The Mayor of London has announced that Haringey will benefit from funding to support creative industries, as South Tottenham becomes one of six London areas to be designated a Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ).
The funding will secure new training, skills development and job opportunities for local residents, as well as provide business support and networking for local creative businesses.
Councillor Charles Adje, Cabinet Member for Strategic Regeneration, said:
“We are proud to have the Mayor select us as one of the six new CEZs. This groundbreaking initiative will help us develop skills and jobs for our local people, as well as support existing and new businesses to thrive in the borough.
“Last year we carried out a CEZ pathfinder research project in Tottenham in partnership with the Mayor of London, and he described our project as “trailblazer”.
“The CEZ is estimated to create an additional 300 new jobs each year, and generate growth of around £26 million, to benefit our borough.”
Creative industries are now Tottenham’s fastest growing sector, experiencing growth of 127% over the last five years and accounting for 4,400 jobs and 660 businesses.
Haringey will focus on supporting fashion and furniture manufacturing. South Tottenham has a particularly strong cluster of fashion businesses and small-scale manufacturing, which will be further strengthened through the CEZ initiative.
Haringey has also been awarded £2m in the second round of the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Funding for its Enterprising Tottenham High Road project.
The GLA funding programme, which supports regeneration schemes which help Londoners influence how their local areas are shaped, will help transform Tottenham High Road into a centre for local enterprise. It will also empower the community to drive forward improvements to Bruce Grove town centre.
The GLA funding programme includes a programme of training and skills development, providing new business space and provides a number of small physical, heritage and community projects aimed at enhancing local skills and participation by the community around Bruce Grove. The project is expected to deliver in the region of 150 new or protected jobs, as well as new and improved public realm.
Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries, Justine Simons, said: “London is overflowing with talent and imagination, and the creation of six new Creative Enterprise Zones is one of Sadiq’s key manifesto priorities. This new initiative is a bold new idea that will deliver good, socially inclusive growth – with permanent, affordable production and workspace for artists and entrepreneurs, new jobs, skills and training for the local community.
“Haringey has played a vital role in the development of the Creative Enterprise Zones so I am delighted that they have been named as one of the six new zones across the capital. The borough will be honouring Tottenham’s creator and maker heritage, expanding the availability of creative workspaces and investing in skills and training so that the whole community benefits from this exciting creative growth.”
