🦊 Things to do this weekend in North London Dec 6-7

Bits and bobs worth knowing.

🚌 TfL wants to scrap route 349 and cut 259 and 279: Locals say the changes will cost more (forced onto trains), take longer (multiple buses during rush hour), and hurt people with mobility issues who need direct routes. Have your say by 23 Jan - they need to hear how it affects YOUR commute, costs, or access to work/college.

🏙️ Camden wants your views on £55m Holborn makeover: Council proposing wider pavements, segregated cycle lanes, more trees, and pedestrian zones for Great Russell Street and New Oxford Street. Some roads becoming one-way or restricted to cars. Feedback open until February - full consultation summer 2026.



🏊‍♀️ Edmonton Leisure Centre finally fully open after two years: Training pool reopened this week, finishing the £7.5m renovation. Been closed since December 2023 after they found major maintenance problems when new operators took over. Gym came back in April, main pool in August - now everything's open.

💼 500 new jobs as West Hampstead office building opens: Liddell Place workspace now open for local businesses and start-ups. Some desks available at half the normal price. 11 companies already moved in. Part of the development that also built 100 homes and expanded Kingsgate Primary School.

🎄 Free Christmas crafts at Haringey libraries all December: Kids can make cards and decorations at sessions across all borough libraries throughout the month. Most activities suit ages 3-12. Also happening: story times, Monday morning films, and carol singing with mince pies.



🎰 Four North London councils push Khan on Tube gambling ad ban: Barnet, Brent, Enfield, and Haringey want Mayor to keep his 2021 promise to ban casino and betting ads on Underground. Over a million people harmed by someone else's gambling each year. Haringey was first to join campaign in January - Khan says he's waiting for government review.

💰 Businesses can give staff £150 tax-free Christmas party: HMRC allows limited companies to spend up to £150 per person on staff events without tax implications - covers food, drink, entertainment, and travel home. But go one penny over and the whole thing becomes taxable. Must be open to all employees, not just directors.

Hornsey Town Hall Festive Grand Launch | 📍Hornsey Town Hall, N8 | 6 Dec | Free
Hornsey Town Hall is reopening after its refurbishment with a full day of festive events. There's a Christmas market, Father Christmas' grotto, art exhibitions with Crouch End Open Studios, line dancing, and a Christmas tree lights switch-on at 6pm with a light show on the building. Evening brings jazz, blues and soul in the Crossover Jazz Room, plus comedy at Downstairs at the Kings Head. Some talks need tickets (including Katy Hessel on living an artful life), but entry to the building is free. Good chance to see what they've done with the place, and there's food and drink throughout the day.



Myddleton Road Winter Festival | 📍Bowes Park, N22 | 7 Dec | Free
Annual Christmas market at Myddleton Road from 12-5pm. Over 40 traders, Santa's grotto at Cafe Bowes, live music from London Brass Band, carols with Bowes Park Community Choir. Christmas lights switch-on, rides, mulled wine.

Alfies Christmas Party | 📍Alfies Antique Market, NW8 | 6 Dec | Free
Alfies Antique Market is doing their Christmas party with live music, mince pies and seasonal drinks. Four floors of antiques and vintage in an art deco building off Marylebone. It's one of those places tourists know about but locals sometimes forget. Thousands of antique and vintage pieces, dealers who actually know their stuff, and you can spend an afternoon finding Christmas presents you won't see anywhere else.

Kentish Town City Farm Christmas Fair | 📍Kentish Town City Farm, NW5 | 7 Dec | (£)
Kentish Town City Farm's doing their Christmas fair - Santa's grotto, animal handling, festive games, BBQ, mulled wine, and stalls selling homemade decorations and jams. There's carol singing, raffle, tombola and lucky dip.£1 for adults, 50p for kids. The farm opens at noon for the fair (closed in the morning).

