Area
Finchley news
125 stories from and about Finchley, mostly local news, culture & arts, council & politics. The most recent ran on 30 October 2026. Page 4 of 7.
Public records for Finchley. Explore the Home Office street-level crime figures for this area. Review the planning applications recently validated across the borough.
Reported from Finchley
Council & Politics · FinchleyBarnet Council extends Finchley charity contract for £586,000
Barnet Council has extended its contract with Barnet Mencap, a Finchley-based charity supporting people with learning disabilities and autism. The £586,000 deal runs from September 2026 to August 2028 and aims to reduce demand for adult social care services.
Finchley4 min readTrust 56 · Craft 87 · Hype 12
Local News · FinchleySt Mary-at-Finchley opens doors for free Heritage Open Days events
St Mary-at-Finchley, the oldest building in the area, will host free Heritage Open Days events from 11 to 20 September 2026. Activities include a community gardening session, a five-mile heritage walk, and a concert by organist Macie Sutherland.
Finchley4 min readTrust 56 · Craft 60 · Hype 15
Local News · FinchleyFinchley Memorial Hospital pharmacy to close on 31 August
The pharmacy at Finchley Memorial Hospital will shut at the end of August after the North West London Integrated Care Board declined to renew its contract. Local MP Sarah Sackman has launched a campaign to retain on-site services, while the ICB points to nine alternative pharmacies within one mile.
Finchley4 min readTrust 68 · Craft 73 · Hype 20
Culture & Arts · FinchleyJeremy Sassoon to perform at JW3 Finchley as autumn arts season opens
JW3 on Finchley Road will host pianist Jeremy Sassoon on 24 September 2026, launching an autumn season of music, comedy and family events. The centre’s annual pantomime, *Dick Whittingberg Gets Into a Pickle*, runs from 6 December 2026 to 3 January 2027.
Finchley5 min readTrust 56 · Craft 52 · Hype 30
Transport & TfL · FinchleyMetropolitan Line Train Held for 90 Minutes
Dozens of concertgoers were delayed for 90 minutes on a Metropolitan line train after a trespasser entered the tracks. Services were halted on July 28, 2026, with some passengers reportedly suffering from heat exhaustion.
Finchley2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 65
Local News · FinchleyCollege Farm Finchley Set for Reopening After 25 Years
College Farm in Finchley, closed for over 25 years, is set to be reopened to the public. A new partnership between the College Farm Trust and the Jeremy Coller Foundation will fund restoration of the Grade II-listed buildings.
Finchley3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 30
Local News · FinchleyFinchley Fundraiser Awarded BEM for Poppy Appeal Work
Finchley resident Jennifer Thomas has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for her charitable work. Known as 'The Poppy Lady', she has supported the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal for 62 years, raising over £12,000 in the last year alone.
Finchley2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 52 · Hype 12
Property & Planning · FinchleyFinchley Homes Set for Flat Conversion
Proposals have been lodged for the redevelopment of two neighbouring properties in Finchley. The plans aim to convert the houses into multiple self-contained flats, incorporating basement works, new extensions, and on-site parking facilities.
Finchley2 min readTrust 56 · Craft 67 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · FinchleyFinchley Cricket Club Hosts School Softball Tournament
Finchley Cricket Club organised a two-day softball competition for 29 local schools, including separate tournaments for mixed and girls' teams. The event aimed to encourage more girls into the sport and was attended by MP Sarah Sactman.
Finchley3 min readTrust 56 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Culture & Arts · FinchleyFinchley Rugby Celebrates Double Promotion
Finchley Rugby's men's and women's first XVs have both secured promotion following successful league campaigns. The club's centenary year has been marked by this significant achievement, with the women's team winning their league title.
Finchley3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 35
Property & Planning · FinchleyNorth London Hospice to rebuild Finchley unit
North London Hospice is set to rebuild its Finchley inpatient unit in a £10 million project. The current facility, over 30 years old, will close in June 2026, with a temporary unit opening in Edgware.
