Wanstead laundrette stays, for now

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Councillors have, for the time being, rejected a bid to convert the laundrette on Wanstead High Street into a fast food outlet.

Council planners had recommended that the scheme by the owner be approved, but as the Wanstead Guardian and the Recorder report, councillors rejected that recommendation. The owner could yet appeal, however.

Councillor Paul Canal, who voted against the bid, told the Recorder: “I don’t want Wanstead to turn into somewhere like Leytonstone. The High Street has a unique character and range of shops, a takeaway would attract litter and anti-social behaviour.”

Last year a bid to convert the nearby Wanstead Domestic Appliances site into a takeaway was dropped following opposition, and earlier this year a bid by Domino’s Pizza to change the use of the former Cinnamon restaurant into a takeaway was also dropped.

16 thoughts on “Wanstead laundrette stays, for now”

  1. I encourage Redbridge to release some funding from their pot to encourage more creative outlets onto our High Street. Reduced rent & rates would be a great start. Katriye

  2. Why would LBR planners recommend approval when it is contrary to government planning policy for takeaways close to schools….?

  3. Do we really need more food outlets? Some of us would really like a good haberdashery shop, we lost Woolworths and Dunhams, where can we now buy a needle or a knitting pattern without going out of Wanstead?

  4. Unfortunately the council have no control over rents which are high because Wanstead is still seen as a desirable High street despite low footfall post-Westfield. They could reduce business rates though!

  5. agree with mark,
    chicken express and papa johns pizzas among others drive a coach and horses through LBR wanstead village conservation policy on shopfronts. as a result of my complaint to LBR, enforcement action is being taken against chicken express although at a snails pace.

  6. Hopefully the enforcement team will get to dealing with the nasty wanstead village signs shortly after …..

    Chances of success on appeal to the Home Secretary ; high.

  7. So Planners from Redbridge Council are presumably of the opinion that yet another fast-food takeaway in the High Street is a much more important amenity for the residents of Wanstead, than a sole launderette.

    I am very curious as to how they reached this conclusion.

  8. This is good news, I for one would be sorry to see the launderette go.
    Does anyone know what is going on at the Painted House next to the launderette it is a real eye-sore.

  9. This is an excellent outcome indeed ! So we can now have yet another unique, distinctive charity shop open up on our high street. We clearly dont have enough!!
    As long as the shop frontage adheres to the high standard set by people who have nothing what so ever to do with retailing, our high street is destined to die a slow and miserable death. The same people who opposed TESCO now shop in it…the council are too busy inspecting shop fronts and dealing with vexatious complainants to give shopkeepers a rebate.

  10. wanstonian…im guessing you are a retailer? why the anonymity? the only chance the high street has is making it different to the westfields and generic high streets. thus the appearance and in particular the shopfronts are vital. do you really want a high street looking like bbq express (not you is it?)?

  11. Facades are important as they add to the character of the High Street and are often a good barometer for the quality of the service/product being offered inside. Simply put, if an outfit is prepared to invest some money on appearance people will stop and take notice. A handful of the shops have managed to get this right – Orange Tree, Provender, Wanstead Barbers, Sumo Fresh, Blush Temples. I have become a regular at all these places.

    Unfortunately, we still have far too many unabashed travesties all the way along the High Street. The following should be ashamed of themselves: Purbani, The Thai restaurant, The Chinese, The Fried Chicken shop, Shake Shack, The Bookmakers, Bairstow Eves, Spicer McColl, Bar Room Bar, Elegance Dry Cleaners, Percy Ingle, Greggs [do we need both?!], Londis, Newsagents next to Images & Frames, Nicoles, William Hill, Judith, The Larder (needs a spruce up), Pappa Johns, Delicataste, 7 Eleven Off License, Wanstead House!, Oriental Chef, The Complete Studio etc etc

  12. Bit of a change of subject here, but notice that the L’Infinito restaurant reincarnation with its new wooden terrace doesn’t appear to have step-free access. Surely an oversight.

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