High Barnet volunteers who love to sew are joining the nationwide effort to produce protective clothing for hospital and care home staff tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
Scrubs — the pyjama-style clothes worn by medics — face masks and laundry bags are among the items being sent to a hub in Kentish Town which then offers additional supplies to hospitals, care homes and hospices across north and north-west London.
Continue reading Sewing enthusiasts helping the NHS fight coronavirus
High Barnet publican Gary Murphy, licensee of the Mitre, is at the forefront of a campaign by landlords to force pub owners to back down and agree to a rent freeze while the coronavirus lockdown continues.
Greene King charge Mr Murphy £8,000 a month in rent. Unless it is suspended, he fears that he and other landlords will end up thousands of pounds in debt.
Continue reading High Street landlord backs demand for rent freeze for pubs
Specialist shops along Barnet High Street — as well as numerous take-away food outlets — are determined to try to continue trading in the wake of the continuing lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic.
Three niche businesses — Hopscotch (sweets, loose tea and cake-making supplies), The Present (gifts and homeware) and Wanders Shoes — are mong the latest to offer collection and delivery services in response to telephone and online orders.
Continue reading Home deliveries offer lifeline to High Street traders
Locked and taped-off playgrounds are a poignant reminder of the impact that the coronavirus self-distancing restrictions are having on the opportunities for children to exercise and enjoy themselves.
High Barnet’s most popular parks and playing fields, including Ravenscroft Park, the Old Courthouse Recreation Ground, Byng Road playing fields and of course Hadley Green and Hadley Common, are all open and are being well used.
Continue reading Life in Barnet under lockdown: children losing out
Cultivating an allotment is one of the few outdoor activities that is still permitted during the coronavirus lockdown and thanks to the current run of fine, dry weather Barnet’s plots have never been busier or looked in better shape.
Strict rules on self-discipling and site hygeine apply and allotment holders are literally keeping themselves poles apart.
Continue reading Strict self-distancing and safety rules at Barnet’s allotments
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
Final rehearsals and editing are underway for a Son et Lumiere production at Monken Hadley Church which will celebrate the 525th anniversary of the church’s restoration and which takes its inspiration from the history of Barnet.
Continue reading Step back in time at Monken Hadley Son et Lumiere
Barnet Council is investigating complaints by local residents that the newly opened Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice has extended its car park to include a pedestrian grass verge along the road leading to the Byng Road environment centre, playing fields and allotments.
Continue reading Residents’ anger over loss of pedestrian walkway
A packed programme of productions has been lined up for the coming months at the Bull Theatre, High Street, Barnet, to help raise £8,000 that is still outstanding for the cost of new seating.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, officially opened the Ark in Byng Road, Barnet – the new £8.5 million state-of-the-art children’s hospice that will support children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions in north and central London and Hertsmere.
Continue reading The Ark, Barnet: “best children’s hospice in the world”
Some last-minute polishing and then bonnets were up, engines ready for inspection, as enthusiasts crowded into the basement of the Spires car park for the sixth annual show of the Barnet Classic Car Club.
Continue reading Minis on parade at Barnet’s classic car show
Why not become a member? Receive our latest newsletter hot off the press four times a year, and support our work with a membership.
If you have some local news, history or want to bring something to our attention please email us.
NEW: Double yellow lines appear in Sebright and Calvert Roads
NEW: Food waste briefing
NEW: Routemaster bus returns to the 263 route 🚌
Aaron Chenie posted a comment on Yellow line parking restrictions are excessive say residents who believe they have been treated with contempt by Barnet Council
Lolita posted a comment on Yellow line parking restrictions are excessive say residents who believe they have been treated with contempt by Barnet Council
Joe Blake posted a comment on Queen Elizabeth’s School – a Barnet brand name that will soon be appearing on new international schools in India and Dubai
Andrew Jackson posted a comment on Save Chipping Barnet Woodland campaigners delighted by planning refusal for new house in a protected wood close to Hadley Green