Located in the south-western corner of Golders Green, this neighbourhood also tails into Cricklewood through Child’s Hill. Residential and homely, just like much of the rest of Golders Green, this is the kind of place where you know your neighbours. Home to a strong Jewish but also a growing East Asian community, the town strikes the perfect balance between diversity and an exciting cosmopolitan atmosphere, and a sense of close-knit localism. Houses here are not only large, but also full of Victorian architectural personality that is as charming as the residents, who are mostly well-to-do families, themselves. With access to some of London’s best green spaces, reliable transport and a great community, is it clear to see why Golders Green is tipped as one of North London’s best kept secrets.

Golders Green was originally little more than a public grazing area for cattle and whatnot, and essentially remained as such all the way up until the early 19th century. This new substantial population grew specifically as the Victorian industry of bricklaying provided a key economic artery into the town. As the town’s community grew, so did its amenities and infrastructure. Although there had been a Jewish community in town since these times (the famous Jewish cemetery was built in 1895!), it was really in the first half of the 20th century that the Jewish population expanded particularly due to persecution within the continent. Since then, Golder’s Green has been special to Londoners as the home of the old BBC Concert Orchestra, which was open from 1913 to 2004.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a curate in none other than St Alban’s Church in the early 1960s, before going back to South Africa and helping end Apartheid. The legend was even given a Nobel Peace prize for his awe-inspiring efforts back in 1984.

Sadly, neighbourhoods as lovely as these don’t come cheap. Homes here are likely to set you back a pretty penny. Another rather more minor qualm is that the delicious Jewish amenities that litter the high street close on Saturdays to observe Shabbat, which means that it’s not the most popping place on the weekend.

There are a few development projects in the pipeline up in Golders Green. Because of the community’s love of their neighbourhood, new infrastructure isn’t plentiful, but there are some bits and pieces going on. The Kisharon School in nearby Hendon was completed in 2020 with a £12.5 million budget to cater to children with learning difficulties. It accommodates 72 pupils and and provides a state-of-the-art facility equipped to deliver a more focussed, specialist Jewish education. Plans have also been announced to turn the Best Western-owned Palm Hotel in neighbouring Childs Hill into a 110-bed shared accommodation, though the proposal was met with fierce opposition by local residents.

Near the area, a development scheme proposed for the B&Q site in Cricklewood by developer Montreaux has sparked controversy among residents. As part of the Broadway Retail Park, the 6.8-acre site would be transformed to offer 1,049 homes built in blocks up to 18 storeys high. While the proposal sparked more than 2,000 objections from members of the public, the local council approved the proposal. However, in mid-2022, Michael Gove and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) intervened in the matter and were able to initiate a public enquiry into the proposal’s components, putting into question its density, height and adequacy for a part of town that does not necessarily have the social and physical infrastructure to cope with such a residential increase.