The revelation that Redbridge Council is inviting applications for nine daily market pitches on Wanstead High Street has infuriated many shopkeepers, and judging by your comments, plenty of residents too.
Wansteadium wrote on Wednesday that it was not aware of any public consultation having taken place; we asked Redbridge for a comment on the process and the proposals. A spokesperson for the council has now responded:
First and foremost, these are not permanent stalls—they are time-limited to one year. Toward the end of that period, we will conduct a thorough review of each pitch to assess its success and determine future viability.
A public consultation was held between 22 July and 31 October 2024, allowing residents and stakeholders to share their views. The list of approved pitches was subsequently advertised in the Yellow Advertiser on three separate dates in April and May 2025 to ensure transparency and public awareness.
To further encourage participation, a targeted push was made via Facebook in October, which helped boost the number of responses. Additionally, the operator of Wanstead Market ensured that all of his traders were informed about the consultation and had the opportunity to contribute their feedback.
We have some follow-up questions about the extent of the 2024 consultation and how many people responded. But for now, any readers who
- were aware of the consultation
- ever receive a copy of the Yellow Advertiser, or
- saw the Facebook ‘push’
are invited to leave comments below.
In the meantime a petition against the introduction has been started, and in its first 24 hours has been signed by nearly 500 people.
I sometimes wonder what the Council think its OWN noticeboards – on Wanstead High Street – are for. The fact that it has taken so many engaged residents and shopkeepers by surprise indicates that the consultation was not effective.
Does the Yellow Advertiser really still exist? It’s years dince I saw one.o
No, not since 2019 as a paper version. Presumably just online now.
What is the Yellow Advertiser? Have never heard of it
The Wanstead Village Directory is freely available to all from shops, libraries etc. The permanent stall taking up space on the pavements should have been publicised there.
I can’t remember when we last received a copy if the YA … and I don’t have a FB or Instagram account!
Why would we want another fresh fruit & veg provider when there’s already 7 established shops in/around the High Street … ♀️
M&S Simply Food
Best-one Convenience Store
Co-op Food
Harveys
D’Vine Nature
Tesco Express
Krishanco
And is LBR putting a daily refuse collection service in place to collect any stallholders rubbish, as there won’t be a back room or yard for the purchase holders to securely store the same until the regular collection days …
When was the last time the yellow advertiser was seen !!
I think this is an insult to all our lovely shopkeepers who provide a fantastic service to all . Wanstead residents value our local businesses bringing in outside traders will raise all sorts of issues .it’s just not a suitable location to have market stalls . Why do we need them !
I was aware of the consultation on street licensing a number of months ago
Yellow Advertiser????
No, I saw none of the above adverts for this.
We have never received a copy of the yellow advertiser…..
And I’m not sure how a targeted Facebook campaign can be successful unless you are already affiliated with the councils Facebook page? Surely some literature in the form of posters or leaflets for the three month period would have been more successful for all residents?
All well advertising in a near non existent paper, that’s the councils licensing rules, but why was the local businesses not consulted? The council have all their details as per Business Rates so there is no excuse why that option could not have been used.
Looking at the council statement they have been careful with the wording. 2 separate statements.. 1 ) The public Consultation, with no explanation of how (If) it was made public! 2 Advertising the pitches AFTER it was agreed. This used FaceBook and Yellow Advertiser. This was to request applications not to Consult. I can find no mention on the Redbridge Website of any ‘Public Consultation, nor anyone who knew about it.
None of the above. I’ve never even heard of the yellow advertiser?? But Redbridge Life is published & delivered by the Council 4 times a year. Why wasn’t it in THAT? Perhaps because more people would see it……..
I didn’t see anything about this until I heard from other local residents. Yellow advertiser.? Is that a joke. I can’t see how it will add anything new or different and will likely be detrimental to existing businesses. The monthly market already provides plenty in the way of pop up stalls.
Never seen a Facebook push on this from Redbridge council
I’ve lived in Wanstead for 30 years and never seen a Yellow Adveriser. A back-door consultation at best, a deliberate obfuscation otherwise.
Saw none of these
I have to say this would suggest they didn’t want too many responses. The yellow advertiser and Facebook would probably reach significantly less than 1% of Redbridge residents and definitely less of the local community.
