Welcome

This week we've got some spooky sightings for all of our local ghost-hunters.

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Plus some real-life history about our Finchley Coat Of Arms.

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And scroll down for a great, seasonal cake recipe.

👻 Spooktacular Haunts: A Ghostly Guide to Our Most Eerie Sites

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With Halloween just behind us, our streets are still echoing with tales of the eerie and the unexplained.

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If you thought the trick-or-treaters were spooky, wait till you hear about the real ghosts that are rumoured to roam our neighbourhoods.

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Thanks to a detailed map by author Dr Paul Lee, here are 8 haunted local spots that promise to send a shiver down your spine:

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1: East Finchley Tube Station, N2. Legend has it that a ghostly steam train has been spotted chugging along the tracks here. This spectral locomotive makes its silent journey in the dead of night.

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2: The RAF Museum, NW9. Visitors report hearing unexplained footsteps and the eerie sound of engines revving up, echoing through the empty hangars.

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3: The Spaniards Inn, NW3. The infamous highwayman Dick Turpin is said to spook the upper rooms, while his horse haunts the car park.

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4: Southgate House, N14. A chilling figure is often seen pacing the basement corridor before vanishing through a solid wall. Whether it’s a former resident or something more sinister, the mystery remains unsolved.

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5: North London Business Park, N11. Once a hub for telephone manufacturing, now witnesses claim to see a tall hooded figure resembling a monk during storms.

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6: The Old Bull and Bush, NW3. This pub is not only known for its lively atmosphere but also for the occasional Victorian gentleman who prefers to linger in the bar long after last call. Mysterious bumps and ghostly footsteps are common here.

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7: Swain’s Lane, N6. This lane is notorious for sightings of a gentleman in Victorian garb, who courteously greets passersby before disappearing through locked gates into Highgate Cemetery.

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8: The Gatehouse, N6. Home to the ghostly Mother Marnes and other apparitions. Sightings include a mysterious lady in grey who watches over the old ballroom.

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Just remember, if you do encounter something supernatural, stay calm. Our ghosts are more famous than frightening.👻

Events

KIDS

Sunday 10th November

​Mill Hill Finches Girls Cricket Winter Training | Sun, Nov. 10 | 5:00 pm | Middlesex Indoor Cricket School East End Road N3 2TA | £20.00 | Sundays from 5pm to 7pm at Middlesex Indoor Cricket School, November to March 2024 / 2025. An opportunity to learn new skills, play fun games and activities, as well as meeting a whole host of new friends!

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OLDER PEOPLE

Tuesday 5th November

​Digital Dilemmas at Chipping Barnet Library | Tue, Nov. 05 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | Chipping Barnet Library 3 Stapylton Road EN5 4QT | Free | Gain confidence online. These sessions offer assistance with using a computer, online shopping, sending emails, social media accounts, Microsoft Office, using a tablet, online forms, navigating Government or NHS websites, job hunting, using Barnet Libraries' online resources and more.

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ARTS

Wednesday 6th November

​Highgate Watercolour Group Annual Exhibition | Wed, Nov. 06 | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm | Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, N6 5HG | Free | The exhibition includes artwork from the Highgate Watercolour Group’s visits across north London, painting Highgate, Camley Street Natural Park, Regent’s Canal, Stephens House & Gardens and Primrose Hill, plus landscapes from further afield. A colourful display of expressive floral paintings, contemplative Still Lifes, and curious scenes of the natural world will also be on show.

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COMMUNITY

Sunday 10th November

Love Your N21 Market | Sun, Nov. 10 | 10:00 am to 3:00 pm | The Sidings, N21. | Free | Save the date for our Love Your N21 Christmas Market!! Some friendly faces will be appearing at this market and some new small business as well. All of which will have lots of amazing products perfect for you to start your Christmas shopping. | Contact: LoveyourN21@Gmail.com for more info

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MUSIC

Wednesday 6th November

​Fauré's Requiem - Highgate Choral Society | Wed, Nov. 06 | 7:30 pm | Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ | £15.00 | Highgate Choral Society and The London Chorus combine forces with acclaimed soloists Roderick Williams and Lucy Crowe and the New London Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Corp OBE, to celebrate music by composers whose anniversaries fall in 2024. 100 years since the death of French composer Gabriel Fauré, hear his Requiem, the best-known and loved of his large works.

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Friday 8th November

​Elvis Comes To Finchley | Fri, Nov. 08 | 7:00 pm | St Mary's Church Hall 30 Hendon Lane N3 1TR | 20.00 | Elvis Tribute Night at St Mary-at-Finchley! A free drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) is included in your ticket price. Enjoy the music!

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SPORT

Tuesday 5th November

​Wingate & Finchley vs Carshalton Athletic | Tue, Nov. 5 | 7:45 pm to 10:00 pm | Maurice Rebak Stadium, Summers Lane, N12 0PD | Adults £12, Concessions £8, 11-18yrs £5, Under 11s FREE | Wingate & Finchley are on an excellent run, sitting in the playoff places in the Isthmian Premier League and welcome Carshalton Athletic from South London to N12 on Tuesday night.

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Wednesday 6th November

​Stretching Through Trauma | Wed, Nov. 6 | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Holy Trinity Church, East Finchley | Free | “Stretching Through Trauma” is a trauma-informed class that uses therapeutic stretching to help participants release tension and reconnect with their bodies. Led by a skilled facilitator, the sessions provide a safe, supportive space for healing through mindful movement.

