News from The Barnet Society

A much-troubled plan to build flats on the former gas works site in New Barnet has joined The Spires shopping centre as one of those projects where developers might have no alternative but to respond to the views of local community groups if they are to have any chance of gaining planning approval.

A High Barnet centenarian who is often seen out and about on his four-wheel mobility scooter shopping in the High Street is still receiving congratulations weeks after celebrating his birthday. A framed and signed letter from Arsenal football club is the latest addition to the messages sent to David John Hall who was 100 last October.

Property company BYM, owners of The Spires, have supplied Barnet Council with more details of their plans to redevelop the shopping centre to include blocks of flats of up to six storeys in height.

Motorists who took a short cut across Monken Hadley Common to avoid road closure notices have turned much of the grass into a muddy morass and left deep tyre marks -- even damaging the much loved cricket pitch.

Millie the Waitrose cat -- this time in bronze -- has resumed her role as High Barnet's most popular feline character, checking out customers at The Spires shopping centre.

Barnet Choral Society has started rehearsals under its new musical director Rory McCleery -- and his choice for their first concert of 2023 plays to the choir's great tradition of performing baroque music.

Despite an ongoing planning dispute about building over 500 homes on the former gas works site in New Barnet, developers Citystyle Fairview are seeking the go ahead for the construction of two blocks of flats on land fronting onto Victoria Road.

Recent monitoring of water quality has renewed concern about the risk of sewage pollution in Pymmes Brook -- seen here on its way through Oak Hill Park, East Barnet.

BYM Capital, owners of The Spires shopping centre, are drawing up plans for a major redevelopment to rebuild much of the existing precinct to provide blocks of flats above shops and cafes and also to construct new homes on adjoining land.

A new book exploring the history of Queen Elizabeth's School -- or QE Boys as it is affectionately known -- is to be published in March next year.

Squatters have taken over empty offices in Barnet High Street -- just weeks after a group departed from a similar squat in a former restaurant.

Chipping Barnet's foodbank is experiencing a surge in demand: the number of households dependent on food parcels has almost doubled since the summer and an appeal has gone out to Christmas shoppers to donate what they  can. The five most urgently required products are pasta sauces, cooking oil, tinned meat, tinned fruit, and tinned potatoes.

A scheme which is being proposed by Barnet Homes could transform the top end of Moxon Street be creating a car-free mews with two rows of terraced houses to provide a total of 21 new homes.

An evening session for designing and making Christmas wreaths brought a festive spirit to a community pop-up event at the Chipping Work Shop in Barnet High Street.

Local authorities will have greater freedom about implementing government housing targets following a Conservative revolt in the House of Commons led by the Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers.

Barry Rawlings, Labour leader of Barnet Council, is increasingly hopeful of a breakthrough in the campaign to the get the restoration of the 84-bus service between Barnet and Potters Bar.

Despite a cold, grey day the Mayor of Barnet Councillor Alison Moore got the annual Barnet Christmas Fayre off to a flying start by cutting the ribbon in the middle of the High Street.

Two vacant retail unts in The Spires, Barnet, are to be taken over as the site for one of the revamped Poundland stores which are being opened in shopping malls and town centres across the country.

Four key roads serving High Barnet -- which are just within the borough boundary -- have been excluded from the new vehicle emissions zone for the whole of Greater London.

A children's competition which is being organised with the help of shops along the High Street is part of the promotional build-up for this year's Barnet Christmas Fayre on Sunday 4 December.