Author: Wansteadium

An incident in which a Wanstead nursery worker was injured with a knife at 9.30am on Hermon Hill by three women reportedly shouting “Allah” is not being treated as terrorism by the Metropolitan Police. Since the story started circulating on social media shortly after lunchtime, various claims have been made that this is either because it was violent enough to warrant being called terrorism, or because of political correctness.

This is a small selection of tweets from the afternoon:

It’s clear though that this is a story which has the potential to build into a social media meme which could inflame matters. Some clarification from the police as to what they believe happened, with an explanation of why it is not considered a terrorist-related incident, would be very useful.

The Ilford Recorder is reporting that a nursery worker was stabbed on Hermon Hill on Wednesday morning by three women who, it is reported, shouted “Allah Allah”. The worker was stabbed in the arm but her injuries are not life threatening, the paper says.

Sources tell Wansteadium that Scotland Yard is emphatic the incident is not terrorism-related.

Local schools are reported to have kept children inside as a precaution but this has now ended.

More follows.

Update from Met: Woman stabbed, suspect ran off. Schools keeping kids in. Counter terrorism dept not currently investigating #wanstead

— Victoria Richards (@nakedvix) June 7, 2017

Stabbing in Wanstead is NOT being treated as a terrorist incident by police.

— Danny Shaw (@DannyShawBBC) June 7, 2017

EXCLUSIVE: The saga of the former Barclays Bank on Wanstead High Street has reached a conclusion with an announcement that Gail’s Bakery is to open a new shop on the site.

The artisan baker has struck a deal with Sainsbury’s who announced in 2016 it would not be going ahead with plans for a new convenience store in the area after buying the site from Barclays.

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson told Wansteadium: “We’re pleased to have done a deal with Gail’s Bakery who will be bringing forward plans for a new shop.”

Gail’s has branches in various upmarket parts of London including St John’s Wood, Victoria Park and Exmouth Market (pictured).

 

Users of the Aldersbrook Community Centre are trying to work out what its future is, after word went around that it was to close down. The hall is owned by Newham Council, but attempts to find out if reports are true have so far failed.

One Wansteadium reader, Jessica, said: “We’re really sad to potentially lose the hall, especially after Sakura sushi recently also left Brading Crescent, it would make two brilliant community assets lost in a matter of months. Can any Wansteadium readers shed any light?  Newham council who own the hall (even though it’s in Redbridge) haven’t put any information out. We only found out from one of the fitness class instructors at the hall. We would be potentially interest in volunteering to run the hall if others would be interested in collaborating.”

Anyone with clues, comment please.

…don’t do what this photographer appears to have done and take bluebell photos from among the flowers themselves.

The statue of Venus which has been elegantly situated in the Corner House garden for the past two years has been nicked.

Marian Temple, inspiration for the Wanstead Community Gardeners who look after the Corner House plot, writes:

I’m not particularly a lover of garden statuary especially not on a plinth so when we were offered a statue of Venus for the Corner House Garden, I wasn’t immediately enthusiastic.  However, it seems churlish not to offer accommodation  so Venus came along to set up home with us.  She was quite a heavy girl and needed a porter’s trolley to shift her or sometimes we just mugged a chunky looking passer-by to shift our girl. 

She’s been with us for a number of years and we’ve all got to love her peering out through the foliage especially of the enormous silver leaved cardoon.  In winter we always moved her to the side garden as we thought she’d be too exposed when the foliage died down.  Her winter quarters were a green cave in the privet.  Last month with the foliage putting on a spurt, it was time for Venus to be brought out to take her place in the front bed. 

Alas, that was not to be for Venus has been nicked.  What a pity!  We really miss her presence in the front bed.  Somebody must have liked her a lot and we hope Venus and the somebody are happy with each other.  Pity though that she couldn’t continue being part of the Corner House Garden and enjoyed by the many passing by.

Shoddy behaviour by someone.