Category: News

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Expanded Barnet Medieval Festival promising another premier event for Wars of the Roses re-enactors and spectators

Expanded programme planned for Barnet Medieval Festival with more mounted men at arms, a falconry display and competition for youngsters in period costomes and fancy dress

A new tee shirt commemorating the 555th anniversary of the Battle of Barnet will be on sale at the annual Barnet Medieval Festival over the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday June 6 and 7.

For the second year the festival is being held at its new and much larger site in the fields around the Lewis of London Ice Cream Farm in Galley Lane.

D Susan Skedd, the festival director – see above with volunteer Chris Nightingale – says the £15 new tee shirt is a special edition which she hopes will appeal to Wars of the Roses enthusiasts.

After record attendance and participation last year, the festival is becoming a premier event for among military re-enactors and medieval traders and there is again an expanded programme of events.

Twice as many mounted men at arms and their horses will be taking part this year and for the first time at the festival there will be falconry displays by the falconry team Hawking About.

Among the highlights each day will be the re-enactments of the Second Battle of St Albans 1461 (at 12noon) and the Battle of Barnet 1471 (at 4pm).

Younger visitors under 12 will be able to take part each day in a competition for the best period costume or fancy dress (judging at 1.30pm).

Prizes will be awarded for the most historical and creative costumes.

Tickets can be bought at the gate or in advance from the online shop before June 5: www.barnet-medieval-festival-committee.sumupstore.com

There will be free parking onsite in Galley Lane, including disabled parking and taxi drop-off and a free shuttle bus that will run regularly from behind The Spires in Stapylton Road.

Full information: www.barnetmedievalfestival.org

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Campaign to save and rebuild an abandoned clubhouse for benefit of Underhill residents gathers pace ahead of its sale by Barnet Council

Residents around Mays Lane are anxious to attract support for a community bid to take over the derelict former Quinta Youth Club which has been put up for sale by Barnet Council for £300,000.

Local groups have until October to submit offers and proposals to the council. Several eligible community interest organisations have already expressed interest.

Gina Theodorou (above), chair of the Quinta Village Green Residents Association, is appealing for a concerted push by the locality to help to secure and re-open the derelict club as a community hub and space.

“We fear Barnet Council may favour selling the abandoned building to an organisation from outside the area rather than a genuinely local community-led proposal.

“Our aim is to create a flexible new community building and integrate it into Quinta village green which is alongside and which we have already made sure is preserved for the use of our community.”

As a first step a community interest company is to be established by the residents’ association to develop a business plan.

An image, showing what a revived Quinta Club building might look like, has been issued in support of an appeal on Facebook and GoFundMe to help with the cost of planning and funding the application:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-the-quinta-club-for-the-whole-community

https://www.facebook.com/quinta.green.9/posts/pfbid0Z7oaBfVJP2sHuaZ1kcaYyYSJBMtoSDBP5QZts4jNrQCrM3iRFkvkFZZA2z9EGzaul

The club building – originally constructed by the Underhill community in the 1960s with the help of local tradesmen and residents – has been derelict for the last 20 years, raising concern among Mays Lane residents about continuing vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Gina Theodorou – seen above with Rory (16) who is supporting the campaign for a new community space for local youngsters – is urging the community to rally round as quickly as possible so that a proposal can be submitted to the council by the deadline of October 17.

“In its heyday the Quinta Club was a wonderful community space – it was a youth centre, a meeting place for the elderly, for a nursery and for all sorts of exercise classes.

“We are becoming increasingly concerned because the council is getting expressions of interest from community groups outside the area– including religious organisations – and the priority for the council seems to be getting rid of the freehold for the best possible price.

“We want to keep the building as broad-based shared community asset, which is financially sustainable and offer affordable room hire, café, and space for family and youth activities.”  

It was at the request of residents’ association that the abandoned building was registered by the council as an asset of community value.

This has established a six-month moratorium during which the council may only sell the former club to a qualifying community interest group – a window of opportunity which lasts until October 17.

An open day will be held at the site in Mays Lane on Tuesday 30 June (from 11am to 2pm) when qualifying groups can view the property and ask questions, although there is a warning that viewing might be limited to “an external walk around on grounds of safety”.

To build up support for its GoFundMe appeal and a combined local response, Mrs Theodorou is hoping to draw on professional expertise within the community and wider backing from local politicians.

Dan Tomlinson, the MP for Chipping Barnet, launched a Community Action Network in March this year, aimed at “shaping and showcasing” projects proposed by the local residents in his constituency.

Mays Lane is within the council’s Underhill ward and one of its two councillors, Zahra Beg, is the newly elected Mayor of Barnet.   

Campaign to mount a bid for community to rebuild the Quinta Club in Mays Lane which Barnet Council has put on the market for £300,000 with deadline of October for community bids

Ms Theodorou says residents have been become alarmed at the state of the dereliction.

There are gaps in the boarding surrounding the derelict building and it has become a dumping ground for rubbish.

After its success in getting Quinta village green registered as a public open space, the residents’ association liaises with the council to ensure maintenance of the green and to ensure that fly tipping is removed.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Live cartooning was highlight of the afternoon at North London Hospice shop to promote the sale of second-hand books

Cartoons and caricatures filled the front of the North London Hospice shop in Barnet High Street at the launch of an expanded book shop – all in aid of a new fund-raising push.

Assistant shop manager Dora Pavlou sat for Barnet caricaturist Simon Ellinas while fellow resident and cartoonist Genn Marshall was hard at work on the floor on his latest cartoon character.

They were all helping to raise money for the hospice and provide publicity for an enlarged bookshop at the rear of the shop.

Recent donations and house clearances have helped the North London Hospice build up a large stock of second-hand books ready for sale – paperbacks £1 and hardbacks £2.

Dora was delighted by her caricature by Simon whose work has been published widely, most recently in the Mail on Sunday and other national newspapers and magazines.

Glenn Marshall displayed a collection of his cartoon characters which filled the front of the shop.

There were some wry smiles for his depictions – all an indication of the wide range of Glenn’s published work in magazines such as Private Eye, Punch and the Spectator.

Cartoons and caricatures filled Barnet shopfront of North London Hospice to promote enlarged bookshop.

Another High Barnet resident, Professor Neil Martin organised the event. He is a volunteer at the shop responsible for sorting and pricing donated books.     

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Black Horse to re-open in mid-June after extensive repairs – but uncertain future for Builders Arms now on the market for £695,000

After the loss of several pubs around High Barnet in recent weeks, work has finally started on major repairs to the Black Horse in Wood Street, and it is due to re-open in mid-June after being closed since last September.

Scaffolding surrounds the building and local residents who feared the worst when metal grilles were installed across the doors and windows are delighted to hear the news.

With the approach of warm weather, they say they can’t wait for the re-opening of the pub’s garden which is popular weekend venue.

Star Pubs told the Barnet Society that additional building work has proved necessary and it will take longer than originally anticipated, but they hope the pub can re-open by mid-June.

A new tenant – described as “a local businessman” – has taken on the tenancy.

To the disappointment of some previous customers, Star Pubs say the Black Horse will not be reverting to a micro-brewery which had operated at the pub in the past and produced its own ales.

Earlier this year, because of concern about the future of the Black Horse, Barnet Council accepted a community request for the pub to be protected by an order declaring the building as asset of community value.

ACV protection allows the community to enter a bid if the pub is sold for redevelopment – protection already provided for three other nearby pubs, the Lord Nelson, Sebright Arms and Ye Olde Monken Holt, as well as the Prince of Wales in East Barnet.

Black Horse public house in Wood Street Barnet to re-open after nine-month closure but now closed Builders Arms in New Barnet for sale at £695,000

A petition has been launched to secure ACV protection for the Builders Arms in Albert Road, New Barnet, which closed in mid-April and is now on the market for £695,000.

A two-year struggle to keep going finally defeated the pub’s landlady who blamed a loss of trade on the disruption caused by ending up in the middle of a massive construction site.

Albert Road is the main access to the site where Fairview Homes are building eleven high-rise blocks of flats to provide 420 new homes, and the pub found itself marooned in the redevelopment.

Despite considerable local support, the landlady reluctantly decided to hand her tenancy back to the brewers Greene King raising local concern about the future of a pub praised by the Campaign for Real Ale.

Former customers and friends started the petition in an attempt to preserve what they say is a “much loved local institution”.

Greene King, which is reported to be planning to sell off 300 of its tenanted and managed pubs, put the Builders Arms on the market soon after it ceased trading in mid-April.

WTS, agents for the sale, say the building does offer the potential for alternative use, subject to planning consent, and the property might appeal to “local licensed operators, developers, builders and investors.”

Another recent pub closure was that of the Hadley House bar and restaurant in Barnet High Street, which in previous years was known as the King George and earlier as the King of Prussia – but another High Street hostelry, the King’s Head, which closed for a month for renovations is due to re-open on June 12.

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Fighting for improved adult social care and support for the disabled are priorities for Barnet’s new Green Party councillor

Priorities for Barnet Council's new Green Party Councillor, who lives in High Barnet, will be fighting to improve adult social care and support for people with disabilities

Barnet’s newly-elected Green Party councillor, Charli Thompson – who lives in High Barnet – says her priority will be to tackle issues surrounding adult social care and disabilities rather than get involved in party political infighting.

With Labour and the Conservatives each having 31 councillors, Ms Thompson might well have a casting vote at future council meetings, but she has no intention of exploiting her position for political purposes.

“I realise I hold the balance of power, but I am not interested in forming a political alliance with either Labour or the Conservatives.

“My role as a councillor will be to listen to residents and their concerns, support their interests and align myself with Green Party policies.”

Her resolve to avoid playing party politics was put to the test when the council met for the first time (Tuesday 19 May) to decide whether Councillor Barry Rawlings should remain Labour leader and control the council or whether the post should go to the Conservative leader Peter Zinkin with control passing to the Conservatives.

She voted first against councillor Zinkin, who was defeated by 32 votest to 31, and then voted against councillor Rawlings who was re-elected leader for four years with 31 votes in favour, 31 absentions by Conservative councillors and only one vote (Green) against.

Ms Thompson topped the poll with 1,331 votes in the Woodhouse ward, taking a Labour seat, in the Barnet Council elections on May 7.

Support for Greens was strongest in the Barnet wards closest to inner London where the party is now in a majority in some London boroughs.   

Her first move on being elected was to approach Barnet’s Labour and Conservative groups to see if they would agree to her becoming a member of the council’s committee for adult social care.

“I am disabled myself and to my disappointment both parties have blocked my attempt to use my expertise as a campaigner on adult social care and disabilities to help improve council services.”

In 2019 Ms Thompson was signed off work as a freelance designer because of a worsening brain condition (Chiari malformation) and during the last few years she helped to care for her father, who died earlier this year, and her sister who is autistic and in supported living care.

“I went into politics because I became so disillusioned about the level of care.

“I want to use any influence I have to improve council services for adult social care and disabilities.

“It is not asking a lot to seek to use my expertise as a campaigner, and now a councillor, for the benefit of the community, but already Labour and the Conservatives say they won’t work with me.”

Ms Thompson, who stood previously for the Green Party in a by-election in the Whetstone ward in 2025, was attracted to politics when Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour Party in 2015. She went on to become a Labour Party member.

“I found Corbyn inspiring, the way he connected with people who had been marginalised and gave them a voice.”

After Labour’s defeat in the 2019 general election, she didn’t want Corbyn to stand down. She voted for Rebecca Long-Bailey in the 2020 Labour leadership election which was won by Sir Keir Starmer.

Shortly after the 2024 general election she resigned from the Labour Party – and joined the Green Party –following the Starmer government’s withdrawal of winter fuel allowance for the elderly and military support for Israel over the war in Gaza.

Ms Thompson has had a lifetime association with High Barnet. She was born – Charlotte Thompson– at the former Victoria Maternity Hospital in Wood Street;  went to school at the former St Martha’s Convent; and then St Michael’s at North Finchley.    

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Facing an uncertain future: unsteady state of Barnet’s iconic whalebones archway – can it be repaired or replaced with a replica?  

