Saturday, 7 September 2019

The Saturday List #231 - Ten off piste gems in Mill Hill

Many locals make the mistake thinking that Mill Hill is all about Mill Hill Broadway. Whilst The Broadway is the largest shopping parade in Mill Hill, there is so much more.

Where is the best place to buy meat, fish, vegetables, fireworks, suits, plumbing supplies, guitars, fine bone china? In my humble opinion, not on the Broadway!

 Let us take you on a little tour of the 'Off Piste Gems' of our locality, the places that you may not know about, but you really should.



1. Holders Hill Parade.
Many locals who live 'up the hill' sniffily dismiss Mill Hill East as the poor cousin of the The village, but it has an excellent shopping parade. It features an excellent fishmongers - Elias Fish, a brilliant butchers - Highland organics, a high class greengrocers, a great little cafe, a kosher food shop, a pottery shop, a pretty useful Marks and Spencers convenience store, a pretty good Costcutters convenience store and even a launderette. Just around the corner, up the hill is a large Waitrose. If you are having a barbeque, the fishmongers and the butchers are well worth a visit.

2. Apex Corner Parade.
Need a light fitting or a suit. Apex Corner has a great light fitting supplier called Lightplan and a huge suit outlet called Eurosuits. It has a good pharmacy (they used to deliver my mum's meds for her when she was still alive). There is a small post office (usually less busy than the Broadway), a fireworks shop and great little cafe called Buzby's, as well as a pretty good plumbing supply store. It also has my son's favourite restaurant in Mill Hill - KFC. Here's a little known fact about KFC that may amuse you. They boast that their chicken has eleven herbs and spices. Check out the only Twitter accounts KFC follow!

3. The Green Man Parade.
I have to be honest here. I've no idea what this part of Mill Hill is officially called these days. Us old timers call it "The Green Man", but the Green Man pub disappeared in 1983. On the bus stop it is called "Harvester", but I refused to call it that. I once suggested that Barnet Council should call it Hale Corner, but no one really went for that either. I think it would be great for Hale Ward to have a proper focus. For those of us who work odd hours, this has one of the true gems. The Mill Hill Kebab house is open later than anywhere else in Mill Hill. The number of times it has rescued me when I've returned hungry from gigs is countless. It also boasts two pubs, The Railway Tavern and The Harvester, which is also a restaurant. The Ahmed Tandoori is a decent takeaway, I've often nipped in for a take out after an evening in the Railway. It boasts the legendary Tony & Vince barbers, who cut the hair of legends such as QPR footballer Kevin Gallen. It has a good Chinese medicine and acupuncture centre, and a two great fish and chip shops, with The King Neptune and Booba's. There is a Chinese restaurant that I've yet to try and a new Coop convenience store is about to open. There is also Wings Chinese takeaway and a cafe, although I've not been in since George passed away. I think that if you like takeaway food and beer, The Green man is the epicentre of Mill Hill! (Please note that technically only the Railway Tavern at the Green Man is Mill Hill. All of the other shops are HA8 postcodes, but I decided to bestow honoury Mill Hill status on them).

4. Salcombe Gardens Parade.
Salcombe Gardens hosts another great fish and chip shop. Officially know as Frydays, locals call it Nicks. There is also a convenience store and a Martins newsagent. I suspect most locals know it for the Mill Hill East Church, where most Mill Hill parents at some point have dropped children for dance and ballet. Nicks has some big fans (in every sense of the word!) locally.


5. Daws Lane Parade.
This is home to perhaps my favourite independent store in Mill Hill. Boucherie Gerard is based here. Gerard is proper butcher and a real character. I buy my sausages and bacon their, as well as supplies for barbies and Sunday roasts. I cannot praise him highly enough. My doggies love him, as he supplies their marrow bone treats. Further up the hill is a soft furnishing company, a travel agent and a small convenience store. In the days of Mill Hill Swimming pool, this would have queues a quarter of a mile long for lollies on sunny summer days and was called Lodges. Now it is called Hamish.
6. Powerleague.
Powerleague on Pursley Road is by my calculations the most visited site in Mill Hill. It's 14 pitches are in almost constant use for five and six a side football. It has a small bar and is a central figure in the life of our community. I've written before of my love of this business here. I'll declare an interest. After they saw it, they gave our team a free round of beers as a thank you. Unexpected, but most welcome.
7. Copthall Swimming Pool.
When my Daughter was the National Swimming champion, I'd visit the pool on an almost daily basis, collecting and dropping her off for lessons (actually Clare did most of that!). The swimming club is an elite organisation, with amazing coaches. It has recently been redeveloped, we really should have a look at the just opened pools. To my mind, it was a criminal act to not build a diving pool. It is great that Mill Hill has the best pool in the Borough though!

8. Finchley Nurseries.
Based in Burtonhole Lane, this family owned business recently celebrated it's 90th year. Still owned by the Colman family, it is an institution. They  hold regular concerts with The Barnet Band and have an amazing tearoom. I recommend a walk around the Totteridge valley to work up a thirst, then a tea and slice of lemon drizzle cake. There is also an amazing aquatic centre on site, who sell all manner of coldwater and tropical fish.
9. Flower Lane Trading Estate.
This is a gem that has passed many in Mill Hill by. They assume that it is simply warehouses, but there is a great little MOT testing station called Hurricane Motors. There is also the amazing China Presentations.  This is the best place in London to get fine bone china, such as Wedgewood, Royal Doulton as well as crystal glass etc. It is open to the public. Check them out for your Xmas presents.
10. Mill Hill Music Complex.
I'll declare an interest here. This is my business. We sell guitars, drumkits and musical accessories as well as running music recording and rehearsal facilities. We are based in Bunns Lane Works. I've run the studios since 1979, our family have run businesses on the site since 1948 and my brother runs Bunns Lane Welding, if you have a broken lawnmower or allot wheel. As I am useless at any such thing, I had to make my way in music. There is also a crash repairer, a gym and another welder on site. I'm a big believer in small businesses. The great thing about the 'Off Broadway' businesses is that they are nearly all run by local people. They provide jobs and services for local people. Please have a look at a few of the ones I've listed.




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