Welcome

The last Finchley Now of 2025!

We've got your New Year's Day sorted: 4 great walks with coffee/pubs at the end, and 3 cool activities.

Plus, the last chance to catch Neverland at Kenwood House.

Wishing all our readers a happy new year - and with special thanks to all health, retail and emergency workers continuing to deliver their vital services.

See you in 2026 🍾

🎉 7 New Year Walks and Activities

Amy Winehouse female singer on stage performing — Amy performing Back to Black

Want to start the New Year with a spring in your step? Whether you fancy a bracing walk or something out and about, we've got you covered.

Finchley is go-for-a-walk nexus - four great local-ish options.

1: Go to the Heath, Hampstead

A winter wander across Hampstead Heath delivers wild greenery, breezy paths and big views. Loop the Heath, then climb Parliament Hill for skyline-gazing or kite-flying. Get a coffee at one of the many coffee shops on South End Green

My favourite is Redemption Roasters – reducing reoffending through coffee. 53 South End Road, London, NW3 2QB

2: Walk from Highgate to Little Venice

A great walk from the Guardian collection of the best winter walks ending in a cosy pub. 8 miles, 3 ½ hours, start at Highgate tube station, ends at the Prince Alfred, Maida Vale.

The Prince Alfred, 5A Formosa St, London W9 1EE

3: Go to Waterlow Park, Highgate

This 20-acre pocket of calm is a brilliant London park: ponds for wildlife, benches for skyline pondering, snowy sledging hills, and Highgate Cemetery next door to stretch your winter wander.

Take your luck and see if the Pavillion Café in Highgate Wood is open or a short walk away Queen’s Wood Café.

4: Go to Ally Pally

Set across 190 acres, Ally Pally crowns north London, rewarding walkers with skyline views. Extend your ramble via the Parkland Walk from Alexandra Palace to Highgate, down to Finsbury Park.

Get a coffee and snack at The Grove Café, Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY 8am – 4pm, David and his team will be waiting

Want to go further afield? Three curated options:

New Year’s Day Parade

London’s New Year’s Day Parade features 10,000 performers, huge crowds, a 1pm start, Sam Ryder headlining, eclectic acts, and a landmark route from Piccadilly to Westminster with music and dance.

https://www.timeout.com/london/things-to-do/new-years-day-parade

1pm Bloomsbury

Museum of Architecture Gingerbread City

The Museum of Architecture’s festive edible exhibition transforms Coal Drops Yard into a playful biscuit city, showcasing inventive gingerbread designs and hands-on workshops celebrating imaginative, future-focused urban planning ideas seasonally.

Celebrating the Queen of Soul: Frank Vs Back to Black

Camden’s Jazz Café hosts an Amy Winehouse tribute night. 7:00 pm – standing or restaurant tickets. They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said no, no, no.

Whatever you go for – happy new year! 🎉

Events

MUSIC

Tuesday 20th January

Cohen, Bernstein, Joni & Me | Tue, Jan. 20 | 7:30 pm | Upstairs at the Gatehouse, N6 4BD | £25 | 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. In Auckland, Maestro Leonard Bernstein performs for Deb, and only Deb. In New York, Deb drives Leonard Cohen to the airport and a lifelong friendship begins. In Vancouver, Deb joins Joni Mitchell backstage in a meeting that is simply beyond belief.

Saturday 24th January

Tre Violini Concert | Sat, Jan. 24 | 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | Golders Green Unitarian Chapel, Hoop Lane, London NW11 8BS | £10 - £25 | Early music specialist group Canzona will perform thrilling music for three violins and continuo, by a clutch of 17th-century composers. Email.

COMMUNITY

Wednesday 7th January

Try Shared Reading | Wed, Jan. 07 | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | Stephens House & Gardens, N3 3QE | Free | Shared reading groups are a place to relax, make new friends and share stories. Just drop in and enjoy listening to a great story or poem – no pressure to talk or read. Everyone is welcome. No need to bring anything.

OLDER PEOPLE

Thursday 1st January

OneStonegrove Community Trust - Older People's Social Club | Thu, Jan. 01 | 11:30 am to 2:00 pm | OneStonegrove, 5 Hayling Way, Edgware, HA8 8BN | Free | Tea and hot drinks, a light lunch/healthy snacks, friendly conversation, various activities, some light exercise, games and fun. Different activities each week. Take part in as much or as little as you like.

SPORT

Tuesday 30th December

Fitness – Move, Sweat, Grow | Tue, Dec. 30 | 12:00 pm | Tarling Road Community Hub, N2 8LG | Free for all kids in Barnet | Energetic workouts, strength- and coordination-building exercises, mood-boosting activities — all in a friendly, supportive environment. No experience needed.

Thursday 15th January

Boxfit | Thu, Jan. 15 | 7:30 pm | 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12 0GA | £13, First class free | Kickboxing training is one of the best methods for all-round body conditioning. So whether you want to get fitter, stronger, lose weight, tone or a combination of the above, we tick all the boxes. All you need to bring is yourself in a t-shirt, jogging bottoms, trainers and a bottle of water.

