Welcome

This week we check out family-owned businesses in East Finchley and our local musical director gets a Lifetime Achievement Award.

🧺 East Finchley's Indie Food Five

Finchley Now is all about community, and we love to explore family-owned businesses.

Supporting local food businesses strengthens the community. They create a unique culinary diversity, offering residents and visitors a taste of quality and authenticity you can't find in larger chains.

With a focus on East Finchley, here’s our curated list of 5 local independent food businesses.

1: Grahams Butcher and Deli

​Organic butcher and deli on East End Road. A family-run business spanning 3 generations. Offers high-quality fresh meat, homemade products, and dishes cooked especially to your individual requirements.

2: Tony’s Continental

First-class produce and excellent value for money. Since 1971, a traditional greengrocers with loose, individual fruit and vegetables. Not pre-washed just as nature intended. Friendly family-run business. Insta.

3: A Scott & Son Fishmongers

On the High Road in East Finchley, selling fresh fish daily. Recommended in Time Out as one of the best fishmongers in London.

4: Margot Bakery

​Artisan bakery making fresh sourdough bread, sourdough pastries, and babka on site. Michelle and her team bake with organic, free-range eggs, fair trade sugar, organic flour, and Estate Dairy butter. Plus, the new Highgate location opened recently. Modern Sourdough Cookery Book was published in 2024.

5: Campbell & Syme

Fortis Green. Launched in 2012, delivering fresh roasted coffee, teas and fine chocolates to your door.

And don’t forget the award-winning Alexandra Palace Farmers’ Market is held every Sunday at Alexandra Palace Park or nearby Campsbourne School from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Founded in 2003, the primary focus is top-quality local produce - fruit & veg, bread, cakes, meat, cheese, eggs, raw milk, preserves, and more. Also a great selection of local crafts and hot food, plus charity stalls and Fairtrade coffee.

So East Finchley, shop local. 🧺

Events

ARTS

Thursday 4th June

​Arsenal At Home | Thu, Jun. 04 | 11:00 am to 9:00 pm | 111 Highbury Park, N5 1UB | Free | An Exhibition by award-winning artist Gail Seres-Woolfson, with original paintings, limited edition prints & postcards in response to the architecture of Highbury & The Emirates in her home neighbourhood.

COMMUNITY

Saturday 23rd May

​Open Day Garden Fair | Sat, May. 23 | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm | East Barnet Baptist Church, EN4 8PS | Free | Garden Open Day and Garden Fair.

KIDS

Saturday 23rd May

​Expressions | Sat, May. 23 | 7:15 pm | Mill Hill East Church, Salcombe Gardens, NW7 2NT | Free | A new space for young people aged 11-18 to explore life, faith and worship through the creative arts. On every half term. Art: Poetry & Storytelling. May Theme: Jesus Brings Hope - Mental Health Awareness Month

Sunday 31st May

​Shelf: The Kids Show 2 - The Power of Two | Sun, May. 31 | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | Tickets from £13.75 | Fresh from their first award-winning family-friendly sketch show, Rachel and Ruby are back with double the sketches and double the comedy for all the family to enjoy.

MUSIC

Saturday 6th June

​A Candlelight Jazz Experience: Ella Fitzgerald vs Frank Sinatra | Sat, Jun. 06 | 7:00 pm | St John the Baptist Church, Chipping Barnet | From £16 | Lumos proudly presents Ella Fitzgerald vs Frank Sinatra, a captivating candlelight concert celebrating two of the greatest voices in jazz history. Experience the magic as these iconic legends go head-to-head in a night of smooth vocals, playful charm, and classic jazz energy.

NATURE

Friday 29th May

​Sheep grazing on the Extension | Fri, May. 29 | Approx 8:00 am to 7:30 pm daily | Hampstead Heath Extension, NW11 | Free | Sheep are returning to Hampstead Heath in 2026 as part of a partnership project between the City of London and the Heath and Hampstead Society. The sheep (on loan from Mudchute City Farm) will be out every day from 29th May to 7th June.

Sunday 31st May

​LNHS Floral Foray | Sun, May. 31 | 10:30 am to 3:00 pm | Whitestone Pond, Heathfield House, 432 Archway Road, N6 4JH | Free | Join Liz Andrew to search for some of the uncommon plants that were recorded on the Millennial Flora database. Meet at the Flagstaff by Whitestone Pond, 10 mins up the hill (A502, Heath St.) from Hampstead underground station. Bring lunch. All welcome.