An historic whalebones arch beside Wood Street, High Barnet, has had to be encased in scaffolding after the owners of Whalebones House feared it might collapse and cause an injury to passersby.

Signs of movement in its footings and cracks in the archway – once the jaw bones of a ninety-foot-long blue whale – prompted concern about its safety.

Hill Group, who are building 115 new homes in adjoining fields, installed the scaffolding as a protective measure to safeguard the arch and to preserve “a unique local landmark”.

Hill’s intervention has been welcomed by the owners of Whalebones House, Patrick Shanahan and Helena Boland, who say urgent action is need to either repair the whalebones or replace them with a replica archway.

Straps have been applied around the surface to ensure there is no further fragmentation of the structure.

A set of jawbones was first erected as a gateway to Whalebones House in the 1860s or perhaps even earlier.

They were last replaced in 1939 by former owner of the house, Miss Gwyneth Cowing, whose family owned the Barnet Press newspaper.

She paid for two jawbones, each weighing three-quarters of a ton, to be transported to Barnet from Norway where the carcase of the whale, which had been captured in the South Seas, had been dismembered.

It took half a dozen workmen, under the direction of local builders W. Foster & Sons, all day to manoeuvre the gigantic jawbones into place and set them in six feet of concrete.

Cracks in the jawbone on the Arkley side of the drive started appearing at Easter; then its footing became dislodged; and it became clear the archway was in danger of collapsing.

Mr Shanahan said he first became aware of the damage after heavy equipment being used by the contractors started crossing the driveway less than three metres from the jawbones.

“Excavators and piling equipment kept being moved to and from the main construction area to a smaller site off Wellhouse Lane where there is to be a new community building and studio for the Barnet Guild of Artists.

“Because of the fragile state of the jawbones we have asked the contractors to stop crossing the driveway and generating the kind of vibration which has clearly been having a devastating impact.”    

After alerting the Hill Group to what had happened, the owners of Whalebones House asked for advice from Barnet Council on the historic status of the whalebones and whether permission would be needed to dismantle the archway and install a replacement.

They hope that the Hill Group and the trustees of the Gwyneth Cowing estate – which sold off the farmland for housing – will contribute to the cost of repairing or replacing the archway.

“Hill are going to call their new housing estate and gardens Whalebone Park, so they have a responsibility to ensure the whalebones remain an integral part of the whole development,” said Mr Shanahan.

“So far we have been unable to gain any assistance from Barnet Council’s planning or heritage departments, and we are anxious to work out how best to safeguard the future of the archway.”

Whalebones House is a Grade II listed building of special interest and the whalebones at the entrance to the drive are specifically referred to in the appraisal for the Wood Street Conservation area which includes the Whalebones estate.

It says that the whalebones at the entrance sit within “a notable tree boundary and create an entry feature to the space.”

Mr Shanahan says former fishing and whaling communities which have historic whalebone arches, including Whitby in Yorkshire and coastal ports in Scotland, are facing similar challenges over how best to protect them.

“Resin bonding has been used to repair some arches. Others have been replaced with replica arches made from synthetic compounds, steel or even brass.

“We need advice and help in working out how the arch can be preserved or replaced.”

There are competing theories as to how and why whalebones were first erected in Wood Street.

One report in the Barnet Press suggested the famous polar explorer John Franklin (1786-1847) once lived in Whalebones and according to local thinking installed the first set of whalebones as early as the 1830s.

A week later the paper published an alternative version: Frederick Brown, who lived at 92 Wood Street, said his sister was married to Mr Easton, a Thames waterman, who had lived at the house and started the tradition.

Mr Easton had joined the firm of Smith and Sons, whalebone and sealskin merchants, who plied their trade from the Thames, and he obtained a pair of whalebones which it was thought were erected in the 1860s and gave the house its name.

Records at Barnet Museum suggest the house was built in 1815 and the first reference to it being named Whalebones was on a map dated 1872.

Motorists travelling along Wood Street often miss seeing the jawbones, especially when the trees and hedges are in leaf and much of that side of the road is filled in parked cars.

Pedestrians get a far better view and might like to renew an old Chipping Barnet custom: according to local legal it was good luck to walk under the archway, make a wish or share a kiss.

Over the years countless Barnet youngsters have marvelled at the size of the jaw bones from a blue whale, the largest species captured in the South Seas.

Angela Morris of King’s Road, Barnet, remembers that as a seven-year-old in the 1950s she attended a Brownie pack that met in the barn at Whalebones.

“In those days there were another two sets of whalebones, only much smaller. One was at the gateway to the house and one that had fallen down beside a path that went to the barn where the Brownies met.”

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Service celebrating the founding of Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School – a tribute to retiring Barnet head teacher Violet Walker

Violet Walker led her final commemoration day service as head teacher of Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ ahead of her retirement at the end of the summer term.

Pupils walked in a procession up Barnet High Street to the parish church of St John the Baptist for the 138th celebration of the founding of a school which is one of the oldest and most successful all girls state schools in the country.

Mrs Walker reinstated the commemoration day service the year after becoming head teacher in 2015 and her final service featured another celebration of the past – the school’s chamber choir sang the original QE Girls’ school song which had not been performed since the 1960s.

Its title was the school motto – Ever in the presence of God – which used to be printed in Greek lettering around a symbol of a Tudor rose.

Resurrecting the song and getting it performed once again by the chamber choir became a personal mission for the school’s director of music, Cosima Rodriguez-Broadbent (left) who with Mrs Walker’s help managed to track it down.

“We hunted through the school’s archives and found a manuscript with the music and text,” said Cosima.

“I had to transcribe the music and with the help of the organist Jonathan Gregory we began rehearsals. The choir had to sign the chorus in Greek, so it was a real challenge.”

Guests at the service, who included the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, congratulated the choir on a brilliant performance of what Jonathan Gegory said was a “robust song” which the pupils liked to sing.

Lines from the song reflected the school curriculum:

“Sing we the song of day that are,

When in this school those dreams come true,

When science in her heart reveals,

This old world ever new.”

The service was conducted by the Reverend Cindy Kent who thanked the choir for reflecting on the school’s past – a reminder dedicated to Mrs Walker’s service as head teacher and whose inspiration it had been to reinstate the commemoration day service.

“Mrs Walker will be greatly missed, and I know the whole school community is so grateful for dedicated service to QE Girls.”

In her address, she advised pupils on how best to tackle tough times in their lives.

“Do try to be calm when things go wrong. Nasty things can happen and people can be unkind but do try to be nice to them.”

There was a chance for a chat with the pupils of today for three former QE Girls’ pupils – from left to right, Margaret Peart (Youngs), Val Mulder (Townsend) and Gill Williams (Rees) – who described what times were like when they started at QE Girls in the 1950s.

All three were present when Queen Elizabeth II visited the school – her first official visit to a school after her coronation.

“Remember in those days we were a grammar school and there were only around 500 pupils – far fewer than the 1,200 today,” said Margaret Peart.

“Back in those days all the girls wore Panama hats, and the police stopped the traffic for the procession from the school to the church.”

Violet Walker, Queen Elizabeth's Girls' School head teacher, leads her final commemoration day service ahead of her retirement at end of summer term

When Mrs Walker became head teacher in 2015 it was a case of coming home.

Not only was Mrs Walker a former pupil at QEGS, but she later returned to the school to complete her post-graduate training as a mathematics’ teacher.

From the start she said she intended to be resolute in her conviction that QEGS’ role was to continue to serve the Barnet area as a local community girls’ comprehensive, committed to reflecting the school’s history and traditions, while at the same time embracing the latest technological advances in teaching and research.

Mrs Walker (Violet Hamid) was a pupil at QEGS from 1969 to 1976 and has fond memories of the headmistress of her day, Miss Marjorie Payne, who was head teacher for 17 years and was widely respected.

A successor to Mrs Walker as QE Girls’ head teacher has yet to be announced.

QE Girls was established in 1888 and shares foundation trustees with QE Boys’ School, Barnet, which was created in 1573 by a charter from Queen Elizabeth I.            

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Devastating losses for Labour in Barnet Council elections as the authority faces uncertainty with no party in overall control

A dramatic backdrop at the RAF Museum at Hendon provided the setting for a marathon election count which upended local politics as the Labour Party haemorrhaged seats and Barnet Council slipped to no overall control.

Labour and the Conservatives finished with 31 seats each.

In another surprise a newly elected councillor for the Green Party ended up holding the balance of power, able to exercise what could become a casting vote.

Labour lost ten seats to the Conservatives – a wounding setback after its success in the 2022 council elections when Labour took overall control of the council for the first time since the London boroughs were created in 1965.

Some opinion polls had predicted that the Conservatives might regain control of Barnet but strong showings by the Greens and Reform divided the vote in many wards putting paid to the two-party Labour/Conservative clashes of the past.

Wards in and around High Barnet were among those where Labour suffered defeats.

Conservative candidate James Esses topped the poll in the High Barnet ward just ahead of Labour Councillor Emma Whysall who was re-elected.

Oliver Gough just failed in his attempt to secure the seat of retiring High Barnet councillor Paul Edwards but was just ahead of Conservative candidate Amberley Thay.

Barnet Council 2026 elections end with both Labour and Conservatives on 31 votes and no overall control of the council. A newly elected Green councillor holds the balance of power

The High Barnet count was declared by the council’s deputy returning officer Deborah Hinde.

In East Barnet, where the Conservatives also gained a seat, Labour Councillor Edith David was narrowly defeated.

East Barnet councillor Simon Radford topped the poll, with David Allen taking second place for the Conservatives and Phil Cohen holding his seat for Labour.

Labour Councillor Ella Rose lost her seat in Whetstone where the Conservatives made another gain. Only seven votes separated the top three candidates and there had to be three recounts before the result was finally declared.

Candidates for the Greens delivered one of the first shocks of the count topping the poll in Woodhouse – one of their target wards – taking a Labour seat and nearly adding a second Labour scalp.

Charli Thompson (Green) topped the poll with 1,331 votes. Labour’s Anne Hutton (Labour) was returned for the second seat with 1,287 votes but she was only just ahead of the second candidate for the Greens, George Ttoouli on 1,194 votes.

In another of their target wards, three candidates for the Greens finished a close second to the three Labour candidates in Friern Barnet who succeeded in holding their seats, including Barry Rawlings, Labour leader of the council.

Although Councillor Rawlings – and the two other Labour candidates Pauline Coakley Webb and Beverley Kotey were re-elected – candidates for the Greens were only a couple of hundred votes behind them.

Former Friern Barnet councillor Linda Lusingu, who had defected from Labour to the Greens, lost her seat finishing in fifth place.

Reform were the main challengers in the Tory strongholds of Edgware and Edgwarebury but although their candidates were ahead of the other parties they trailed well behind Conservative candidates.

Reform drew the most votes in the north and west of the borough whereas the vote for the Greens was strongest in the east of the borough, closer to inner London where there was an even greater surge in Green support.

In some wards Labour suffered devastating losses, losing all three seats to the Conservatives in both the Childs Hill and Brunswick wards.

Results:

High Barnet (two seats): James Esses (Conservative) 1,558; Emma Whysall (Labour) 1,441; Oliver Gough (Labour) 1,417; Amberley Thay (Conservative) 1,372; Darius Hutchinson (Reform) 689; Rajesh Gulabivala (Reform) 631; Fanxi Liu (Green) 538; Charles Wicksteed (Green) 536; Andrew Jackson (Liberal Democrat) 497; Grant McKenna (Liberal Democrat) 357.

Barnet Vale (three seats) : Sue Baker (Labour) 2,130; David Longstaff (Conservative) 2,024; Richard Barnes (Labour) 1,994; Elmina Homapour (Conservative) 1,805; Tom Smith (Conservative) 1,797; Mukesh Oza (Labour) 1,674; Mark Francis (Reform) 952; Mark Devey (Green) 887; Julian Teare (Reform) 868; Uri Mofsowitz (Reform) 857; Kevin Meehan (Green) 694; Matty Robins (Green) 683; Simon Cohen (Liberal Democrat) 504; Duncan MacDonald (Liberal Democrat) 292; Dave Keech (Liberal Democrat) 274.

