Author: Wansteadium

UPDATED: Posters advertising a circus on George Green next week have mystified many residents who say this is the first they have heard of it.

One Wansteadium reader, Justin, says: “I am not sure that we want a circus installed within the relatively tight confines of George Green.” Another, Mark, says: “I wonder when I and other residents were going to be formally informed of this? I think given the size of the Green and its close proximity to residents this event is totally inappropriate.”

The Circus Fantasia is advertising its events between 5 and 10 July.  One reader has speculated that the event might be staged on the Green rather than on Wanstead Flats because of the roadworks on Blake Hall Road.

 

A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation told Wansteadium:

“The City of London Corporation has licensed Circus Fantasia on George Green from Tuesday 5^th July to Sunday 10^th July.  Equipment for the Circus will draw onto the site from Friday 1^st July.  The Circus operates two weekday early evening performances at 5.00 and 7.30pm and 2pm matinees at the weekend and should not provide noise nuisance in the late evening.

Circus Fantasia is a much smaller Circus than the large Big Tops licensed on Wanstead Flats and  Chingford Plain and should fit well on George Green.  No car parking on George Green is being provided as the Circus wishes to play to local audiences using Wanstead’s excellent local sustainable transport links.

We did also speak to Redbridge Officers ahead of confirming the event last year and are confident that Permitted Development Rights in the Conservation Area support temporary events of this nature.

Head Keeper Martin Newnham will undertake site checks ahead of the draw on to ensure the site which has received a great amount of rain is capable of receiving the big top and vehicles

 

@Wansteadium Seen on George Green earlier! A new local advertising opportunity seems to have opened up. pic.twitter.com/yg9UREbPMB

— Milquetoast (@Milquetoast1) June 24, 2016

Some diversion in difficult times. Wansteadium reader Dan Woodley writes:

The evening did not go as planned.

The wife was out, the children asleep, supper was almost ready and all was well. As I began serving up my lamb and pitta, my attention was drawn to a shrill squeaking coming from the garden. Maggie entered the residence with what I took to be a mouse of considerable proportion.

This scenario is not new to me and it is not without hubris that I say I had the creature safely contained in a cardboard box in no longer than a minute. Stepping into the garden I was surprised by its weightiness and risked a peep inside the box where I found a plump grey rat staring back at me.

Rats are far sprightlier than mice it would seem and the beast vacated the box before I could get the lid closed. Now racing across lawn with both Maggie and myself in close pursuit it evaded capture by darting betwixt plant pot and wall, under sandpit and bench and finally down the household drain.

By the time I found my wits and removed the cover all I could see was its furry hind quarters disappearing through a hole in the grill no larger than a farthing. Somewhat at a loss as to what to do next I began cursing Maggie roundly for her part in this endeavour and outright failure to recapture the prize.

It was then I noticed a snout poking up through the grille. It would seem there was no way out of the drain into which it had fled, for our furry nemesis was attempting a return through a hole.

I knew full well I could not let the beast escape back into the neighbourhood but neither could I stand by and let it drown in the waters below. Fetching glove and pry bar I set about removing the grille and attempted to rescue the beleaguered vermin by means of a life raft formed of a nearby garden trowel. The creature was quick to grasp my intent and hauled its wet and silty bulk onto the makeshift pontoon as I lifted it from the murky waters.

I left him there, half-way up the drain, on a red brick ledge, exhausted from his efforts. Sensing the creature was done for I went to fetch a carrier bag and house brick with which I could end his suffering and send him to the next life.

You can hardly imagine my surprise when I returned to find him gone. I scanned around the perimeter, surely he could not have climbed the sheer sides of the drain in his enfeebled state? I roused Maggie to continue the hunt once more before coming to my senses. If the beast had left the proximity of the drain he would surely have made a watery trail?

Cursing myself for a fool I studied the surrounding paving and found not a trace of water, save what I had myself spilled. If he had not come up then logic dictated he must surely have gone down. I set to dredging the blackened water for some minutes until at last I pulled the limp and lifeless body of the noble creature from the wretched filth below.

I will never know if he expired from exhaustion or cast himself into the waters once more, a selfless gesture to spare me the blood on my hands.

Farewell dear friend, our time was brief but you are not forgotten.

#wanstead

A photo posted by Garry Maclennan (@yhfphoto) on Jun 26, 2016 at 1:46pm PDT

The return of Wanstead Weekly Photo, with this pic as posted on Instagram by Garry Maclennan. You can submit your pictures for Wanstead Weekly Photo by emailing them to us at info@wansteadium.com.

As an added extra, this picture which demands some comment about ducks, was taken by Wansteadium wanself at Nutter Lane.

The news that Peter Smith, greengrocer to the people of Wanstead, retired on Thursday shocked many customers who responded by paying generous tribute to him.

Trudi Campbell wrote: “So sorry to see you guys go! All the best for the future.” Ann Williams said: “This is really bad news – Peter was one of the stalwarts of Wanstead High St and a regular stop on my shopping expeditions. Good luck, Peter and Aaron, whatever you decide to do next. I’ll really miss you.”

Reader Christine Duncan commented: “We moved away from Wanstead 14 years ago back up to Yorkshire and we always came back to say hello to you. Wanstead High Street will not be the same.”

Some readers asked why the move was so sudden with no opportunity to say goodbye. Pete himself left a comment saying it was “too emotional… I told one of our regulars and she burst into tears”.

There were however reports that one of the factors in his decision to part with the shop was a move by Redbridge Council to introduce a £1,200 six-monthly charge for use of the pavement area outside the shop. Wansteadium has asked the council for comment on this.

The photograph above is taken with permission from Mike Edwards’ book Shelf Life which profiled shopkeepers around Wanstead and neighbouring areas. You can see more on the book and the story of Harvey’s at this page, and if you want to buy a copy, e-mail Mike directly.

How Redbridge voted, as seen by BBC News. Full nationwide results, including how Redbridge compares to other London boroughs, are here.

Peter Smith, Wanstead’s greengrocer for 40 years, has announced his retirement and closed his shop early on Thursday afternoon. The business is changing hands but will continue trading as a greengrocer.

Peter, and Aaron Hebden, who also worked at the shop, announced the departure in a message to their customers via Wansteadium which thanked them for their support.

 

The closure of the greengrocers has long been a fear of many Wanstead High Street shoppers, with rumours of its closure circulating many times, often sparked by the increase in rents for High Street shops. Until today they have just been rumours.

Aaron said a “nice family” was taking over.  More details when we have them.