Absolutely agree, there are many high profile ways Redbridge council could have done this, but they’ve sneaked it in, under the radar deliberately because they knew it would casue friction and the wanted to force it through. Unfortunately this seems to be common practice now.
The lights-controlled zebra crossing between the George and Dragon and Wanstead Tube is difficult to use at the best of times. Traffic comes from many directions and the lights change slowly. I have seen many people cross when the pedestrian light is still red out of hurry or frustration. It is already hard to see cars coming from round the corner on the High Street and it will be even more difficult when the view is obscured by market stalls, stall holders and queueing customers. I fear the result will be pedestrians run over trying to cross.
I haven’t seen a Yellow Advertiser for many years, and not since I’ve lived in Wanstead. Therefore this doesn’t count as a meaningful consultation. With local elections next year, we need the council to be held to account. With a lack of open amenities (closed library, gym, swimming pool, theatre), these market stalls are not an amenity we need.
apparently you only get Yellow Advertiser delivered if you ask for it. https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/homedelivery/. Had they pasted notice to a facebook group that was used we would also have heard about it. To imagine that posting on their facebook page without paid boosting would reach even 1% of residents would be incompetence at best..
I’ll go against the wind with this, I think they could be an attractive addition if well kept, if they contribute to the Wanstead gardeners initiative for example.
Again IF it’s a year trial, I say good, give it a go
No consideration has been given to those with sight or mobility disabilities. The pavement, along the High Street, is congested enough as it is. It becomes particularly difficult to move along when we have the farmers market. The Farmers’ Market is a lovely thing and the ensuing congestion is acceptable once a month. We should not be making things more difficult for pedestrians everyday of the week.
Where and how will these stalls get loaded / unloaded M and S Lorrie’s already cause disruption
Unfortunately, Stuart, if the stall manages to last the year, Redbridge will claim it a success and we’ll never get rid of the stalls!
It’s fine saying that this will be a year-long trial, but then the stalls will be there and it is so much easier to leave them there.. if they cannot be stopped now they will hardly be stoppable later. Buy nothing from them if they come. Is this likely to happen?
As one the Wanstead gardeners, our issue is not lack of funds it’s the growing lack of volunteers.
My health is improving. When I’m better, I’ll be back.
Does the ‘spokesperson’s have a name and job title, please?
We live in Wanstead.
We have never received the Yellow Advertiser.
I can assure you, had there been a public consultation we would have been aware of it. It can only have been a ‘private’ consultation.
There has been no evidence of a Facebook ‘push’.
Perhaps the anonymous spokesperson would provide evidence of these three communications. With distribution areas, numbers of copies of items distributed and numbers of respondents.
That’s because it ceased to exist in print form back in June 2019 according to my research.
You can request it via FOI
I didn’t know the Yellow Advertiser still existed either! It’s been YEARS since I last saw one. I’d love to know where they are circulated.
I’m also on FB and don’t recall seeing this posted. However, due to number of posts on Wanstead fb pages unless you’re specifically looking for it, it would have been easily missed. Is Facebook and a free paper that isn’t sent to anyone really how the council is conducting consultations now? I don’t think adding stalls to pavements is the right way to go, when we have so many empty shops around.
Most Wanstead people value our local shops for the friendly vibe ,convenience of services and offerings already in place. We don’t need any extra sellers trying to compete with long established businesses who do a brilliant job already.
Yellow advertiser..whats that? How has Redbridge consulted all its residents? ..rather than expect residents to see out information for something they do not lnow about. Whoever is responsible for this lack of consultaton should be sacked!! Ihave not seen any flyers on noticebiards, in libraries, sent to community and church organisations in car parks….on the …high street itself. I help a senior post in Newham and am amazed at how abysmmal Redbridge is…except foning, charging and destroying enhancements by planting made freely by the community. Stop sending out reminders re parking to residents who have told u several times they no longer have cars (six to us) destroying beautiful plants in tree pits or expecting people to fill out massive gorms to ask Redbridge if its ok to plant around tree pits. What more wastes of time do Redbridge spend money on. Dont allienate residents you chumps!!!
Eh?
