Tottenham fixture to go ahead

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said the club is “deeply saddened” by the rioting [GALLO/GETTY]

Tottenham is working to make sure that Saturday’s English Premier League opener against Everton can go ahead after a weekend of rioting and looting in the north London neighbourhood.

The violence erupted on Saturday evening near White Hart Lane after a peaceful protest against the fatal police shooting of a man in disputed circumstances degenerated into a rampage.

The damage at White Hart Lane was limited to a ticket office, which remains closed.

But Tottenham announced that stadium tours have been cancelled for “safety reasons,” while the area’s main shopping street remains cordoned off, with steam still rising from burnt-out buildings.

“Following the disturbances in Tottenham over the weekend, the club has been in ongoing discussions with the necessary authorities regarding this coming weekend’s Premier League fixture against Everton,” the club said in a statement.

“We can advise fans that at this stage the game is going ahead and the Club is doing everything it can to ensure that this remains the position.”

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said the club is “deeply saddened” by the weekend rioting, which saw buildings in the area torched and police officers injured.

“The club is committed to supporting its community with help with both the physical clean up of our area and the longer term rebuilding of the community spirit,” Levy said.

“It is more critical than ever that community, business and political leaders – local and national, public and private – now work closely together to support the regeneration of this area and we shall certainly look to play our part in that.”

But there has also been anger directed against the club among locals since Levy unveiled plans last year to bid for the right to move into the Olympic Stadium in east London after the 2012 Games. Although the stadium was awarded to rival club West Ham, Tottenham is still challenging that decision in court.

The club also announced last month that it was still looking to resurrect plans to build a new stadium next to its current home by applying for public funding.

Levy did not directly refer to the club’s future in Tottenham in Monday’s statement condemning the weekend violence.