The Belsize Society | The Belsize Society is a charity of over 500 household members who seek to preserve the character of the area, by keeping a close eye on planning and environment issues.

Welcome to The Belsize Society website

Eton Avenue – credit: Luke Collins

The Belsize Society is a charity of over 500 household members who seek to preserve the character of the area, by keeping a close eye on planning and environment issues. We work with local public bodies to improve the quality of local services and we promote a greater sense of community by providing information about local issues and holding social events. We publish a quarterly Newsletter and an annual booklet of recommendations for Traders You Can Trust

Find out more About Us, About Belsize and join The Belsize Society here.

News & Issues

See all current news and issues, or read a post below:

Saving the Swiss Cottage pub - With the surprise closure of the historic Ye Olde Swiss Cottage pub, Belsize Society is involved in the campaign to save the pub site for the community. The pub, which gave its name to the area, ceased trading after nearly 200 years, at two weeks’ notice, on February 1. Builders… Read more
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs): an Update - We included a note about EPCs in our August 2023 Newsletter. An EPC is needed whenever a home is built, sold or rented. It contains information about a property’s energy use, typical energy costs, and recommendations about how to reduce energy use and save money. It gives a property an… Read more
Climate Strategy Room in Swiss Cottage - This Borough-wide consultation follows on from a series of local “Strategy Rooms” the Council held last year. One was held in association with the Belsize Society. BelSoc Member Chris Langdon was one of those who took part. Here are his personal impressions: Should supermarkets be rated for their green policies,… Read more

Features & Comments

See all current features and comments, or read a post below:

Belsize Society Newsletter February 2025 - Welcome to the February Belsize Society Newsletter. A pdf of this Newsletter is available also. It was good to see so many members at this year’s carol singing in Belsize Village. We were fortunate to avoid the heavy December rain. We were once again joined by Primrose Hill Community Choir, raising over £300 for the Royal Free charity. Members will have noticed that the Swiss Cottage pub has been shut down. This historic site, which gives the area its name, is a part of our community that should not… Read more
The artistic side of the Belsize community : Craft for all - New Newsletter contributor, Clara Dubanchet, writes: For the last three years, residents and visitors to Belsize Park have been able to pause in astonishment, amusement, awe, or bewilderment at the sight of peculiar hats topping the red letterbox on England’s Lane. Crowned by a cover on which are sewn various items, animals, or characters changing with the seasons or major events, it is not the only one to stand out. On Thurlow Road, another letterbox is decorated, as is the telephone box in Primrose Gardens. Who could be working… Read more
Boarding houses, cinemas and strudel : Belsize from 1900 to 1945 - Local historian and BelSoc member Averil Nottage gives a taster of her forthcoming BelSoc walk At the end of the 19th century, Belsize aspired to be a suburb for the wealthy middle classes. The First World War, the tube, the motor car and competition from newer suburbs all changed that, in the first half of the 20th century. The trend began in 1884 when a large empty house in Belsize Park Gardens was pulled down and replaced with the 20 apartments of Manor Mansions. Then early in the 20th… Read more