ing ▁of ▁a ▁char ter ▁by ▁which ▁the ▁U DC ▁became ▁a ▁Bor ough . ▁ ▁The ▁house ▁was ▁used ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁as ▁a ▁public ▁library ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁offices ▁of ▁Fin ch ley ▁Bor ough ▁Council ▁after ▁Council ▁Off ices ▁in ▁nearby ▁Hend on ▁Lane ▁were ▁destroyed ▁by ▁enemy ▁action ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War . ▁The ▁bas ement ▁was ▁used ▁as ▁an ▁air - raid ▁shelter . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁the ▁east ▁wing ▁of ▁the ▁house ▁was ▁g utt ed ▁by ▁fire , ▁but ▁has ▁been ▁restored ▁to ▁its ▁former ▁condition . ▁The ▁house ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁meet ings ▁and ▁events ▁ven ue , ▁while ▁the ▁gard ens ▁and ▁ar bor et um ▁remain ▁open ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁free ▁of ▁charge . ▁The ▁house ▁and ▁gard ens ▁are ▁now ▁managed ▁by ▁an ▁independent ▁char itable ▁body , ▁the ▁Avenue ▁House ▁Est ate ▁Trust ▁which ▁le ased ▁the ▁Est ate ▁for ▁ 1 2 5 ▁years ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁▁ ▁H ert ford ▁L odge , ▁also ▁a ▁Gra de ▁II ▁listed ▁building ▁and ▁adjacent ▁to ▁Avenue ▁House , ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 0 s . ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁girls ' ▁school ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁before ▁becoming ▁Fin ch ley ▁council ▁offices . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁the ▁own ers ▁( Lond on ▁Bor ough ▁of ▁Bar net ) ▁decided ▁to ▁sell ▁the ▁building . ▁Late ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁it ▁was ▁dam aged ▁by