East Barnet (three seats): Simon Radford (Labour) 1,856; David Allen (Conservative) 1,832; Phil Cohen (Labour) 1,828; Edith David (Labour) 1,745; Pavan Pavanakumar (Conservative) 1,616; Anila Skeja (Conservative) 1,589; Emma Matthews (Green) 981; Kari Khan (Reform) 921; Dima Ouda (Reform) 916; Ozen Halil (Green) 719; Kornelia Szostak (Green) 755; Roger Aitken (Liberal Democrat) 383; Petros Ioannou (Liberal Democrat) 294; Walter Buchgrabr (Liberal Democrat), 241.

Underhill (two seats): Zahra Beg (Labour) 1,233; Josh Tapper (Labour) 1,128; Lucy Milner (Conservative) 829; Andrew Hutchings (Reform) 826; Alison Mills (Reform), 774; Reuben Ward (Conservative) 683; Gina Theodorou (Independent) 619; Hugh Platt (Green) 595; Carl White (Green) 427; Stephen Barber (Liberal Democrat) 252; Sean Hooker (Liberal Democrat) 228; Riann Mehta (TUSC) 128; Donata Briamonte (Rejoin) 122.

Whetstone (two seats); Ezra Cohen (Labour) 1,292; Stephen Lewis (Conservative) 1,290; Kevin Ghateh (Conservative) 1,285; Ella Rose (Labour) 1,200; Adrian Kitching (Reform) 543; David Burns (Green) 535; Vaidehi Hedge (Green) 478; Martin Navias (Reform) 471; Luigi Bille (Liberal Democrat) 194; John MacRory (Liberal Democrat) 146; Richard Hewison (Rejoin) 79.

There were a total of 312 candidates for the 63 council seats – a record number for Barnet which far exceeded the figure of 207 candidates in 2022.

The new council will meet for the first time on Tuesday 19 May when it will have to agree on the appointment of key roles and agree the future administration of the borough.

For the full results see Barnet Council website: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/local-government-elections-thursday-7-may-2026/results

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Barnet High Street has become a showcase for Battle of Barnet banners – a heritage asset which might get international recognition

Painting and caring for the Battle of Barnet banners which are displayed along the High Street each summer is an historic legacy for the town which volunteers at Barnet Museum hope might gain international recognition.

An application has been made by the museum to see if the craft of making and maintaining replicas of these medieval banners can be recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage – a practice which is part of the cultural identity of a community.

Unlike tangible heritage, such as monuments or artefacts, an intangible heritage is passed down from generation to generation and is continuously being recreated.

Almost a decade ago Barnet Museum took inspiration from the town of Tewkesbury which has been celebrating the 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury for the last 50 years with re-enactments, a medieval festival and a display of heraldic banners.

Volunteers at Barnet Museum followed their example and started researching the history of the coats of arms of royalty and noblemen whose troops fought in the Battle of Barnet on April 14, 1471, the month before the Battle of Tewkesbury on May 4, 1471.

The application to UNESCO for a listing of intangible cultural heritage is now being made in conjunction with Wars of the Roses enthusiasts at Tewkesbury.

One of the first heraldic banners to be reproduced in Barnet was that of King Henry VI – seen above in 2018 with the museum’s curator Mike Noronhan and the deputy curator Hilary Harrison.

Permission was granted for a display of banners in The Spires Shopping Centre and agreement was reached with Barnet Council for them to be hung from lampposts along Barnet High Street.

All told the museum volunteers have now researched and painted 106 banners – of which 76 currently hang in the High Street and another 26 are displayed in various locations around the town including The Spires.

Barnet Museum is applying to UNESCO for recognition of its work painting and caring for Battle of Barnet heraldic banners to be declared an intangible cultural heritage

Mike Noronha said that once the museum staff heard about the UNESCO scheme for registering an intangible cultural heritage they decided to work with Tewkesbury in making an application.

“Painting, maintaining and displaying the banners is a real craft which we think we have mastered and which we think should be recognised.

“Each winter the banners have to be repaired and sometimes repainted as they get damaged in high wind, so this is an ongoing task for the museum.”

Mounting costs involved in hanging the banners along the High Street has become an issue.

Last year when it seemed there was some doubt as to whether they would be able to go ahead the Chipping Barnet Town Team stepped in and agreed to pay half the cost of the installation, work which was carried out by Barnet Council’s street lighting contractor.

This summer the council stepped in to meet the installation cost of £3,500, for which Mr Noronha said the museum was “hugely grateful”.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Centenary of 1926 General Strike is a reminder of its impact in High Barnet and the role of the non-unionised Barnet Press

Such was the success and respect for Barnet’s former weekly newspaper, The Barnet Press, that a century ago it published an emergency edition on sale each evening in central London during the 1926 General Strike.

For just over a week there were no streetlights in Barnet town centre, an appeal was issued for volunteers for Barnet Special Constabulary, but food supplies in the town remained normal.

Nearly two million workers led by railwaymen, transport workers and printers joined the strike in support of a miners’ pay dispute.

Local action included a strike by 60 members of the Electrical Trades Union who worked at Finchley’s coal-fired power station in Squire’s Lane.

Finchley Council said there was not the slightest hitch in supply as technical staff and volunteers took over. The station had 2,000 tons of coal in stock. Meals were provided and there was bedding in the offices.

Historians describe the strike as the greatest act of working-class solidarity in British history.

Local newspapers around the country which were non-unionised seized the opportunity to print more copies as the national newspapers had been forced to suspend publication of all but a few emergency editions.

The Barnet Press, first published by George Cowing in 1859, was a family-owned weekly newspaper which defended its political independence and whose workers who were not trade union members.

The editor wanted to ensure that the public were informed about the strike.

A reporter was assigned to listen to BBC news bulletins and then write up news stories for a special daily edition as the Cowing family was anxious to inform readers about the “serious pass to which this country has been reduced”.

A 5 o’clock National Emergency Edition was printed for sale in central London.

The BBC – or British Broadcasting Company as it was then known – had only recently been established and had become a rival source of news to the newspapers.

By 1925 it was being broadcast across the UK. It was supplied with news and information by the Reuters news agency. Sales of radios increased dramatically during the strike.

BBC news bulletins became a vital source of national news for these small non-unionised local newspapers which upped their print runs to meet the extra demand generated by the absence of national dailies.

John Reith, then the managing director, was said by historians to have “prudently self-censored” the BBC’s output so as not alarm ministers fearing that government might requisition the service.

A selection of front-page headlines from The Barnet Press gave an indication as to why the Cowing family had not recognised the print unions: “Prime Minister stands firm”, “Rioting at Edinburgh”, “Motor cars attacked”, “Government to protect non strikers”.

It was not until the Second World War that printers at the Barnet Press joined a trade union, the National Graphical Association.

Publication of The Barnet Press was halted by industrial action in November 1977 because of work to rule.

A front-page statement on an emergency edition explained that had happened:

“The Barnet Press group management very much regret that for the first time since the paper was first published 118 years ago, we have been unable to produce normal edition of the Barnet and Potters Bar Press.

“Industrial action by members of The Barnet Press composing room chapel of the National Graphical Association has resulted in our newspaper not being published this week.”

Trustees for the Cowing estate sold off The Barnet Press in the 1990s. It continued publication under new ownership in Hendon until its final closure in August 2017.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Civic awards for legendary Barnet Market trader David Bone and Barnet Museum’s deputy curator Hilary Harrison

Barnet Market stalwart David Bone, who has been selling fruit and vegetables since he started as a boy at the age of seven helping on his father’s stall, has been awarded a 2026 Borough of Barnet Civic Award for Lifetime Achievement.

His award is recognition of 65 years of “unwavering commitment and dedication” to serving generations of Barnet residents through rain, snow and sunshine.

David – above left, with his son Tyler who now runs the family stall – was praised for his legendary reliability among customers and fellow traders.

Other award winners included a Civic Award for Lifetime Achievement for the late Christine Shields, for her contributions to the East Barnet Residents’ Association and the East Barnet Festival and her role as school governor and hospital volunteer.

A Civic Award for Outstanding Service to the Community went to Sheila Gallagher, in recognition of her initiative in setting up and sustaining the Chipping Barnet Foodbank.

Hilary Harrison, deputy curator of Barnet Museum, was awarded a Civic Award for Outstanding Service to the Community for her work “championing Barnet’s history, heritage, culture and identity”.

An exhibition for which she collected and assembled the information was the display at The Spires to mark the 60th anniversary of the London Borough of Barnet – see above, from left to right, Mike Noronha, Barnet Museum curator; Hilary Harrison, deputy curator; and Councillor Paul Edwards.

In the citation for her award, Hilary was praised for her role in organising the 60th anniversary display, her work in preparing the annual display of Battle of Barnet banners and for her role at Barnet Museum leading education and outreach activities with local schools and community groups.  

The 2026 civic awards ceremony was held at Hendon Town Hall where the Deputy Lieutenant for the Borough of Barnet, Martin Russell, read the individual citations for the awards which were presented by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich.

Civic awards for Barnet Market trader David Bone after 65 years' legendary service and for deupty curator at Barnet Museum, Hilary Harrison

David Bone’s long connection with Barnet Market began in 1959 when his father Albert – see above – opened the first fruit and vegetable stall at what was then the Barnet cattle mark.

Albert, who died in 2021 at the age of 95, was helped on the stall by his wife Joan, his son David, and his sisters Roma and Rachel.

David started a separate vegetable stall next to his parents’ pitch when he left school, and he now assists his own son Tyler who runs the family business.

“It’s always been a family affair. My father’s father, Albert Bone senior, used to help, and now my son Tyler runs the business. So that’s four generations who have been serving customers in Barnet.”

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Imagining what happens when Charles Dickens gets stranded in Barnet – latest theatre production puts the author of the spot

When Charles Dickens was forced the spend the night at the Red Lion in Barnet he faced some harsh truths – a challenging story line delivered with style and conviction by the cast of Between the Lines, which had its first night at The Bull Theatre in a run of sell-out performances.

Barnet’s rich history and literary connections are brought to life in the latest original production by the Blue Door Theatre Company.

When the town is snowed up halting all coaches to and from London, Dickens takes refuge at the Red Lion along with other stranded passengers whose enforced stay leads to some awkward conversations and unexpected revelations.

Dickens, by now an old man with a walking stick, died six months later.

The thrust of the story line created by Barnet playwright Sarah Munford and her co-writer Claire Fisher is to encourage the audience to form their own view about Dickens and whether he had been misogynistic towards women.

Dickens (Chris Browning) was heading north when his coach was halted by a snowstorm.

He was welcomed to the Red Lion by the landlady Peggy (Naomi Richards) who catches her visitor by surprise – she was one of the many prostitutes taken off the streets of London with the author’s help and who later made a success of her life.

Reminders of Dickens’ earlier visits to Barnet – and the inspiration he found in the town – provide material for a range of script lines.

An opening scene is a meeting of the guardians at Barnet Workhouse who are hearing an application from a blacksmith’s widow from Finchley and her son.

The guardians are divided on what to do – from left to right above, Miss Pooley (Lynne Austin), Lady Huffington (Jan Parker), Constance Dribble (Niki Patel) and Norman Nunhead (Gary Murphy).

Another flashback is in the capable hands of Abel Abel (Ross Wilson) whose conversations with Dickens hark back to the time he was said to have found inspiration at the steps in the High Street of the former Victoria Bakery – the location in Oliver Twist where Oliver was thought to have met the Artful Dodger.  

Most of the action features Barnet’s lowlife, including the Barnet Belles – as named by Dickens – who were a group of prostitutes based across the road from the Red Lion at The Bull public house.

Revelations come thick and fast as women share memories and anecdotes of past liaisons and encounters.

Such is the rich tapestry of recollections that newspaper reporter Percy Perchance (Francesco Giacon) – who is also marooned in “desolate, deepest North London” – is spoilt for choice and is soon writing the headline for his own story: Dickens Unmasked. 

