Occasional correspondent George C Parker writes:
On Valentines evening at the end of a dusky street, in an archway beneath an East London railway line, a cultural era came to its glorious end.
Closing night at the Wanstead Tap began like so many that had come before it. A crowd assembled, the fairy lights twinkled, a band played, and the stories and reminiscences flowed.
Beside the bar, the chalk scoreboard proudly displayed the names of scores of artistic luminaries to have played, spoken, sung or debated in this snug little speakeasy over the years.
People queued for their drinks and to share a congratulatory word and a hug with patron curator Dan and his family members. All too soon, the bar ran dry, the last song was played and the shutters were rolled for the last time.
After twelve years of happenings, cafe culture, craft beer, artistic exploration, performance, election all-nighters, theatre, food and the spoken word, the Tap had become an inimitable and irreplaceable fixture in East London’s cultural life. We will miss her, but we are grateful that she was here (and grateful too that some of her kit will live on through the Wanstead Fringe). Best wishes to Jane and Dan in their life after Wanstead.