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🗞️ Where's the happiest place to live near Finchley?
Published 11 days ago • 7 min read
Welcome
Happy Bank Holiday Monday - if you're not working, hope you've had a lie-in or started a fun thing.
This week we've got two of the UK's happiest places to live - on our doorsteps. Plus a hospital radio anniversary.
🏡 Finchley-Adjacent Happiest Neighbourhoods
Happiness might just be artisanal coffee shops on your doorstep. Image Hot Milk cafe
Two of Britain’s happiest places to live are Finchley-adjacent, according to the Guardian.
The Ridgeway, Enfield
Number one in London - opposite Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, a cluster of roads off The Ridgeway offers a gateway to the countryside just north of London.
The area is anchored by local favourites like the Ridgeway Tavern and the Robin Hood pub, known for its popular Sunday roasts.
Nearby, Botany Bay Farm and Shop sells locally sourced produce. Gordon Hill station provides quick city access, with trains to Finsbury Park in 21 minutes and Moorgate in 37.
The area features a mix of postwar terraces, 1930s homes, and new builds. Property prices range from £375,000 for a one-bed flat in the Old Royal Chace development to £570,000 for a two-bed on Farorna Walk.
Bounds Green
Bounds Green blends into nearby areas like Muswell Hill and Bowes Park, offering easy access to a range of shops and cafes.
ers can explore Bluebell Wood or Alexandra Park’s 200 acres.
Property-wise, expect to pay around £1.2m for 1930s semi-detached homes near the school, or £300,000 for one-bedroom flats closer to the station.
Turns out happiness isn’t just a state of mind - it’s also a short walk to a good bakery and a peaceful park. 🏡
Events
KIDS
Thursday 29th May
Golders Hill Park Zoo 120th Birthday | Thu, May. 29 | 10:00 am to 1:00 pm | Golders Hill Park Zoo, NW3 7UL | Free | Celebrate at Golders Hill Park Zoo for a free, fun-filled morning of wildlife-inspired activities the whole family will love. There will be pin the tail on the (paper) donkey, lemur long jump, eco-friendly art fun, spot the wildcat challenge and a scavenger hunt.
OLDER PEOPLE
Friday 6th June
Generations - Future Cities: Walking & Sculpture Workshop | Fri, Jun. 06 | 10:00 am to 12:30 pm | Stephens House & Gardens, N3 3QE | A Workshop for the over 60s for London Festival of Architecture. With a starting point of walking in and reflection of the both the urban landscape and the green space of the Gardens, thoughts and feelings on the built environment, will be used to sculpt from materials recycled from the everyday function/business of the House & Gardens.
ARTS
Friday 30th May
Comedy at Chickenshed - Friday Night Funnies GO LARGE | Fri, May. 30 | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 290 Chase Side, N14 4PE | £16 | Big laughs as Resistance Comedy bring some of the best and brightest comedy performers around to Chickenshed. Headliner Aurie Styla joins the evening, Award-winning, razor-sharp, and always electric, Aurie brings arena-level energy to every room. With a sell-out tour under his belt and TV/radio credits across ITV, BBC, and Comedy Central, this is the comedian everyone’s talking about.
Sunday 1st June
London Festival of Architecture - St Mary-At-Finchley has a voice | Sun, Jun. 1 | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | St Mary-At-Finchley, 26 Hendon Lane, N3 1TR | Free of charge | Hear about some fascinating stories throughout June, including a sundial featured in a painting by Turner, by joining a heritage tour of the oldest building in Finchley. Find out more about St Mary's exciting Give me shelter! National Lottery Heritage Fund community project.
Sunday 7th June
Crouch End Open Studios | Sat, Jun. 7 | 11:00 am to 6:00 pm | Hornsey Library | Free | The 2025 Art Trail on 7 & 8 June. Exhibition At Hornsey Library. Art Trail around Crouch End. Discover the artists.
COMMUNITY
Saturday 31st May
Monken Hadley Village: a Guided Walk | Sat, May. 31 | 11:00 am to 1:00 pm | Meet outside The Spires, Barnet High St, EN5 5XY. | £15, £5 under 12s | This lovely village has some of the finest 18th-century houses in London, lived in by some of the most famous names in English literature, art, and history. It also boasts three beautiful green spaces. Email.
SHOPPING
Saturday 31st May
Finchley Sip & Shop Soiree | Sat, May. 31 | 10:00 am to 6:00 pm | 50 Long Lane, N3 2PU | Free | Discover an unforgettable day at our Sip & Shop Soiree where 10 incredible small businesses come together to showcase their finest products. Indulge in complimentary refreshments while being serenaded by soft, soothing music.
