An abundance of green space makes North Finchley especially popular with families and young couples.
Living in North Finchley
Until the railway was laid in 1867, North Finchley was countryside peppered with a few large houses. Middle-class merchants followed the arrival of steam, and the area has remained mainly middle-class ever since.
North Finchley, together with West Finchley, offers solid housing in leafy streets complemented by excellent schools and facilities.
Property is a mix of Victorian and Edwardian villas, Edwardian terraces, 1920s and 1930s semis, and modern housing developments including low-rise flats.
Whetstone High Road which runs south to Tally Ho Corner has numerous shops, supermarkets, pubs and restaurants and a few fast food outlets.
As the Whetstone / North Finchley High Road heads towards the A406 North Circular, property is much more residential and broken up by large patches of green.
Where the High Road crosses the North Circular lies the Great North Leisure Park which offers an indoor swimming pool; rugby, cricket and football pitches; tennis courts, a sports club, a meeting hall, and loads of open green space.
Opposite the leisure park, to the west of the High Road, is Finchley Memorial Hospital.
North-west of North Finchley is the delightful Friary Park, which is perfect for a Sunday picnic or a game of bowls. Adjacent to the park are the greens and fairways of North Middlesex Golf Course, one of North Finchleys most treasured amenities.
To the west of Whetstone High Road is another wonderful park called Swan Lane Open Space, and across the railway line is a wooded park called Riverside Walk.
Transport
Woodside Park and West Finchley tube stations are both on the High Barnet branch of the Northern Line providing services to Euston, Charing Cross and Waterloo mainline stations.
For information regarding local bus routes and tube times please visit visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/gettingaround/default.aspx .
For details of all UK train services please visit http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/..
By road, North Finchley has easy access to the A406 North Circular, which joins the M1 to the west at Junction 1 Staples Corner.
History and culture
The Arts Depot is a multi-purpose cultural centre in North Finchley. It opened in 2004 with the remit to provide enjoyment and development of the arts in North London.
The Arts Depot has two theatres; the Pentland Theatre with 395 seats and a Studio Theatre with 158 seats. The building also has dance and drama studios, a gallery and a café.
Performances include drama, music, comedy, dance and special children's events. Contributing to the productions are schools, artistic companies, and various cultural groups reflecting the local community.
A former resident of the North Finchley area and one of the most famous is Emma Bunton, who was born in Finchley in 1976 and grew up in Woodside Park.
Emma attended St. Theresa's Primary School in Finchley Central then went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone. In 1993 she appeared in the police series The Bill and later auditioned for the role of Bianca in EastEnders. Patsy Palmer won the role but Emma went on to successfully audition for the Spice Girls. Within a couple of years Emma Bunton, known as Baby Spice, was world-famous.
For information regarding North Finchley please visit the London Borough of Barnet at http://www.barnet.gov.uk/ .