Finchley3 min readTrust 56 · Craft 80 · Hype 15
Local News · FinchleyFinchley RFC Opens New Gym with Rugby Stars
Finchley RFC celebrated the opening of its new centenary gym, built by volunteers, with an appearance by World Cup winner Kelsey Clifford. Later, Ugo Monye led an injury prevention session filmed by Arthrosamid.
Finchley2 min readTrust 56 · Craft 62 · Hype 15
Crime & Safety · FinchleyNorth Finchley Parents Charged with Baby's Murder
A mother and father from North Finchley have been charged with murder following the death of their three-month-old son. The baby was found with serious injuries on January 30 and later died in hospital on February 17.
Finchley2 min readTrust 36 · Craft 60 · Hype 15
Also affecting Finchley
Borough-wide and national stories that name Finchley or bear directly on it.
Property & Planning · BarnetWhy London’s leak detection specialists are busier than ever this autumn
Demand for leak detection in London is up 35% on last year. What is driving it, what a visit costs, who pays, and what Barnet homeowners and tenants should do first.
Barnet5 min read
Local News · CricklewoodWaitrose to open Chalk Farm convenience store in 2028
Waitrose has announced plans to open a new convenience store in Chalk Farm in 2028. This follows the recent opening of a larger supermarket on Cricklewood Broadway as part of a nationwide expansion.
Cricklewood2 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 41
Property & Planning · Golders GreenBarnet Council approves 130‑room Hotel Unique redevelopment in Golders Green
Barnet councillors gave unanimous backing on 14 October 2026 to a scheme that will add a four‑storey hotel with 114 rooms, refurbish the existing building for 16 more, and keep the locally‑listed Refectory Pub at 4 Golders Green Crescent. The plan was called in by Childs Hill councillor Cory Turner and submitted by Pressfield Limited.
Golders Green3 min readTrust 72 · Craft 87 · Hype 15- World
Labour forecast to win up to 60 London seats, poll shows strong swing in Barnet
A poll commissioned by PR firm PLMR and carried out by Find Out Now surveyed 6,699 people in late September. It projects Labour winning 59 or 60 of London’s 75 seats, a rise that could reshape representation in Barnet’s constituencies.
3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 64 · Hype 48 
Local News · North FinchleyNorth Finchley site manager wins NHBC award
Harvey Scott, site manager at Taylor Wimpey's The Tramworks development in North Finchley, has won a National House-Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Regional Award. The award recognises excellence in the multi-storey category.
North Finchley2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 61 · Hype 41
Transport & TfL · High BarnetNorthern line suspended between Camden Town and East Finchley, High Barnet commuters face severe delays
A signal fault at Kentish Town has halted Northern line service between Camden Town and East Finchley. Severe delays now affect travel from East Finchley to High Barnet, with trains being diverted to Edgware. The District line also suffers minor delays around Earl’s Court.
High Barnet3 min readTrust 30 · Craft 77 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · BarnetMuswell Hill Cattery Owner Banned From Keeping Animals
A Muswell Hill cattery owner has been disqualified from keeping animals for three years after admitting to running an unlicensed cat boarding business. She was also fined a total of £1,368. Separately, a Finchley chicken shop and its director were fined for using an unlicensed A-board.
Barnet2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 20
Culture & Arts · Barnet97-year-old artist's exhibition opens at Barnet care home
An exhibition featuring sculptures and paintings by 97-year-old resident Joy Feld is now open to the public at Carlton Court Care Home in Bells Hill, Barnet. The display, which includes artwork from the last 40 years, will run until 25 October 2026.
Barnet2 min readTrust 56 · Craft 80 · Hype 15
WorldHome Office data show hate crimes rise 7% to 146,825 in year to March 2026
Police‑recorded hate crimes in England and Wales increased by 7% to 146,825 in the year to March 2026. Anti‑Muslim offences jumped 15% while antisemitic hate crime remains at an unacceptably high level, according to the Home Office, the British Muslim Trust and the Community Security Trust.