Rivalry between the Red Lion and The Bull in offering a welcome to the loose women of Barnet provides some graphic commentary – and a chance for a pertinent and amusing piece of casting.

Susie Earnshaw, founder of the Susie Earnshaw Theatre School, which is based at The Bull Theatre takes on the role of The Bull’s landlady. A well-known regular is the notorious Barney Betteroff (Tony Nagle).

A key moment is when Peggy finally confronts Dickens with letters which she wrote to him but never posted and which delve into the author’s past relationships with women – a confrontation full of contradictions which Dickens does not enjoy being reminded of!

A constant backdrop to the production are the blow-ups of photographs from the Barnet Museum collection showing how the town centre looked in the Victorian era – images which are all the more powerful because some capture period buildings like the Red Lion and the parish church during heavy snowfall.  

Interspersing the scenes are songs written by the musical director Nick Godwin of The Silencerz.

Latest production at The Bull Theatre, Barnet, imagines what might have happened when author Charles Dickens is marooned for the night in the Red Lion on the opposite side of the High Street.

Paying tribute to the cast and all those who had contributed behind the scenes, director Siobhan Dunne said Blue Door Theatre Company was proud of its work in providing community theatre for the town – above, front row, from left to the right, Claire Fisher, Sarah Munford, Siobhan Dunne and Susie Earnshaw.

Their aim was to continue producing one original and locally written play a year as well as a published text.

She made a heartfelt plea to the audience to support an appeal to raise £10,000 to help with the cost of new theatrical equipment for The Bull.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Strengthened protection for woodland close to Hadley Green which has become a wildlife corridor close to Barnet town centre

A planning dispute over an unsuccessful bid to build a large new house within the Monken Hadley conservation area has resulted in Barnet Council declaring a woodland tree preservation order on the whole site.

An objection by the owners to the strengthening of the tree protection for the one-acre site – see above – was rejected by the planning committee.

It said the strip of land alongside Christchurch Lane – opposite the junction with Sunset View – was classified by ecologists as “lowland mixed deciduous woodland” and was a “priority habitat deciduous woodland”.

As planning authority, Barnet Council had a duty to protect this asset with a “woodland tree preservation order”.

The trees on the site – including oak, ash, birch and walnut and a shrub layer of yew, hawthorn and laurel – provided “considerable visual amenity” in an area of a mosaic of small green spaces.

Nearby residents who objected to the original plan to build a large house on the site have hailed the decision as another decisive step in their campaign to preserve what they believe is a significant wildlife corridor between Hadley Green and the Old Fold Manor Golf Course.

In March, an application by Christchurchgrove Ltd to build a six-bedroom house on the site was refused by the council because it would do “unacceptable harm” to a woodland habitat and damage the conservation area.

Stregthened protection for woodland in Monken Hadley conservation area hailed by residents as decicisive in campaign to protect wildlife corridor

In objecting to the proposed tree preservation order for the whole site, the company said the land was already covered by eight separate tree preservation orders and therefore there was already adequate protection.

Without approval for the construction of the proposed house would be no management plan for the woodland which was already displaying symptoms of becoming unkempt and neglected.

There had been growth in the woods of non-indigenous and invasive species which was starting to denude the quality of the habitat.

In response, the council said that in the 45 years since the original tree preservation orders were made, many new trees had established themselves and had merit.

They had altered significantly the appearance of the land, adding to the “woodland character” of the site.

Posted on by — 2 Comments

“When Will They Ever Learn?” – blue plaque rebuke for Barnet Council’s highways team over fallout from ban on parking 

A blue plaque has been installed outside a house in Calvert Road to draw attention to an ongoing dispute between residents and Barnet Council over the painting of double yellow line parking restrictions at the junction with Sebright Road.

Their complaint is that the council refused to listen to their concerns and has failed to respond to their argument that the restrictions are excessive and have created a dangerous corner by speeding up traffic.

Dr Chris Nightingale commissioned the plaque – highlighting the refrain “When Will They Ever Learn?” from a 1950s Pete Seeger’s protest song – to remind Barnet Councillors that they should engage with residents and take their concerns seriously.

He says residents of Sebright and Calvert feel ignored and abandoned. Traffic speeds around their narrow streets of mainly small cottages and terraced homes have increased as a result of a double-yellow line restriction which they believe is longer than at other comparable road junctions.

So far there has been no response to a letter they sent to the council’s chief executive, Cath Shaw, reminding her of Barnet’s core values such as the undertaking by councillors to “actively listen, respond, collaborate and share ideas” with residents.

The legend around the edge of the plaque could not be clearer:

“Plaque commemorates the failure of Barnet Council to listen – thereby creating a dangerous corner and loss of parking.”

The dispute with the council over the parking restrictions began in June last year and finally the council went ahead with painting the yellow lines – an operation which did not go smoothly for the council’s contractors.

This prompted a rebuke from the council:

“Unfortunately, several vehicle owners did not follow the request to keep the junction clear to facilitate the line marking installation and it was necessary to arrange for the presence of a vehicle lifter.

“Council contractors were verbally abused. We expect contractors to be free to undertake work in a safe environment.

“Contractors asked for the council’s community safety team to attend when contractors returned.”

Blue plaque in Sebright Road, Barnet, rebukes Barnet Council for frailing to listen over residents objections to doube yellow line parking restrictions

Mrs Louise Cain (above, second from right) organised a petition to protest at the proposed parking restriction but it was rejected because it had not reached the minimum number of 500 signatures.

Although a letter sent by the group to Cath Shaw had not been acknowledged, she said a reply from the council’s highways team did not address their complaints about the lack of consultation and the fair treatment of residents’ concerns.

They were told to approach their local councillors to seek support if they wished to make a request regarding road safety design or parking as the highways team had already attended to review their concerns.

“Unfortunately, the reply we have received is very confused. We think the double yellow lines are too long and that other junctions in the vicinity have far less severe restrictions,” said Mrs Cain.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

As Dollis Valley regeneration about to move ahead, launch of new job club will offer help and support to gain skills and employment

A job club is being established at the Hope Corner Community Centre in Mays Lane, Barnet, offering three sessions a week aimed at giving advice on employment and training and a chance to learn new skills.

A year’s funding for the club coincides with an imminent start on completing the Dollis Valley estate regeneration with the construction of 221 new homes at affordable rents.

Guidance on job opportunities and training will be provided each Tuesday afternoon by Boost, Barnet Council’s employment and advice service (from 1pm to 4pm).

The Shaw Trust will hold a drop-in session on Friday mornings offering advice on health and job support programmes (from 9.30am to 2pm).

A tailoring and sewing course – a free make and mend programme – will equip those taking part for job and business opportunities.

Julian Desborough (above, far right), secretary of Barnet Churches Action which established the community centre ten years ago, said they recognised the need for advice on employment and training.

Demand is likely to increase once demolition starts in preparation for the final completion of phases four and five of the Dollis Valley regeneration.

Work on the replacement Brook Valley Gardens estate has been stalled since 2023 but despite further delays and a fresh disagreement about the split between private and social housing, Mr Desborough said their hope and expectation was that the regeneration was back on track.  

Residents who had to move from Dollis Valley after their blocks of flats and maisonettes were condemned because of damp and mould will get the chance to return to new socially rented housing under the management of Barnet Homes.

The construction and opening of the Hope Corner Community Centre – above which are three floors of affordably-rented flats – marked the start of the Dollis Valley regeneration.

Centre manager Janet Nestor – see above, with Julian Desborough and James Ricks of the Boost employment and advice service – supervises a wide range of activities for the community.

As well as a café offering breakfast and lunch at affordable prices, the centre has two halls for classes and events including exercise and flower arranging classes, Pilates, and mother and baby and maths tutor classes.  

Hope Corner Community Centre in Mays Lane to launch job club offering help with employment and training.

Hope Corner Job Club, to be launched on Thursday 30 April, is already attracting considerable interest.

A dozen participants have signed up so far. For further information email hopecornerjobclub@outlook.com or visit Hope Corner Community Centre at 185 Mays Lane.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Work authorised on ponds at golf course in Friern Barnet to increase water storage and reduce risk of flooding in north London

Two ponds at North Middlesex Golf Club in Friern Barnet Lane are to be cleared of silt and enlarged to improve flood management after heavy rainfall.

Water storage capacity along Blacketts Brook, which flows through the golf course and includes the two ponds, is to be increased at a cost of £340,000.

As part of the scheme, which is being funded by the Environment Agency, the two balancing ponds will be widened and de-silted.

A third flood storage basin further downstream, but within the golf course, will also be improved.

Enlargement will enable the ponds to retain more water and ease flooding in north London.

From the golf course, Blacketts Brook, flows through Friary Park and enters a culvert under both Friern Barnet Lane and the main railway line before joining Pymmes Brook.

Pymmes Brook, which flows through East Barnet village and Oak Hill Park, is itself subject to flooding.

This threat increases after Pymmes Brook is joined by tributaries such as Blacketts Brook and where, further south, flooding causes even greater problems in Upper Edmonton and Tottenham.

Two ponds along Blacketts Brook at Friern Barnet golf course to be enlarged to alleviate flooding after heavy rainfall

The two ponds in the golf course form part of a site of importance for nature conservation as they are thought to provide habitat for Palmate newts, which are rare in London.

Friary Park – where the continuation of Blacketts Brook is a popular feature – is also a site of importance for nature conservation.

In another move to improve flood resilience within the Borough of Barnet, the Environment Agency is to carry out an inspection of the Stoney Wood Lake reservoir near Mill Hill Golf Course at a cost of £82,000.

This is considered a high-risk large, raised reservoir. It has a capacity of at least 25,000 cubic metres of water above natural ground level.

The reservoir, formed by a dam constructed of steel sheet piling, impounds natural surface water.

There will now be a survey of 380 metres of sheet piling to assess the structure and identify any corrosion or damage.

Dan Tomlinson, MP for Chipping Barnet, welcomed the investment in the flood alleviation schemes.

“Climate crisis means we are facing greater rainfall and higher flood risk.

“We must do this work now: expanding capacity, ensuring resilience, making our infrastructure fit for the future, because the cost of inaction, waiting until there is a flood, is far greater.”

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Anger in Arkley over plans for a massive new housing estate attracts tv news team ahead of Barnet Council elections   

A controversial plan to build up to 230 houses and an 80-bed care home on a former pig farm at Arkley was featured by ITV News London in a report ahead of May’s council elections about the political arguments surrounding the development of green belt land.

Bugler Homes of Rickmansworth is hoping to take advantage of new guidance allowing house building on “previously developed” sites which can now be deemed to be grey belt land.

Arkley resident Hayley Winton (above) told ITV London political correspondent Simon Harris that if Barnet Council approved the scheme, it would have a “huge impact” on life in the village, increasing its size by 25 per cent.

“Arkley is a small village with low density housing, in the middle of the green belt, and a high-density development of 300 homes doesn’t feel right.”

Hayley’s opposition to the scheme was shared by another resident Jyoti Dhanak who said it would be shocking if such a large part of green belt was built on.

“Once the green belt has gone, it has gone, and it cannot be replaced.”

Because access to the site had been refused, camera operator Gemma Green used a drone to film the 17-acre former pig farm, which is off Rowley Lane, Arkley, and is in the middle of scrubland and woods bordered by the A1 Barnet by-pass.

In its “initial vision” for the development, Bugler Homes has applied to the council to discuss plans to build 230 homes, with 50 per cent affordable housing; an 80-bed care home; publicly accessible green spaces and allotments; and improved public right of way footpaths.

Robin Bishop (above) who leads for the Barnet Society on planning and the environment, told Simon Harris the development would represent a “substantial erosion” of the green belt which had separated Barnet and Arkley from Borehamwood for the last 80 years.

The fields and woodland around Arkley are included in plans to create a new regional park which is included in Barnet Council’s latest local plan.

“If this development were to be approved it would be a major breach of the proposed regional park.

“A new regional park is a much welcome proposal. It would help to create a comprehensively managed area like the Lea Valley regional park.”

Mr Bishop urged planning authorities to proceed with care before allowing development in what housebuilders claimed was now the grey belt.

