Barnet householders and families were out in force to join the second nationwide Thursday evening clap for carers in support of NHS workers treating patients during the coronavirus pandemic.
The turnout was especially strong in the streets around Barnet Hospital — part of the Royal Free Hospital Foundation — where residents clapped on the doorsteps, blew whistles, banged saucepans and even at one house played a trumpet.
Continue reading Barnet Hospital staff get rousing round of applause
There could hardly be a more opportune moment for a determined push to host new productions and attractions at the Bull Theatre in the hope they might appeal to audiences in High Barnet and widen public support.
In view of the nationwide theatre shutdown imposed by the coronavirus crisis, numerous events will have to be rescheduled and organisers are being reminded that there is an ideal town centre location available for hire.
Continue reading Advice wanted on widening the Bull Theatre’s repertoire
After feedback from a public exhibition in January, the Victoria Quarter housing development on the former gas works site in New Barnet has been scaled back slightly by lowering the height of the proposed blocks of flats and by making a small reduction in the number of new homes.
A 14-storey tower block has been cut to ten storeys and most of the blocks will now be seven storeys high instead of eight.
Planting trees on Barnet Hill has been one of the great achievements of the Barnet Society — and it is still work in progress with a row of Hawthorn being the lastest.
A working party succeeded — a few weeks before the introduction of coronavirus restrictions — in planting a total of 50 Hawthorn whips with stakes and protective shields along the boundary fence of the Vale Drive clinic.
Barnet’s highly successful medieval festival, due to have been staged during the last weekend in May, is just one of the many local events that are having to be postponed or cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.
Organisers have rescheduled this year’s festival from its original date of May 30-31 to the weekend of September 19-20.
Only around 20 shops and retail outlets are still open for business along the entire length of Barnet High Street during the second week of the tightening squeeze being imposed by the coronavirus lockdown.
Shoppers are few and far between and the only other sign of activity has been two workmen — complete with face masks, and at a safe distance — adding the final touches to the pavement widening.
Continue reading Shutters down and closed shop doors in Barnet High Street
A massive pile of rubble, beams and planks was all that was left of Barnet’s blot of the landscape – the derelict nurses’ home for the former Victoria Maternity Hospital in Wood Street.
Hadley Football Club, which is aiming to become a regular home attraction for many more Barnet football fans, faces two critical New Year fixtures in its bid to gain promotion to the next level of the National Football League.
Continue reading Top-of-the-table fixture for Hadley Football Club
A triptych featuring Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst – which was on display at the Barnet Guild of Artists’ annual exhibition – has pride of place in the entrance to the Reel cinema in Boreham Wood.
An appeal to provide a Christmas present for children living in poverty across the Borough of Barnet is hoping to distribute well over 300 parcels each containing a gift.
Continue reading Barnet’s Secret Santa appeal for children in need
A new leaflet has been published that brings together all the contact details and opening times for urgent medical attention and hospital care that will be available across the Borough of Barnet during the Christmas and New Year holiday.
Continue reading Medical care and advice over festive season
Fraud officers from Barnet Council have conducted a sweep of cars parked in Barnet High Street and surrounding roads as part of a stepped-up campaign to detect fraudulent use of disabled blue badges.
Theresa Villiers, Conservative MP for Chipping Barnet since 2005, has been returned to the House of Commons with a slightly increased majority after a closely fought general election contest against Labour candidate, Emma Whysall.
Plans for the station land have been scaled back, as Nick Jones reported on 7 November. But unless more radical improvements are made, the Barnet Society will oppose them.
Continue reading High Barnet Station – our response to the revised proposals
The fate of the car park at High Barnet tube station and a critical shortage of general practitioners across the borough were two local issues – in addition to Brexit and climate change – that produced lively exchanges at the Chipping Barnet constituency election hustings.
An ambitious and imaginative portrayal of local history delighted packed audiences at a Son et Lumiere held at Monken Hadley to celebrate the 525th anniversary of the parish church of St Mary the Virgin.
Continue reading Monken Hadley celebrates its role in Barnet history
Deciding to close Barnet High Street for the annual Christmas fair was an inspired initiative that has paid handsome dividends in sustaining a great community spirit says the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Caroline Stock.
Continue reading Praise for Christmas fair in traffic free High Street
Motorists tooted their horns and pedestrians waved back when children at Underhill School held up their “Save Our Planet” posters all along the school fence in Mays Lane, Barnet.
Continue reading Children have their say on saving the planet
A ban on the anti-social drinking of alcohol in Barnet High Street and other public spaces around the town centre took effect at the beginning of November.
Continue reading Order to curb street drinkers in High Barnet
High Barnet’s feline celebrity, Millie the Waitrose cat, might well re-appear early next year – in the shape of a small bronze statue by local sculptor John Somerville.
Continue reading Millie the cat: tough call for local sculptor
A petition has been launched to try to persuade Barnet Council to improve road safety between the Spires shopping centre and Chipping Barnet library by upgrading the pedestrian crossing so that it is controlled by traffic lights.
Mature trees are to be kept and the multi-storey blocks of flats to be built around High Barnet tube station have been reduced in height, but there is still to be a drastic reduction in the number of car parking spaces.
Continue reading Scaled back plans for Barnet station development
Barnet parish church of St John the Baptist is to host an evening hustings meeting for the general election on Thursday 5 December for candidates in the Chipping Barnet parliamentary constituency.
Continue reading Election hustings arranged for Chipping Barnet
Applications to install another three super-size phone boxes with illuminated advertising panels in Barnet High Street have been turned down by Barnet Council on the grounds they would be detrimental to the character of the town centre and a potential danger to pedestrians and road users.
A community farm being established next to Totteridge Academy held a well-attended half-term family day when parents, pupils and children joined working parties to help prepare land and start planting.
Continue reading Volunteers kept busy at Totteridge Academy community farm
Barnet Council is asking for the views of residents on plans to introduce an annual charge for the fortnightly collection of household garden waste.
Continue reading Charges planned for green garden waste bins
Transport for London and developers Taylor Wimpey have reduced significantly their original plans to redevelop land in and around High Barnet station with five-storey blocks of flats.
Continue reading Two blocks of flats abandoned and instead trees to be preserved
A new venue and an impressive entry of paintings and drawings has provided a boost for the 71st. annual show organised by the Barnet Guild of Artists.
Parents at three nursery schools in the Barnet Early Years Alliance have joined a campaign to try to get secure and adequate funding in the face of further cuts being imposed as a result of pressure on Barnet Council to reduce spending on schools.
Continue reading Petition to fight cuts to Barnet nursery schools
After establishing themselves as The Bull Players a yeaFirst night success for High Barnet drama groupr ago, members of High Barnet’s newly formed amateur dramatic group had the satisfaction of performing to a sell-out Saturday night show at the Bull Theatre.
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