Author: Wansteadium

Wanstead’s coffee experiment ramps up

The unofficial experiment being conducted in Wanstead over the past few years – to see just how many coffee shops one High Street can sustain – is gearing up.

The long-observed Wagon Wanstead cafe, which has been standing idle for more than a year, has now opened. Inside looks very smart, with Perky Blenders coffee being served and some attractive-looking pastries on offer. Opening next door to the well-established and much-loved Bare Brew is a brave move.

But an even bigger venture is being prepared for the former Sumo Fresh site, which rumour had it was going to become a curry restaurant.

Joice Cafe already has branches in Stoke Newington, Balham and Mill Hill, and from looking at the menus on offer in those places, this is going to be more than a coffee shop with a range of breakfasts, brunches, and wines/spirits. They even offer Dirty Chai Lattes, whatever they may be.

The newcomers will take, at our count, the coffee shop/cafe tally to 15, in addition to pubs and restaurants. Just how elastic is the demand for coffee? If they bring more people into Wanstead and increase its vitality and vibrancy then few will complain.

It’s long been Wansteadium’s tradition to wish new traders good luck in their ventures, and we do so now too. But we also wish good luck to the establishments who have been toiling away for years.

Phew. The vitality and viability of Wanstead is saved


Oh thank you, Mr Government Planning Inspector, for ensuring Wanstead High Street can have electronic adverts scrolling all day every day, pushing out new streams of commercial messages.

Thank you too for overruling our own elected authorities who thought our conservation area didn’t need them. But you accepted the arguments of the advertisers, who said that they would support the “vitality and viability” of Wanstead.

Thank you for your years of training and expertise in enabling you to make such sagacious judgements. We will rejoice in our vitality.

  • Wansteadium asked Redbridge Council for its opinion on being overruled, and whether this board represented the thin end of a wedge. A spokesman said:

The Council is disappointed that the Planning Inspectorate overruled the council’s decision and allowed these advertising panels on the High Street within the Conservation Area. The appeal decision is a material consideration regarding any future application for these types of adverts. We will closely scrutinise future applications to ensure we do not have an unsightly proliferation of such advertising panels on our High Streets.

New cafe, but not here

A minor diversion from Wanstead, to Greenwich. One of the undisputed stars of last year’s Wanstead Fringe, Paterson Joseph, has celebrated the opening of a cafe there honouring Ignatius Sancho.

Sancho was the subject of Paterson’s talk and impromptu channelling which he staged at the Fringe (and which few who saw it will forget). Sancho was the son of slaves, an orphan who rose to the heights of 1700s English society and became the first black person to vote in a British election. It was some tale and we’re delighted that Paterson’s efforts to have Sancho recognised have borne fruit.

Wetherspoons answers

Pub chain Wetherspoons has answered customers of the George who complained that the chain was selling its lease to another pub chain, as we reported on Friday.

Reader JanetPlanet, whose comment appeared to sum up the feelings of many, received this reply:

Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

We can confirm that the George pub is currently on the market however it will continue operating as a Wetherspoon pub until is sold and we very much hope that you will still enjoy the pub until then.

We understand that you, the pub’s other loyal customers and our dedicated members of staff will be disappointed with this decision, however JD Wetherspoon has made the decision on a commercial basis which we believe is in the best interest of the company as a whole. We hope customers will choose to visit our other pubs in the area.

We can confirm that staff will be given the opportunity for re-employment at other Wetherspoon pubs in the event that their pub is sold.

Nonetheless your comments and observations have been noted.
Thank you again for contacting us and for all your custom at the George.

Many thanks,
Laura
Wetherspoon Customer Services

Wetherspoons confirms The George is ‘under offer’

A spokesman for Wetherspoons has confirmed to Wansteadium that The George pub in Wanstead is under offer to another pub chain. Rumours have been circulating on social media throughout Friday about the news but this is the first confirmation that the news is correct.

The chain did not say who the prospective owner was, but the rumours are that it would convert the George into a gastropub.

The development took customers and even people working elsewhere in hospitality in Wanstead by surprise. Wetherspoons has however divested itself of other pubs in the past few months, including the Last Post in Loughton, so it is not unprecedented.

Ironically Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin told Sky News on Friday that the company was to increase the number of its pubs by 20%, as the company reported growing profits.

The George dates back to the 1700s, and the current building was completed in 1903.

Reader JanetPlanet adds:

I have emailed JDW to say what a loss this would be to the area. May not make much impact but just to register what a treasure this pub is to Wanstead: Have heard that The George is under offer. Please withdraw! This is the best pub in East London. It is such a grand pub which is an important hub for all age groups. I love that in a posh area, this pub is accessible to all due to it prices. You see older folk at breakfast, people that lunch, last-day-of-school teens in the summer, exam result get-togethers, family celebrations, weekenders, intimate chats, and not to mention – a really convenient station pub to meet folk. You are the last bastion of working class culture. Wanstead needs you. I feel sure that this is a pub in profit. Your staff are well-trained and the building is welk maintained. You would be such a loss to the area.