“If councils give permission for every derelict site in the green belt much of the new housing will be highly unsuitable, in places where people will not be close to amenities or public transport.”

The Rowley Lane pig farm site is part of a triangle of land which is bounded by Barnet Road, Barnet by-pass and Rowley Lane.

The illustration above shows how the land — to the east of the by-pass — has been parcelled into different plots.

Online research has revealed that 148 acres of land within this area – almost all of which is green belt – is owned by housebuilders and other associated companies and could provide space for up to 1,200 new homes.

If planning permission for housing could be obtained the land would be worth over £150 million.

One housebuilder owns 25 acres, with potential for 192 houses, on a site worth £39 million; another has 22 acres, with room for 285 homes, on a site worth £43 million.

Robin Bishop said the revelation that so much of the green belt land to the north of Arkley is effectively a land bank for housebuilders only serves to highlight the looming scandal over the likely approval of grey belt land for housing and other needs.

“There seems every likelihood that unlocking grey belt land for development will result in windfall profits for developers who have wilfully neglected land which they have been sitting on for years.

ITV News London to feature controversial plan for massive new housing estate in Arkley as part of report into political row over green belt land ahead of council elections.

Close to the pig farm site there has been unauthorised clearance of woodland in what had been declared a site of importance for nature conservation.

Hayley Winton said Arkley residents had been appalled when they saw a bulldozer hacking away at mature trees and levelling an acre of the woodland.

“Apparently the land has been sold as three plots for housing but there is no planning permission.

“We reported what happened to Barnet Council who say this is one of the worst cases they have ever seen of destruction of protected trees.

“We were told there will be consequences but how do you replace woodland like this which is in the green belt and was supposed to have special protection.”

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Government and developers set their sights on the Green Belt

View of Green Belt south of Potters Bar showing green fields, trees and hedges with M25 in background

This swathe of Green Belt (above) will be mostly built over if current plans are approved. And within Barnet, dozens of so-called ‘Grey Belt’ sites are being targetted for new homes (few of which are likely to be affordable). The Labour Council promises to create a Regional Park, which could prevent that. This should be an issue in our local election in May – but do voters know or care?

Between Potters Bar and Borehamwood, several enormous data centres have already been approved on land in the foreground of the photo above. Beyond the M25 will be a major expansion of Sky studios. For land off to the left of the photo, a planning application for 900 new homes has been refused by Hertsmere Council, but the developer has appealed against the decision.

Crews Hill & Chase Park new town

Between Barnet and Enfield, the government proposes a new town of 21,000 homes on Green Belt land. The plans are supported by Enfield Council and the Mayor of London but opposed by the Enfield Society and Enfield RoadWatch.

The Barnet Society has objected to any loss of the green buffer that exists between Barnet and Enfield. It is vital to preserve the separate identities of settlements that would otherwise merge into amorphous suburbia, and a vital reservoir of biodiversity.

Just ahead of the local elections in May, groups and communities across the UK will be taking part in a UK-wide Day of Action for Nature, Parks and Green Spaces on Saturday 18 April. Its purpose is to demonstrate, visibly and collectively, that people everywhere care deeply about the natural world and want to see it protected and restored. Join the national day of action here.

Barnet’s Green Belt

The countryside on three sides of Chipping (or High) Barnet was saved in 1945 from housing development, largely by the efforts of the Barnet Society. In 1955 it was formally designated part of the London Metropolitan Green Belt. The map above shows how well it has survived – at least until now.

For decades developers have tried to build in it. So far, our Council has effectively prevented most new development. Exceptions have generally been restricted to replacement of obsolescent farm buildings.

Lately, however, we’ve seen an increase in speculative purchases of, and planning applications for, Green Belt land. Also notable has been unsightly and apparently deliberate neglect of existing buildings and landscape. The prospect of profiting from escalating land values and house prices beats the cost of maintaining or restoring property.

Expectations have been fuelled by the housing crisis, which has driven up mortgages and rents. And building costs have soared due to Brexit, Covid-19, wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the higher safety standards introduced since the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Building on city brownfield sites has become less financially viable. No wonder the Green Belt, where building is cheaper, has become so appealing to developers and politicians.

And Labour politicians have opened the door to its development.

Grey Belt sites

In 2024, Sir Keir Starmer promised to release low-quality or neglected Green Belt land for housebuilding. In 2025, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was revised to allow housing development on Grey Belt sites subject to ‘Golden Rules’. And public consultation recently closed on further relaxations of the NPPF.

The consequence has been a flood of planning applications for allegedly Grey sites. In December 2025 CPRE, the countryside charity, reported new research revealing that the Grey Belt policy is enabling large-scale development on England’s unspoilt rural landscapes – not, as ministers promised, on unused car parks and derelict petrol stations.

Since December 2024, when the policy was introduced, 13 developments of 10 or more homes have been approved by government Planning Inspectors on Grey land in the Green Belt. The approvals have been granted over the heads of local councils. Of the 1,250 homes these schemes will deliver, 88% will be built on previously undeveloped countryside.

In Barnet, it’s becoming routine for prospective developers of Green Belt land to describe their sites as Grey. Although some sites are quite small, they’re dotted around and have a disproportionately harmful impact on the countryside. Most aren’t served by public transport and won’t be developed for affordable (let alone social) housing. A selection is illustrated below.

Barnet Regional Park

Barnet Labour Party’s local election leaflet contains this pledge:

“We will… create a ‘Regional Park’ in the green belt.”

It would be centred on the astonishingly intact and peaceful fields and woods between Arkley and Mill Hill (below).

The concept is already embedded in Barnet’s Local Plan (adopted by the Council last year) where Policy GSS13 states,

“The Council supports the creation of a new Regional Park within designated Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land in the Brent Valley and Barnet Plateau Green Grid Area…”

Inspired in part by the success of the Lea Valley Regional Park, interventions would include “the enhancement of footpath, cycling and bridleway networks; improved green corridors and nature conservation areas [and] a network of new strategic recreational destinations.”

The map below (from the Council’s 2019 Growth Strategy) shows its intended configuration.

Most importantly – since the Regional Park contains several of the Grey sites illustrated above – designation should provide stronger protection from inappropriate development. It would bring better public awareness and funding to ensure high design standards and long-term management of the area.

An imaginative suggestion from Roger Chapman of Barnet Green Spaces Network is for a regional food and biodiversity park to encourage a wide range of food growing practices. Linked with primary, secondary and post-16 education institutions and forest schools, it would provide an inspiring setting for environmental education and pathways to vocational qualifications in horticulture, animal husbandry and other skills essential for future food security.

As Roger says, “The park would build upon Barnet’s extensive agricultural history and heritage, enabling old stories to be retold and new ones to be created.” That’s an idea worth voting for.

The need for proper planning

Debate about the Green Belt is hampered by the lack of any regional strategy. There has been no planning body for the South-East for decades. Responsibility for the Green Belt is split between dozens of Local Planning Authorities.

The Mayor of London launched a London-wide review of the Green Belt to identify Grey Belt land for housing to tackle London’s housing crisis, but it is limited to the Greater London area. It was expected to be completed by the end of 2025 but is still awaited.

As a consequence every planning application in the Green (or Grey) Belt, however minor, becomes a bitter battle between developers, planners and residents.

The creation of the Green Belt was made possible by the government’s adoption of Patrick Abercrombie’s Greater London Plan, which created a ring of new towns around London, outside the Green Belt, to absorb the demand for new housing and promote alternative centres of growth. If we had a vision as sensible and comprehensive as that for our society – and for the natural world with which we co-exist – surely most of us would accept development in the most sustainable (or least harmful) locations in exchange for guaranteed long-term protection of our most beautiful and biodiverse environments.

Crews Hill & Chase Park new town and Barnet Regional Park could be examples of such an approach. As yet details of both projects are far too hazy for a final public decision. But each could transform substantial sectors of their borough. Whether to proceed with project planning, feasibility studies and technical investigations ought to be a matter of great public interest. This coming election is an opportunity to test the popularity of both projects.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Visiting East Barnet and a chance to admire an English Heritage blue plaque to an eminent philosopher was quite an achievement 

Stopping outside a house in a quiet residential street near Oakleigh Park, East Barnet, was mission accomplished for London Ambulance administrative officer David Sleep who is a lover of history and a great supporter of English Heritage blue plaques honouring the lives of famous people.

A mid-terrace house in Burlington Rise proudly displays a blue plaque in honour of the philosopher Sir Karl Popper and it was the last on David’s list to see in Greater London.

David has now visited a total of 1,028 blue plaques since being introduced to their significance three years ago on a walk in Clapham and Battersea organised by Dr Susan Skedd (above right) who is a blue plaque historian for English Heritage.

Susan, who is a member of the Barnet Society, and who is Director of Barnet Medieval Festival and who organises history walks in and around High Barnet, said she was delighted to join David for the moment he was able to tick off the last of the blue plaques on his list.

“I met David again in March on a walk in Pimlico and when he told me he had seen nearly every English Heritage blue plaque in Greater London.  I promised to join him in Burlington Rise.”

On each visit, David always takes a selfie of himself with the plaque in the background, and his hobby is of great value to English Heritage because it helps staff monitor the condition of the plaques.

“For the last three years I have been going out every weekend to see another plaque on my list – on Good Friday I saw the blue plaque in Parkside, Mill Hill, commemorating the motor racing driver Graham Hill and now on Easter Monday here I am in East Barnet for the Karl Popper plaque.”

David gets great pleasure from learning about the people commemorated by the plaques, about the homes where they lived, and what was happening to them at that time in their lives.

He is a member of English Heritage and a volunteer at Eltham Palace which is close to his home in southeast London.

Sir Karl Popper, who was born in Vienna, is considered to have been one of the 20th century’s most influential philosophers of science.

In 1928 he earned a doctorate in psychology and started work on his first book, which he needed to complete in order to get an academic position in a country safe for people of Jewish descent.

Finally, in 1937, he managed to secure a post as lecturer in philosophy at the University of New Zealand in Christchurch where he wrote his influential work, The Open Society and Its Enemies.

After the Second World War, he moved to the UK in 1946 and became a reader in logic and scientific method at the London School of Economics.

With his wife Josefine, they moved to Burlington Rise, Oakleigh Park, East Barnet, which was their home for four years until 1950 when they moved to Penn in Buckinghamshire.

The Popper plaque in Burlington Rise was installed in 2008 following an upsurge in research into the former residences of famous people out in the London suburbs.

“So many of the English Heritage plaques are all around inner London and the outer boroughs are catching up,” said Susan.

“We unveil a dozen new plaques every year and the first of this year’s new plaques is due to be revealed in April.”

She said the importance of the plaque to Sir Karl was that it captured the time he moved to the United Kingdom when he had established his name as a philosopher and had recently published his highly influential book The Open Society and Its Enemies.

Mission accomplished for history lover who visits English Heritage blue plaque in East Barnet to eminent philosopher Sir Karl Popper

A key conclusion of the book, which Susan came armed with for David’s visit, deserved to be quoted:

“Our fear of admitting responsibility for our ethical decisions is entirely ours and cannot be shifted to anybody else, neither to God, nor to nature, nor to society, nor to history. We cannot shirk this responsibility, whichever authority we may accept, it is we who accept it.”

Posted on by — 6 Comments

Final days at Builders Arms, New Barnet, as customers sign a petition to get asset of community value order to safeguard pub’s future  

A two-year struggle to keep going amid the disruption caused by ending up in the middle of a construction site has finally defeated the landlady of the aptly named Builders Arms in New Barnet.

She has reluctantly decided to hand her tenancy back to the brewers Greene King raising local concern about the future of a pub praised by the Campaign for Real Ale.

A petition has been launched by customers and friends to preserve what they say is a “much loved local institution”.

The aim of the petition organisers, Danielle Holiday and Nikki Hill, is to secure the registration of the Builders Arms as an asset of community value with Barnet Council while exploring other possible business models for the pub.

East Barnet’s councillors – Phil Cohen, Edith David and Simon Radford – have all signed the petition and are promising their support in the bid to safeguard the pub’s future by gaining ACV status.

Landlady Silva told the Barnet Society that once construction work started in 2024 on the massive housing development on the site of the former New Barnet gas works customers found it increasingly difficult to reach the pub.

Albert Road is the is the main access to the site where Fairview Homes are building eleven high-rise blocks of flats to provide 420 new homes – and a street view shows how the pub is dwarfed the scale of the redevelopment.

Initially Albert Road was blocked regularly by lorries delivering materials and construction equipment and, because of the hindrance and possible danger to customers, the Builders Arms had to cease opening at lunch times.

“Since then, access to the pub hasn’t improved and it has been a real struggle financially. It has just proved too much.”

Silva, who took on the Builders Arms eight years ago, said that she could not hang on for another year or two until the completion of the new development when all the flats might be fully occupied.

“You simply cannot run a pub when it is in the middle of a construction site. It is so off putting for customers. We can’t survive, so our tenancy ends on Sunday 12 April.

“At present there is no through road and no parking but let’s hope that Greene King can re-open one day.”

Once news broke two weeks ago that the pub was to close there has been an emotional response on the Builders Arm’s Facebook page with an appeal to regular customers to celebrate the “happy times, the music, and the unforgettable nights” they had all enjoyed.

With the pub having to be cleared of furniture, signs and fixtures, customers were invited to raise a glass and perhaps “even take home a little piece of the Builders Arms, something that might be a treasure for you.”

CAMRA has backed the Builders Arms as a real ale pub since 1970, and it has built up considerable loyalty over the

decades.

Connie East (see above) said that serving behind the bar was a real privilege because the Builders Arms had always been part of her family.

“I was brought here first as a baby 24 years ago as my parents were regulars. It has always been a real family pub.”

Dannielle Holiday, who helped organise the petition, has an even stronger family connection.

Her grandfather was a customer, so were her parents, and her own grown-up children have followed the tradition.

“The Builders Arms is a living testament to the rich local history of New Barnet,” said Danielle.

“Hundreds of local residents are signing up and joining our effort to preserve a much-cherished local pub.”

Petition launch to get asset of community value order on Builders Arms, New Barnet, becuase of pub's closure due to construction disruption during massive housing development.

When the Barnet Society first reported on the plight of the Builders Arms in 2024 the assistant manager Nina Hristova – see above – looked on in despair as work was progressing on a block of flats immediately opposite the pub.

At the time East Barnet councillor Simon Radford and Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson intervened after the pub’s staff appealed for help in curbing the mayhem and keeping the highway clear of work.

Councillor Radford said he and councillors Cohen and David had built up considerable expertise in using the asset of community value process to safeguard threatened pubs – and exercise which had proved highly successful when campaigning for the re-opening of Prince of Wales, the only pub in East Barnet village.

“As councillors we would like to pay tribute to Silva, George, Nina and the rest of the team who have run the Builders Arms for so many years, making it truly a community asset despite such outsized challenges to the business,” said councillor Radford.

“We owe them a debt of gratitude for what they have achieved with the pub, and we would also like to thank Daniella and Nikki for leading from the front in trying to save the pub.”

Councillor David said she hoped the community would show what the pub meant to them by signing the petition.

“We can all demonstrate our links with the Builders Arms through family stories and how the pub has been there for us on special occasions. The fight to save the Builders Arms goes on.”

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Barnet, Borough of Towers – surely a local election issue?

The tsunami of tall buildings that started 20 years ago in West Hendon and Brent Cross is now breaking on the northern suburbs of Barnet. Above are samples: High Barnet Place and Great North Leisure Park, both refused by the Council but called in by the Mayor of London; and Edgware town centre, approved by the Council. Their transformation of our borough, visually and socially, should surely be a local election issue on 7 May.

The Mayor has referred the decisions on High Barnet Place and Great North Leisure Park to his Deputy, Jules Pipe, who’s on record as supporting high-density schemes at Arnos Grove and Stanmore. We’re concerned about the conflict of interest, and with Barnet Residents Association have written to him to say so. Read our full letter to him below.

Mayor Kahn is keen to improve his house-building record and recently announced reductions in the proportion of affordable housing to 20% of the total; the previous minimum was 35% (currently offered at High Barnet). He’s also lifted a requirement in his London Plan for all flats to be dual-aspect – a regrettable lowering of their quality threshold.

The Labour Council’s rejection of the High Barnet and Great North Leisure Park applications indicated its awareness of the growing strength of public opposition to overdevelopment. We understand that it has asked the Mayor to respect the Council’s resounding decisions (by 8 votes to 1 and 8 to 0 respectively) to refuse both applications.

Housing deserves to be a major issue in May’s local elections – but design quality and appropriateness to its neighbourhood are just as important as quantity.

Some excellent new housing has been built recently in Barnet. Brook Valley Gardens, 931 High Road and Edgewood Mews (L-R below) show what can be done by building at high density but retaining a human scale.

But High Barnet Place won’t do that. What it would deliver, if approved by the Deputy Mayor, is a row of slabs that will brutally dominate our gentle, historic town and its green surroundings.

Now that the local election campaign has begun, the public hearing can’t be held until after the vote on Thursday 7 May (in practice, probably June at the earliest). The Barnet Society & Barnet Residents Association intend to submit a joint written statement beforehand and to speak at the hearing with a single voice, as we did at the Barnet Strategic Planning Committee in December. Individuals who have previously made written representations about the application either to Barnet Council or directly to the Greater London Assembly (GLA) can also request to speak.

You can show your concern about the crisis in affordable housing and harm to our neighbourhood and heritage assets by joining in the National Housing Demonstration on Saturday 18th April 1pm In Central London. Sign up here https://www.housingdemo.org/ for the Assembly point.

You can also help mitigate the impact of the Great Northern development by signing this petition to save trees on the site boundary.

Joint letter by the Barnet Society & Barnet Residents Association, 28 March 2026

For the attention of Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor of London

Dear Mr Pipe,   

We write on behalf of the Barnet Society and the Barnet Residents Association regarding your decision to call in this planning application for Stage 2 review.

We recognise the reasons for the Mayor’s recusal. However, delegation to a Deputy does not resolve the acknowledged conflict of interest. The application relates to TfL land, and TfL forms part of the GLA group. Given your strategic responsibility for planning and your publicly expressed support for the programme of developing station car parks, there is a perception risk that the decision-making process lacks the necessary distance and objectivity. This concern is heightened by your prior public statements on LinkedIn and elsewhere indicating that the High Barnet proposal “will deliver” key benefits. You have expressed similar sentiments in relation to the Arnos Grove and Stanmore schemes. Even if unintended, such language gives rise to a perception of pre-judgment. Confidence in the integrity of the review process depends not only on independence and fairness but on the clear appearance of independence and fairness.

Barnet’s Strategic Planning Committee refused the application primarily because of its fundamental conflict with the adopted Local Plan regarding height and townscape impact. That policy position was established through an evidence-based assessment and endorsed by the Planning Inspectorate in examination. Reliance on the Hillingdon case cited by the applicant and officers was misleading as Hillingdon never undertook an assessment of their site. If strategic intervention were now to override the Local Plan without compelling and transparently evidenced justification to demonstrate why Barnet and the Planning Inspectorate may have got it wrong, the credibility of plan-led decision-making across London would inevitably be weakened.

We also remain concerned that certain material planning considerations were ignored or presented in a misleading manner prior to refusal, including:

  • failure to properly test the visual impact of the eleven-storey block on the skyline and on the setting of the listed St John the Baptist Church, including the omission or manipulation of key viewpoints;
  • no recognition that the elevated topography of the High Barnet station site materially increases the perceived scale and dominance of the buildings;
  • misleading claims regarding improved drop-off and pick-up arrangements, which would reduce existing informal capacity and risk congestion on the A1000;
  • There are also evidently inadequate features of the scheme that were not properly addressed in the documentation provided by the applicant or in the officer’s report to committee;
  • creation of homes of unacceptably poor safety and quality in terms of layout, detailed design and amenity;
  • minimal improvements to modal inter-connectivity, accessibility and safety that would be negated by loss of the car park.

We emphasise that we do not oppose redevelopment of the station car park in principle. Our concern is with the scale, form and long-term consequences of this particular scheme.

You will appreciate the wider significance of this case. As Mayor of Hackney you previously expressed strong opposition when London Mayoral intervention overrode local planning judgment on the Bishopsgate scheme that you considered “far too high” and inappropriate to its context. The present situation raises closely analogous concerns regarding the balance between strategic objectives and the integrity of local democratic decision-making.

Given the strength of local opposition, the adopted policy context, and the acknowledged governance sensitivities, we respectfully urge that the review process gives full and transparent weight to these issues before any determination is reached.

Yours sincerely,

Robin Bishop, Planning & Environment Lead, The Barnet Society

Gordon Massey, Planning Officer, Barnet Residents Association

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Open day at centre for homeless in Barnet – a chance to support a fashion show of clothes which they have designed and produced

Homeless Action in Barnet – a leading charity assisting rough sleepers across the borough – is organising an open day at its headquarters in Woodhouse Road, North Finchley, where a highlight will be a fashion show of outfits created and modelled by some of those who are being supported.

HAB, as it is known, provides over 9,000 hot meals at year at its day centre and organises a night shelter each evening at one or other of the 30 or so churches and synagogues which make space available. 

All the clothes for the fashion show have been designed and made from recycled material and second-hand clothing and the aim of this initiative, backed by volunteers, is to help build confidence among people facing homelessness and insecurity.

Inspiration for the fashion show – billed as “Off The Street” on Sunday 17 May from 12 noon to 3pm – came from homeless clients at the centre, including a dress designer and an architect, who has drawn up plans for creating a catwalk through the day centre and out into the garden.

Already clothes for the show are being lined up in a storeroom – and admired for their creativity by night shelter co-ordinator Marcin Nocek and support officer Kate Jack (see above).

“Fitting out rough sleepers with a new set of clothes and shoes is one of the ways we help homeless people regain their self-confidence,” said Marcin.

“We try to offer them something suitable from our storeroom of donated clothing and sometimes it can be fun trying something on. 

“The idea of holding a fashion show started as a joke, but one of the clients is a dress designer, another a seamstress and before we knew it, they were hard at work.

“After hours and hours at a sewing machine, they have already produced about 40 plus outfits, and they will all be revealed on the catwalk at the open day in May.”

Homeless architect Julian Meguenni (above) was delighted to have the chance to help stage the fashion show and do what he could do help other homeless clients at the centre show off the clothes which have been created.

Support workers and volunteers have all been amazed by the enthusiasm which has been generated by the prospect of organising and holding a fashion show.

“We know all too well that people who have been excluded and forgotten, and who have become homeless, need to rebuild their self-confidence.”

Support officer Kate Jack (above) says kitting people out with replacement clothes is one of their priorities and the charity relies on donations of clothing and shoes.

“We are continually short of clothing and delighted to accept donations.

“We are always in need of jeans, track suit bottoms, T-shirts, sweatshirts, winter coats, and clean underwear such as boxer shorts.

“Footwear is another item in constant demand, including a trainers, shoes and socks.”

HAB was established in 1997, having started out in North Finchley as a soup kitchen for the homeless and quickly expanded after Barnet Council leased the charity a community building in Woodhouse Road.

A constant stream of people – up to 250 a week – seek help at the day centre which offers support and comfort from 9am to 12.30pm on Monday to Friday.

The centre has its own shower block, a cafeteria offering breakfast or lunch, and a laundrette for washing clothes.

Support officer Kareema Osbourne (above) has been at the centre for two years.

“It is very fulfilling having the chance to help people turn around their lives”

In the last 12 months, HAB has held well over 4,000 support sessions for homeless people, building up trust and helping them address the underlying barriers they face.

A night shelter is provided for up to 15 people, seven days a week, during the winter months, from November to the end of April.

Last year over 5,000 rough sleepers spent the night in safety at a one of the participating churches or synagogues where an army of 360 volunteers provide food and support.

HAB also has two hostels for homeless people – offering over 50 places – and clients can stay there until they can arrange permanent accommodation. Last year 196 were rehoused and 49 so far this year.

