Author: Wansteadium

We’re delighted to confirm that the Wanstead Fringe 2017 will take place between 9 and 16 September. It’s the fifth Fringe, and will be by far the biggest yet.

It’s going to include some of the events which have become key parts of the Fringe, including:

• The Duke Street Party on Saturday 9 September
• Comedy (with the returning star Paul Sinha) on Thursday 14 September
• Chris Gifford talking about his time in Squeeze at the Wanstead Tap (already sold out!)
• The Wanstead Fringe Jumble Trail on Saturday 16 September
• And the return of the Wanstead KINEMA on the evening of Saturday 16 September.

The full programme which will have more than 30 events taking place all around Wanstead will be published in the next week or so when tickets will also be available. Wansteadium or our sister site wansteadfringe.org will be the best places to keep up with what’s going on – and you can sign up for a Fringe e-mail newsletter here. The Wanstead Fringe is also on Facebook and Twitter.

*The Wanstead Fringe is once again being supported by its founding sponsors, Petty Son and Prestwich, and this year is also supported by solicitors Edwards Duthie.

The death of Doctor in the House author Richard Gordon is a moment to remember again this picture from the opening scenes of the TV programme which were filmed outside what is now Clock Court. File under useful Wanstead trivia.

There is literally a pot of gold at or near the George pub, in case anyone was smart enough to be searching on Monday evening. It’s possible the rainbow actually ended over the new M&S food shop, which makes some sense. Perhaps it will inspire the company to get on with the shop opening.

The campaign against radical reorganisation of parking restrictions in Wanstead, which saw passionate demands for proper consultation among Wanstead residents and businesses, seems to have won the argument.

Redbridge’s revised proposals, following the consultation, were described by the Wanstead and Snaresbrook Residents Alliance as having been “dramatically reduced” from the original proposal, amounting to:

a few extensions to existing permit areas or where local residents felt that parking permits would help the parking on their street… these schemes would be applied from Monday to Friday.

The details of the scheme include the following:

High Street Pay and Display
There will be pay and display on the High Street from Monday to Saturday, using meters which allow a free half hour and accepting coin as well as Ringo payments over mobile phones.  A maximum limit of 3 hours will be applied.

Operate: Monday to Saturday 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
Charges: 30 mins Free
Up to 1 hour £1.20
Up to 2 hours £2.90
Up to 3 hrs £4.50 (maximum stay)
Blue Badge holders: Free

Side roads adjacent to the High Street will incorporate a mixture of Pay and Display and dual use Pay and Display/Business Permit Parking.

Permit Parking
Operate: Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
Charges: 1st resident £45 per year
2nd resident £82 per year
3rd + resident £108 a year
Visitor (book of 10×1 day permits) £6.30
Business £265 a year
6 month Resident and Business Permits are available for half the annual cost.
Blue badge holders can obtain Free permits.

What happens next
August 2017: Results published online and Residents and Businesses informed of the decision.
September 2017: Traffic Management Order process begins. Notice of Intent is published.
Oct-Nov 2017 21-day objection period. Objections considered.
Final decision made.

If a scheme is approved then:
December 2017: Final design changes incorporated if required.
Traffic Orders issued.
Works Orders issued.
January 2018: Permit Applications and final arrangements sent to Residents and Businesses.
Signs and Road Marking works carried out.
Scheme starts.

The wave of mobile phone snatching by moped riders which has hit central London in the past few months has arrived in Wanstead.

On Sunday morning, Wansteadium reader Azi became victim to the crime which has risen more than ten times since 2014. Offenders steal mopeds or scooters, and then drive past pedestrians or people standing on street corners and snatch the phone from their hands, then accelerate away.

Azi writes:

“I was robbed on Sunday by two men on a motorbike on New Wanstead. They took my mobile. When I called police said the bike was stolen too. They later abandoned the motorbike which police found in the evening. It happened at 11.10 in the morning on a busy road. Just wanted to warn everyone in Wanstead to be aware of it and watch out.”

These figures from the Met indicate the growth in the crime.

The Met has also issued the following advice to pedestrians to avoid becoming victims to the crime.

Gail’s Bakery has launched – on schedule – and many Wanstead people already seem to love it. There has been a sympathetic refurbishment of the inside, including the bank’s original floor, has been kept, and the upstairs offices have been converted into a large seating area.

The site has come a long way in the past 12 months. It’s only just over a year ago that the building was occupied by squatters who both took opportunity and protested against the building being left empty for three years.

But it’s clear Gail’s will now be a key player in Wanstead – and will no doubt put some pressure on other nearby cafes.