Tottenham Hotspur FC reportedly charged Haringey council more than £33,000 to use its carpark as a food bank during the pandemic.
Spurs is majority owned by Bahamas-based billionaire Joe Lewis and his partner Daniel Levy, who this year raked in £7 million – making him the highest-paid executive in the Premier League.
The club courted controversy during lockdown when it announced it would furlough 550 non-playing staff – a decision that was quickly reversed after outcry from the fans, who pointed out that the club is the eighth richest in the world.
£2,560 per week
As part of an effort to “make them proud”, Levy allowed the club’s stadium’s air-conditioned basement car park to be used as a vast food hub – set up by Haringey council and run by volunteers, who delivered supplies to vulnerable people.
According to Private Eye, however, that generosity came at a price. A freedom of information request found that Haringey council had been charged by Spurs for using the stadium as a food hub.
“These costs were £1,680 per week for additional security and £880 per week for additional cleaning,” the council said. At a rate of £2,560 per week, the club charged it a total of £33,280 – around the amount that Harry Kane earns in one day.
Responding to Private Eye, a club spokesperson said the bills to Haringey council were third-party costs for services requested by the council, adding: “The club did not pass on any costs which it itself incurred, and covered several other costs too.”
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