Wansteadium

The circus planned for next week on George Green has been cancelled because the ground is waterlogged, the City of London Corporation has decided.  But the owner of the circus has written to Wansteadium to say the story is not over.

Matthew Wingate writes:

I own Circus Fantasia, we contacted City of London Authority last year with regards to bringing our small family circus to one of their sites. Sadly Wanstead Flats was not suitable for us for a number of reasons, the main one being, it’s not the safest place in the evenings, so we attract many young families who in our opinion would not travel to us at the flats.

We also encourage people to walk or use public transport to get to us. This is why City of London suggested George Green.  Very close proximity to transport links and houses. The site is never used for anything other than dog walking and dog fouling.

We seat a maximum of 400 people in our big top.  At Wanstead Flats circuses seat over 1500 people, so please look at the size comparison.

We have visited London Borough of Redbridge for the past four years, visiting Valentine’s Park, Ilford, Ray Park, Woodford and Goodmayes Park. We have never had any issues with these parks, nor with the local authorities. In fact Redbridge recommended us to City of London as a ‘no hassle’ organisation.

We have contributed over £40,000 over the past four years to the local coffers. We pay a large sum of money to stand on a site for a week.

We also DO NOT have any animals in our circus. all we are talking are clowns, magicians, trapeze, acrobats, a strongman etc. No live music, no fairground rides.

There are no requirements for us to notify residents, or any licences to obtain. Circuses have been part of British culture for more than 240 years.

Have you ever stopped to think how open spaces are kept up or how they are developed? Events like ours mostly fund the day to day up keep of sites like this.

We do not damage sites, we leave them exactly as we found them, litter is collected daily-(if any) a skip is in place for the rubbish to go into. There is no alcohol on sale at our events. It’s a family event for all ages and ethnicities.

We are a pucker legit company in the UK, registered for all tax, corporation tax and VAT.

Travelling circus people live in houses, but have to travel with the big top to entertain communities, we can’t open a circus in a town centre shop for obvious reasons. We are all educated people, not a bunch of drug-smoking hippies.

I suggest the residents of Wanstead and George Green, educate themselves first on circuses before making accusations. To sum up – as a circus director, I probably earn more money than most people in Wanstead, I can certainly afford to employ my solicitor to fight any problems we have with local opposition.

All I can say is get used to us, we will set up on George Green, if not this time then next time.

Please think about when you were a child, however long ago that was.

It looks like the concept of “Wanstead Village” could become a real thing. Up until now, it has existed mostly in the estate agent-speak, in the two signs at either end of the High Street, and in the ‘Wanstead Village Conservation Zone’.

But the concept could now become a reality.

The Boundary Commission has made recommendations for the redrawing of council wards within Redbridge – which would replace the existing Snaresbrook, Aldersbrook and Wanstead wards.

In their place would come, respectively, South Woodford & Snaresbrook, Wanstead Park and Wanstead Village. The old Roding ward is absorbed into Wanstead Village and South Woodford & Snaresbrook, and there will be a new Churchfields ward.

Not that people base their worldview on which council ward they live in, but it does mean that people living in Hollybush Hill, Sylvan Road and even the east side of New Wanstead will be in South Woodford & Snaresbrook rather than Wanstead.

It appears that, so far as council boundaries are concerned, Aldersbrook ceases to exist.

There is an official consultation on the changes, which can be found here, and Cllr Paul Canal, Redbridge Conservative leader is also inviting anyone with comments to get in touch with him.

The boss of the Boundary Commission, Prof Colin Mellors, said: “We are keen to hear what local people think of the recommendations. Over the next eight weeks, we are asking local people to tell us if they agree with the proposals or if not, how they can be improved.

“Our review aims to deliver electoral equality for local voters. This means that each councillor represents a similar number of people so that everyone’s vote in council elections is worth roughly the same regardless of where you live.

“We also want to ensure that our proposals reflect the interests and identities of local communities across Redbridge and that the pattern of wards can help the council deliver effective local government to local people.”

In a single bound, the Ginger Pig wins the award for coolest sign in Wanstead. Just a shame that – it’s believed – they won’t be opening until August. Something to do with getting refrigeration units in from the continent, we hear. [Memo to self: insert Brexit ref here.]

An odd one this. As seen on Camden Road. Our spotter suspects the cause is somewhat innocent – a lorry reversing, she suggests – rather than wanton vandalism. But still odd.