THEATRE

Thursday 21st May

​Hood | Thu, May. 21 | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Rayne Theatre, Chickenshed, Chase Side, Southgate, N14 4PE | £5 | What happens after the legend ends? Inspired by the story of Robin Hood, Hood reimagines what comes next, when the myths have faded, but the questions remain.

Friday 22nd May

​Tales from Acorn Wood | Fri, May. 22 | 2:00 pm to 2:55 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | Tickets from £15 | Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved Tales from Acorn Wood stories are brought to life on stage in an enchanting lift-the-flap experience this half term! Runs Fri 22 to Tue 26 May.

Wednesday 27th May

​There's a Monster In Your Show | Wed, May. 27 | 2:00 pm to 2:50 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | Tickets from £15 | Tom Fletcher's interactive adventures leap from page to stage in this brand-new musical show packed with original songs, puppetry and exciting storytelling. Runs Wed 27 to Sat 30 May.

Events - Book Ahead

Sunday 14th June

​ONF Walkathon | Sun, Jun. 14 | 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm | Glebelands Open Space, Finchley, N12 | Adults £20, Under 16s £10, Under 5s free | For the community, charity and our nature reserve. Join the Community Charity Walkathon at Glebelands. A 5 km walk, 5 laps around the Glebelands open space, next to Great North Leisure Park. Organised by Our North Finchley, supported by Raphael House.

​Gerard Flotats - Solo Cello Recital | Sun, Jun. 14 | 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm | St Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church, 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1TR | Free with retiring collection | Come and enjoy an hour of exceptional live cello playing with young professional Catalonian cellist Gerard Flotats, selected by Tillett Trust as one of their Debut artists. Music by J.S. Bach, Sofia Gubaidulina, Alexander Papp, and a Catalan folk song arranged by Gerard Flotats.

Monday 29th June

​Shakers Re-stirred | Mon, Jun. 29 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Incognito Theatre, 106A Holly Park Road, N11 | £11 | Carol, Adele, Nicky and Mel work in a bar that is worse than hell! Welcome to the 80s, where every

Local Lowdown

Closing

• Another historic pub has shut its doors. The Haverstock Tavern, a Grade II listed pub dating to 1863, served its final pint and is moving operations elsewhere. Once home to a boxing gym where Muhammad Ali sparred, fans hope it will reopen under new ownership.

Consulting

• Brent Cross Town wants your input on the next wave of design proposals. Residents can share feedback on plans for new homes, parkland, public squares and community facilities around the South of the Station area. Have your say before plans move forward.

Striking

• Tube troubles ahead. RMT industrial action means four days of significant London Underground disruption from 19 to 22 May, with no service on the Circle, Piccadilly, parts of the Metropolitan and Central lines. Mornings start normally but afternoons grind to a halt. Plan alternative routes now.

Strutting

• A north London day centre is rewriting what fashion can do. Homeless Action Barnet transformed its day centre into a catwalk for Off the Street, a show celebrating clients, volunteers and outfits made from repurposed donations like sleeping bags and emergency blankets. Truly community-led creativity.

Crowdfunding

• Big plans for Alexandra Park's wildlife corner. A new crowdfunder has launched to build a wetland boardwalk for safer birdwatching and accessible nature walks, with every donation match-funded until 15 June. Backers can help create new habitat for amphibians, birds, insects and native plants.

The Finchleyite: David Lardi

David Lardi has helped shape Finchley’s musical life for decades. He just received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Barnet Civic Awards ceremony. This was in recognition of his incredible commitment to amateur music-making in the borough for over 50 years.

He was Musical Director of Finchley Symphony Orchestra for 40 years, retiring from the role in 2015, and remains closely connected through joint concerts with Finchley Chamber Choir, where he is long-time Musical Director.

Born in Manchester, he studied at Trinity College of Music in London, later teaching there for more than 20 years.

He also trained with Franco Ferrara at the Accademia Musicale in Siena, receiving the Diploma di Merito.

Lardi has conducted across England, Italy, Germany and the Czech Republic, appeared on ITV, recorded for the BBC, LWT and Italian Radio, and built a repertoire of more than 1,000 works.

Editors' Note - From Tessa

We are fully into GCSEs this week so are heads down working in the Davis House. We did make time to enjoy Eurovision though...

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