Welcome

This week we've got a cool roundup of local independents to fix-up your shoes, clothes, watches... anything.

​

And are driverless cars coming to Finchley?

​

Finally, a quick reminder to sign the petition to roll-back the dangerous bus lane changes on Regents Park Road (between Henley's Corner and East End Road / Gravel Hill).

👩‍🔧 The Finchley FIx-It List

From worn soles to split seams, Finchley’s fix-it heroes keep our stuff - and community spirit - going strong. From cobblers and tailors to repair cafés, here’s where mending still matters more than replacing.

​

1: COBBLERS

Shoe Craft N3

Right by Finchley Central tube station, keeping the dying art of shoe repair and key cutting going. A go-to for weary soles.

12 Station Rd, London N3 2RY

​

KOKOS Shoe Repairs N2

Just near East Finchley tube – family-run store, famed for expert leather restoration, precise artisan craftsmanship.

72 High Rd, London N2 9PN

​

NM Shoes & Repairs N3

A family-run spot trusted for quick fixes and careful handiwork. From worn heels to key cutting, they keep locals’ shoes — and small essentials — going strong with old-school reliability.

107 Ballards Ln, Church End, London N3 1XY

​

​

2: TAILORS

Finchley Tailor & Alterations N3

Highly rated tailor is loved for precision, speed and fair prices. From wedding suits to last-minute hems, they keep Finchley’s wardrobes sharp with skill and care

8 Long Lane, Church End, London N3 2PT

​

Tailor’s Corner N3

A trusted stop on Ballards Lane, handles everything from everyday repairs to bespoke adjustments. Friendly service, quick turnarounds, and decades of local know-how.

122 Ballards Lane, Church End, London N3 2DN

​

​

3: WATCH REPAIRS

The Watch Factory N2

Blending traditional craftsmanship with modern skill, restoring classic timepieces and everyday watches alike - a quiet hub for precision and patience.

127 High Road, East Finchley, London N2 8AJ

​

​

4: REPAIR CAFES

Part of a growing sustainability movement, look out for local Repair Cafés. They bring volunteers and neighbours together to fix broken items, share skills, cut waste - and revive community connection.

​

Past Repair Cafés have happened at Wood Green , hosted by the North London Waste Authority, at Friern Barnet Library

Currently, Muswell Hill Repair Café is the 4^th Saturday of the month, and you need to book a free slot. Bowes & Bounds Repair Café N11 is 1^st Sunday of the month.

Check out the Repair Café movement.

Finchley’s repair heroes keep things lasting - shoes, suits, watches, community spirit. 👩‍🔧

Events

ARTS

Saturday 25th October

Alex McAleer: Mind Reader | Sat, Oct. 25 | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | artsdepot | Tickets from £13.75 | What's on your mind? Internationally acclaimed mind reader Alex McAleer just might know. Alex brings together his unbelievable psychological skills with wit and humour for a totally unforgettable night.

​

Sunday 26th October

Free Family Film Screenings at the Visitor Pavilion | Sun, Oct. 26 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Visitor Pavilion, 145 Claremont Road, NW2 1FE | Free | Join us this half term for a cosy afternoon of family favourites with free popcorn for everyone. On the 26th the viewing will be Brave.

​

Saturday 1st November

Chuckl Comedy Club with Seann Walsh | Sat, Nov. 1 | 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm | artsdepot | Tickets from £20 | Get ready for an evening packed with laughter, featuring unforgettable performances from Seann Walsh, Keith Farnan, Finley Christie and Kate Barron.

​

​

COMMUNITY

Saturday 1st November

Dia de los Muertos - Day of the Dead at Clitterhouse Farm | Sat, Nov. 01 | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | Clitterhouse Farm Project, Clitterhouse Playing Fields | £11.55 | This year we’re celebrating Day of the Dead with adults, kids, and little ones — and it’s going to be spooktacular. Expect:a family-friendly disco; arts & crafts fun; badge making; and best fancy dress prizes.

​

Monday 3rd November

Kenwood Winter Events Consultation meeting | Mon, Nov. 03 | 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm | Kenwood House, Hampstead Lane, NW3 7JR | Free | Meet Kenwood team to find out more about the next season events and share your thoughts on the programme. The agenda and next 6-month programme will be distributed 2 weeks prior to the event. Confirm by emailing.

​

​

SHOPPING

Saturday 25th October

Plant Sale at Clitterhouse Community Garden | Sat, Oct. 25 | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | Clitterhouse Playing Fields, Clare, NW2 1AP | Free | A vibrant and innovative social enterprise working to protect the historic Clitterhouse farm buildings in north Cricklewood and transform them into a sustainable hub with garden, cafe, workshops and much more.

​

​

NATURE

Friday 24th October

Mindful Movement With Hannah | Fri, Oct. 24 | 11:00 am to 12:30 pm | Clitterhouse Farm Project Clitterhouse Playing Fields | Free | Come join me for a FREE mindful movement class at Clitterhouse Farm! All bodies welcome for guided stretching, meditation, and flow.