Wansteadium regular Saqib Khan writes: “Council took away the supporting pole for this young tree and it wilted. Supporting pole now refitted by the council.”

UPDATED: Posters advertising a circus on George Green next week have mystified many residents who say this is the first they have heard of it.

One Wansteadium reader, Justin, says: “I am not sure that we want a circus installed within the relatively tight confines of George Green.” Another, Mark, says: “I wonder when I and other residents were going to be formally informed of this? I think given the size of the Green and its close proximity to residents this event is totally inappropriate.”

The Circus Fantasia is advertising its events between 5 and 10 July.  One reader has speculated that the event might be staged on the Green rather than on Wanstead Flats because of the roadworks on Blake Hall Road.

 

A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation told Wansteadium:

“The City of London Corporation has licensed Circus Fantasia on George Green from Tuesday 5^th July to Sunday 10^th July.  Equipment for the Circus will draw onto the site from Friday 1^st July.  The Circus operates two weekday early evening performances at 5.00 and 7.30pm and 2pm matinees at the weekend and should not provide noise nuisance in the late evening.

Circus Fantasia is a much smaller Circus than the large Big Tops licensed on Wanstead Flats and  Chingford Plain and should fit well on George Green.  No car parking on George Green is being provided as the Circus wishes to play to local audiences using Wanstead’s excellent local sustainable transport links.

We did also speak to Redbridge Officers ahead of confirming the event last year and are confident that Permitted Development Rights in the Conservation Area support temporary events of this nature.

Head Keeper Martin Newnham will undertake site checks ahead of the draw on to ensure the site which has received a great amount of rain is capable of receiving the big top and vehicles

 

@Wansteadium Seen on George Green earlier! A new local advertising opportunity seems to have opened up. pic.twitter.com/yg9UREbPMB

— Milquetoast (@Milquetoast1) June 24, 2016

Some diversion in difficult times. Wansteadium reader Dan Woodley writes:

The evening did not go as planned.

The wife was out, the children asleep, supper was almost ready and all was well. As I began serving up my lamb and pitta, my attention was drawn to a shrill squeaking coming from the garden. Maggie entered the residence with what I took to be a mouse of considerable proportion.

This scenario is not new to me and it is not without hubris that I say I had the creature safely contained in a cardboard box in no longer than a minute. Stepping into the garden I was surprised by its weightiness and risked a peep inside the box where I found a plump grey rat staring back at me.

Rats are far sprightlier than mice it would seem and the beast vacated the box before I could get the lid closed. Now racing across lawn with both Maggie and myself in close pursuit it evaded capture by darting betwixt plant pot and wall, under sandpit and bench and finally down the household drain.

By the time I found my wits and removed the cover all I could see was its furry hind quarters disappearing through a hole in the grill no larger than a farthing. Somewhat at a loss as to what to do next I began cursing Maggie roundly for her part in this endeavour and outright failure to recapture the prize.

It was then I noticed a snout poking up through the grille. It would seem there was no way out of the drain into which it had fled, for our furry nemesis was attempting a return through a hole.

I knew full well I could not let the beast escape back into the neighbourhood but neither could I stand by and let it drown in the waters below. Fetching glove and pry bar I set about removing the grille and attempted to rescue the beleaguered vermin by means of a life raft formed of a nearby garden trowel. The creature was quick to grasp my intent and hauled its wet and silty bulk onto the makeshift pontoon as I lifted it from the murky waters.

I left him there, half-way up the drain, on a red brick ledge, exhausted from his efforts. Sensing the creature was done for I went to fetch a carrier bag and house brick with which I could end his suffering and send him to the next life.

You can hardly imagine my surprise when I returned to find him gone. I scanned around the perimeter, surely he could not have climbed the sheer sides of the drain in his enfeebled state? I roused Maggie to continue the hunt once more before coming to my senses. If the beast had left the proximity of the drain he would surely have made a watery trail?

Cursing myself for a fool I studied the surrounding paving and found not a trace of water, save what I had myself spilled. If he had not come up then logic dictated he must surely have gone down. I set to dredging the blackened water for some minutes until at last I pulled the limp and lifeless body of the noble creature from the wretched filth below.

I will never know if he expired from exhaustion or cast himself into the waters once more, a selfless gesture to spare me the blood on my hands.

Farewell dear friend, our time was brief but you are not forgotten.