The Harringay Arena, 1936 - 1978
The Arena Shopping Park takes its name from the Harringay Arena which stood on the site from 1936 - 1978. The Arena was a large indoor stadium seating 10,000 and designed for Ice Hockey, which was then becoming popular. Its other main intended use was for Boxing, and it was the venue for a number of World Title fights. Numerous other events were staged at it including concerts, circuses and from 1949 - 1958 the Horse of the Year Show.
It was the venue for the basketball and other indoor events of the London Olympic Games in 1948, and also for Billy Graham's Greater London Crusade for 12 weeks in 1954.
As a result of financial difficulties and falling attendances it closed in 1958, but was used as a warehouse for 20 years before being demolished in 1978 and replaced by industrial units.
The Arena was the brainchild of the Canadian born Brigadier-General A. C. Critchley who had in 1927 built the adjacent open-air Stadium for Greyhound Racing and also motorcycle Speedway racing. It survived longer than the Arena, closing in 1987 when it was replaced by Sainsbury's supermarket.
Site: Harringay Arena (1 memorial)
N4, Green Lanes
This is a horrible place to spend any time - far too much traffic and pollution, and pig-pens corralling people on the pavements.
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