Category: Wansteadium

Several events are taking place over the next few days to mark the anniversary of VE-Day, including the following. To add any more not included here, please email info@wansteadium.com

Snaresbrook’s new cocktail bar, in the spot formerly occupied by Bombetta, has opened and seems to be a very nice thing for a summer’s evening. Light jazz wafting out of the bar is beckoning weary travellers as they slide out of the Central Line.

One such customer, Wansteadium reader Ray Contour, writes:

“Out of the shell of what was once Bombetta on Snaresbrook’s Station Approach, now becomes Scran — a cocktail bar that aims to bring Bistrotheque vibes to an every-thirsty cohort of Wansteadians, Leytonstoners and Snaresbrookites. We visited on its first night, where enough interest was being generated by curious commuters on their evening route home, but few were willing to wet their whistle on this Wednesday evening. 

“We headed in to be greeted with warm smiles and  Mediterranean gusto from owner Raffael and his chef. Sitting down on the banquette, we perused a fairly extensive cocktail menu to the sound of chill indie tunes that could also double as retro ’80s soft rock. With more staff apparently incoming in the next few weeks, owner Raffael got his hands dirty and produced a Cosmopolitan and a Negroni to two inveterate but itinerant topers. It’s very early days for Scran, and there are plans for “chunky” food options once things are full flow. There’s no harm in paying a little visit so Raffael can display those mixing and serving skills he’s acquired in many of the revered hospitality joints he’s worked in. Practice certainly makes perfect after all…”

As ever with new ventures, we wish Raffael and co the best of luck.

A community effort to collect medical supplies to send to victims of the war in Ukraine is appealing for mobility aids for people who have been injured.

A spokesman for the group said: “Thousands in Ukraine need mobility aids due to the conflict.  We’re a local group looking for spare wheelchairs, crutches, walking frames etc.  If you have equipment to donate, please email wanstead4ukraine@gmail.com with details and whether you can deliver it to Wanstead or would need collection.  If we have enough offers, we will partner with an established charity and have a collection in late March.  We’d also like to hear from volunteers who might help with logistics and administration.”

There’s a welcome return for the Wanstead Theatre Co who are staging a production of a play, See Rock City, to mark the 80th anniversary of VE-Day. “The play is a warm, funny & poignant drama set in WWII, following newlyweds, Raleigh and May, as the world around them changes,” said Fiona Gordon. “It’s a story of hope in hard times and of two young people learning how to build a future when the future of the world is anything but certain.”

Productions are taking place in the week beginning 5 May and are available via the Wanstead Fringe website here.

A nice way to counteract the throwaway society is the Repair Cafe which takes place on Saturday at Christ Church.

Nine electrical repairers, sewing experts, and menders specialising in jewellery, bikes and laptops will be there mending things people bring along – all for no charge. They will also be running sessions on simple sewing and other subjects, and the Wanstead Community Gardeners will be giving away free plants and seeds along with advice on planting.

The Recorder reports the closure of the Stevens Garage on Wellington Road following the retirement of proprietor Brad Stevens after 48 years.

His daughter told the paper: “When my dad first joined the garage in 1976 there were a total of four garages in Wanstead: Wanstead Garage, Browns and Nightingale Motors, all of which were small family-run businesses. 

“Over the course of the years, and with the closure of Browns in 2015, Stevens Motors was the only independent garage in Wanstead.”

Read more here.