Ben Tovey, HAB’s chief executive, said that demand for support from rough sleepers was higher than ever this year.

“Housing shortages, unaffordable rents and the overall economic situation aren’t helping but another reason why we are getting more showing up is because of the government policy to close asylum hotels.

“So, this is becoming a pressure point for charities helping the homeless.

“It is particularly hard for the under 35s as the rents being charged are beyond their housing allowances and benefits, and are based on a shared housing rate, which again is a big factor in pushing up the demand for support.”

Homeless in Action in Barnet to hold open day at is North Finchley day centre and highlight is fashion show of clothes made by those seeking support

The fashion show, “Off The Street” on Sunday 17 May, in aid HAB, will be a community event with local artisan stalls, a musical performance, a raffle and a chance for guests to mingle with clients and volunteers.

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Yellow line parking restrictions are excessive say residents who believe they have been treated with contempt by Barnet Council

Residents of two narrow streets of mainly small cottages and terraced homes claim they have been ignored and abandoned by Barnet Council which has imposed double yellow lines at the junction of Sebright and Calvert Roads without proper consultation.

They say ten-metre-long restrictions either side of the junction have reduced parking spaces and had the perverse effect of speeding up traffic round the corner, placing pedestrians and children at greater risk.

“The restrictions are disproportionate, unsupported by evidence and a waste of public funds.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

At the heart of their grievance is their anger at finding that changes to procedures for local consultation have made it virtually impossible for small groups of residents to challenge council decisions.

In a letter to Cath Shaw, the council’s chief executive, they accuse the council of failing to honour one of its core values, an undertaking given by councillors regarding their responsibilities to the public:

“We actively listen, respond, collaborate and share ideas, to achieve the best outcomes with residents, businesses and colleagues.”

The letter, highlighting the need for TLC for Barnet – for transparency, for listening and for consultation – sets out how they believe the council has been systematically reducing the opportunities for residents to influence decisions.

Face to face residents’ forums with councillors and council officers were abandoned in 2022 and the minimum number of signatures required to present a petition at a council or committee meeting has been raised from 25 to 500.

Their complaint mirrors anger in Underhill where residents’ groups have complained that despite overwhelming opposition council officers have gone ahead with an extension to the Barnet Hospital controlled parking zone and introduced parking charges outside the Mays Lane parade of shops.

Mrs Louise Cain (above, second from right), one of the organisers of the Sebright and Calvert Roads protest, said that once the council decided to impose yellow lines on each side of the road junction they immediately set about raising a petition.

“We easily got to 72 signatures, understanding that the minimum requirement was over 25, but then the council said our petition had been excluded because the minimum is now 500 signatures.”

Dr Chris Nightingale (above, far right) said the new minimum of 500 signatures effectively withdrew a democratic right from small groups of residents who had already lost the ability to challenge councillors and officers face-to-face at residents’ forums.

“Our community – bounded by Sebright, Puller, Alston and Calvert Roads – only has around 400 households at the most so we have lost our voice as a small community.

“Petitions with fewer than 500 signatures only require a written response and we have lost the democratic right as residents to present a case directly to councillors at a committee or council meeting.”

Dr Julia Gibbs (above, second from right) feared that the rights of residents had been eroded still further by the barriers they faced when seeking greater transparency when making Freedom of Information requests.

“A recent FOI request we made was refused on the grounds it would be too expensive for the council as it would require 15 officers to spend over 90 minutes each to produce the information.

“This was challenged and the council took over 50 working days, longer than the statutory reply time of 20 days, to send a reply.

“But even then, the council would not provide the requested information or give specific advice on how to obtain it.”

Events leading up to the painting of the yellow lines had proved to the protesters that the council had not been serious about conducting detailed consultation.

As far as they knew, there had been no complaints from ambulance or fire crews about difficulty in gaining access and apparently the only request for yellow lines had come from a refuse lorry driver.

It appeared one resident had spoken to a council officer and another official who was challenged said the yellow lines were a parking and not a highways matter.

The group thought that yellow lines of the length painted at the junction would have been expected if there was heavy traffic.

Puller and Sebright Roads were a one-way system – with Calvert Road a short cul-de-sac – and the restrictions were excessive.

“The result is a monument to officers’ failure to listen and then not revealing how their final decision was made.

“The restrictions are disproportionate, unsupported by evidence and a waste of public funds.

“We are contemplating commissioning a blue plaque to this effect.”

The protestors hope their demand that the council should restore quarterly residents’ forums will become an issue at the forthcoming Barnet Council election on Thursday 7 May.

A priority for the new council elected in May should be to restore trust between residents and councillors and to improve decision-making by identifying problems early and locally.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Rainbow Centre, Underhill’s community hub, celebrates its re-opening in refurbished premises provided by Barnet Council

After several years of uncertainty about its long-term future, Barnet Council has finally found new premises for the Rainbow Centre, a vital community hub for residents of Underhill and especially the Dollis Valley estate.

A weekly foodbank, free lunches and activities for children in school holidays, and highly popular mixed martial arts classes for youngsters and adults are just some of the centre’s activities.

At the official opening, the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, was full of praise for the centre’s initiatives and congratulated those involved, including from left to right, centre manager Sarah Snell, and food bank volunteers Christine Burbridge and Karen Gosland.

Councillor Rich said he was delighted the Rainbow Centre’s move from Dollis Valley to the former Priory Grove Scout hut, off Westcombe Drive, next to the Ark Pioneer Academy, had gone so well.

“As an authority of 63 councillors we realise, we only achieve anything when we work with our residents, which is why as your landlords, we want to extend a big ‘thank you’ for all you are achieving for the community.”

Because of delays to the completion of the regeneration of the Dollis Valley estate, the Rainbow Centre was kept waiting to be rehoused and there was added grief for the volunteers when a proposed move to the former cricket pavilion in Barnet Lane fell through.

The move to the Scout hut went ahead late last year and the Rainbow Centre is building up its activities with the first free lunch club for school children being held in the week before Easter.

Rinbow Centre, community hub for Underhill, moves into new premises after years of uncertainty following action by Barnet Council

The centre is operated and managed by charity, Barnet Community Projects, and Mike Benaim, chair of its trustees (above, third from left) said the four-year wait for new premises had turned into something of a saga but they were “very happy” with their new home.

The centre’s Thursday food bank is currently supporting around 80 people who get three days’ worth of free food, including fresh fruit and vegetables and three meals.

Sarah Snell, centre manager (above, third from right) said Rainbow’s policy was to be there for whoever needed help.

No referral is needed to get assistance from the foodbank, just a name and postcode.

“We don’t want to turn anyone away, so if someone is prepared to seek help at a food bank, we are there for them. Making that first visit is often the hardest thing for someone to do,” said Sarah.

One of the Rainbow Centre’s great success stories is its mixed martial arts classes run three times a week by Ibush Januzi, founder of North London MMA Kabashi (above, seventh from right).

Classes for children attract up to 70 youngsters a week and adult classes up to 60. On Tuesdays there is a wrestling class and women’s self-defence on Saturdays.

“The response since we started has been amazing,” said Ibush.

“I am always keen to offer free classes to people who might have been in trouble, perhaps with drugs, or are homeless.

“These free sessions are very rewarding for those involved. The discipline of martial arts helps people who have been in trouble believe in themselves. They can see what they can achieve and realise they are not losers.”

Councillor Zahra Beg (above, sixth from right) added her thanks to the council for finally agreeing to the move.

Since she was elected for Underhill in 2022, finding a new home for the Rainbow Centre had been a major pre-occupation and she was delighted the move had finally been accomplished.

“We bullied the council into finding new premises and then we found the Scout hut needed lots of repairing, but it has all been worthwhile.

“The centre now has a new home for 25 years with the freedom to expand its services and bring in more people from in and around Underhill.”

Councillor Tim Roberts (above, fourth from left), who is standing down in May after serving Underhill for 12 years, said the official opening of a new home for Rainbow was a great way to finish.

“The Rainbow Centre really has been part of the Dollis Valley estate for such a long time.

“It has been a regular meeting place for so many of us and we are all delighted it is up and running once again here in Underhill.”  

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Food waste being collected on bin days from homes across Borough of Barnet to be used for producing electricity and farm fertiliser

With the reintroduction of domestic food waste collections from homes across the Borough of Barnet, families will be making their contribution towards generating electricity and producing liquid farmland fertiliser at a renewable energy plant midway between North Mymms and London Colney.

Barnet householders have been supplied with two new containers – a brown kitchen caddy for collecting food waste indoors and a larger brown outdoors food waste bin.

Food waste bins will be emptied at the kerbside into new collection vehicles hired by the council.

Collections will take place on a householder’s regular bin day.

Lorries will unload into a bunker at Severn Trent Green Power’s facility at Coursers Farm, just to the north of junction 22 on the M25 motorway.

Severn Trent Green Power opened the plant around ten years ago.

It serves towns and councils from a wide radius in Hertfordshire, including Hertsmere, and processes up to 75,000 tons of food waste a year, including some commercial waste.

  Once tipped at the plant all plastic from caddy liners, bags and wrappings is removed mechanically so that the food waste can be pumped into digester tanks where biogas is produced ready for the generation of electricity in site’s engines.

Severn Trent Green Power’s North London plant produces three megawatts of power for the National Grid at Coursers Farm.

Liquid fertiliser for farms, which is the residue of the process, is distributed for spreading in fields on local farms.

Barnet Council has reinstated food waste collections – as from a government deadline of Monday 30 March – as a result of new regulations requiring local authorities to collect food waste separately from other household waste.

A food waste collection service had operated in Barnet from 2013 until it was cancelled by the council in November 2018 – against the advice of the Mayor of London – in order to save an annual bill of £300,000.

Government capital grants – including £2.7 million for Barnet – have now been paid to local councils to meet the cost of new containers and collection vehicles.

New kitchen caddies and kerbside bins for Barnet householders have cost £1.3 million and food waste collection vehicles are being hired for five years from Riverside Truck Rental at a cost of £2.8 million.

Publicity for the reintroduction of the service includes advice on what to place in the food waste caddy – leftover food, peelings and waste from fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, bread, cakes, tea bags, coffee grounds etc.

Special bins are being provided for household food waste from flats above town centre flats – as seen in Barnet High Process.

In the first part of the process at the Coursers Farm plant all plastic bags and coverings are removed. The plastic waste which is left is sent to separate waste-for-energy plants.

Food waste collections reintroduced by Barnet Council and it will be turned into electricity and farm fertiliser at Severn Trent Green Power plant just north of M25

Loads have to be rejected if they are contaminated with other waste such as bottles and cans.

Once the processed food waste has been reduced to a liquid – a food waste soup as it is known in the trade – it is pumped into one of four digestion tanks where it is heated to between 37 and 42 degrees, breaks down, and releases biogas for electricity generation.

From being tipped by a lorry, it takes around 85 days for the waste to be converted into gas and liquid fertiliser for spreading on fields.

To reduce odours escaping into the neighbourhood, air from the plant goes through a biofilter using a water filter and damp wood chips.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Barnet Council steps in with an exemption from council tax for residents who have a terminal diagnosis

Terminally ill householders in the London borough of Barnet will be removed from council tax if they qualify under a new relief scheme which takes effect in April.

Barnet, which has a higher proportion of the elderly than in much of the capital, will become one of the first London boroughs to ease financial pressures on residents with a terminal diagnosis.

Councillor Simon Radford, the council’s cabinet member for finance – see above – is anxious to promote the assistance which the council is offering when residents and their families face “the most difficult moments in their lives”.

If residents are already receiving council tax support – through discretionary relief or housing payment policies – they will not have to pay council tax if a clinician has confirmed a terminal diagnosis.

Charities have welcomed the move by Barnet – and other councils such as Manchester and Barnsley – which they say will help people cope with the emotional strain of end-of-life care by removing or reducing council tax from families who might be dealing with loss of income and increased care costs.

Barnet, which has the second largest population of any London borough, has over 22,000 residents aged over 80, including nearly 5,000 aged over 90.

