Welcome

Ready to start on those New Year's resolutions? We share some local Pilates classes to get you started. Plus Finchley's most famous Higwayman.

💪 5 Finchley Pilates Picks for '26

New year, new strength - without burpees.

If fitter, stronger, more flexible is your goal, these five Pilates classes in Finchley help resolutions finally stick this January.

What is pilates?

Pilates is a full-body exercise that develops tone, flexibility, and strength.

It was developed by Joseph Pilates in the 20th century.

There are two main types: mat and reformer pilates.

Both stem from the genius of Joseph Pilates, yet each offers a unique experience.

What's the difference between mat and reformer pilates?

Mat pilates is the classic, most accessible form. You use your body weight for resistance. It enhances core strength, flexibility, posture, and coordination. A mat is all you need to start.

In contrast, reformer pilates introduces a machine adorned with springs, pulleys, and straps. It's a full-body workout, offering varied challenges.

Both types promise increased strength and flexibility and cater to all ages and fitness levels.

1: For 40+ pilates

Kerry at Happy Body Pilates offers pilates and strength training in mat classes and 1-to-1 reformer classes. Help you stay strong, mobile and confident in your body. Insta.

2: For classic pilates

Well-equipped classic pilates studio in North London. ​Pilates Nation​ in East Finchley has ten classically training pilates teachers and a range of classes. Great for all skill levels. Insta.

3: For video classes

Esther Shortt offers daily classes at ​ShorttFitness​. Sessions include yoga-pilates fusion and chair exercises for seniors. Insta.

4: For pre- and post-natal

Heidi Vandenbroek at​ Body Sync Pilates​ does reformer classes and private sessions in N3. Her Return to Fitness courses cater to those navigating SPD, diastasis recti, and more. Insta.

5: For fitness

Tina's female-only ​LHM fitness​ pilates class is in Whetstone. It focuses on strength, tone, and core. Join for an empowering, judgment-free workout. Insta.

Time to roll out the mat in Finchley. Whether you’re reformer-curious, mat-loyal, or class-shopping, there’s a Pilates path ready to make your first move. 💪

Events

*CORRECTION - INCORRECT DATE PUBLISHED LAST WEEK!*

​Comedy Night At The Silent movies: Safety Last! | Sat, Jan. 24 | 6:00 pm to 7:45 pm | St Mary-at-Finchley Parish Church | Free (retiring collection for St Mary-at-Finchley Church and Churchyard Appeal). Enjoy the comic genius of legendary silent filmstar Harold Lloyd, brought to life with the excitement of improvised music played by organist Darius Battiwalla on the 2-manual Willis pipe organ.

ARTS

Thursday 15th January

​National Bird Day At Mill Hill Library | Thu, Jan. 15 | 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm | Mill Hill Library, Hartley Avenue, Mill Hill, NW7 2HX | Free | Join everyone at Mill Hill Library to become an author and illustrator of your very own bird book. Draw colourful birds, write fun facts and let your imagination soar.

Saturday 31st January

​Playing with Poetry Masterclass: A Valentine to Your Environment | Sat, Jan. 31 | 2:00 pm | artsdepot, N12 0GA | From £15 | Join published poets Lisa Kelly and Patrizia Longhitano for a creative workshop to explore the many faces of love – love for people, love for nature, and love for the places that shape us. Through exploring inspiring poems (both written and visual), you’ll discover fresh ways to express appreciation for your surroundings.

Now Till Sunday 1st February

​Cohen, Bernstein, Joni & Me | Now Till Sun, Feb 1st | 7:30 pm | Upstairs At The GateHouse, 1 North Rd, Highgate Village, N6 4BD | Growing up in a Jewish immigrant family whose identity was powerfully shaped by song, young Deb Filler yearns to find her own kind of music. Courageous, determined, and just plain lucky, she finds her way into the lives of some of the greatest musical artists of our time. Deb’s hilarious, surprising and at times painful quest for love and happiness is revealed in these and other once-in-a-lifetime stories. But it is only after a spontaneous trip with her own father that Deb finally finds her own, authentic voice.

COMMUNITY

Tuesday 13th January

​Barnet Food Festival 2026 | Tue, Jan. 13 | RAF Museum London Grahame Park Way, NW9 5LL | £10 under 16s go free | Join on the 13 September 2026 for a delicious time at the Museum’s airfield. Sample street food from around the world, enjoy live music, and bring the family for fabulous children’s activities — all included in your ticket.

NATURE

Saturday 31st January

​Community Orchard Tree Planting | Sat, Jan. 31 | 10:15 am to 12:15 pm | The Green Wellbeing Hub, Mays Lane | Free | Join to start growing something special at The Green Wellbeing Hub, and we need your hands (and boots!) to help bring it to life. Join us for our Community Orchard Planting Day as we put the very first fruit trees (and shrubs) into the ground.

