Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

David Lammy reports on his Twitter stream on his meeting re Spurs staying in Haringey. He says the move to Stratford is a " Decision based on what is cheaper - putting profit line before history, fans and community. Really devastated."


See the Twitter stream here

Link to No to Stratford Spurs petition

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given that they (arsenal) demolished the boroughs existing refuse tip and recycling centre in order to build the stadium on top of it, I doubt they had much option in the matter if they wanted to get the planning go-ahead. Less about philanthropy, more hard headed business sense, same as spurs are doing, for better or for worse
Spurs helped fund and promoted recent tennis lessons for kids at Fairland Park and also held a massive event with various stalls and tents in Priory Park at the end of the summer. These are just a few events I came across but I wouldn't want to distort the impression some anti's have. Football clubs belong in the community that create and supported them, Spurs belong in Tottenham, not in East London and when they re-build the Lane it will be a great landmark and beacon in the borough.



They helped Haringey Borough FC financially a few years ago when they were in trouble. They are also keeping the Red Brick house where early founding members met, a building of great local and football historical significance.


Oh I am not a Spurs or Arsenal fan.

If Spurs left it's historical home then many of the shops, cafes and pubs that live off the club will go too, more boarded up shop fronts and dead businesses, something to really worry about. This move goes against the national trend of shipping clubs out onto wasteland out of town with no transport links, more nails in the coffin of Tottenham. Just because you haven't experienced much community involvement does not mean it doesn't happen, I can guarantee that it does. Football might not be your chosen theatre but please let people who do enjoy it carry on enjoying it in it's historical home.

This can be the start of something extremely exciting for Tottenham and I am 100% sure that is what will happen. I am sorry to say you better get use to it and try and push for something positive out of the re-development.
Boris gives the green light to Spurs
What's this about them looking at the Crystal Palace athletics stadium as well?! There'll be arguments in our house (loyalties divided between Palace and Spurs) if they muscle in there. Not that Palace have the money to move anywhere at the moment...
Many thanks, Liz. Once again Harringay Online first with the news.

Not of course that this is a whisper of a hint of the slightest murmur of criticism for Haringey's own very wonderful Planning & "Regeneration" Service.
picking up on Michelle's concerns among others, while they can be blamed for many things, i dont think spurs can be blamed for the proliferation of chicken take outs along the High Road. Take a look along any high street in any of london's low income communities and you'll find the same mixture of take aways, betting shops, pound stores and boarded up premises. Also while many other crimes could be levelled at spurs in terms of its relationship with the local community, i dont think they can be really blamed for area's poverty and lack of development - having been on the same site for over a century. The current state of north tottenham is actually a result of the larger demographic shift along the A10 and the economic changes / that have affected the local area over the last 50 - 100 years. The fact is there is no locus is the community beyond thfc as far as i can see. Hoping that the stadium moves over to east london smacks to more than a fair degree of nimbyism to these ears.

As a life long spurs fan, but also someone that has been involved in social and community activism for many years, this issue is one that splits me right down the middle i have to say.

If it wasnt spurs i could make reasoned arguments about the issues of taking on a large corporate entity and its plans for empire building; charging expensive ticket prices to its punters with no regard to those local supporters, many on low incomes, that cannot afford to attend; the concerns over the effect on local envronment; on affordability of housing; the potential increase in traffic, pollution and energy wastage etc. etc.

But being a died in the wool fan, bizarrely suspends any such reason in these areas, and in lots of ways i am cautiously convinced (though still sceptical) that the development could indeed bring a number of positive developments to the local area. The biggest area of concern i suppose i maintain, is the potential for the gentrification of north tottenham or at least the immediate area around the ground. But to be honest, i think many more hundreds of millions would need to be on the table for large scale gentrification to be a real possibility - at least in the medium term. Anyhow... i digress massively
I agree in that the redevelopment project is not going to cause massive overnight improvement to the area in terms of gentrification - that is way beyond the scope of what is quite rightly a private corporate entity, however- there will certainly be a lot of cleaning up and renovation of some architecturally and historically important local buildings... Which will add to the quality of the local environment.
My main point in all this though was that spurs, as a local club, do make a lot of effort to put something back into the local community. Whilst it will never be enough for some people, i for one admire the community outreach work that does go on and i hope it continues - it would be a shame to lose it. I also think the plans for the redevelopment have done a lot to ensure there are some broader community benefits.. One being a new supermarket (i think) which should please those saddened by the loss of big name chains from the high street in recent years. Agree with the point made about high streets in similarly low income and deprived neighbourhoods, that can't be blamed on football clubs, it's unfortunately a side effect of lack of investment in an area.




It's a shame that Michelle has such a negative view
Meant to say..

It's a shame that Michelle has such a negative view of the positive work that does go on and has been well illustrated in this thread. Clearly there are some good ideas for some additional outreach and community groups that the spurs foundation could engage with. Why don't you drop them a line Michelle, I'm sure they'd welcome some suggestions and ideas for other projects they might invest in in the local area.
Be a shame if they were forced out of the area and took all this positive community work to another area, though I'm sure they'd benefit from it as many have done in the tottenham area.
Let's not be naive to the fact that spurs' plans were based on their own self interest, same as tottenham civic society, same as the red house, warmington house etc.

Thats what planning consultations are for: to balance and accommodate the interests and needs of the parties involved and what's in the interest of the community around it. And that's why such processes are vital and remain accountable. Spurs are not a preservation trust, they are a multimillion pound company whose main line of business is premiership football. Lets not kid ourselves otherwise. Does it really surprise you that they put those priorities first? Unless they have made a pledge somewhere that the project will be carbon neutral (and no, they havent, though it would be good if they did) i'm not sure that any charge of hypocracy can be laid at their door.

'Quality of the local environment', by the way, covers a much wider target than preservation of several buildings of historical interest, let the success of the project be judged on all those aspects rather than the narrow definition you've just made there
Quite right, seems to me that spurs have shown a lot of flexibility and consideration to all the issues raised by both the public and the council in the numerous rounds of consultation and iterations of plans etc.
They're not a conservation trust, they're not primarily there to educate kids, involve kids in sport, or give those who might otherwise be drawn into a life of gangs etc etc an outlet... They are a football club. I'm suggesting it might be fair and balanced to give them some credit for what they do put back.... Whether it's off their own back or at the request of others. Best we have all this then nothing at all....

Hopefully they'll stay in the borough and continue to bring these benefits than be pushed out to another part of London.
A little more reading about the significance of Spurs within our borough. All Articles are from Groundtastic magazine Spring 09 and Autumn 10 editions:


New Look White Hart Lane Unveiled 1
New Look White Hart Lane Unveiled 2

Spurs Rethink Red House Demolition Plans


Spurs WHL 1899-1980 Pt 1:1

Spurs WHL 1899-1980 Pt 1:2
Spurs WHL 1899-1980 Pt 1:3
Spurs WHL 1899-1980 Pt 1:4

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