3 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 28
Local News · North FinchleyNorth Finchley brewery wins national CAMRA award
London Brewing Company, based in North Finchley, has received the John Young Memorial Award from the London branches of CAMRA. The award celebrates significant contributions to real ale and pub culture in the capital.
North Finchley3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 20
Council & Politics · BarnetBarnet depot workers reject 18‑month backpay offer, council faces strike
Barnet Council’s second offer of 18 months’ backpay for depot staff was turned down in a September ballot with more than 90% turnout. Unison says the council must improve the offer by 9 October or risk a strike ballot in November and possible action in December.
Barnet3 min readTrust 56 · Craft 95 · Hype 30
Local News · BarnetBritish Heart Foundation to close Barnet and Finchley stores
The British Heart Foundation will close its Barnet and Finchley shops as part of a wider plan to shut 150 stores across the UK. The charity reported a £3.3m retail loss in the last financial year, citing increased operating costs and shifts in consumer behaviour.
Barnet3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 65 · Hype 45
Culture & Arts · Golders GreenAckermans Chocolates shop on Goldhurst Terrace closed after 50 years
Ackermans Chocolates, established by Werner and Lotte Ackerman on Goldhurst Terrace, operated for five decades, earned a Royal Warrant in 1968 and welcomed the future King Charles in 1996. The shop closed roughly twenty years ago, ending a notable chapter in Golders Green’s culinary history.
Golders Green3 min readTrust 58 · Craft 69 · Hype 30
Local News · Golders GreenTories to regain Finchley and Golders Green seat, poll suggests
A new YouGov MRP poll projects that the Conservative Party will win back the Finchley and Golders Green constituency. The survey suggests Labour will lose eight seats in London overall, while the Green Party is not expected to secure any MPs in the capital.
Golders Green3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 60 · Hype 45
Local News · North FinchleyGifts in Wills fund nearly a fifth of North London Hospice care
Legacies account for almost 20% of patients cared for by North London Hospice, which offers free specialist palliative and end-of-life services. The hospice has teamed up with two providers to offer free Will writing.
North Finchley3 min readTrust 30 · Craft 53 · Hype 15
Local News · Brent CrossNew Brent Cross Town neighbourhood to welcome Holybella, Stamp, and Social Pottery
Mediterranean-inspired cafe Holybella, Post Office services provider Stamp, and creative studio Social Pottery are set to open in Brent Cross Town. The development, planned by Related Argent, aims to provide residents and workers with local amenities.
Brent Cross3 min readTrust 30 · Craft 65 · Hype 15
Council & Politics · BarnetDan Thomas quits Reform UK Wales leadership after arrest
Former Barnet Council leader Dan Thomas has resigned as leader of Reform UK in Wales following his arrest on suspicion of assault and controlling or coercive behaviour. He denies any wrongdoing and will continue as a Member of the Senedd.
Barnet3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 65 · Hype 45
Crime & Safety · Golders GreenMcDonald's late licence bid faces police opposition
The Metropolitan Police has urged Camden Council to reject a bid for extended late-night hours at a McDonald's on Finchley Road, citing a string of incidents including assaults and historical armed robberies. The franchisee has proposed body cameras for staff.
Golders Green4 min readTrust 64 · Craft 95 · Hype 35
Council & Politics · BarnetBarnet appoints former Grenfell housing chief despite survivor backlash
Barnet Council confirmed Laura Johnson, former housing director of Kensington and Chelsea, has been hired as group director of development and property by The Barnet Group. The council says the recruitment was legal and transparent, but Grenfell United and survivor Ed Daffarn have called for an immediate review.
Barnet3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 95 · Hype 15
Local News · North FinchleyHalifax North Finchley branch to close September 2026
The Halifax branch in North Finchley will close its doors on September 28, 2026. This decision by Lloyds Banking Group reflects a broader industry move towards online banking, with nearly 200 Halifax branches set to become Lloyds locations by 2027.
North Finchley2 min readTrust 40 · Craft 57 · Hype 41