Author: Wansteadium

Wanstead Pot Idol update

Great to see the Wanstead Guardian has noticed Wanteadium’s Pot Idol competition. It’s a few weeks ago now since those first photos were published – it was just after the worst of the snow (this BBC story explains graphically why snow and frost cause potholes) – and to give credit where it’s due, the council has now patched them up. There are still some nasty examples around Wanstead that you wouldn’t want to come across on two wheels, though. If you want to nominate any cases, either leave a comment here, on our Facebook page, or put it on Flickr with a tag “wanstead”.

Only for the hardy: Nelson Rd hole now filled

And if you are feeling really constructive, you can use the MySociety FixMyStreet service to report to the council any potholes needing repair.

Wanstead power cut in pictures

Five hours after the power went out on the park side of Wanstead High Street it still wasn’t on. Which wasn’t good news for lots of shops, the doctors and dentists, and Starbucks. But good news for the Olive Branch.

Wanstead Hairdressers


UPDATE 1530: Some details here now at the Wanstead Guardian.

UPDATE 1800: Guardian now reporting power all restored.

‘Enjoying Wanstead life. No bookshop though.’

He certainly has a point. zzgavin writes the following on Twitter:

Walk through forest, now local cafe for pastries and coffee, then to butcher and greengrocers, enjoying wanstead life. No bookshop though

It would take a feat of imagination to think anything could change about it now – the Times reported last week that three independent bookshops around the country were shutting each week – so who would bet on one opening in Wanstead in a hurry? But in other news, the Christian bookshop in South Woodford, which, as we reported here, churchgoers were rallying to save, has now been taken over by a charity and will continue selling Christian books. It might even expand to include a cafe, they say.