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Saturday 9th November

​Sports for Disabled people in Brent | Sat, Nov. 09 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | Willesden Sports Centre Donnington Road NW10 3QX | £4 | Join the Community Club in Brent - an inclusive sports club for those with special needs (SEND). Sessions run every Saturday from 2pm to 4pm.

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Sunday 10th November

​Camden Town WFC vs Islington Borough WFC | Sun, Nov. 10 | 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm | The Maurice Rebak Stadium | Free tickets | Greater London Women’s Football League – Match day 7. Welcoming Islington Borough WFC to the Maurice Rebak Stadium on Sunday 10th November for a 2pm kick off. Bar and food stalls open from 1pm. After-party in the bar where you can meet the players and coaches. 2pm Kick off.

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SUSTAINABILITY

Wednesday 6th November

​Zero Waste Community Leadership Training | Wed, Nov. 6 | 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm | Finchley Church End Library | Free | Learn the skills and knowledge needed to galvanise your community to reduce domestic waste. From food waste, apparel, electronics and other waste, we cover a variety of fun initiatives that help people save money, reduce isolation and fight climate change.

Events - Book Ahead

Saturday 23rd November

​Voice and Verse Tour: Beyond Poets’ Corner | Sat, Nov. 23 | 11:00 am | Westminster Abbey, SW1P 3PA | £10 | On this tour, we will explore the poets words and works throughout the entire Abbey. Come along to discover how their voices resonate through a variety of different moods, monuments and memorials. Worth leaving Finchley for.

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Saturday 23rd November

​East Finchley Open Winter Fair | Sat, Nov. 23 | 11:00 am to 7:00 pm | All Saints Church, Durham Road N2 9DP | free | EFOA hand made art and craft. Saturday afternoon Concert with the Archer Academy choir, Captain Crackers and the Curiosities, an electronic acoustic band, and a jazz trio. The Wave cafe refreshments, a raffle for the charity of the year, the Destitute Asylum Seekers. Also on 24 Nov - Sunday 11.30 am - 5pm.

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Sunday 8th December

​Ingocnito Theatre - A Streetcar Named Desire | Sun, Dec. 08 | 6:00 pm to | Incognito Theatre, Friern Barnet, N11 3HB | Non members: £11, Members: £10, students: £5 | Blanche du Bois moves to her sister Stella's New Orleans home after losing her own, but her illusions and troubled past lead to despair. Unable to cope, she ultimately descends into madness.

Local Lowdown

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Shopping

• Merry Reservations. With 10 weeks until Christmas, Asda Delivery Pass members can now book festive food deliveries. Tesco Click & Collect slots open 5 November, Waitrose and Morrisons slots are open. Ocado open for Smart Pass members, minimum spend £90.

Roads

• Milestone M1. The UK’s first cross-country motorway, the M1, celebrated it’s 65th birthday on Saturday. Initially linking Watford to Rugby, it revolutionised travel between London and Leeds. With early design quirks and rising usage, it now faces congestion and litter issues. Improvements aim to ensure its future viability.

Flooding

• Flood Fix. Barnet and Harrow councils are urging residents to give feedback on the Silk Stream revitalisation project, aimed at reducing flooding and improving water quality. Launched in 2021 with £6 million funding, the project includes wetlands and drainage systems. Survey deadline: November 10.

Healthcare

• Healing Hub. The new North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) launched on Friday. It combines Barnet, Enfield and Haringey, and Camden and Islington mental health trusts serving five North London boroughs. With a £670 million budget and 6,000 staff, NLFT aims to enhance mental health services for local and regional needs.

Parties

• Sparkle Success. East Finchley’s POW! Parties, a facepaint and glitter business, has reached the Regional Finals of The Wedding Industry Awards 2025 in the Special Touch and Best Newcomer categories. Congrats Lyla Harris-Quinn – and good luck in the South East awards.

Finchley History: Our Coat Of Arms

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When you think of Finchley’s Coat of Arms, picture history, nature, and a bit of royal flair all wrapped up in one emblem.

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At its center, a ragged chevron represents the ancient Finchley Wood, once a vast oak forest that covered the area.

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The green background is to reflect those woods, and to give a nod to a Finchley that was once more rural and wild.

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A Tudor rose sits within the chevron, symbolising the Tudor monarchs who used Finchley Woods as royal hunting grounds. The stag and horns refer to their hunting too.

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The mitre? That refers to the Bishop of London, who was lord of the manor and owned land in the district.

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The lion is for the Compton family - a manorial household that played its own part in Finchley’s story.

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And in case you missed the subtle hint, a finch and fleur-de-lis cleverly reference our very own name.

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Our motto, “Regnant Qui Serviunt,” sums it up: “They Who Rule Serve.”

Editors' Note - From Sasha

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We've been celebrating the start of autumn with some seasonal baking.

First time try-out, but the Smitten Kitchen Pumpkin Bread is a winner.

I omitted the ground cloves, upped the cinnamon, ginger and fresh nutmeg (always fresh, never ground).

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And this is a 2lb cake tin recipe (took me a bit of Maths), if you're still Imperial / not in cups.

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

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

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Tessa Davis Sasha Frieze