Author: Wansteadium

Letter to Wansteadium: Freeholders, do your duty

Following the opening of the new British Heart Foundation shop in Wanstead High Street, Wansteadium reader Guy writes:

Another charity shop, bad bad bad. The high street doesn’t need another. Is anybody actually attempting to sell Wanstead to young relatively affluent professional families (that Wanstead now has many of)? We need a decent clothes shop for the ladies e.g Whistles, and a family restaurant. Both would be good for the area and make an absolute killing. [Hardware shop] Robert Dyas, which was rumoured to be interested in the area would have been fantastic too. Shop freeholders lower your rents! It’s killing everybody new and putting off enterprising people who would like to set up shop!

Wansteadium’s food blogger Suki Orange adds:
 I quite agree about the need for a good family restaurant. The continuing closure of Cook’s (formerly Seasons), apparently for refurbishment, is leaving a gap and I know some people are wondering if it will reopen. Like lots of people, I generally prefer independents to chains, but how often have I craved having a Strada on Wanstead High Street?

On Wansteadium’s Facebook page, Najma adds;
Wanstead has relatively affluent professional families, a decent clothes shop for the ladies and a family restaurant would make an absolute killing yet shop freeholders should lower their rent? It doesn’t quite make sense.

Aldersbrook parades its new shops


Wansteadium reader Roger Estop writes:

Residents of the Aldersbrook Estate and visitors to Wanstead Flats can now enjoy a range of new shops and services in the formerly semi-derelict Courtney Parade. Over the past couple of weeks Lakeview Fish and Chips and Farm Fresh Fruit and Veg have been opened by Taranjeet Singh. This follows the opening of Moon’s Hair and Beauties hair salon a few months ago.

Last year, Money Saver Superstore, which offers food, household sundries, confectionery and newspapers opened up and the new off licence Wine Plus started the revival. These joined the longstanding Wanstead Cars taxi base, the Memorials showroom and the little florist shop.

It means the parade under the Courtney Hotel is now fully occupied for the first time in years. The task now is to win over the choosy punters of the Aldersbrook estate – the fish and chips are excellent!