Ali’s return

Good luck to Wanstead singer songwriter Ali MacQueen whose new single, Loretto, is released today.

Ali is known to Wanstead Fringe regulars as the man behind the annual acoustic night which has become a regular highlight of the week’s events. The song represents a return to writing and releasing songs after a enforced break in his musical career because of a brain operation. On Loretto, Ali plays most of the instruments himself, including guitars, drums, keyboards, Hammond organ and shakers. It has been well-received by reviewers.

Ali says: “Loretto came about in one of those fleeting moments of life, walking down a backstreet just north of Oxford Street. At the end of this alleyway was some graffiti, which was tagged ‘Loretto’, and that was it.

“By the time I walked out from the backstreet and out back on to the street, I was humming the chorus. It was pretty catchy, and the vibe was nice that day, so I recorded the melody on my phone, caught the Tube home and began to work the chords out.”

The song is available to stream on Spotify, and can also be heard here.

The bin amnesty starts

As the big wheelie bin rollout takes place across Wanstead, so too does the Bin Amnesty, where Redbridge offers to dispose of non-compliant privately owned wheelie bins that householders have previously bought for themselves.

Who knows what will happen to these poor bins as they face the scrapheap of scrapheaps. Nice new shiny black bins are proudly wheeled into their former spots, with the freshly written house number proudly displayed on the front. The old bins must dream that the suggestion they might be used for garden tool storage might come true, but alas for most it is end of their days faithfully performing a thankless task. Adieu.

Wanstead’s swimming pool back on track

(Image: Redbridge Council)

The plans to redevelop Wanstead Leisure Centre which include a swimming pool are still on track, Redbridge Council has confirmed. After Covid put a halt to works, building is due to start again in the summer

A spokesperson for Redbridge Council told Wansteadium:

We’re currently undertaking an exciting major expansion of Wanstead Leisure Centre near Wanstead Station to provide a 25m length swimming pool and a new dance studio to complement the existing gym, badminton, and squash facilities. The work is due to be completed in late 2022.

Wansteadium’s 1000th

This will probably mean much more to Wansteadium than to anyone else – but we’ve never let that stop us before. So let us just tell you that this is the 1,000th post on Wansteadium since our early prototype days in 2010. That’s all. Please don’t send flowers.

If you’re interested, and there’s no reason why you should be, this is what Wansteadium looked like in those early days. Can you believe those lapels?? And the hair?? What were we thinking?

Jobs klaxon

The folk behind the new coffee shop and bakery, which is soon to take Percy Ingle’s place on Wanstead High Street, are recruiting and would like to hear from any Wansteadium readers who are interested.

They are seeking experienced baristas and chef/sandwich makers to work in the new shop, which is going to be an independent, family-run business.

More details can be obtained from info@city-place.co.uk