About Us

The Centre Now

The Holly Lodge Community Centre is a registered small charity (Number 293003) run by volunteers, serving our local community.

Located on the site of what was formerly the dining pavilion on historic Holly Lodge Estate in Highgate, North London, we have two sites:

• The Community Centre, situated at 30, Makepeace Avenue N6 6HL and
• the Nursery, located one street away in Oakeshott Avenue.

Find us on Google Maps.

Holly Lodge History

Highgate lies in North London, and was once part of the Great Forest of Middlesex. The historic Holly Lodge Estate was initially the site and grounds of a villa built in 1798. The last individual owner of this beautiful estate was the renowned 19th century heiress and philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts, who entertained the likes of Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens.

Nestled between Hampstead Heath to the west, and Waterlow Park to the east, the estate was eventually sold to developers in the 1920s. They in turn created a lovely garden suburb style neighbourhood with a mixture of houses and mansion blocks.

The blocks were originally developed as a safe and pleasant environment to house young ladies who worked in London. The flats were often on the small side; however, there was an elaborate restaurant, a theatre, a library, tennis courts in all, a thriving women’s community on the slopes below Highgate Village.

This history, along with the beautiful environment and amazing views over London, makes Holly Lodge a popular point of interest on historical walks.

The building housing the community centre stands on the site of what once was the restaurant pavilion. The Holly Lodge Estate is now home to a vibrant mix of tenants, and house and flat owners, who make up an engaged and thriving local community.

Committee

The Holly Lodge Community Centre is registered charity, run by volunteers, and managed by a Board of Trustees:

1. Chair: Barbara Smith
2. Treasurer: Hertha Koettner-Smith
3. Committee Member: Elizabeth Doherty
4. Committee Member: Camilla Scaramanger
5. Committee Member: Karen Berges
6. Committee Member: Josh Cedar
7. Committee Member: Grace Livingston
8. Committee Member: Anne Holve
9. Committee Member: Roger Elliott

Local Contacts

• Holly Lodge Estate Manager - Barbara Wheatley is the Estate manager and can answer queries on parking, security and other estate matters.
  She and the Estate team are to be found in the hut at the top of the estate in Holly Lodge Gardens.
  Email - manager@hle.org.uk
• Holly Lodge Residents Association - The HLRA represents all the residents of the Holly Lodge Estate mansion blocks, whether council tenants, leaseholders or private tenants.
  They organise social events and other activities, as well as putting residents’ concerns to Camden Council and working with the Council to create solutions. They are officially recognised as a TRA (Tenants and Residents Association) by Camden Council and the Holly Lodge Community Centre is a part of this Association.
  Website: myhlra.org.
  Email: hollylodgera@gmail.com

Places of interest nearby:

• Hampstead Heath
• Waterlow Park
• Lauderdale House
• Highgate Cemetery and Marx’s statue
• Highgate Village
• Parliament Hill Fields and Kite Hill
• The men’s and women’s ponds
• Holly Village

Volunteers

Members of the public with an interest in the community can apply for a range of voluntary roles, such as helping with activities and events.

Please use the Contact Us page to find out more about the volunteering.