Author: Wansteadium

Vote: Wanstead’s best Sunday Roast

Wansteadium’s food blogger Suki Orange writes:

The question is put by @blogandduck: Where is the best Sunday roast in Wanstead. Obviously it’s a matter of taste, and I’m not going to give my opinions just yet because I think we should crowdsource this. Or maybe crowdsauce it. So, people, your votes please (and if your favoured option is not included, please write it in). Let’s give Mr/Ms Blogandduck the benefit of our wisdom.

[polldaddy poll=4416156]

A bomb in Wanstead? Er… no. Not quite

Workmen thought they had uncovered a bomb when they discovered bottles of gas attached by hosepipes to a pump in a cupboard at Oak Hall Court , the Wanstead Guardian reports. A bomb scare and evacuation followed on Tuesday morning.

However. The bottles were just part of an air monitoring kit installed in 1960 – and it took a 90-year-old resident to work out what they were. Joan Brown told the paper:

“We were evacuated and someone said something suspect had been found in one of the maintenance cupboards. Well, I have been here since the flats were opened in 1948 and I knew immediately what it was. It’s a device that was put in to monitor air quality when this was a clean air zone in the 1950s. It was just stuck there and forgotten about.

“I went up and told the police sergeant and everything went calm again.”

So no biggie in the end, but it was alarming when it happened, including for Wansteadium reader @lornamedia, who had tweeted:

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/lornamedia/status/27392771635544064″]

P.S.

• While we’re talking about bombs, though, let’s take the opportunity to mention the ongoing Wansteadium Blitz Project.

This is a “real-time-plus-70-years” re-reporting of when bombs fell on Wanstead from German planes, what kind of bombs they were, and what the result was.

As of 19 January 1941, 70 years ago today, there had been nearly 80 incidents of bombs falling on Wanstead. The time around Christmas and winter was, as it turned out, relatively quiet for the people of Wanstead – the last bomb recorded before 19 January was on Snaresbrook Road and Eagle Lane, on 4 December 1940. But the Blitz was certainly not finished – the next bomb to fall was… well, you’ll have to wait and find out, since that was all our forerunners could do.

Wanstead news roundup, 18.1.11; Wine, bats, and flats

• Wanstead, like the rest of the world, is bracing itself for cuts – this time in council services. The Wanstead Society has kicked off the debate, warning of cuts to street cleaning, parks police, slower planning, and more potholes. Redbridge-i has more information on the various options here.

• Some good news though – 10,000 trees are being planted in Roding Valley Park (off Onslow Gardens and Chigwell Road) as part of an initiative led by Trees for Cities. The benefits will be to some birds and bats, prevention of soil erosion, and minimisation of road noise for residents. Plus, you know, trees are nice.

• Harmony reigns over a plan to build 24 new homes on Leicester Road, Wanstead; yes, after three years and lots of public hearings, there is now agreement over the building of three sets of flats and a semi-detached house on the former Chepstow House. More here and here, with a joint statement between the Wanstead Society and the Counties Residents Association.

• A security guard at Snaresbrook Crown Court has been arrested on suspicion of dealing drugs to prisoners. More details here.

• The Majestic Wine Warehouse on Wanstead High Street, currently being refurbished, could have an illuminated sign 16 metres long, if its planning application is approved. The Smarter High Street campaign has views on the matter.