High Barnet ward illustrates the significance of the age profile: over 2,000 residents are over 65 and 673 – roughly six per cent – are over 80.

Councillor Radford said the aim of the council and health authorities was to keep people in their own homes for as long as possible with care and support, so that they could maintain their independence.

There was more demand for adult social care in Barnet than in other London boroughs which underlined the need for the council to enhance its support for the terminally ill.

Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end-of-life charity hopes that more London boroughs – especially those in the north London care belt with numerous care homes – follow Barnet’s example in ensuring residents get clear and compassionate support.

Housing costs and council tax bills added to the financial pressures on those who are terminally ill and wished to continue living in their own homes.

Under the new criteria, Barnet residents may qualify for a council tax reduction if they receive council tax support and provide an SR1 medical form, completed by a clinician, confirming life expectancy is thought to be of 12 months or less.

Posted on by — 4 Comments

Bags of litter piled up after clean-up organised by Barnet Residents Association – and the town’s MP is urging more community action

Litters pickers from Barnet Residents Association fanned out across the town in one of the association’s regular clean ups – the kind of initiative which the Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson hopes will be encouraged by his new community action network.

Association co-chair Ken Rowland and committee member Emma Morgan – see above – cleared up litter in Bruce Road which backs on to the Waitrose car park and often gets overlooked in street cleaning.

However, they left Bruce Road feeling rather disappointed because they were not equipped to tackle a heap of builder’s rubbish which had been left by a recent fly-tipper.

Committee member Anna Watkins was on hand at the association’s stall in The Spires shopping centre ready to hand volunteers litter pickers and rubbish bags which had been supplied by Barnet Council.

The clean up was organised in partnership with the Chipping Barnet Town Team and was considered a great success – a heap of around 40 rubbish bags was left nearby at Chipping Barnet Library in Stapylton Road ready for collection by the council’s refuse service.

Among the volunteers were staff members from McDonald’s fast-food restaurant who also stage their own litter pick sessions.

Franchisee Hubs Backshi (above, second from left) said McDonald’s team members regularly did a litter sweep around the restaurant in the Barnet High Street and were keen to help whenever street clean-ups were organised.

Barnet Residents Association reports another successful litter picking clean up as Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson backs more community action

Litter picking was one of the targets discussed at a meeting organised by the Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson which went on to establish a community action network.

Over 200 people attended a discussion and workshop where an agenda was established for action next year.

Long-term projects include supporting East Barnet Festival and Community Energy Barnet.

Mr Tomlinson said he hoped the network could run a monthly community cation day.

“The focus of the network is making tangible differences to the local area through local action, whether that’s litter picking or organising a community festival,” said Mr Tomlinson.   

Posted on by — 4 Comments

Two deputations from Underhill challenge Barnet Councillors over their failure to consult residents and take local views into account

After hearing some vociferous complaints from Underhill residents, Barnet Council has agreed to review two controversial issues – the imposition of the Underhill South controlled parking zone and a decision to abandon the existing split between private and social housing in the regeneration of the Dollis Valley estate.

Two separate deputations explained their grievances and were assured by council leaders that officials would prepare reports into their objections.

A petition calling for a rethink on the extension of the Barnet Hospital CPZ to take in 16 roads around Chesterfield Road and Mays Lane was presented jointly by Gina Theodorou and Jon Woolfson – see above at the town hall, Hendon.

They claimed that the experimental CPZ was imposed by the council’s highways department despite opposition from 61 per cent of residents.

There was no justification for introducing parking charges other than to help the council recoup its parking deficit.

In response the council agreed on the recommendation of Councillor Alan Schneiderman, cabinet member for the environment, that officials would look at criticism of the way the Underhill South CPZ had been introduced.

There would be a full review of the scheme when the six-month consultation period ends in mid-June.

A second petition was presented by two members of a group of private houseowners in the Brook Valley Gardens development, off Mays Lane – see above – which is regenerating the former Dollis Valley estate.

They objected to the council’s agreement with developers Vistry to complete the two final stages of the regeneration with 221 social rent homes instead of continuing with a mix between privately owned and social housing.

By failing to honour the commitment that Brook Valley Gardens would be mixed tenure neighbourhood – and by turning it into 60 per cent social housing – the council had jeopardised the future of houseowners who had invested life savings into new properties.

Bulldozing through without consultation a deal with Vistry, the second largest housebuilder in the UK, and by failing to construct 128 private homes as originally promised, the council had changed the nature of Brook Valley Gardens.

A petition had been signed by 120 private householders who feared that a result of increasing the proportion of social housing from 40 to 60 per cent the council had threatened “a well-integrated community, increasing the risk of anti-social behaviour” all for the sake of the council getting access to Greater London Authority funding to help “bail-out” the developers.

In acknowledging their anger, Councillor Ross Houston, the cabinet member for homes and regeneration explained that the council’s objective was to demolish empty blocks of flats and maisonettes – see above – and secure the completion of the Dollis Valley regeneration through the construction of new well-designed homes.

On Councillor Houston’s recommendation, the council agreed it would ask officials to report back on the concerns which had been raised.

The deal proposed with Vistry would be reviewed at the next cabinet meeting which would consider whether any changes could be made in the current plans for the competition of phases four and five of the regeneration.

Deputations from Underhill complain to Barnet Council about imposition of Underhill South CPZ and changes in proportion of private housing in Dollis Valley regeneration

Opposition to the Underhill South CPZ has been mounting since it took effect in mid December with a concerted campaign by members of the Quinta Village Green Residents Association and the Underhill Residents Group.

In her submission Gina Theodorou of the QVGRA said experience since its introduction had proved there was no justification for a CPZ as most of the parking bays were empty most of the time. Residents were leaving cars in their drives rather than apply for a permit.

Jon Wolfson of Underhill Residents raised the plight of retailers in the Mays Lane parade of shops who were losing a substantial amount of business because of the introduction of parking charges on their service road.

A petition had raised over 2,200 signatures in protest at the imposition of cashless parking charges at a tariff of £3.38 an hour from 8am to 6.30pm whereas in nearby roads, which are also within the Barnet Hospital D CPZ, restrictions apply only between 2pm and 3pm.

There was support for the Underhill petition from Councillor Richard Cornelius who agreed with the deputation that parking regulations imposed around Barnet Hospital were “a complete mess”.

“I hope this CPZ is reconsidered because the overwhelming opposition shows it cannot be right and as someone who parks outside the Mays Lane parade of shops I don’t see why parking charges are necessary”.       

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Redevelopment of Dollis Valley estate to be restarted after two year delay following go ahead for construction of 221 new homes

Completion of the Brook Valley Gardens estate off Mays Lane – which is a regeneration of the Dollis Valley estate – has moved a step closer.

Progress has been stalled since 2023, but a revised deal has been agreed with the developers and approved by Barnet Council.

Demolition of the remaining 1960s high-rise blocks and maisonettes will take place shortly. This will allow work to start on another 221 new homes.

The redevelopment had to be halted when the developers told the council that it was no longer economically viable to build the final 221 new homes on the basis of a split between private and social housing.

To get the regeneration of Dollis Valley back on track, the council’s cabinet has decided that the new homes that are yet to be built will now all be socially rented and under the management of Barnet Homes.

However, the failure to continue – as was originally proposed – with the construction of another 128 houses for private sale, will mean that instead of Brook Valley Gardens being a mixed-tenure neighbourhood the estate will become 60 per cent social housing.

This change has angered many of householders in privately owned homes on the estate who are organising a petition to present to a meeting of the Dollis Valley Partnership board at its annual meeting in March.

They say that Barnet Council has failed to hold any consultations about a fundamental alteration to the terms under which they purchased their houses.

“Barnet Council is bulldozing this through and have been keeping residents in the dark over Brook Valley Gardens becoming 60 per cent social housing.”

Private householders are concerned about the future saleability of their properties because mortgage lenders now take into account the percentage of social v private housing on an estate.

Because the original plan was for 50 per cent private housing, high street banks were happy to lend money on Brook Valley Gardens properties but with 60 per cent social housing future owners might be unable to obtain mortgages without resorting to specialised lenders and this could “materially affect property values for existing homeowners.”  

Regeneration of Dollis Valley estate to be restarted with construction of 221 social rent homes to complete Brook Valley Gardens estate following Barnet Council approval

The remaining Mill Bridge and Garrowsfield blocks of flats and maisonettes in the Dollis Valley estate were surveyed in 2024 and were found to have widespread damp and mould.

They were deemed unsuitable for prolonged occupancy beyond December 2025 and the council decided to rehouse the tenants. Demolition is now to due start in the coming months.

The delay in finishing the estate arose because the joint developers Vistry Group (formerly Countryside Properties) and London and Quadrant declared that the original plans were no longer cost-effective.

Vistry proposed an alternative accelerated programme, and the council cabinet has now agreed to purchase 221 social and affordable rent homes from Vistry at a fixed price, subject to securing grant funding from the Greater London Authority.

On completion, Barnet Homes will manage the properties on behalf of the council. Eleven will be wheelchair accessible.

Vistry is proposing to deliver an accelerated programme of construction of replacement homes so that tenants rehoused from Mill Bridge and Garrowsfield can be prioritised to return on completion if they wish to.

Posted on by — 4 Comments

Request for pre-planning negotiations over possible development of a large housing estate in green belt land off Rowley Lane, Arkley

An application has been made to Barnet Council by a housing developer seeking permission to start discussions on building up to 300 homes on 17 acres of green belt land off Rowley Lane, Arkley.

Part of the site was a former pig farm – see above – and the proposed development would take place in woods and scrubland between Rowley Lane and the A1 Barnet by-pass to the north of the Stirling Corner roundabout.

Bugler Homes of Rickmansworth is hoping to take advantage of new government guidance which came into effect a year ago and which allows for the release of some green belt land for housing.

Where there is green belt land which was “previously developed” and which does not “strongly contribute” to limiting urban sprawl, it can now be deemed grey belt land and can be developed for housing and other needs.

Arkley’s community group – Arkley Association – has been informed that Bugler Homes is at “an early stage of exploring opportunities to bring forward a grey belt application”.

The site has been purchased unconditionally by the company which says an assessment of the site indicates that it that would meet the criteria for grey belt approval.

Its “initial vision” is to build approximately 230 homes, with 50 per cent affordable housing; an 80-bed care home; publicly accessible green spaces and allotments; and improved public right of way footpaths.

“We want to work with the community to ensure the proposals reflect Arkley’s character and identity, help address local needs, and contribute positively to village life.”

Bugler has asked for a meeting with the association to discuss its proposal – a plan which has shocked and surprised many Arkley residents.

They fear that if approval is given it could connect to another large site closer to Stirling Corner which has been vacant since the demolition of a former police academy.

“Before we know it approval will have been given for housing on the whole of the triangle of land between Barnet by-pass, Barnet Road and Rowley Lane,” said one resident.

“That would desecrate the green belt, damage the village surroundings of Arkley and would lead to even more urban sprawl between Borehamwood and Barnet.”

Most of the houses in and around Arkley village are individual detached properties and except for Rockways off Barnet Road there are no significant housing developments.

If approval was given for up to 300 homes off Rowley Lane it would be Arkley’s first housing estate.

The 17-acre site which includes the former Rowley Bank Farm is to the rear of houses in Amethyst Close – see above – at the junction of Rowley Lane and Rowley Green Road.

Bugler Homes has asked to meet representatives of the Arkley Association which says it will now hold an extra-ordinary annual meeting to decide what action to take. Other interested groups will be invited to take part.

Government guidance on green belt land which might now be redesignated as grey belt says that this applies particularly to “previously developed” land such as the site of dis-used petrol stations or abandoned car parks.

Arkley Association informed of pre-planning application to build up to 300 homes on a 17-acre site off Rowley Lane. Bugler Homes to have discussions with Barnet Council.

The Arkley site includes abandoned buildings from the former pig farm – which have more recently been used for storage – and extensive hard standing.

When considering Bugler Homes’ plan, Barnet Council will be required under the government’s national planning policy framework, to assess the contribution which the site makes to the green belt and whether a grey belt approval would result in the remaining green belt in the area being “fundamentally undermined”.