News from The Barnet Society

A 120ft garden at a traditional Edwardian semi-detached house in Normandy Avenue, Barnet, has secured recognition from the National Garden Scheme – a long-held ambition for the owners. Derek Epstein and Jo Vargas will be welcoming visitors to their garden on Sunday 23 July to raise money for charity.

Enthusiasts and local residents gathered in their hundreds on Hadley Green for a picnic lunch and Sunday afternoon of music at the sixth annual Jazz on the Green, organised by Hadley Residents Association.

In recent years Barnet Market has been a shadow of what it once was, but a life-line is at hand.  Imaginative plans are being promoted to use the site for a monthly market place where teenagers can set up stalls and present live entertainment.

Plans to replace a semi-derelict vacant shop that has blighted Union Street for many years will go a long way towards finishing off a make-over for one of High Barnet’s historic thoroughfares.

Manorside, High Barnet, joined thousands of other communities around the UK in holding a street party in a memory of the murdered MP Jo Cox. Residents from houses in the cul-de-sac, and adjoining flats in Manor Road, spent the afternoon in the sunshine taking part in the Great Together Day event (17.6.2017).

Barnet High Street was lined with well-wishers cheering on the 30 classic cars that made their way to the market and bandstand to take part in the fourth annual show held by the Barnet Classic Car Club.

A posse of Barnet police officers was on hand when members of the Medieval Siege Society gave a gunnery demonstration in support of Barnet’s first medieval festival.

Barnet High Street’s historic Brake Shear House complex, which is boarded up ready for demolition, has gained a temporary reprieve, and former tenants of workshops and offices are being offered fresh short-term leases.

Providing period cars featured in the hit television series, The Crown – being filmed at Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood – is just one of the many commissions for a Barnet supplier of vehicles for film and television productions.

An 18-year struggle by a group of “ageing, stubborn but steadfast” women reached its grand finale with glasses of champagne and canapes all round to celebrate the opening in High Barnet of the UK’s first co-housing project for seniors.

Barnet’s first medieval festival is to be held at the Old Courthouse Recreation Ground at the rear of Barnet Museum on Sunday 11 June. A demonstration by the members of the Medieval Siege Society -- in Wars of the Roses military attire – and a medieval food tasting will be just two of the attractions.

A blood-sucking leech, a dragon fly nymph, a baby newt and a back-swimmer water boatman were just some of the aquatic fauna on display for children visiting Barnet Environment Centre’s spring open day.

After almost a decade spent planning, campaigning and fund-raising, the Bishop of Stepney, the Right Reverend Adrian Newman, led the celebrations to mark the completion of a £1.3 million drop-in and activity centre at Christ Church, in St Albans Road, Barnet.

On his first visit to Barnet, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was on the warpath at the 1471 Battle of Barnet – five centuries later his namesake was back in the town joining the fight to preserve Barnet’s historic legacy.

Three Barnet war memorials – at Arkley, East Barnet and Monken Hadley Common – have been given the added protection of listed building status after a review conducted by Historic England. They were each considered of sufficient special architectural or historic interest to secure Grade II listing from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Cameras, smart phones and tablets will be out in force to capture images of the many much-admired and much-loved models that will be on display at the fourth annual Barnet Market classic car show on Saturday 10 June.

Up to forty jobs might be lost if planning permission is approved for the construction of two blocks of flats on the site of car repair workshops and other light-industrial premises at Meadow Works, midway between High Barnet and Whetstone.

Transport for London is facing concerted opposition to a proposed reduction from 15 minutes to 20 minutes in the frequency of the 384 bus from Quinta Drive, Barnet, to Cockfosters.

CHIPPING BARNET HIGH STREET – PROPOSED PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS: BARNET COUNCIL PUBLIC CONSULTATION, 28 MARCH – 20 APRIL 2017 Comments by the Barnet Society, April 2017 The Barnet Society supports the general intention of the latest Council proposals.

Helen Giles, who has wide experience as a museum curator and consultant for numerous heritage projects, has been appointed project co-ordinator for the programme to promote and explain the Battle of Barnet of 1471. Her appointment by the Battle of Barnet Project has been made possible by a grant of £98,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.