December is always a busy month, whether with work deadlines or preparing for Christmas. I hope your plans are coming together. For the Highgate Society, the Carols in Pond Square is a key community event and just around the corner. Organised by our excellent Social Events committee, it’s a wonderful way to celebrate the festive season—please join us if you can.
Meanwhile, the Society’s other work continues apace, particularly with the vital campaigns undertaken by our Planning and Travel groups. The first item below, on DPHN Joint Action, underscores the importance of collaboration with other local organisations and the challenges we face.
Finally, thank you to all our members, volunteers, and supporters for your dedication throughout the year.
Best wishes
Andrew Sulston
Chair
NEWS
DPHN Joint Action
The Highgate Society is a supporter of the DPHN Joint Action group. To read about the group’s recent meeting and fund raising to pay for a professional transport consultant click here.
DPHN Traffic Proposals Update: Petition Hearing
In August, with the help of other local organisations, the Highgate Society gathered nearly 3,000 signatures urging Camden Council to extend and improve engagement on the Dartmouth Park low traffic neighbourhood proposals. On 11 November, a Camden Council Scrutiny Committee responded by recommending the Council commits to extend the next consultation. More details are available here.
Campaign to improve the 603 bus service
Once upon a time, in 1999, the communities of Muswell Hill and Swiss Cottage were already campaigning for a bus that would connect them directly (via Highgate and Hampstead Lane). Twenty-six years later these communities and parents of local school children are still fighting for an improved 603 bus. To find out more about the campaign to improve the service click here.
310 bus route consultation
TfL are seeking feedback about the new 310 bus route. The route follows the same route as the 210 then continues beyond Finsbury Park to Stamford Hill. This is a new trial route, see: Bus route 310 | Have Your Say Transport for London for more details and to respond to the consultation.
Parking permits in Haringey
Haringey have put forward planned changes for resident and visitor parking. The proposals involve several administrative changes and increases in charges, most of which are not contentious. However we do not support the removal of all day parking permits, and we’re pleased to hear that this change may be dropped. For details of the proposals, our objections and how you can register your views, click here.
Santa’s Postbox in Highgate
Would your children or grandchildren like to post a letter to Santa? Santa’s Postbox will be at the Highgate Society on Saturday mornings in December from 10.30am-12 noon, 10A South Grove, N6 6BS. If you include a stamped self addressed envelope inside the letter Santa’s elves will mail the letter back to sender as a keepsake.
Highgate Bookshop
We are very pleased to have arranged for the presentation of a watercolour painting to Michael Goodwin at 12 noon on Saturday 11 January at 10A South Grove. Many of you will know Michael who retired recently from the Highgate Bookshop on the corner of the High St and Bisham Gardens. While the bookshop continues to thrive under its new owners, we wanted to wish Michael well. Our own Vanessa Whinney has painted the watercolour and will be involved in the presentation.
EVENTS
Sunday lunchtime concert: Joana Ly and Martin André
This event has been unavoidably cancelled, and we have contacted everyone who booked in advance
Highgate Watercolour Group Annual Exhibition
Image from painting by Sue Lees
6th November-2nd December 2024 at Lauderdale House
Highgate's watercolour artists welcome visitors to view their annual exhibition at Lauderdale House. The exhibition will demonstrate a range of styles, with subject matters including views of Highgate, Hampstead and beyond, vivid abstract paintings, and carefully considered compositions - something for everyone to enjoy! The artwork will be for sale at very reasonable prices.
Further details about the show and a selection of the artists' work can be found at www.highgatewatercolour.org.uk, or search for Highgate Watercolour Group on Facebook to follow their page.
Carols in Pond Square
Wednesday 11th December 6.30 pm
Pond Square in Highgate Village
Everyone welcome
For carols sheet click/tap here
Mulled wine, warm mince pies, sausage rolls and apple juice served at 10A during and after the singing. Come early to avoid the queue..
Hunter Davies on 'Letters to Margaret'
Extract from book cover
Wednesday 15th January
7.00 for 7.30 pm
10A South Grove N6 6BS and on Zoom
Entry £7.50 including a glass of wine (£3.00 on Zoom)
Hunter Davies, author and journalist, introduces his latest book. More detailshere.
Sunday 26th January
12 noon
10A South Grove N6 6BS
Entry £15 including a glass of Buck's Fizz
A romantic start to our 2025 Sunday lunchtime concerts! Flautist Yu-Wei Hu and ‘romantic’ guitar player Johan Löfving will be giving us a taste of the flute, guitar and theorbo music which was so enjoyed in intimate settings of 19th century salons.
● The next meeting of the Poets Group will be on Tuesday 3rd December at 6.30 pm at 10A. Challenges are Fancy Feathers, String and/or Strings and One More Time. £5 entry includes coffee and biscuits. For more information contact Richard Downes at r.downes@yahoo.co.uk.
● The French Circle will hold its Christmas party on Wednesday 4th December in 10A South Grove, 7.30 to 9.30pm. "We will once again enjoy the piano playing of Margaret as she accompanies us singing well-known French carols. Christine will play us some recorded music of her choice (always interesting!), and we will partake of extra special nibbles AND a "bûche de Noël". There will be wine and juice as usual, and if you can wear something festive, that will add to the joyous atmosphere! We'll need to charge £15 this time, cash only please as we do not have a bank account. As the first Wednesday in January falls on Jan 1st, we will hold our January meeting, to celebrate the Epiphany, on Wednesday 8th January." For more information contact frenchcirclehighgate@gmail.com.
● Coffee & Computers will have its next session at 10A South Grove on Monday 2ndDecemberat 10.30 to 12.30. It helps if you arrive at the start of the session. To receive notifications of sessions, email highgatecoffeeandcomputers@gmail.com.
● The next two dates for litter picking will be 9.30 to 10.30 am on Saturday 7th December and Saturday 18th January 2025. In December we will meet at the junction of Wood Lane and Queen’s Wood Road to clear away any litter in Queen’s Wood. As usual we will provide litter pickers, bags, gloves and tabards and we always welcome new recruits joining our regular team. Any questions please email: infrastructure@highgatesociety.com.
Save the date
19th February - a talk by Steve Jackson, Chairman of the Betjeman Society.
You may also be interested in:
Friends of Waterlow Park Christmas sale - wreaths, table decorations and more. Saturday 7th December near Lauderdale House. Details here.
Love Letters to London writing competition organised by the London Society. Details here. Closing date December 20th.
Please forward this newsletter to anyone who you think would find it interesting. They can sign up to receive it regularly by followingthislink.
To access past issues of this newsletter visit the News page of the Highgate Society web site.
Disclaimer:
The Highgate Society is an unincorporated association established for the public benefit. It endeavours to ensure that the information it provides as a free service is correct but does not warrant that it is accurate or complete. Nothing in this correspondence constitutes professional or legal advice and may not be relied on as such. In no event will the Society be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation indirect or consequential loss or damage or any damage whatsoever arising from any objections, criticism, advice and information it provides.
