💸 Economic Volatility

Monday 24th November 2025

The Local Business Impact

East Finchley High Street, N2 8

Post-Pandemic Planning: The Economic Framework’s Hopes for East Finchley High Street

The launch of Barnet’s new Economic Development and Placemaking Frameworks on November 24, 2025, confirmed a key focus on revitalizing town centres, including local hubs like East Finchley High Street (N2 8). This is a direct response to the economic shockwaves of the pandemic and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis.

The High Street Link: Construction activity (extensions, small refurbishments, shop-to-flat conversions under Class MA) in the surrounding streets directly feeds the local high street economy. When construction confidence drops (due to high interest rates, Headline 6), businesses on N2 8 feel it through reduced local spending.

The Policy Lever: The new frameworks aim to attract new investment and support local businesses. For builders, this means the council is likely to look more favourably on planning applications that include mixed-use development (residential above commercial) or those that bring derelict high street properties back into use, even if the primary goal is not housing.

Robbins Construction Ltd Opinion: We welcome the council's focus on supporting the local economy. Our construction projects are fundamentally investments in the local community. We urge the council to use its procurement power to prioritize local Barnet suppliers (e.g., in Finchley or Whetstone) for public contracts, helping to secure the supply chain and manage the Cost volatility that has plagued us since 2021. The health of our local high streets and the stability of the construction sector are inseparable.