Tabletop Sale at Holly Park Methodist Church | Sat, May. 31 | 11:00 am to 4:00 pm | Holly Park Methodist Church Crouch Hill, N4 4BY | Free to attend, £15 to put up a stall of your own | Join the annual monthly tabletop sale at the church hall. Sales will be a mixture of stall holders selling unique handmade crafts and vintage or pre loved items.
THEATRE
Tuesday 27th May
The Smeds And The Smoos | Tue, May. 27 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm | artsdepot, 5 Nether Street, N12 0GA | £14 | Soar into space with this Olivier Award-nominated adaptation of the much-loved book by superstar duo Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. On a far-off planet, Smeds and Smoos can’t be friends. So when a young Smed and Smoo fall in love and zoom off into space together, how will their families get them back?
SPORT
Tuesday 3rd June
Flowing Yoga and Sound Bath Session | Tue, Jun. 3 | 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm | N3 Studio | £30 | The perfect blend of yoga, meditation and sound healing in the 90 minute session, thoughtfully designed to nurture your body and soul.
Events - Book Ahead
Sunday 6th July
Summer Concert | Sun, Jul. 6 | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm | NWRS, Alyth Gardens, NW11 7EN | £20 (students and under 18s free) | Alyth Choral Society is thrilled to be performing two new works, one of which is the world premiere: Psalm 118: Give thanks to the eternal by Julian Dawes, and A Season to Sing - a choral re-imagining of Vivaldi's Four Seasons by Joanna Forbes L'Estrange.
Fair in the square | Sun, Jul. 6 | 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm | Pond Square, Highgate, N6 | Annual Highgate street festival with food , music & handmade items.
Saturday 12th July
Kaleidoscope Festival At Ally Pally | Sat, Jul. 12 | 1:00 pm to 10:30 pm | Alexandra Palace Way, London N22 7AY | From £16 | On Saturday 12 July 2025, Alexandra Palace Park will once again transform into the ultimate festival playground with an epic line-up ranging from live music & DJ sets to side-splitting comedy and family fun, plus the rare chance to explore the Palace's Victorian Basements.
Local Lowdown
Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin with the plaque | Image from WorldOriginSite
Originating
Plaque-tastic. Monty Python legends Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin unveiled a shiny new plaque at Aroma Spice. It marks the spot where the legendary troupe first got together in 1969. A proper Hampstead neighbourly nod to the birthplace of silly walks, dead parrots, and British absurdity.
Saving
Powering up. Barnet Council’s new £50k Community Energy Fund is open for business. Local groups can grab grants for solar projects, energy-saving schemes, or community training to tackle carbon emissions and fuel bills. If you’ve got a green idea, now’s your chance to help Barnet hit Net Zero by 2042.
Draining
Welly weather, sorted. Hadley Woods got a glow-up. New reeds, marsh flowers, and a clever drainage system mean no more soggy shoes on Parkgate Avenue. Thanks to Enfield Council and Monken Hadley Common Trust, footpaths are now chip-topped and ready for strolls - rain or shine.
Slowing down
Slowing down. Speed control in your hands. Barnet residents can soon request 20mph zones on their streets via the council's website. After last week's council meeting, the new policy heads to public consultation. If you can show local support, the council will assess and prioritise your road for implementation.
Eating
Sweet expansion. The Urban Chocolatier opened its newest dessert-only restaurant on Kentish Town Road. This family-run chain, founded in 2013, specialises in indulgent treats like profiteroles, tiramisu, and baklava. Worth leaving Finchley for.
Happy Birthday Royal Free Radio
Tom Delaney DJing at Royal Free | Image from Enfield Dispatch
Run entirely by volunteers, the station offers record requests, quizzes, interviews, advice, and dementia-friendly content, with hourly news from Sky News. Inspired by offshore radio stations, it expanded steadily and rebranded in 2017 after joining the Royal Free London NHS Trust.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, volunteers kept broadcasts going remotely, relaying messages to isolated patients.
Station manager Andy Higgins has volunteered for 47 years, while others, like Patrick Kingham, have returned after long absences. The station continues to support the NHS and enhance patient wellbeing through entertainment and vital information.
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Editors' Note - From Sasha
Do Ho Suh Nest/s 2024 Courtesy the artist, Lehmann Maupin New York, Seoul and London, and Victoria Miro
A mix of immersive and salon-style hung works exploring ideas of home, belonging, connection and disconnection, with an emphasis on architecture and memory. Truly speechless. The intricacy. The artistry. On till 19th October. Go walk the house.
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.
And email us with any projects or ideas you'd like us to write about.
Tessa Davis
Sasha Frieze
Finchley Now
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