Author: Wansteadium

Earlier this week, we reported the theft of a cub group’s camping equipment. Bob Bradford now writes:

I am writing as the Group Scout Leader of the 21st Epping Forest South Scout Group based at St Gabriel’s Church, Aldersbrook.

First can I say how heartening it has been to see, on Wansteadium, the many posts of sympathy and offers of support following the theft of our group trailer and associated camping gear. We have also received offers from residents of the Aldersbrook area. This has meant a lot to us. Thank you all.

The good news is that following some fantastic detective work by one of our leaders we have managed to track down and recovered all our tents from premises in Romford. Once the situation was described to the manager of the premises he had no hesitation in returning the equipment and added in an additional tent by way of an apology.

Within a couple of hours the trailer was also returned with most of our ancillary equipment: tables, benches, water carriers etc. though some equipment such as heavy duty gas burners and cooking utensils were missing.

The gas burners were delivered back to us, as promised, at our Scout meeting last night. Though we have most of the equipment back it is apparent that some has suffered damage and will need replacement or repair. We will have to replace all the cooking utensils with catering quality replacements.

The situation is a much happier one than when Justin initially placed his comments and at a meeting last night we began the process of reviewing our current practices to minimise a repeat of what happened.

A number of people have offered donations to assist us in replacement of lost or damaged equipment and if they still wish to do so they can make a BACS payment to our Cubs account. .. Sort code 40-07-18 : Account Number 51243454 or alternatively by cheque payable to 21st Epping Forest South Scout Troop; c/o 26 Park Road London E12 5HQ.

Once again, our thanks to you all. The community spirit is really alive in Wanstead.

Yours in Scouting

Bob Bradford
Group Scout Leader
21st Epping Forest South Scout Group

Congratulations to Wanstead’s newest shopkeeper – fishmonger Kevin Murphy, who opened for business on Tuesday. As is conventional on this blog, we wish him the best of luck.

Beautiful grilled kipper (£1.87)from Wanstead Fish. #wanstead pic.twitter.com/tuyeCLDmC2

— zehra zahir (@zehzah) July 15, 2014

Suki Orange, Wansteadium’s food blogger, on Wanstead’s new American-style diner Long Horn.
I’ve long maintained that the missing link in Wanstead dining is a restaurant offering simple but good food suitable for casual dining and also – crucially – families.

The idea of Long Horn  – as a burger joint along the lines of GFK or even Byron – is a really good one. There’s nothing like it round here, and there are enough people in Wanstead who want to eat out but don’t want to get on the Tube. Perfect. What could go wrong.

Long Horn has been set up by an enthusiastic and ambitious young local businesswoman who has done an awful lot right – not least raising the level of anticipation – in a very stylish way. And the best decision of all is choosing what is possibly the best spot in the whole of Wanstead for a restaurant.

Going inside, you walk into a long, somewhat dark restaurant, with a pretty cool atmosphere. Exposed brickwork, high-backed banquettes on either side, a neon sign, and stripped wide floorbords. Anyone who used to visit it when it was Cinnamon may have trouble recognising it. The fitting-out of Long Horn has been done properly (with a possible exception of the tables which seemed to have been rather unsuccessfully distressed).

The menu describes itself as “fine dining” – a phrase which, just like “luxury”, is becoming meaningless through overuse. This is not fine dining, but it probably shouldn’t even seek to be. There’s only so much demand for fine dining in Wanstead.

Starters range from potato skins, wings, and chowder through to an inventive panco-coated okra. Main courses are burgers with American additions such as gumbo, jumbalaya and fried chicken; but it doesn’t stop there – there’s also ribs, steak, sausages, fish, and Mexican.

Fried chicken, on the menu as “chicken marinaded in a spicy brine, dried then coated with flour and deep fried, delivered a good round peppery heat. Calling it what it actually is – southern fried chicken – would be more accurate and would actually sell the dish better. As would telling customers that they are using free range chicken, which staff only mentioned when asked. If Long Horn has gone to the trouble of getting meat and fish from environmentally and animal friendly sources, they shouldn’t keep quiet about it.

The sweet potato fries were very good – and the burgers firm yet tender. But it does feel that the menu is overcomplicated for what is called for. There don’t need to be ten different mains. The okra is a nice touch but a bit over the top.

It takes a lot to get somewhere like this right, and the places that one might be tempted to compare it against have tested their operations and formulas through long, expensive, trial and error. It’s not perfect by any means but we really need somewhere like Long Horn in Wanstead, So I feel a duty to return, to support it while it works out exactly what it wants to offer, and to applaud them for what they have done well so far.

Geoff Wilkinson goes all underwater on Wanstead Daily Photo.

Wansteadium reader Justin Woodthorpe Browne writes:

Hello, I am a local cub leader at 21st EFS based at St.Gabriels Church Hall in Aldersbrook. We keep a trailer with all our camping equipment and cooking equipment. We use it regularly and can accommodate 60 children plus leaders and we have large tents, small tents, dining tents, mess tents, tables and chairs, plus a fully operational kitchen. It has been stolen from the car park where it has been stored for the past five years. We have regular camps (three so far this year) plus Aldersbrook school used it two weeks ago.

It gives children a great experience and is often their first night away. Some children from Wanstead were going to go away to the Isle of Wight in two weeks time, but this now looks like it will not happen. For some of the children it would have been their only holiday. Please can you ask if anyone has seen this dumped anywhere, or seen camping equipment, or canvas dumped anywhere, as we believe it was stolen for the trailer, not what was inside it. It will cost over £10k to replace and it is not insured (we obviously do not have the money). Also, we are happy to accept any old camping equipment, not wanted, or donations. Thank you.