College Farm Finchley Set for Reopening After 25 Years
A new partnership aims to restore the historic site and educate the public on farming.
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College Farm in Finchley, which has been inaccessible to the public for more than two decades, is poised for a revival. A new collaboration between the College Farm Trust and the Jeremy Coller Foundation has been formed with the objective of bringing the historic site back to life. The farm, once a well-known dairy and visitor attraction, has fallen into a state of disrepair.
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The Grade II-listed buildings and barns at College Farm are in need of significant refurbishment. Alan Jacobs, chairman of the College Farm Trust, stated that the new board of trustees has been developing a strategy for the facility's reopening. This plan is focused on educating young people about agricultural history and its future. Mr Jacobs expressed encouragement from discussions with the Jeremy Coller Foundation, leading to a long-term partnership that he believes will secure a positive future for the farm.
The College Farm Trust's board, appointed in May 2025, now includes former Finchley and Golders Green MP Mike Freer and Mick Crick, chairman of the Finchley Society. The Jeremy Coller Foundation, which concentrates on sustainable food systems and supports the Science Museum’s Future of Food exhibition, became the sole member of the trust on July 6 following an extraordinary general meeting where new articles of association were adopted. The trust will continue to operate as an independent registered charity with its own board.
“I have very fond memories of visiting College Farm in my youth and am very much looking forward to taking my grandchildren to visit the animals and to enjoy everything the farm has to offer when the buildings and farm have been restored to their former glory.”
Jeremy Coller, chairman of the Jeremy Coller Foundation
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Chris and Jane Ower, who have managed the farm for nearly 50 years, have backed the partnership to ensure the site's longevity. Mr Ower noted that prior to the 2001 foot and mouth crisis, regular open days attracted thousands of visitors. He conveyed frustration over the farm's closure for the past 25 years due to the buildings' poor condition and expressed hope for collaboration with the Jeremy Coller Foundation to secure its future.
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