Customers have one day to raise £20,000 to buy Spurs pub

20-May-2014 - Last updated on 22-May-2014 at 08:21 GMT

Locals are bidding to buy the Antwerp Arms in Tottenham

Customers of a Tottenham pub are facing a tense final few hours in their bid to raise £250,000 to buy their local.

The Antwerp Arms Association have already raised £107,000 via donations to a fundraising website with more than £20,000 pledged at an event this weekend. They have until 12pm tomorrow (Thursday) to reach their total.

They are hoping an appearance by Spurs legend Gary Mabbutt at the pub will boost their fundraising efforts. He will be pulling the first pint of the day at 10am tomorrow – two hours before their right to bid expires.

The campaign also has the backing of local MP David Lammy.

In October Enterprise Inns sold the pub, which is 400 metres from White hart Lane stadium, to developers Hinterwell Ltd. However after it was listed as an asset of community value a month later the association was given the chance to take it on – as long as they could hit the £250,000 target.

Community

In a statement to potential donors the association said: "If, like us, you feel that the life is going out of pubs, and that pubs are going out of our communities to be converted by greedy developers into more poky flats, then this is your chance to make a difference.The Antwerp Arms is a traditional locals’ pub in North Tottenham in London. There has been a pub on this site since about 1830 (when it was called the Hope & Anchor).

"By investing in the community-owned venture, you will be part of a growing group of people seeking to take back control of their local area. Pubs offer a safe place for people to drink, meet and socialise. With many closing or taking niche positions, the traditional pub has become endangered. As we launch this offer, there are 22 co-operative and community pubs operating in the UK."

To contribute to the campaign go to www.antwerparms.co.uk.