Unannounced and untitled, a toy shop has appeared on Wanstead High Street. It’s in the modern block near Snaresbrook Station, close to Lilies of Wanstead.
It’s small, but looks well worth investigating. More information to come when we know more but in the meantime, score one point for high street diversity.
Look we have a new toyshop on Wanstead high street! @wansteadium were you aware? Near Lillies of wanstead pic.twitter.com/UOQ7e73tTA
— WansteadPaddy (@WansteadPaddy) August 3, 2013
It’s taken an age getting here – five months at our reckoning – but Wanstead’s first sushi restaurant, Sumo Fresh, opened its doors tonight (Thursday). Good luck to all who sail in her.
As ever, reviews from anyone who eats there are welcome here.
Wansteadium’s property blogger George C Parker writes:
In 2009 the whole town of Scenic, South Dakota, was put up for sale by its owner. Of late I must say I’m beginning to feel Wanstead has been going the same way.
A development company recently advertised the large parcel of land adjoining the High Street that is currently occupied by J Jolliffe Ltd builders.
As the picture indicates, with access directly onto the High Street this is a truly plum site in the centre of Wanstead, with space for residential and retail development.
Somebody with an estimated £1.3m to hand must have agreed with this assessment as the advert was removed as suddenly as it had appeared.
Shortly afterwards @RedbridgeBlue (who knows a thing or two) commented on the Wansteadium Facebook page that a sale had already happened.
Of course, on the other side of the road lies the (partially?) for sale Evergreen site – which is sadly no more than a petulant monument to upset local sentiment at present.
Let’s hope that the end product at Joliffe’s is beautiful and useful. Upmarket apartments with their own onsite parking should encourage the new sprinking of local eateries.
*On the subject of which, as a champion of local enterprise and part time bon viveur I raise my napkin ring to all those restaurateurs who have recently entered the Wanstead scene.
I’m yet to sashay to sashimi at Sumo Fresh – due to open I understand, like the Third Ashes Test on Thursday – but I’ve certainly enjoyed meeting with other moguls and tycoons on the Provender terrace this summer during the recent sunny months. An incarnation of Hadley House appears to be making a comeback as well, with some decking appearing outside the building together with a wheelchair ramp run at a rather rakish angle (seat-belts advised).
Possibly most excitingly of all, the incoming maitre patissier at Nice Croissant is reputedly a Generalissimo of the gateau, a trojan of the tart, a mousquetaire of the macaron. People sometimes take the village ambiance for granted, but Wanstead derives great benefit from the hard graft and hot ovens of these business people (I should also mention those running the nattier boutiques). Bravi.
* As is traditional in these parts, I wish the staff of the forthcoming Costa – now a very visible reality – well in their endeavours.
* For those who have been wondering how best to enjoy the summer sunshine, and who were pipped on the £1.3m Joliffe site – here is a wonderful residence with pool on Draycot Avenue. Imagine afternoon tea (Belgique is handily close for buns) on that lawn, followed by a dip in the twinkling azure waters … the Wanstead Riviera?
* And finally, friends: this house in Warren Drive appears to be undergoing minor cosmetic refurbishment at the moment. If memory serves, this is the same property that had an armoured vehicle parked on the drive for many months (see Wansteadium passim). A case of Tanks for the memories?
Suki Orange – Wansteadium’s food blogger – writes:
The Guardian (the real one, not the Wanstead one) has published a map of all food hygiene ratings in England, and as far as the eateries on Wanstead High Street are concerned it’s looking pretty good. Only two restaurants seem to have failed to get a 5 rating (ie full marks) – and they were the little lamented Bipasha on Nightingale Lane, which has now become Deshi Spice, and Purbani on the High Street which is still open but scored a 2 in the tests. It’s fair to say the tests are somewhat historical, having been conducted in 2011, but all the information comes from the Food Standard Agency.
Wansteadium reader Dan Lane emailed to say: “Naturally, I checked out the places along Wanstead high street first and I’m please to say pretty much everyone scored a five. The only place to fail was Purbani with a score of two, which is ironic as it always smells of bleach whenever I go in.”
You can have a good rummage round for yourself at the Guardian Datablog here.
Our man who walks without question writes: “Wanstead 1st XI took full advantage of their visit to Buckhurst Hill who have been having an uncomfortable season, recorded a convincing win, and retained hopes of retaining the the league title. Skipper Arfan Akram UEL MCC TDND* led from the front with 62 unbeaten runs.
Mehad Khan’s 8 for 11 off 11 overs tells the complete story of the 3rd team overwhelming Hainault & Clayhall. This side must entertain hopes of winning the league.
In contrast, the 4th team who also may have fancied themselves for the league, were forced to cling on for a draw against a strong Upminster challenge.
Hainault & Clayhall could not mount much of a challenge to Wanstead’s 5th team, whose former opening bowler Michael Griesel is proving a most successful opening batsman.
The 6th team subsided against a superior Wickford XI, 50 runs from Aman Ali notwithstanding.
*Top-Drawer Name-Dropper
Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “You must remember the thunder and lightning of last Monday night – who could have missed it? I was in the garden around 10pm and I looked up and saw this cloud formation around the moon. It looked so dramatic and threatening I just had to take a picture. However, as for the actual thunder and lightening Mrs Wilkinson says I slept peacefully through the lot!”
