The Best Of Muswell Hill Festival

by | Apr 12, 2023 | Community | 2 comments

The Best Of Muswell Hill Festival

When: 9th of September 2023 1pm-7pm

Where: Fortis Green Road (closed for occasion)

Organised by: Muswell Hill Traders Association

Planning has already started on The Best of Muswell Hill festival, (a spin off from last year’s cancelled festival due to sad passing of our Queen) and will feature a stage hosting a 17-piece pro-standard swing band, English Jazz Orchestra, The Kinks tribute band from Netherlands and it is now open for local musicians and comedy acts to apply to perform too.

 

We will also be celebrating our local prominent residents (past and present) our healthiest high street status, the history of TV and Ally Pally, the beauties of the Parkland Walk, our creative artists and writers and all our many fantastic local businesses. There will be food and drink by local vendors and something for everyone.

Our homage to Muswell Hill and its community spirit will be shown through Local Gem awards.

We are currently seeking sponsorship for our awards and our committee is open to suggestions and ideas on how to make this Festival the best it can be.

If you would like to get involved in any capacity, please email us

muswellbusiness@gmail.com

www.muswellbusiness.wordpress.com

Facebook | Instagram: Muswell Business

Twitter: inmuswellhill

 

 

The Muswell Hill Club

by | Jan 10, 2023 | Fitness | 0 comments

After an extended period away from exercise, I decided to pay my previous club a visit and I was delighted that I had!

The “gym on the hill” as I used to refer to it is situated within an iconic mock Tudor building that sits proudly on Fortis Green, N10 and is now called The Muswell Hill Club. As I entered the club, I was delighted to see that the ever-so friendly, familiar faces of same fantastic team of staff were still there, and overjoyed that they remembered my name!

The team bought me up to speed telling me how the club had come under new management in April 2021 who had implemented many positive changes as well as refurbishing the club to a really high standard. They also explained how the management and staff were committed to being a local, friendly, and independent gym, inclusive to all and was proud of its vast age range, from 18-80. “Where to sign?” I quickly said.

 

The gym offers over 100 classes each month and so an App had been brought in to help me choose, book or cancel at the touch of a button. Being able to keep track of the timetable and check availability means I can plan ahead or change plans if needed. So far so good!  The App also allows me to book a swimming pool slot. As well as reviving the body, I had always found the pool had the ability to calm my mind and knowing I can book an allocated time adds to focusing the mind.

The dedicated weights room offers a deadlift platform and free weights to use and the personal trainers and gym instructors are always on hand to advise and assist with how best to use the newly installed equipment. After participating in one of the newer classes, Women on Weights, I had a newfo und confidence. The class not only taught me the importance of strength training, but also educated me in how to lift safely and effectively.

With more updated equipment to explore, I recently attempted to use the Stairmaster, or dare I say voluntarily take part in a form of medieval torture! Good for the glutes I believe! The new state of the art spinning studio has the latest in tech spin bikes to push you to the limit and challenge your strength and stamina. Having attended an instructor led class, I then took a journey through the Rocky Mountains in a virtual class. The state-of-the-art spin studio allows you to take a fully immersive spin experience. And that it did! Whether on a journey through the Alps, or one on a personal path, mentally and physically, I was hitting my fitness targets – and then some!

Refreshed, with the addition of new showers, I immediately noticed the difference in the changing rooms and the separate mens and ladies sauna and steam rooms provides the perfect way to complete your relaxation experience. You can now even invite a friend along to share a spa day. With a £10 day pass, all the facilities are on offer without committing to a membership. Now brighter, cleaner, better equipped, it is obvious to see the amount of thought, money and effort that has gone into renovating The Muswell Hill Club.

More than a gym, The Muswell Hill Club feels just that – a club with a sense of community that is very apparent. I recently attended an arts and crafts evening hosted by the club which showcased the talent of local artists. The event was so much fun and gave me the opportunity to meet other people and have some great conversations. Reading the club’s newsletter and talking to members of staff at club I have found out about the work they do to support the local community. At reception there is a food bank collection point; the club also fundraise and donate to the local schools as well as attend and contribute to neighbourhood events. The community feel at the club has increased, as does my heart rate each time I attend! I am so pleased that I came back to this gem of a gym. As it says in the name – I have well and truly, joined the club

Broadway Pet Stores

by | Oct 25, 2021 | Pets | 0 comments

We caught up with Tim Wheatley to chat about his family’s journey with Broadway Pet Stores

For me Broadway Pet Stores has always been about family. My dad, Nigel, started working in the Pet Shop in 1969 as a Saturday boy helping my uncle who ran/owned the shop. Then my dad took over in 1973 and my mum, Sue, joined him in 1985 when I started school. In 2000 I joined them and it’s been the 3 of us running it since then. So as a family it’s been lovely to work together and we are very lucky to have such amazing customers. Over the years people have come into the shop as children, then grown up and brought their children and now their grandchildren! I’m hoping my son, Farai, will join us when he grows up but we’ll have to wait as he’s only 2 years old! It’s also lovely that of our suppliers there are still independent family-run businesses – even with companies trading internationally. Having been in the trade for so long, we have built great relationships with all our suppliers. It doesn’t really feel like going to “work” between seeing our regular customers and speaking to suppliers every day.

We have all lived in Muswell Hill for a long time and what is lovely is that it still feels like a village and maintains that local community. To be in London but be surrounded by parks and green spaces we are tremendously lucky. People do want to shop locally and support small businesses so hopefully this will carry on into the future to preserve the look of the high street.