THEATRE

Monday 19th January

Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles | Mon, Jan. 19 | 3:00 pm | The Bothy at Stephens House and Gardens, N3 3QE | £18.00, under 16 yrs £14.00 | Will detective duo Holmes and Watson discover the deadly secret of the Baskerville family curse before it strikes again? Or are they barking up the wrong tree? Find out in this delightfully inventive show that will have you yelping with excitement and howling with laughter.

KIDS

Monday 29th December

The Snowy Day At North Finchley Library | Mon, Dec. 29 | 10:30 am to 11:30 am | North Finchley Library, Ravensdale Avenue, N12 9HP | £6 | Join everyone on an adventure through the snow with Ezra Keats' lovely book ’The Snowy Day'. We'll be exploring winter through drama, movement, sensory play and crafts. Suitable for children aged 2 to 6 years.

Friday 2nd January

Thursday 22nd January

The Little Yoga Art Club | Thu, Jan. 22 | 9:30 am | 5 Nether Street, Tally Ho Corner, North Finchley, N12 0GA | £12.50 per session | The Little Yoga Art Club offers a unique, fun yoga-themed movement and sensory art class for toddlers and preschoolers, recommended ages 13 months to 4 years old. Each class is themed around a different story and features yoga movement, music, an art activity, bubbles and relaxation.

Events - Book Ahead

Saturday 31st January

Mindfulness Through Art - Watercolour Workshops | Sat, Jan. 31 | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | Clitterhouse Farm Project, NW2 1AP | From £16.96 | Relax, create, and unwind in a calming watercolour workshop designed to spark creativity and inner peace. Suitable for everyone aged 12+.

Sunday 8th February

Saturday 14th February

Candlelight Concert | Sat, Feb. 14 | 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm | The Old Palace, Hertfordshire, AL9 5HX | £60 per ticket | Enjoy a romantic evening of love songs by candlelight in a beautiful Tudor palace. In the stunning setting of the Old Palace, where Queen Elizabeth I once held court, enjoy elegant renditions of classic love songs throughout the decades, performed live by our magnificent string quartet, The London String Trio, in the opulent glow of golden candlelight.

Local Lowdown

Time-travelling

Step inside Hampstead’s own time capsule. This six-bedroom beauty, Cloth Hill, is a 17th-century gem. It feels like a scene from a period drama, full of antique charm and free from modern minimalism. The catch? It’ll set you back a cool £18 million. History doesn’t come cheap in North London.

Pedalling

North London gets speedy. Enfield Council has suggested a new cycle route. It will link Palmers Green, New Southgate, and Arnos Grove. This route will follow the Fox Lane LTN and connect to Barnet through Arnos Park and the A406. Expect new bike lanes, traffic-calming and nine shiny parallel crossings if it goes ahead.

Spinning

Set the vibe. Veteran DJ Rod “Spin Doctor” Gilmore has launched One Eighty One on Holloway Road. It's a mix of a record shop, café, and bar all in one. Supported by locals on Kickstarter, it's coffee and hip hop all day. Then, at night, enjoy cocktails and crate-digging beats. A proper North London groove spot.

Softening

Barnet’s wobble. Average house prices in Barnet fell to around £606k in the year to October. This is down 0.5% from September and 3.5% over the year, which is about £22k less. That’s a gentler dip than London overall, where prices fell 1.9%, with the UK average sitting near £270k.

Pubbing

Festive cheers. Hampstead’s Old Bull and Bush has made Eat Drink Meet’s list of the UK’s top 10 cosiest Winter pubs. Expect roaring fires, cheerful staff, and a comforting menu of festive classics. Perfect for a post-Heath pint, a winter cocktail, or just warming up with the dogs in tow.

The Finchleyite: Neverland at Kenwood

Kenwood House with peter Pan and dreamworld floating above — Enter a magical, imaginative world - before 3 January

Closing on 3 January, Neverland at Kenwood invites visitors into a magical outdoor light trail inspired by Peter Pan.

Blending imagination, adventure and festive spectacle, tickets are still available for this magical experience.

Set at Kenwood House, the experience reimagines London with glowing landmarks, the Darling family home and a soaring journey towards Neverland, guided by Tinkerbell.

Designed for families, couples and friends, it transforms Hampstead Heath into a dreamlike winter wonderland.

Alongside seasonal joy, the event supports a meaningful cause: J. M. Barrie’s legacy lives on through its partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, with £1 from every ticket donated to help fund vital care, research and support for seriously ill children.

Neverland at Kenwood – tickets available till Sat 3 January 2026. Current availability includes 29-31 Dec and 1-3 Jan.

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Editors' Note - From Sasha

Had a wonderful Finchley-based twixtmas so far. Hanging out with friends, experimenting with cooking.

It's supposed to be "the new Hamilton" - it's definitely tangentially about a US president.

Two great theatre trips – Oh Mary! At the Trafalgar Theatre (we loved, our friends didn’t – edgy, satirical – if you love it, you love it) and The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy at the Riverside Studios (make sure you know where your towel is).

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.

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

Tessa Davis

Sasha Frieze

Finchley Now

🗞️ The Hampstead House costing £18m