Wansteadium

What was going to be a week’s closure for Blake Hall Road to fix a water main has turned into two, with a promised finish date of 1 June. There are, however, rumours that the work could finish early, perhaps even by this weekend (which would be especially good with Ride London taking place on Sunday).

In the meantime, those who can cycle or walk are navigating a narrow passage beside the works. Drivers are finding other ways round.

Meanwhile this plaintive sign is lying on the ground. When Thames Water have finished with it here, they could always put it beside the Roding near where it released raw sewage 237 times in 2022.

EXTRA UPDATE: An earlier update to this article included a comment which said that Lakehouse Road was being resurfaced, and that this was a really bad time for it to be done. In fact the work being done was on a crossing, not resurfacing.

A new music festival is taking place in Wanstead this weekend – but not the kind with tents and wellies.

It’s a four-day festival at St Mary’s Church on Overton Drive, inspired by the centenary of the installation of the new organ at the church which took place on 27 May 1923.

Organiser Alison Wells, whose day job is as a vocal professor at the Royal College of Music, has put together a programme of four events, including:

• Friday 26 at 7.30pm
  An acapella vocal quartet, Sonare, singing works by Mendelssohn, Stanford, Elgar and Sullivan and others. Entry £15 on the door.
• Saturday 27 at 4.30pm
  A talk about the organ by organ builder Michael Brighton followed by a recital by the parish’s seven organists. Entry free.
• Sunday 28 at 5.30pm
  A concert of instrumental music featuring local musicians Sue FitzGerald and Alison Wells, Jane Miller, Clive Miller and John Garner, and Jonny Fong and Jacqueline Li in a programme including, Brahms, Poulenc, Rutter, Piazzolla and more. Entry £10 on the door.
• Monday 29 at 12.00pm
  A ukulele workshop led by Martin Wheatley, with a picnic in the grounds. Pre-booking essential via email to alisongwells@me.com
  

More details are available on the festival programme available here.

May Music Festival

The 2023 Wanstead Fringe will be taking place from Saturday 9th September to Saturday 30 September – running for an unprecedented third week.

It will be the TENTH Wanstead Fringe and will be bigger than ever with plans going on all over Wanstead for events. There will be comedy, plays and music staged throughout the Fringe – here are some key dates for you:

Wanstead Kinema: Saturday 9 September
Wanstead Festival: Sunday 17 September
Wanstead Jumble Trail: Saturday 23 September
Wanstead Book Festival: Events from 9-30th all through the Fringe.

If you want to organise an event or be part of it, please fill out this Google Form – Fringe organisers will get back to you. Alternatively you can contact them on info@wansteadfringe.org

They are particularly keen on hearing from:

An enlightener: to help advise us about theatrical lighting

A details person: to help make sure administration is in tip-top condition

A persuader: to help convince people why they should support the fringe

Some doers: to help ensure Wanstead is fully bedecked with fringe decorations 

The Bungalow Cafe, long the favoured destination for coppers who used to work at the former Wanstead Police Station, is back in favour with the boys in blue – kind of. The new BBC comedy Black Ops features the cafe in episode 2.

Thanks to serial spotter Eithne. Any sightings or mentions of Wanstead on film or TV or in the press, please inform us – info@wansteadium.com.

It’s going to be a difficult week for anyone who wants to travel between Aldersbrook and Wanstead for the next week as Blake Hall Road is to be completely closed in both directions until 23 May.

A burst water main will mean the road being closed between Bush Road/Overton Drive and Aldersbrook Road. The delay is caused in part by new concrete needing time to set.

Buses are to be on diversion but it’s going to be a difficult week for many people. Blake Hell Road returns.

Blake Hall Brook. On the brighter side it's very quiet and makes an excellent circuit for cycling. @jonburkeUK pic.twitter.com/EQITXDP4By

— Wanstead weather (@wanstead_meteo) May 17, 2023

Wanstead musos will be watching with interest the progress of four-piece jazz collective oreglo which includes Wanstead drummer Nico Saggese. The band recently played Jazz Refreshed at Brick Lane and the Cheltenham Jazz Festival, and took part in this programme on BBC Radio 1xtra.

You can hear their latest release here on Spotify.