Wansteadium

Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “I really like this photograph, you have to look twice and think about it. The trees appear to be upside down and is that yellow disc the sun or a UFO in the picture? Truth is it’s a puddle on Wanstead Flats so the trees are a reflection and the yellow disc, it’s just a tennis ball floating in the puddle.”

Times must be good. The former Startin Builder’s office on the corner of Sylvan Road and Wanstead High Street, which has just been converted into a one-bedroom bungalow, has just gone on the market.

It’s yours for £300,000.

It’s before Wansteadium’s time, but we believe the building started life as a ticket office for the railway – presumably in days before the line it served was actually part of the Central Line. But this meant the building needed quite a bit of refurbishment before it would be suitable for a house – including installation of some insulation.

What was a paved front area for the builder’s office has now become a recently laid winter lawn, benefiting from the mild wet weather no doubt.

So who would it suit? Conceivably someone who works in the City who wants somewhere to sleep during the week (and who likes trains, probably).

We are seeking a comment from George C Parker posthaste.

Good luck to another new management at the Queen’s British Grill, for Tuesday, their first day. This change does, however, look pretty interesting.

The new chef is Adebola Adeshina, who has been running Parsons Restaurant in Waltham Abbey. His site biography says the following:

“Born in Nigeria, Adebola (Ade) moved with his family to London as a child. Inspired by his mother’s cooking, he always knew that he would be a chef. After college, he got a job working with the Aubergine team under Gordon Ramsay. He remained with Ramsay for six years, cooking at the three-Michelin starred Gordon Ramsay Restaurant and at Petrus under Marcus Wareing.  He also climbed the ranks working with Philip Howard at The Square, Eric Chavot at The Capital and Tom Ilic at Bonds.  In February 2006 he opened a critically acclaimed restaurant with Fabrizio Russo called The Lock Dining Bar in North London and in 2011 he recently opened Parsons Restaurant in Waltham Abbey.”

The restaurant reopens after a Christmas refurbishment. You can see the man in action here:

Wansteadium’s food blogger Suki Orange says: “Naturally I wish them well – as we always do with new ventures. My initial thoughts about the menu are that it’s ambitious if a bit confusing, and maybe a touchy pricey? I’d like to know a bit more about the provenance of the rare breeds it will be using, especially since steaks start at £19.50 on the a la carte menu. (Also I can’t resist pointing out some spelling mistakes on the menu, which might say more about me than it does about the restaurant, but really it’s those kinds of things I notice somehow… I know I’m not alone.) But once again, good luck to all involved – Wanstead needs good restaurants.”

https://twitter.com/queensbritgrill/status/423333363898806272

Sad to note that the 1st Wanstead company of Girls’ Brigade, which has met for 97 years, is to stop meeting because of falling rolls. The company has long met at Wanstead United Reformed Church, where other uniformed organisations will continue to meet. Should there be sufficient numbers of girls aged five and over who are interested in attending, the company might start meeting again, organisers say. (Wansteadium will pass on details if parents are interested in getting in touch – email wansteadium@gmail.com)

Geoff Wilkinson writes on Wanstead Daily Photo: “I walked down to check on the river Roding [on Wednesday night]. John from the Wanstead Golf Club had been advised by the Environment Agency that there was going to be a very high water level in the river… I headed back to the same spot where I photographed the river from in December last year, that is the bridge where the A12 crosses the river near the Redbridge roundabout. I have to say that at night everything was a lot more dramatic, the water level was very high and really rushing under the bridge but thankfully no sign of it spilling over. As a matter of local interest John told me that the bridge I was on was the site of the original ‘Red Bridge’.”

The BBC News Magazine highlighted the role of a satirical Tube map from 1914 in saving the Underground’s reputation. The article – and the map – is full of delicious historical detail. Malcolm Parker at the Snaresbrook Central Line cinematic museum (on the Westbound platform) will no doubt be very happy.