The news that Wanstead is to get an Italian deli/Gastronomia – revealed here on Wansteadium on Wednesday – has raised hopes that vacant shops on the High Street might start to get filled by an interesting and diverse range of traders.
A few weeks ago we ran an article looking at various shops etc in Leytonstone, thinking how nice it would be if, for instance, Wanstead had its own bookshop/cafe.
But maybe Victoria Park is a better model. Before the Ginger Pig came to Wanstead, another feature of Victoria Park had already come to E11 – Luppolo’s sister pub The Lauriston.  So what else could Wanstead covet? Here are a few thoughts…
The Gastronomia sounds like it will be an interesting deli, but this Victoria Park shop is a gem, with ice cream, cakes, pies, salads, cheeses etc.
Similarly, Bottle Apostle offers a huge range of wines, and runs weekly wine-tastings.
Haus is a very cool furniture, lighting and houseware shop (could have an affinity with the Orange Tree).
Three years ago Wanstead had a short-lived pop-up toyshop of its own. Wanstead teems with children – and our new playground will doubtless be a bit of a draw.
Entrepreneurs, please take note.
I have lived on Wanstead for 46 years… when I was a child there was a variety of very individual shops in Wanstead… A wonderful stationery shop (Vanes), a leather goods shop (Stockdales) … It would be so lovely to see some more indivual shops coming back into the high street. .. fingers crossed!!
Think Wanstead could also do with a Bakery
Fabien, you should visit your namesake at Nice Croissant.
Nick Affleck thanks for the tip. Will do
Laura Justine Howard Maybe it’s about time we open our book shop/cafe?! 😋
Think you might be right. Think we should sell posh ice cream too.
Sarah Sarah Steele Theo Fraser Steele
The rents are currently so prohibitive that I’m scared we won’t see any more independent shops opening.
Bottle Apostle recently opened a shop in Stratford East Village; it’d be great if a similar shop opened in Wanstead. It would make a change from Majestic Wines…
I really like Majestic – the staff are always incredibly friendly and knowledgable. The service in there is easily as good as at Bottle Apostle, the selection is much wider, and you don’t have to pay to sample the wines. OK, so it’s not independent, but we do have a big, good wine shop on the high street. It’d be a shame if it went.
That’s the thing, the business rates/landlords aren’t realistic. They need to understand shops need to turn a healthy profit in order to survive and not just all go on the rates. Some landlords and our council though… are quite happy to let shops sit empty.
Very welcome especially a good bakery and let’s have some variation on dark grey shopfronts, there are other colours on the spectrum.
Does anyone have a clue as to what Sainsbury’s intentions are re the former Barclays site on Wanstead High Street ?
The Empress on Lauriston Rd – good eats, bar , pub. A few notches up on Duke, Manor House.
I agree, good wine/beer shop like Apostle. Can anyone recall why Oddbins failed to happen here?
Bakery; our Fab should make more bread as he has a seriously talented team in Nice Croissant. Soon to be rebranded afaik.
Some closures in Lauriston area recently; Chase and Sorensen ( Scandinavian cool old furniture ) and the lovely bookshop, which was a loss.
Bring back Dunham’s
Well, we could certainly do with a better Fish & Chip shop – aka The Fish Hut in Victoria Park. I would love to open my Rotisserie business in Wanstead but the rent and rates are far too high so people will have to come to my soon to open venue – Arch 360 at Winchelsea Rd, E7 [near the Wanstead Tap]
I’d like to agree with the comments on the ridiculous rents and rates… Wanstead is full of us entrepreneurs but we can’t get a foot in the door/shop… because we are not all millionaires! A cute and trendy high street would be amazing… but someone needs to meet us halfway!
As a previous Victoria Park resident I say yes to Bottle Apostle but the deli in Vic Park has some very miserable staff – so yes to the shop, but cheerier people behind the counter please…
Anyone know what’s going on with the Fat Biscuit site? That didn’t last very long at all. A WIld Goose Bakery would be great.
I think the Wansteadium needs a bit of advice on how to rotate your pictures before posting them!!!
Argh. That’s a glitch in the way iPhones saves photos, and it only shows up like that in some places, so hard to keep track of…
An amazing restaurant like one of these would be muy bien !!
http://www.ibericarestaurants.com/restaurants/iberica-farringdon/