Category: Wansteadium

Amid the anger about Redbridge’s decision to introduce nine daily market stalls on Wanstead High Street – and the perceived inadequate consultation before the decision was made – one unanswered question is puzzling.

Why, in a change to a policy which applies across the whole of Redbridge, are more than 25% of the new sites in Wanstead? What have Wanstead shopkeepers and residents done to attract this special attention?

In other market stall news:

* Detective work by residents has surfaced the adverts which made up the consultation last year, which we understand had 80 responses in total and had to be extended because of a poor answer rate. This is the advert that appeared on Facebook (spot the mention of market stalls). It’s fair to say this is opaque at best.

And this is the notice which appeared on an inside page in editions of the Yellow Advertiser last year, a newspaper which – it turns out – is not actually printed any more. Also note the use of the phrase “permanent pitches for street trading purposes”, something which contradicts Redbridge’s statement that they would not be permanent.

• Paul Canal, leader of the Conservative opposition at Redbridge, has written to Redbridge leader Cllr Kam Rai calling for the current process to be halted and for the consultation to take place again. He wrote:
  “Wanstead’s high street is one of Redbridge’s best assets. It must not be subjected to poorly considered changes introduced without meaningful local input. The Council has a duty to listen and to act in the best interests of those it serves.”
• The petition against the stalls has now climbed to more than 1,200 signatures.

The revelation that Redbridge Council is inviting applications for nine daily market pitches on Wanstead High Street has infuriated many shopkeepers, and judging by your comments, plenty of residents too.

Wansteadium wrote on Wednesday that it was not aware of any public consultation having taken place; we asked Redbridge for a comment on the process and the proposals. A spokesperson for the council has now responded:

First and foremost, these are not permanent stalls—they are time-limited to one year. Toward the end of that period, we will conduct a thorough review of each pitch to assess its success and determine future viability.

A public consultation was held between 22 July and 31 October 2024, allowing residents and stakeholders to share their views. The list of approved pitches was subsequently advertised in the Yellow Advertiser on three separate dates in April and May 2025 to ensure transparency and public awareness.

To further encourage participation, a targeted push was made via Facebook in October, which helped boost the number of responses. Additionally, the operator of Wanstead Market ensured that all of his traders were informed about the consultation and had the opportunity to contribute their feedback.

We have some follow-up questions about the extent of the 2024 consultation and how many people responded. But for now, any readers who

• were aware of the consultation
• ever receive a copy of the Yellow Advertiser, or
• saw the Facebook ‘push’

are invited to leave comments below.

In the meantime a petition against the introduction has been started, and in its first 24 hours has been signed by nearly 500 people.

Redbridge is inviting applications for nine permanent spots for market stalls on Wanstead High Street, to the fury of shopkeepers.

The council has approved plans to introduce stalls in these places:

• Four outside the George & Dragon
• One outside Wanstead Tube
• Two outside Gail’s
• One outside Oxfam
• One outside Tesco

One application for a pitch outside the George & Dragon for a seven-day-a-week fruit and veg stall is currently being considered. The policy says the goods of any prospective stall must not replicate those of neighbouring shops, so one would expect Marks and Spencer and Harvey’s Greengrocers to be objecting to a new fruit stall.

Wansteadium is not aware of any public consultation having taken place about the introduction of the permanent market stalls into what is a conservation area. Market stalls would be a significant change to the character and appearance of the high street.

One shopkeeper said: “With the rising costs we are incurring, which include but aren’t limited to – Rent increases, reduction of business rates relief, service charges, staff wages, NI contributions, street licenses & utility bills, is there already a surprise that the High Street is struggling? More competition with them paying a fraction of we are paying, will mean more empty shops.”

People will be able to object to individual applications for stalls, but there is apparently no chance to officially object to the principle of having pitches on Wanstead High Street as the policy has been accepted by the Council Cabinet.

The webpage announcing the pitches says the areas “have been selected as they will provide a good location for both the stall holder and pedestrians using that pavement area and will complement other businesses in the area. They are listed in our Street Trading Policy which was recently accepted by Council Cabinet.”

The stalls will cost £3,260 per year, a similar sum to that charged to shopkeepers for using the area outside their shops.

Representations about applications can be sent by email to licensing.authority@redbridge.gov.uk or by post to Licensing Authority, 2^nd floor, Lynton House, 255-259 High Road  IG1 1NN.

Redbridge has been approached for comment.

A new addition to Wanstead’s cultural landscape is taking shape with the launch of the Wanstead Youth Theatre, a new venture from the Wanstead Fringe.

Weekly sessions will be starting on Wednesday 1 October, immediately after this year’s Fringe festival, and the hope is to grow into a project which would see regular youth theatrical performances at the Wanstead Curtain.

There is a form for interested parents to complete at the Wanstead Fringe site here.

Meanwhile the Fringe has sent this update ahead of this September’s programme being published.

Belated birthday wishes to the Central Line which was keen for everyone to know of its big day. We probably take it a bit for granted in these parts, to be honest, and only realise how much we depend on it when it’s not working.

So yes, happy 125th, Central Line.

And here’s hoping that the current rash of fools smearing indelible nonsense over the inside of carriages get caught and sentenced to many hours cleaning up their mess. (Wansteadium is now 15 and feels its views are becoming stronger on this point.)

A genius contribution from reader Paul Godin who responded to Wansteadium’s failure to mark ye Cherry Pey day this year – the day immortalised in the inscription on the side of the George and Dragon.

Paul wrote following our post on Monday:

Yes today [28th July] is exactly 273 years to the day of 17th July 1752 (cherry pie day), as eleven days were lost in September 1752 with the move from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar.

That is the kind of thinking we are after. Kudos to Paul.