- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 20, 2026
Make Friends in Finchley, from Ballards Lane to Tally Ho Corner
Almost two in five Finchley homes are rented privately, and artsdepot runs weekly adult courses through to mid-December.
52,100+
residents in Church End, West Finchley and Woodhouse wards (Census 2021)
39%
of Finchley households are private renters, nine points above the London figure (Census 2021)
19%
of Finchley households: married couples with dependent children, against London’s 16% (ONS 2021)
Finchley Mondays at artsdepot
Signing up for a term course is a good way to make friends in Finchley. At artsdepot on Tally Ho Corner, acrylic painting workshops run on Monday evenings at 6pm and the Creative Circle writing group for over-55s meets on Monday mornings, until 14 December 2026. Church End Library holds a fortnightly puzzles and crafts drop-in. Finchley women can find someone nearby on Gofrendly to come with them.
Finchley, a quick Q&A
What is Time to Unwind at Church End Library?
Time to Unwind is a fortnightly drop-in for adults at Finchley Church End Library, 2:30 to 3:30pm, with puzzles, crafts and mindful colouring, and the library pitches it as a chance to meet others in the community. The listed weekday varies, so check the Barnet listing before heading over from anywhere in Finchley.
Is there an outdoor pool in Finchley?
Yes. Finchley Lido Leisure Centre at the Great North Leisure Park has an outdoor lido open from May to September, plus a 25m pool, a leisure pool with a wave machine, a gym and studios. A rebuild is planned, but no opening date for a new Finchley centre has been set.
What can you do in Victoria Park, Finchley?
Victoria Park on Ballards Lane opened in 1902 and covers about seven hectares. It has tennis courts, two playgrounds, a café, a formal garden and the Finchley Victoria Park Bowling and Croquet Club, which plays all year and is an easy club to join in Finchley.
Is there an app for making women friends in Finchley?
Gofrendly is a women-only friendship app showing Finchley women who else is close by, so you can open with a short message. Since so many people here are renting or new to the area, a short walk round Victoria Park is an easy thing to suggest first.
Finchley, families and renters side by side
Finchley mixes long-settled family streets with a large rented market: owner-occupiers account for just over half of households, yet almost two in five rent privately. Couples raising children are more common here than across London, and people over 65 make up about a sixth of the population. That spread of ages means there is usually someone else at a class or club looking for company too, whether she is new to a flat or has just waved her youngest off to university.
When everyone nearby seems busy with school runs or new jobs, Finchley can be lonely. Victoria Park on Ballards Lane, opened in 1902, has tennis, a café and a bowls and croquet club that plays all year. Finchley Lido Leisure Centre has an outdoor lido from May to September, and Church End Library opens on Sunday afternoons. At Tally Ho Corner, artsdepot puts two theatres, a gallery, a café and a bar in one building. Places to start:
1
The adult courses at artsdepot.
2
Time to Unwind at Church End Library.
3
The bowls and croquet club in Victoria Park.
4
The summer outdoor lido at Finchley Lido Leisure Centre.
5
Sunny Hill parkrun on Saturday mornings.
LOCAL TIP
Book a full term of painting at artsdepot and by week three the coffee afterwards becomes the best part.
How to
Finchley ideas for making friends
1
Take a Monday painting workshop or the Creative Circle at artsdepot.
2
Drop in to Time to Unwind at Church End Library for puzzles and crafts.
3
Try a taster session at the Victoria Park bowls and croquet club.
4
Book seats at the Pentland Theatre and bring along a Finchley woman from Gofrendly.
A few good reads
Penned for Finchley
Gofrendly’s founders, Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja, sat down with our editors to write this Finchley guide, picturing women juggling families, rentals and work who hope to find friends a short stroll from home.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
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See who’s nearby and say hi — it’s free to start.