I live in one of the new developments on Charcot Road, about two minutes’ walk from Colindale station.
I moved here while I was at uni because it was affordable and well-connected. I’ve lived here for almost 10 years now.
Colindale is one of Barnet’s key development areas, so there’s been a huge increase in population.
There’s a real diversity here. There are huge Hong Kong, Iranian, Jewish, black and Caribbean communities. We live side by side.
I think there’s a lot of potential in Colindale. It’s up-and-coming.
Eating and drinking
Colindale doesn’t have a high street, but there’s excellent food around. Bang Bang Oriental Food Hall on Edgware Road is unique to London — I can’t find anywhere else that offers the same thing.
There’s a food truck called Jeng Noodles on Colindale Avenue. It’s unassuming from the outside, but they serve the best Cantonese food in London — I’m from Hong Kong as well. I recommend the noodles, where you can pick your own ingredients.
There’s an Italian place called Spaccanapoli on Charcot Road. They serve authentic Italian food and tasty cocktails.
Algarve Deli on Holmstall Avenue is a Portuguese mini-market and café. Ask for the chef’s recommendation in a sandwich. ITJL is another café on Charcot Road. I like their vegetarian breakfast.
Where I work out
I do a lot of making things and gardening in the Colindale Community Garden, which is an interesting way to work out. It’s a shared garden for the community, and the harvest goes to Colindale food bank.
The garden is also the headquarters of Barnet Community Harvesters, an Orchard Project. We’ll go out and pick fruit from trees — that’s also a workout for me.
The Arch Climbing Wall on Burnt Oak Broadway is nearby, and there’s a skatepark in Montrose Park.
To commune with nature
Colindale and the wider area were green fields just a century ago. Now it’s quite urban, but it’s still one of the greenest neighbourhoods in London.
A series of parks form a green link from Colindale to Mill Hill: Rushgrove, Colindale, Montrose Playing Fields, Silkstream, Watling and Lyndhurst Parks. It’s a good hour’s walk through them in nature.
Sunny Hill Park in Hendon has great views and an excellent café. The Welsh Harp in Brent is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It’s a reservoir, wildlife sanctuary and precious green space.
Grocery shopping
For quick purchases, I use the local Sainsbury’s and Co-op. There are Asda and Morrison’s superstores on Edgware Road that I use for bigger shops. The Impact Store on Station Road in Finchley Central is a 15-minute bus ride away. It’s a package-free refill store. I really like their organic tea leaves and olive oil.
For a culture fix
I tend to get on the Tube and go to east or central London. Our Yard at Clitterhouse Farm is a community café in Cricklewood. As well as gardening, they do art workshops with sessions for widows and young mothers.
I’m running a project called Let’s Meet on the Edge as part of the London Festival of Architecture. There are three nature-based, creative reuse installations running in June and July, accompanied by a community festival programme.
We’re running Skate Dot Design Workshop with young people, for example, and Creatures of the Night, where we’ll watch moths and bats.
Getting around
It takes about 20 minutes to get to Euston on the Northern line from Colindale, or 25 to King’s Cross, so we’re well-connected. There’s also an easy transit to the Overground from Hampstead or Camden Town, so I can get to east London in about 45 minutes.
The 125 bus goes from east to west across Barnet, which I use a lot.
Dream street
There’s an alley in Burnt Oak called Market Lane. Right now, it’s just car-washing places and the backs of houses. I can imagine that if it’s done differently, it could be a really cool place to be. The scale is very intimate, around five metres wide. I think it could be pedestrianised, with little cafés.
Something you only see in your area
The history of aircraft manufacturing! Traces of runways, rail-lines and warehouses are still influencing streets, paths and green spaces here today. The RAF Museum is definitely worth a visit, too.
What’s the catch?
For creative souls, there aren’t obvious cultural spaces — yet. But the creative community is there, so hopefully there will be more platforms for us.
In three words
Green. Diverse. Emerging.
Adrienne is part of The Edgy Collective. Its pop-up installation, Let’s Meet on the Edge, runs from June 15 to July 13 as part of the London Festival of Architecture.
Adriennelauprojects.com @thinking_out_lau
Schools
Barnfield Primary School, Goldbeaters Primary School and the Hyde School are three of six outstanding primaries nearby.
For secondaries, the top-rated choices in the area are the Village School, Saracens High School and St James’s Catholic High School.
What it costs
Buying in Colindale
Average flat price: £372,640
Average house price: £603,030
Renting in Colindale
Average flat price, pcm: £1,850
Average house price, pcm: £2,440