Broadway Pet Stores

6-8 Muswell Hill Broadway

N10 3RT

0208 883 3200

 

Opening hours:

Tuesday – Saturday

9:30am to 5:00pm

Local deliveries

 

broadwaypetstores.co.uk

Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association Update – news from your local residents’ association

by | Aug 28, 2021 | Community | 0 comments

Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association Update – news from your local residents’ association

Doubling up on our Annual Guided Walk

Each year the Association organises an Annual Guided Walk around the area, or somewhere nearby. Unfortunately, in 2020 we had to cancel, but this year we were delighted to be back. One of our longstanding members, Sally Stevens, who is a well-known local guide, agreed to take some lucky Association members on a tour called ‘Music, Murder and Madness in Muesli Hill’. The tickets were snapped up so quickly that we had to ask Sally to run the same walk again the following week! The Association covered the cost of these walks including a donation to the Muswell Hill Foodbank, Sally’s nominated charity. In order to participate in our future events, we recommend joining the Association. Membership is just £10 for the whole household, and we are one of the largest and most active residents’ associations in London.

Highgate Wood Roman Kiln

Regular readers will be aware that the Association continues to support the Friends of Highgate Roman Kiln in their efforts to return the kiln to Highgate Wood, where it was discovered. They are currently fundraising for a major project, which alongside returning the kiln, would fund workshops, exhibitions, wellbeing activities, volunteering opportunities, the creation of learning resources for schools and colleges, and the possibility to help young people onto the employment ladder with placements. A worthy cause indeed, and you can find out more at: www.highgateromankiln.org.uk

Protecting Trees on the Rookfield Estate

In May it came to the Association’s attention that there was a mature tree at risk of being removed on the Rookfield Estate, as part of a related housing development proposal. The tree was subject to a Tree Preservation Order but had been earmarked for removal nevertheless. The Association publicised this information and subsequently the application attracted a large number of comments from local residents. We are hopeful that the Council will take these views into account.

Muswell Hill Road Paint Spillage

Our sincere thanks go to Haringey Council and their contractors Veolia for clearing up an enormous paint spillage on Muswell Hill Road professionally and efficiently. It really was a mammoth task; but Veolia arrived well before 8am the next day to deal with it!

 

MHFGA is your local residents’ association (since 1948!) We produce six bi-monthly Newsletters per year, which are distributed to over 770 members. Membership for households is just £10 per year and gives you the chance to attend our special events, such as our guided tour of Lauderdale House last year. We have hosted the popular ‘Odd One Out’ competition three times, and our Christmas Charity Tombola has raised almost £800 for local causes. To join MHFGA and be kept up to date on local issues and our planned activities, visit www.mhfga.org/membership or email our Membership Secretary on membership@mhfga.org

Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association Update – news from your local residents’ association

by | Apr 22, 2021 | Local Groups, Clubs, Classes & Associations | 0 comments

Muswell Hill & Fortis Green Association Update – news from your local residents’ association

MHFGA moves events online!

Despite the ongoing restrictions, MHFGA members have recently benefitted from two enthralling Zoom talks from local experts. In February, art historian Peter Webb guided us through his fascinating collection of prints from Michelangelo through to Picasso. In March, we were delighted to welcome renowned gadget collector Maurice Collins OBE, who demonstrated some of the weird and wonderful items from his collection. We are also very pleased to announce that Peter Webb will be returning – by popular demand! – to give a follow up talk later in the year, covering the more modern section of his portfolio. So, please watch this space for further details, or better still, join the MHFGA to get advance notice of all meetings and events. We are also hopeful that Peter’s second talk might be an in-person one, depending on restrictions at the time.

Parkland Walk Chewing Gum Trail

Ben Wilson, known locally as the ‘Chewing Gum Man’, has been working on a trail of chewing gum pictures along Parkland Walk, the remarkable nature reserve that follows the track of a long-abandoned railway line from Finsbury Park to Muswell Hill. Ben started work on this project in October 2019 and is still working on it. So far there are 35 pictures that celebrate and are inspired by the history of the Parkland Walk and the insects, animals, birds, trees and some of the people he encountered there. The project was commissioned by The Friends of the Parkland Walk, who set up a crowdfunding page to pay for it.

Planning matters

As always, the MHFGA has been commenting on local planning applications on behalf of our members. Of particular note recently were an application to add a storey onto Whitehall Lodge, Pages Lane, and an application to build houses in back gardens on Tetherdown. Both were refused permission by Haringey Council following objections from the MHFGA and many others. An appeal has been filed against the decision at Whitehall Lodge. The planning inspector will automatically be supplied with all the objections which were made.

The MHFGA is concerned at the recent admonishment from the Government on Haringey Council (amongst others), at the fact that an insufficient number of new homes had been built. Putting pressure on Councils to simply approve more applications is a worrying ‘penalty’ in our view especially in an already largely built-up urban environment with many conservation areas like Haringey. We would welcome an assurance from the Council that each application will continue to be considered on its merits and that any concerns expressed will still be taken into consideration.

MHFGA is your local residents’ association (since 1948!) We produce six bi-monthly Newsletters per year, which are distributed to over 770 members. Membership for households is just £10 per year and gives you the chance to attend our special events, such as our guided tour of Lauderdale House last year. We have hosted the popular ‘Odd One Out’ competition three times, and our Christmas Charity Tombola has raised almost £800 for local causes. To join MHFGA and be kept up to date on local issues and our planned activities, visit www.mhfga.org/membership or email our Membership Secretary on membership@mhfga.org