes," he says. "It's a great start to the day. It really clears the brain and in winter you work up a good glow." The couple have recently bought an old coach house right on the common, which they are having rebuilt. Juliet says that for the dog's sake, she can't wait to move in. "Poppy is a very greedy dog. When she is on the common she is fine because she can snaffle around for the remains of picnics and chase the squirrels, but at the moment it's hard to keep her away from the rubbish sacks put out by all the restaurants in the village. When she gets the scent of something good to eat, she can literally drag me across the road."