'I Love Tottenham' Tales: 2XL Recruitment

Boards surround the burned shell of 2XL's longtime offices on Tottenham High Road

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Photo by Alan Stanton.

Part four in our series examining Tottenham businesses riot recovery efforts.

2XL Recruitment

Somebody will foot a very large bill for London’s August riot. Wednesday’s Evening Standard estimated that tab could rise to £370 million, 300 of which would go to businesses damaged during the four days of violence.

Tottenham recruiting and training center 2XL is one of those firms waiting for compensation from the Riot (Damages) Act, the 1886 law that says impacted areas’ police funds must cover riot costs.

With the Metropolitan Police concerned about potentially massive deficits, however, no payment plan has been created and negotiations are ongoing. That’s a problem, says 2XL director Angela Hall.

“That (money) is what will allow us to replace everything we lost,” she said. “The government said it would be concluded in a timely fashion, but they have not given us any deadline and we don’t know how long it’s going to take.”

Hall, her husband and 2XL’s 10 other permanent employees recently settled into a new office. She had been working out of her home since the site the company had occupied for 14 years on Tottenham High Road was burned on 6 Aug.

Burned Business

As Hall watched the riot unfold on television, she got a frantic call from her sister-in-law outside the recruitment center.

“You could hear my brother saying please don’t burn down the building it’s mine,” she said. In the end, “the only hope was that the fire brigade would get there.”

They did not, and the transition to a new building has not been easy, Hall says, although there have been positive signs.

“The support we go from temps and clients actually made you feel like it was worth fighting for,” Hall said. “The last 11 weeks haven’t been bumper, but we’ve gotten more business--I’ve been paddling like mad to catch up.”

Rapid Return

Hall credits the company’s determination to resume work the day after the riots, with staff working remotely from her kitchen, as major factor for things being as good as they are .

After meetings with Tottenham MP David Lammy and other officials, aid from the Haringey Council helped the firm relocate to the Tottenham Town Hall building, just off the High Road. Although it was under-insured, a £46,000 insurance payment also made a difference.

But to fully return, Hall said the remainder of 2XL’s losses must be covered by the Riot Damages Act. “If that comes through, it will allow us to plan ahead,” she said. “That’s the one we need the most.”