​

​

SUSTAINABILITY

Sunday 26th October

Barnets Repair Café | Sun, Oct. 26 | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | The workshop, claremont way, NW2 1FE | Free | Come along to another opening of the repair cafe where you can repair bikes, electronics and other assorted electrical items. there will also be an arts and crafts workshop focusing on reusing to give life to something old.

​

​

KIDS

Friday 24th October

The Parent & Child Drop In | Fri, Oct. 24 | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm | St John The Baptists Church, Wood Street, EN5 4BW | Free | Looking for a cosy, welcoming space to take a break with your little one? SJB Church is opening its doors for a Parent & Child Drop-In.

​

Wednesday 28th October

Pumpkin Decorating with Cinderella at Marleys Bakery | Wed, Oct. 29 | 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm | 10 Union Street, EN5 4JB | TBA | The best half term treat for your little ones. Contact Marleys bakery to book in.

Events - Book Ahead

Saturday 15th November

Muswell Hill Chorus - Handel's Dixit Dominus | Sat, Nov. 15 | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | St James, Muswell Hill, Saint James's Lane, N10 3DB | £16.96 | Hear Handel's dazzling Dixit Dominus and music by Bach and Gleilo, accompanied by professional soloists and orchestra.

​

Sunday 16th November

Vermeer’s Guitar Player | Sun, Nov. 16 | 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm | Kenwood House, Hampstead Lane, NW3 7JR | £25 | Join Saraband in Kenwood’s Music Room for an intimate concert to celebrate Vermeer’s The Guitar Player. For the first time, Vermeer’s painting is on display at Kenwood alongside its mysterious ‘twin’ – a version of the painting belonging to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which may or may not also be by the Dutch master.

​

Saturday 13th December

Winter Lights – Stephens House & Gardens | Sat, Dec. 13 | 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm | Stephens House & Gardens, N3 3QE | £6.50 | Come and take Christmassy walk around the lit up gardens.

Local Lowdown

​

Winning

• Award-winning flavours. Abdul Rahman of Muswell Hill’s much-loved The Taste of Nawab has scooped the Curry Life Award for Best Chef. The Award was handed to him by none other than loyal customer and author Michael Rosen. After 29 years behind the stove, Abdul’s still serving star-quality tarka dal that keeps locals coming back for more.

Recycling

• Leftovers to liftoff. Barnet’s new food waste caddies are rolling out between January and March 2026. From 30 March, weekly collections begin - so start saving those scraps. Want to win £100 in vouchers? Learn how to use your shiny new caddy and enter the draw at barnet.gov.uk/foodwaste.

Floodproofing

• Friary Park just got a makeover that’s both pretty and practical. Barnet Council’s new £500,000 wetland and pond system is complete, ready to soak up storms and protect homes from Blacketts Brook floods. Artificial banks are gone, nature’s back in charge, and the park’s looking lush after the rain.

Regenerating

• Building up. Camden Council’s dishing out big plans for King’s Cross. A £500m redevelopment of Camley Street and Cedar Way will provide 401 energy-efficient homes, with half being affordable. It will also create 350,000 square feet of workspace. Expect over 1,000 jobs across life sciences, tech, and creative industries in the city’s buzzing Knowledge Quarter.

Supporting

• Hate Crime Awareness Week kicks off across Barnet. Police and council teams will be at stations, schools, and faith hubs. They have one message: hate has no place here. They'll provide support, promote active-bystander training, and explain how to report hate crimes. Community always triumphs over cruelty.

The Finchleyite: Driverless Cars

Google-backed Waymo will begin testing its self-driving cars on London streets within weeks.

​

The company, owned by Alphabet, will deploy supervised robotaxis - Jaguar I-PACE vehicles equipped with the fifth-generation Waymo Driver- for data collection before launching fully driverless rides in 2026.

​

The UK’s Automated Vehicles Act allows commercial self-driving services from late 2027. London’s narrow, historic streets will test the technology more than US cities.

​

Advocates say autonomous cars improve safety, obey traffic laws, and could reduce parking demand, freeing space for housing, wider pavements, and greener streets.

​

However, councils may lose significant parking revenue — over £1.2 billion in profit last year. Barnet at £10.1m parking revenue does not make the top 10. Although Camden at £32.3m is in at no 7.

​

For now, the first Waymo cars are expected to appear this autumn, with public trials planned for spring 2026.

Editors' Note - From Sasha

Big week at Finchley Now Co-Towers (my house). Pre-publication copies of my business book, The Chief Event Officer's Playbook, arrived Friday.

​

Click on the image to watch the unboxing video. Available for pre-order on Amazon.

​

​

Also, let us know about local events or local news. We curate our content to keep it a 5-minute read, so can't include everything we're sent.

​

You can now get a guaranteed (paid) listing for local events or local lowdown/news items.

​

​And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.

​

Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze