Beloved UK football stadium demolished and turned into £1bn ‘infrastructure masterpiece’ | UK | News

The UK is home to many magnificent stadiums. There are venues like Wembley, Old Trafford and Anfield that fans from around the world come to visit. But there is another stadium that opened not too long ago that is often regarded as the prettiest and best in the country. Some have even described it as an “infrastructure masterpiece“.

But before we get into that, we need to talk about the beloved stadium that was demolished in order to make that happen. For more than a century, White Hart Lane was the home of Tottenham Hotspur. The famous north London ground first opened in September 1899 after Spurs moved from nearby Northumberland Park.

The club had been looking for a larger and safer home after overcrowding became a growing problem. A disused plant nursery behind the White Hart pub was chosen and transformed into a football ground.

Tottenham’s first match there ended in a 4-1 victory over Notts County in front of around 5,000 supporters. White Hart Lane then remained Spurs’ home for the next 118 years.

Over the decades it was expanded and redeveloped several times. The ground’s record attendance of 75,038 was set in 1938, while later changes turned it into a modern all-seater stadium with a capacity of just over 36,000.

One of its most famous features was the bronze cockerel standing on a football, which first appeared above the West Stand in 1909.

By the mid-2000s, however, Tottenham felt the stadium could no longer keep pace with rivals. With demand for tickets far exceeding supply and clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United generating much higher matchday revenues, plans were announced in 2007 for a huge redevelopment project.

Known as the Northumberland Development Project, the scheme would eventually see White Hart Lane replaced by a brand-new stadium on the same site.

But construction eventually created an unusual situation. During the 2016-17 season, part of White Hart Lane was demolished while matches were still being played there, so work could begin on the new ground.

The final match at White Hart Lane took place on May 14, 2017, when Tottenham beat Manchester United 2-1.

Demolition of the remaining structure followed shortly afterwards, and Spurs moved temporarily to Wembley Stadium while construction continued.

The new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium eventually opened on April 3, 2019, with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. Originally expected to cost around £400million, the final bill rose to roughly £1billion.

Today, it is regarded as one of the most advanced stadiums in the world. Its standout feature is a retractable pitch. The natural grass playing surface can be split into three huge sections and slide underneath the South Stand, revealing a synthetic field below for NFL games, concerts and other events.

The stadium is also home to the UK’s largest single-tier stand, which holds 17,500 supporters.

Inside is the 65-metre-long Goal Line Bar, believed to be the longest bar in a stadium anywhere in the world. Visitors can also take part in the Dare Skywalk, which allows fans to walk across the roof beside a giant version of Tottenham’s famous cockerel.

Many people took to TripAdvisor to express their feelings about the stadium. One person wrote: “Can’t call it anything but an infrastructure masterpiece. It wows you from the first moment you see it.”

Another added: “Most beautiful stadium in England. The view is great from every seat, and the ground is so advanced.”