It’s funny that the petition rails against “Unapproved” stalls – unapproved by whom? The public??? Just look at the Brexit referendum to see why they shouldn’t be trusted to make decisions
I’ve read all comments. Please people get real. It’s all smoke and mirrors by the LBR Council (majority) to obfuscate the position they always take – which is to do whatever they want when they want and however they want. It’s only lip service to democracy.
The Ilford majority have no interest in the Wanstead Village nor its Conservation Area status other than to downgrade its ethos to equal Ilford – and look what happened there.
Petitions will achieve NOTHING. The ONLY effective method to stop/end this is to BOYCOTT the stalls when in place. You can get the produce from the High Street shops. Once the Stalls achieve nothing but LOSSES only they will pack up and go. Are you prepared to BOYCOTT? I certainly am and WILL.
Well said
You’re so right! Another example of using Wanstead as a cash cow is the hut on Christchurch Green.Hardly ever open or used and certainly not needed given the many eatery’s on the high street!My son used to deliver the yellow advertiser 30 odd years ago not been around since the 1980’s!This is underhanded I feel maybe the local mp might be able to help?
Whenever I see something like this I always ask the same question, ‘Who benefits financially from this?’ I would be very interested to know who approached and petitioned Redbridge Council. Who benefits?
I never heard about this until a few days ago. Looks like no one asked wanstead residents or businesses. The once a month market adds to the village charm of our town. Permanent stalls will totally ruin it.
The arrogance and disdain of the current council on display yet again. It was bad enough with the “consultation” regarding the taxpayer-funded cafe on Christchurch Green and the Christmas Tree concession every year. Wanstead is seen as a cash cow to subsidise the rest of the borough.
LBR takes Consultation to mean the absolutely minimum amount legally required. Expensive LBR. newspapers delivered to the door extolling the puff pieces of work of that LBR are happy to promote whilst local democracy is being covertly throttled on the streets of wanstead by our council making decisions in our name, but not with our true consent. Unbelievable!
Nameless officials making decisions behind closed doors such as The Cafe on Christchurch Green. Consultations rolled out discreetly online, excluding the elderly from participation, such as The Aldersbrook 20 mph zone, which directly impacts where I live just outside the zone, ergo blindsided about a major project. Harming the high street by reducing street parking spaces for vanity projects, a few EV users, and a seemingly defunct car club. On market days allowing stall holders to block disabled bays. Introducing traffic free school zones which just displaced that traffic into neighbouring streets, then proposing more parking bays in those streets so that they can profit from the displaced traffic (& fumes). The Green Field – wait for the nursery drop offs and residents without parking bays to start causing issues with traffic. I’m sure there’s plenty more examples.
At the next local elections it will be our chance to clear out those who seem to want to make Wanstead less pleasant to live in, and put some vigour back into the accountability of those who are supposed to represent our interests.
Unfortunately, the other side of the borough makes its mind up for us most of the time. Wouldn’t it be better if we came under anyone but Redbridge!
Declare UDI !!!!!!
You’re absolutely right. It must be one of the poorest performing boroughs with a dreadful lack of amenities. Look at the renumeration for the many councillors if you want to feel even more depressed about them!
That’s because it ceased to exist in print form back in June 2019 according to my research.
Not a great look to argue that it’s been published in the Yellow Advertiser – last seen in paper format more than six years ago.
In the Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy Earth was destroyed by the Vogons to make way for an hyperspace bypass. The demolition notice was on display at the local planning department on Alpha Centauri for 50 yrs.
LBR seem to be deliberately missing the point and defensively citing efforts to create a demand to justify the project, when in fact people like the high street how it is. Ilford’s Mercato covered market has failed – any connection?
The Council needs to rethink their policy of using the Yellow Advertiser. I haven’t seen one for many years, and have no idea how you would even get hold of a copy. This is not effective consultation, just technical compliance with requirements.
I contend that the wide pavement area in Wanstead High St is a Public Amenity Area which enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors and therefore should not be interfered with. It provides a space for passing the time with friends and neighbours without impeding the progress of pedestrians.
We submitted a joint concern regarding the only application thus far for a Wanstead pitch is for fruit and veg. The response we received was simply a cut and paste of the statement provided above by LBR’s representative. LBR, we were expressing our concerns about the duplication of existing goods provision, which the standards for stalls being approved states will be not be accepted, NOT your original proposal and covert consultation process!!