The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today visited a new community hub to boost jobs, volunteering and youth opportunities in Tottenham, part of a £41m regeneration of the area.

The Mayor's funding is transforming the former borough planning offices on 639 High Road, Tottenham, into the first Team London Enterprise and Employment Hub in the capital. The hub will boost jobs and skills for local people by housing business start-ups, training and volunteering. The original building was burnt out during the disturbances in Tottenham last summer.

The Mayor was joined by Tottenham FC star Ledley King and David Lammy MP, as he met young citizen journalists from the local Dandelion media project, and older residents already using 639B, the temporary hub building set up adjacent to the main site, learning how to use the internet thanks to Mayor's Team London MiCommunity project. The Mayor also got to speak to Zone One Radio, a web based youth training scheme using the site.

The Mayor announced earlier this year his plans to invest the biggest portion of his Mayor’s Regeneration Fund to kick start economic growth and boost jobs for local residents in Haringey. 639 High Road is scheduled to fully open in November and will house business incubator spaces, a social enterprise café, Team London volunteering opportunities, meeting rooms, a crèche, a training suite, a music studio for young people, a social space for community groups to use and other uses to be determined through collaboration with the local community .


A Tottenham Taskforce to oversee the delivery of the Mayor’s Regeneration Fund has been established by the Mayor and the borough to bring together a wealth of experience and expertise to support the development and delivery of the regeneration strategy for Tottenham and to champion the area.

Investment through the Fund will support work in Tottenham across the following areas:

• £27 million for North Tottenham/Northumberland Park – to support transport infrastructure and public realm improvements to help unlock proposals for the major stadium-led regeneration scheme.

• £3 million into a package of works to improve the High Road, bringing disused buildings back into use, paving the way for growth in terms of housing, employment and community.

• £4 million to support an Opportunity Investment Fund – to purchase key sites to bring forward development on the High Road and at Tottenham Hale.

• £3.6 million for an Employment and Skills programme to provide support for hard to reach young people and problem families in terms of employability, access to jobs and skills training.

• £3 million to transform 639 High Road for community use.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: "I am determined that this investment will see lasting change, bringing opportunities, growth and jobs, raising the sights of Tottenham’s young people and instilling the belief that they have the same opportunities as others to realise their potential. Every one of its residents has a crucial part to play in the shining future of this great world city."

(CD/GK)