Illustrators' Fair | 📍The Crossing, Granary Square, N1C | 6 Dec | Free
London's largest illustration fair is back at Granary Square for one day only. Local independent artists selling prints, cards, gift wrap, homeware, badges, zines and independent publishing - all illustrated stuff, bought direct from the people who made it. It's at The Crossing, right by the canal, so you can combine it with the other King's Cross Christmas bits.



Contemporary Ceramics Sale | 📍Maggie's Royal Free, NW3 | 6 Dec | Free
Ceramic Space are selling contemporary ceramics at Maggie's cancer centre at the Royal Free - bowls, mugs, vases, that sort of thing. Guest artists include Miriam Reik and Clink Street Ceramics. Part of the sale goes to Maggie's, which supports people with cancer and their families.

Festive Dog Show | 📍Museum of Homelessness, Finsbury Park, N4 | 6 Dec | Free
Museum of Homelessness is doing their second festive dog show in Finsbury Park - all dogs welcome, especially street dogs. Enter your dog into categories like family resemblance, waggiest tail, and best costume. It's raising money for emergency supplies for people experiencing homelessness - sleeping bags, warm clothes. There'll be handmade gifts, dog costumes for sale, exclusive merch, a tombola, badge-making workshop, and treats for dogs and humans. Every street dog gets a stocking full of treats.

Primrose Hill Designer Sale | 📍St Mary's Church, Primrose Hill, NW3 | 6 Dec | (£)
Much-loved Christmas sale returns for one day only with over 50 designers, jewellers, ceramicists and makers from 10am-5pm. One-of-a-kind gifts and handcrafted pieces. Tearooms with homemade cake when you need a break. £2 entry. Only happens twice a year.

Festive Singalong with The Big Sing | 📍Camden Market Hawley Wharf, NW1 | 6 Dec | Free
100-person choir singing Christmas carols around the Camden Market tree. The Big Sing were on Britain's Got Talent and do big, show-stopping versions of Oh Holy Night, The First Noel, Joy to the World, that kind of thing.

The Christmas Charity Super.Mkt | 📍Coal Drops Yard, N1C | 5-7 Dec | Free
Three-day charity shop pop-up from 10am-5pm. Second-hand fashion, party wear, designer pieces, outerwear, books, homeware, records, jewellery. Stocking fillers and Secret Santa gifts. Repair Shop returning - fix pre-loved items on site. Charities include Traid, British Heart Foundation, Havens Hospices and Fight for Sight.

Winter Open Studios | 📍The Chocolate Factory, N16 | 7 Dec | Free
One-day-only open studios at The Chocolate Factory from 11am-6pm. 27 artists opening their studios around a cobbled courtyard - ceramics, painting, textiles, jewellery. See where work's made, chat to artists, buy direct. Not exactly a Christmas market, but still - artists selling their work and nice gifts to be found.

Cally Festive Event | 📍Freeling Street & Jean Stokes Community Centre, N1 | 6 Dec | Free
Festive afternoon in Cally from 2-5pm. Santa giving out presents, free food and mince pies, music and choir performances. Arts and crafts, wreath-making, dancing and face painting. Local business stalls.

Transport can change like the British weather, so double check before you head out.

🚇 Northern Line: No trains between Archway and High Barnet or Mill Hill East all weekend (Sat & Sun). Highgate, East Finchley, Finchley Central, all of it. Replacement buses instead. Night Tube's also down Friday and Saturday nights between Charing Cross and Golders Green/High Barnet, so late nights home from town will take longer.

🚇 Met & Piccadilly: Both shut on the Uxbridge branch all weekend.

🚇 Elizabeth Line: Sunday morning only: no trains Paddington to Ealing Broadway before 7:45am, no Woolwich stops before 10am. Early birds, take note.

🚈 DLR: Tower Gateway to Shadwell closed Sunday. One for the Docklands crew.

🚌 Buses: Routes 79 and 292 have new timetables from Saturday. Your usual bus might show up a few minutes earlier or later than you're used to, so check the app.

Upcoming events you should consider booking in advance or planning ahead for. In and out of North London. Events marked with (£) require a ticket in advance.