Barnet Borough Guide

Lying on the outer edge of north London, Barnet is the second largest of London's boroughs and has a relatively diverse population and landscape. To the north it benefits from large swathes of countryside, whilst to the south it becomes ever more densely populated towards Hendon, Colindale and Cricklewood. From a reported figure of just 6,000 in 1800, Barnet's population grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth centry as the capital's ominbuses and trams were introduced and began ferrying commuters and trade up and down the Finchley Road. Today this remains a main link between central London and Barnet's population centres as well as being the route to Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Britain's first example of an American style out-of-town, enclosed shopping centre, which was opened in 1976.

As well as being a diverse borough as a whole with over 30% of people coming from ethnic minority backgrounds, Barnet is particularly known for its large minority Jewish population. Though there is evidence of Jewlish settlers as early as the twelfth century, these people were expelled from the country and didn't return in significant numbers until around 1800 when thousands arrived from Russia and eastern Europe settling in the East End. In the 1930s and 1940s London became a haven for Jews fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe. However it is only since the war the Jewish community has prospered such that there has been a shift out of the East end towards Barnet's propserous enclaves such as Golders Green, Finchely and Hendon. This Jewish influence is much in evidence when passing the Synagogues, kosher shops and the Jewish Cultural Centre at Golders Green.

The following blog entries from the All In London blogs channel contain references to Barnet.

• A New Look for the New Year, from London's Hair King
• Balmain Solves My Search For The (Hair) Holy Grail...
• Russell Brand pays a moving tribute to Amy Winehouse and addresses the seriousness of addiction
• Smooth Radio's Love London Awards: The Finalists
• Love Life, Love Music... Love London?
• New All In London Clubs section

See all blogs

Brent Cross Shopping Centre

Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Hendon NW4 3FP

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Welsh Harp (Brent) Reservoir

Cool Oak Lane, West Hendon NW9

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RAF Museum

Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL

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Barnet Museum

31 Wood Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 4BE

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Brent Cross
Famous for being the home of the first shopping centre of its size, Brent Cross retains this same ‘shopping mecca’ reputation, today. The shopping centre was opened in 1976 and was located in a strip ...More information

Finchley
Famous for being the parliamentary constituency of Margaret Thatcher between 1959 and 1992, Finchley is located in the London Borough of Barnet and is largely residential, although there are some reta...More information

Golders Green
Known for being a particularly thriving region of London, Golders Green is in the London Borough of Barnet. With a large Jewish community, Golders Green has more than its fair share of restaurants and...More information

Hendon
Hendon was once home to various motoring and aviation companies, however today it is best known for the RAF Museum and the Hendon Police College. It’s also home to a large Jewish population, thanks to...More information

Golders Green
This leafy north London suburb is home to a large Jewish community, as well as in recent years a growing Chinese and Japanese population. As such, expect to find numerous Kosher supermarkets and eater...More information

North Finchley
North Finchley is the area that links the sleepy, ultra-suburban Whetstone to the slightly more cosmopolitan Finchley; this small stretch around the Tally Ho Corner junction contains shops, restaurant...More information

Finchley
Not to be confused with Finchley Road, the area north of St. John’s Wood, Finchley is a residential suburb with a mostly middle class population as well as a considerable Jewish community, therefore t...More information

Edgware
Edgware has a large Jewish and Asian community, which accounts for many of the area’s eateries and food shops. It is also home to the UK’s first ‘eruv’, an area within which Jewish people are permitte...More information

Colindale
In the 19th century, Colindale became an important hub for industrial activity thanks to cheap land prices and easy access thanks to the newly built railways, however when the tube opened in 1924 comp...More information

Burnt Oak
One stop south from Edgware you will find Burnt Oak, home to a Saturday market and car-boot sale as well as numerous shops along the high street. It is a predominantly residential area however, its na...More information

Mill Hill
Leafy Mill Hill was a popular country retreat from the 17th centuries onwards, hence the proliferation of large houses and sprawling gardens. Its high street is the shortest in London, and aside from ...More information

Whetstone
Whetstone is millionaire-dwelling Totteridge’s more humble sibling, as the two are often lumped together thanks to the Totteridge and Whetstone tube station on the Northern Line. It’s a middle class, ...More information

Osidge
This north London suburb was once home to Thomas Lipton, he of Lipton Tea fame who lived in a grand 60 acre estate, which has now been developed. He wasn’t the only famous person to spend time in Osid...More information

Barnet
Being located at the very end of the Northern Line means Barnet is hardly a hub of activity, however once upon a time it was an important pit stop for people travelling between London and the north vi...More information

Camden
Camden is the life and sole of any party; a massive alternative music, cultural and theatre scene runs alongside the mainstream. This area is stereotyped as the hippy, grungy, left-leaning area, but w...More information

Enfield
The Borough of Enfield is London's most northerly and can trace its origins back to Roman times when it lay along Ermine Street, the great Roman route leading the length of the country up to the strat...More information

Harrow
The Borough of Harrow lies to the north-western outer ring of Greater London bordering on the next county of Hertfordshire. It is an incredibly diverse area with over 40% of it's population coming fro...More information

Brent
Not one of the greenest of London's boroughs but ironically known largely for a small patch of green turf in Wembley; the new stadium with its iconic arch lie at the cultural heart of the area. The ne...More information

Haringey
Haringey lies in the middle teir of London geographically between inner and outer London towards the north. It is extremely ethnically diverse with an estimated 193 languages spoken there and over 35%...More information