Summers Lane tip in North Finchley opens 9am to 4pm every day, gates shut 3.45pm. No booking for cars; vans must book. Closed only 25, 26 Dec and 1 Jan.

Barnet has one household tip, the Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre in North Finchley, and it is open 9am to 4pm, seven days a week, bank holidays included. The only days it shuts are Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. You do not need to book if you arrive by car, bike or on foot; vans and trailers must book at least 24 hours ahead.

The quick answer

  • Open 9am to 4pm every day. The outer gates close at 3.45pm, and you will be turned away if you arrive in the last 15 minutes with a big load or behind a queue.
  • Closed only on 25 December, 26 December and 1 January. Open on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and every other bank holiday.
  • Cars: no booking. Vans and trailers: book 24 hours ahead, with proof of residency.

Where it is

Summers Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre, Porters Lane, Summers Lane, North Finchley, London N12 0RF. Phone 0207 464 2225. The site is run by the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) on behalf of Barnet Council (NLWA, Barnet Summers Lane).

Opening times, including Christmas

Day Hours
Monday to Saturday 9am to 4pm
Sunday and bank holidays 9am to 4pm
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day Closed

Source: NLWA and Barnet Council.

For Christmas 2026, the standing rule means the tip is shut on Friday 25 December and Saturday 26 December, open again from Sunday 27 December, and shut on Friday 1 January 2027. Boxing Day’s substitute bank holiday, Monday 28 December (GOV.UK), is not one of the three named closure days, so the normal 9am to 4pm bank holiday hours should apply. The council has not published separate 2026 festive hours; check the NLWA page in December before a trip on the 28th.

The council says the site is busiest at weekends and usually quieter between 10.30am and 1.30pm on weekdays. At peak times, allow 30 minutes to get in and unload.

Cars, vans and booking

  • Cars, bikes and pedestrians can simply turn up. A limited number of cars are let on site at once, and only two people should get out of each car.
  • Vans, trailers and “stripped” vehicles (anything with no seats in the back, including pick-ups and minibuses with seats removed) must book online at least 24 hours ahead, with proof of residency such as a utility bill. Each north London resident gets six van bookings a year (NLWA, site rules).
  • Wheelchair accessible vehicles do not need to book.
  • Staff will help disabled visitors unload if you bring proof of disability. Everyone else carries their own items, with one other person at most.
  • Keep children and dogs in the vehicle.

What you can take

Almost all household waste, sorted before you arrive. The council’s list includes garden waste, furniture, fridges and freezers, large and small electricals, TVs and monitors, hardcore and rubble, plasterboard, scrap metal, wood and timber, tyres, gas bottles, car batteries, used engine oil, cooking oil, textiles, books, bikes, and all the usual paper, glass, cans and plastics (Barnet Council). NLWA’s full A to Z also lists real and artificial Christmas trees and Christmas tree lights.

The rubble limit: each north London household can bring DIY waste that fits in two 50 litre bags, four times in any four-week period. That covers concrete, brick, stones, pebbles, sand and gravel (NLWA).

Free DIY materials: unwanted bricks, slabs, tiles and timber in good condition can be dropped off or taken away free from a set-aside area. Stock changes weekly; ask a member of staff.

If Summers Lane cannot help

  • Bulky waste collection: the council collects up to three large items from your home for a fee. Details and prices are on our bin collection days page.
  • Christmas trees: in January the council collects real trees from the kerb on two set Saturdays. See Barnet Christmas bin collections.
  • Other north London tips: NLWA runs reuse and recycling centres in Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest as well (NLWA, reuse and recycling centres). Barrowell Green in Enfield is the one NLWA site that needs a booking for cars too.

Driving there? Check roadworks in Barnet first.