White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre, London

This flagship site opened in November 2005, and has since become a hub for the local community.

Boy throwing rugby

© Action Images

What people say:

“This is a fantastic boost for Haringey,” said Haringey Councillor Charles Adje at the launch of the centre. “It will help engage local people in a diverse range of activities and introduce them to new sports. We look forward to working with our community partners to ensure the continued growth of the site. I would like to thank and congratulate Barclays, the Football Foundation and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club for making this happen.”

“We used to use a little gym at the youth club or whatever we could find – but it wasn’t very nice,” adds Project Officer Errol Brown. “Our programmes never lasted long because the kids didn’t like using it – but with these new facilities the centre is so popular it’s unbelievable.”
 

Find out more

  • Background

    White Hart Lane Community Sports Centre was originally built in the early 1970s, providing facilities for the residents of Haringey, London – one of the most economically deprived areas of the UK.

    Prior to Barclays Spaces for Sports’ involvement, the site was dilapidated, and in serious need of renovation. We aimed to provide a new centre which would offer a range of sports activities to local residents, increasing community cohesion, and reducing antisocial behaviour.

    We worked with a range of partners, including Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC), a Barclays Premier League club and whose stadium is nearby. The site opened in November 2005, in a ceremony attended by the club’s manager and players.
     

  • Our contribution

    Our support helped fund a new 11-a-side pitch with a modern, high-tech surface. It also provided four floodlit tennis courts and helped renovate the rest of the centre.

    Tottenham Hotspur FC provided funds to employ a full-time Development Officer for the site, who is responsible for delivering a programme of sports.
     

  • How the site benefits the community

    The centre now acts as a focal point for a number of local sports clubs, community groups, primary and secondary schools.

    Through THFC’s Football in the Community programme, the club delivers a programme of football-related activities such as sessions for disabled people, children and women – seeking to challenge barriers to participation and promote inclusion.

    As well as offering a range of sports from urban rugby to tennis and football, a wealth of local organisations use the centre for sports-related community initiatives. The Haringey Safer Neighbourhoods Teams run ‘community leagues’ for young people at risk of falling into crime. A local branch of social inclusion charity Positive Futures uses the facilities to run activities for disadvantaged young people. And Haringey Mencap provides coaching opportunities for people with learning difficulties.
     

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