Living in New Barnet

New Barnet has the feel of a well-established community built around residential life, schools, and local amenities. The area is known for its relatively quiet streets and friendly atmosphere, with regular community events and a sense of neighbourliness that attracts families and long-term residents. The New Barnet Community Association and local groups organise activities, workshops, and seasonal events such as Christmas fairs and summer fetes.

Monken Hadley Common, just north of New Barnet, offers woodlands, ponds, and walking routes, adding to the outdoor life and opportunities for relaxation and dog walking. Nearby Oakhill Park is popular with families, featuring a children’s playground, tennis courts, and broad green spaces for picnics and sports. Other recreational facilities include the New Barnet Leisure Centre, which hosts sports classes and swimming.

The local high street provides a mix of independent shops, pharmacies, convenience stores, and essential services, offering positive support for everyday life. Regular markets and street events take place nearby in High Barnet and Whetstone, giving residents broader access to fresh produce and artisan stalls.

Crime rates in New Barnet are generally lower compared with more central areas of London, with the area often viewed as a comparatively safe residential location. Like much of Barnet Borough, crime is typically focused around property and minor anti-social behaviour rather than more serious incidents, and there is an active neighbourhood policing presence.

Crime prevention initiatives in conjunction with Barnet Council help to maintain community safety, and street lighting, neighbourhood watch schemes, and regular police patrols all contribute to the area's security. Certain parts near high streets and transport hubs can experience increased activity, but these do not tend to impact the overall sense of safety enjoyed by residents.

Safer neighbourhood forums and regular resident meetings foster collaborative responses between the police and local community to address emerging issues, helping keep New Barnet a secure and pleasant place to live.

Parking in New Barnet is generally manageable compared to other parts of North London, particularly in its quieter residential streets where on-street parking is usually available. Resident parking permits are in operation in some zones, mainly close to the station and shopping areas to ensure local residents retain priority. Some streets operate controlled parking zones (CPZs) at peak hours.

Road access is a key strength. The A110 runs through New Barnet, linking to the A1 for journeys into and out of Central London. The A406 North Circular and M25 motorway are both within a short drive, providing rapid access to the wider London and Hertfordshire road networks. Rush hour congestion is common towards the station and on arterial roads, but flows are generally less intense outside peak times.

• Barnet (High Barnet) – approx. 5 minutes via A1000 (1.5 miles)
• Enfield – approx. 20 minutes via A110 (6 miles)
• Finchley – approx. 15 minutes via A598 (4 miles)
• Potters Bar – approx. 20 minutes via M25 (7 miles)
• Central London – approx. 45 minutes via A1 (12 miles)

New Barnet offers a selection of local dining options, pubs, and takeaways befitting its residential nature. The Victoria is a well-regarded local pub with a traditional atmosphere, while nearby Railway Bell offers a more contemporary setting. The New Barnet area is home to various cafés and independent coffee shops, including the popular Café Nero and local favourite Café Med.

For restaurants, New Barnet features an eclectic mix of cuisines. Residents can enjoy Italian fare at Nonna’s Kitchen or South Asian specialities at Savoro in High Barnet. A range of takeaway options cater to most tastes, and additional dining options are available in Barnet town centre and the Spires Shopping Centre.

Nightlife is generally relaxed and low-key, with a couple of small bars and pubs serving as primary social hubs. Those seeking a livelier night out tend to head to nearby areas like Finchley or North Finchley for more extensive restaurant scenes and cocktail bars. The Everyman Cinema in Barnet offers a social venue for film lovers, and occasional live music events add to the local culture.

School Quality: New Barnet is well served by highly rated primary and secondary schools, many of which have received recent ‘Good’ Ofsted inspections. This educational provision is one of the area’s main attractions for families.

Parks and Green Space: The area offers plentiful access to green spaces such as Oakhill Park and Monken Hadley Common, providing safe environments for outdoor play and nature exploration.

Childcare: Day nurseries and preschools operate locally, alongside afterschool clubs and holiday schemes based in schools and community venues, supporting working parents with flexible childcare options.

Safety: Residents often describe New Barnet as a safe place to raise children, thanks to lower crime rates and visible community policing. Low traffic residential streets further add to peace of mind for families.

Family Activities: Family-friendly activities include sports clubs, dance schools, art groups, and regular library events. The area’s community centre and leisure facilities provide a focal point for children’s enrichment and socialising.

Pet-friendly living in New Barnet is supported by its abundance of green spaces, including Oakhill Park, Monken Hadley Common, and several smaller recreation grounds ideal for dog walking. The semi-rural pockets around the suburb are popular with pet owners seeking easy access to woodlands and open fields.

Local vets and pet supply shops can be found on the high street and within a short drive, ensuring care is easily accessible for most types of pets. Dog-friendly cafés and some local pubs allow for sociable visits accompanied by four-legged friends, while the community’s relaxed attitude means pets are welcomed in most outdoor public spaces and several flats or rental homes by arrangement.

Community-run pet fairs and events sometimes take place in nearby parks, bringing together animal lovers and offering services such as microchipping and training.

New Barnet offers strong transport links, making it an attractive location for commuters working in Central London or other parts of North London. The area is served by New Barnet railway station, which provides regular Great Northern services to London King's Cross and Moorgate, as well as northbound routes towards Hertford and Welwyn Garden City. These services are frequent during peak times, with the journey to King's Cross taking around 20–30 minutes.

Nearby High Barnet and Cockfosters provide access to the Northern and Piccadilly lines respectively, broadening underground connections across the capital. The area is also well served by local bus routes, linking residents to shops, hospitals, and neighbouring boroughs such as Enfield, Finchley, and Barnet town centre.

• Central London (King's Cross) – approx. 25 minutes by train
• Moorgate – approx. 35 minutes by train
• High Barnet – approx. 10 minutes by bus or under 5 minutes by car
• Heathrow Airport – approx. 45–60 minutes by car/tube
• Luton Airport – approx. 40 minutes by car

Major roads nearby include the A1, M25, and A406 North Circular, meaning New Barnet is also accessible for motorists heading in and out of London.

Primary Schools in New Barnet:

Cromer Road Primary School is a popular option in the area, providing a broad curriculum and a strong reputation within the local community. Livingstone Primary & Nursery School and Sacred Heart RC Primary School are also highly regarded primary schools, offering Ofsted-rated 'Good' provisions (inspected most recently in 2022 for both).

Secondary Schools:

East Barnet School, located nearby, is well-known in the borough for its strong academic results and specialisms in technology and science. JCoSS (Jewish Community Secondary School), just outside New Barnet, offers specialist Jewish studies alongside a spectrum of academic subjects, having received good Ofsted results in recent years (2022). Dame Alice Owen’s School, although technically in Potters Bar, is a sought-after partially selective secondary with a historical connection to the wider Barnet area.

Independent Schools and Colleges:

Mount House School offers independent education from ages 11 to 18 and is recognised for its small class sizes and strong pastoral care. Finchley Catholic High School, in neighbouring Finchley, is another option with a reputation for excellence, particularly in sixth form education.

Universities:

While there are no universities in New Barnet itself, the area is well situated for access to higher education institutions in Central and North London. Middlesex University (Hendon) and University College London are easily accessible via public transport, making New Barnet a viable base for university students as well.