News from The Barnet Society

Concern about threats to the green belt and the loss of popular open spaces dominated a question-and-answer session held at the annual meeting of Barnet Residents Association.

A second High Barnet public house, The Sebright Arms, in Alston Road, is getting a new lease of life after another successful community-inspired bid to take over the tenancy.

Early next year volunteers aim to start planting what is destined to become a community orchard in Underhill situated in a corner of Barnet Playing Fields, between Ark Pioneer Academy and Grasvenor Avenue.

All the stresses and strains – and sometimes laughter – of everyday life in Barnet during the Second World War are captured in an imaginative and often poignant production at The Bull Theatre.

Ark Pioneer Academy, which was established in 2019, has achieved the all-important milestone of seeing a high proportion of its first intake of sixth formers going on to further study at some of the country’s top universities.

Barnet Council’s Labour controlled cabinet has been accused by Conservative councillors of “skirting around” the need to come clean with residents about what is almost certain to be a massive hike in council tax next year.

New Barnet has been chosen as the location for the UK’s first local authority owned estate and lettings agency. Bumblebee Property has an office in the parade of shops next to Sainsbury’s super store.

Leaving behind her sculptures and paintings was quite a wrench for artist Joy Feld, so Carlton Court Care Home in Bells Hill, Barnet, came up with the idea of staging an exhibition of her work.

An application to Barnet Council for planning approval for a site for 12 travellers’ caravans in former woodland off Rowley Lane, Arkley, is meeting stiff objections on the grounds it would be a significant breach of the Green Belt.

London Fire Brigade has stepped in to help save any remaining fish by adding up to a foot of water into the Brewery Pond on Hadley Green.

At least a dozen large fish had to be removed from Brewery Pond on Hadley Green after they were found floating on the surface having died most probably due to the summer drought and a prolonged lack of rainfall.

A packed meeting at Underhill gave enthusiastic support to a community bid to purchase the derelict former Quinta Youth Club in Mays Lane which is being sold off by Barnet Council.

A large mural painted by students at Barnet and Southgate College – which features iconic images of the town – will welcome visitors to High Barnet once a site has been agreed.

After four youngsters on e-bikes and e-scooters caused fresh damage to greens at the Shire London golf course, a group of High Banet residents are hoping to discuss with the club’s management ways to prevent further vandalism.

Turf on three of the greens at the Shire London Golf Club off St Albans Road has been churned up and damaged by youngsters riding e-bikes on recent evenings.

High Barnet’s former Crown Post Office is to be converted into nine self-contained flats if an application is approved by Barnet Council – a change of use which highlights the rapidly changing nature of the High Street.

Mayor of Barnet Councillor Zahra Beg joined in a training session for skills in first aid when she visited an open day held at the Underhill headquarters of Barnet St John Ambulance.

With a rapidly approaching deadline of mid-October, a fund-raising campaign has taken on new urgency as Mays Lane residents prepare their community bid to take over the derelict former Quinta Youth Club.

With continuing uncertainty about the fate of the Builders Arms – although it is now under offer - a group of former regulars have nominated the vacant New Barnet pub to be declared an asset of community value.

Prizes at the annual celebration of excellence at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School, Barnet, were presented by a former pupil who was later awarded an MBE for her contribution towards supporting young people.