SPORT

Friday 16th January

​Enfield Badminton | Fri, Jan. 16 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | Wren Academy, 3 Chace Village Road, EN2 8GH | £7 | Social weekly badminton group. The club is supported by regular members who pay in advance to secure the booking at a discounted rate. The current rate for guest players is £7. Regulars pay £4

MUSIC

Friday 16th January

​Colindale Barnet Folk Club presents The Kimberleys | Fri, Jan. 16 | 8:00 pm | The Bull Theatre, EN5 5SJ | £7.48 | The Kimberleys are a multi-instrumentalist duo based in London. Their repertoire is drawn from traditional folk songs of the British Isles. Their honest arrangements, exceptional musicianship and glorious familial harmonies combine to make an impact much greater than their two-piece line up. It is magical to witness.

KIDS

Wednesday 14th January

​Lego Bunch at Childs Hill Library | Wed, Jan. 14 | 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm | Childs Hill Library, 320 Cricklewood Lane, NW2 2QE | Free | Welcome to the Lego Bunch. Calling all young builders ages 6–12. Get ready to stack, snap, and let your imagination soar at Childs Hill Library’s Lego Bunch.

Saturday 17th January

​Finchley BabyBallers | Sat, Jan. 17 | 9:30 am to 11:30 am | Christs College Finchley | Free trial, £40 per month for ongoing attendance weekly | BabyBallers Finchley is a new toddlers and preschoolers activity launching every Saturday and Sunday at Christs College Finchley. The focus is on football and skill building in young children, and the motto is Learn Through Play.

Events - Book Ahead

Saturday 14th February

​Sherlock Holmes: The Hunt for Moriarty | Sat, Feb. 14 | 2:00 pm to | artsdepot, N12 0GA | From £20 | A thrilling adventure based on the work of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes: The Hunt for Moriarty is a world premiere combining powerful performances, a haunting soundscape and innovative design for an exhilarating theatrical experience.

Thursday 19th February

​BLINK | Thu, Feb. 19 | 7:00 pm | 116p Upper St, N1 1QP | From £10 This is a story about seeing and being seen. About watching and being watched. And about love. Sophie has just lost a parent. So has Jonah. Sophie has just inherited quite a lot of money. So has Jonah. After a series of uncanny coincidences, the pair find themselves living on top of one another, in two small flats in Leytonstone. Then, on a whim, Sophie mails Jonah a baby monitor connected to her flat. And he starts to watch her. Reading. Playing video games. Eating. Watching TV. Without ever coming face to face, something almost like love starts to bloom between them.

Saturday 6th June

​Barnet Medieval Festival | Sat, Jun. 06 | to | Lewis of London, Galley Lane, Barnet, EN5 4AL | TBA | Save the dates! Barnet Medieval Festival will return on 6th-7th June 2026 to the beautiful setting of Lewis of London for another action-packed weekend of medieval history.

Local Lowdown

Cruising

• Barnet rolled up in style. Four classic cars from Barnet Classic Car Club stole the show at London’s New Year’s Day parade. Highlights included a regal 1955 Ford Popular with King and Queen look-alikes waving royally from the front. Long live vintage charm.

Homesteading

• ​Hampstead’s still got it. Ranked third on The Telegraph’s list of London’s “golden” neighbourhoods, this leafy gem attracts both families and celebrities. It has £1.3m homes, good schools, and 790 acres of Heath to roam. It’s no wonder Harry Styles and Helena Bonham Carter call its winding streets home.

Rivalling

• Arkley’s got football fever. Hadley FC and London Lions faced off in what might be England’s closest derby - their pitches are less than a mile apart. The Lions snatched a 2-1 win with a last-minute goal, reviving a village rivalry that hasn’t flared this hot in a decade.

Gridlocking

• Camden’s getting cone-happy. HS2 works on Finchley Road, plus gas, power, water and broadband upgrades mean rolling closures and traffic controls through January, some lasting up to five weeks. Expect delays on Highgate Road, St Alban’s Road, Greenwood Place and Leighton Road, so leave early or go greener.

Londoning?

• Wondering if Finchley is 'proper' London? James Darling’s Londonometer crunches data and maths to give every spot a very serious, very silly 'how London' percentage. Forget Zones and the M25 - plug in your postcode, then brag (or sulk) about just how London you really are.

The Finchleyite: Dick Turpin

Finchley has a formidable highwayman history - robbers who stole from travellers, often on horseback. They were prominent during the Elizabethan era until the early 19th century. Finchley Common (now around Coppetts Wood), was a favoured haunt for these criminals.

The area's notoriety was so great that Sir Gilbert Elliott, Earl of Minto, once said he: 'wouldn't dare traverse it in the dark’.

Notable figures such as Edmund Burke fell victim here in 1774. Well-known highwaymen like Jack Sheppard and Dick Turpin were associated with the Common. But neither committed crimes there.

The enclosure of Finchley Common in 1811 is often credited with ending highwayman activities. But other factors played a pivotal role. By the late 18th century, measures like the introduction of traceable paper money and the establishment of the Bow Street Horse Patrol reduced highway robbery.

Interestingly, the legend of the infamous highwayman, Dick Turpin, became associated with the area much later. A tree called "Turpin’s Oak" stood as a testament to his alleged presence until 1952.

Editors' Note - From Sasha

Back with a bang after a restful break. Had a lovely New Year's day coffee with the fam at Finch , East Finchley's newly opened cafe/social enterprise.

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