Cycle challenge

The last last event of the Wanstead Fringe – the fringe fringe, you might say – takes place on Sunday. The children’s cycling challenge, postponed from last week because of the weather, will be on Christchurch Green on Sunday from 10am to noon.

It will be an obstacle course and skills challenge to put youngsters through their paces, on bikes or scooters. Children must be accompanied by an adult – but there are prizes, courtesy of Morvelo.

Wanstead Police Station for sale already

police

police2It didn’t take long, but the bids are now being invited for the former Wanstead Police Station on Spratt Hall Road. Details of the building and plot are now available on Rightmove, though no asking price has been indicated.

As a large corner plot with room for parking and outbuildings, in an absolutely prime position, the site will no doubt attract a lot of interest from developers.

For many in Wanstead the sale will have echoes of the sale by the Metropolitan Police of Evergreen Field to developers. The land remains empty and somewhat in limbo, many years later.

Goodbye Wanstead Police Station. Hello Police Contact Point.

Wanstead Police Station closed for good on Monday, as part of the Met’s efforts to save £500m across London.

In a press release marking the new “local policing model”, the Police Borough Commander for Redbridge, Sue Williams, said: “Visibility and being able to access officers is the key to policing. Our new Neighbourhood policing teams will be increased in size to deal with local issues. We understand the misery that can be caused to residents by low level crime and anti-social behaviour. The new Neighbourhood Policing Teams will investigate those crimes and deal proactively to target offenders and bring them to justice. Each Ward will have dedicated officers and PCSOs to build on the success of Safer Neighbourhood Teams.”

“Our public consultations were well attended and helpful to enable us to establish new contact points that will be relevant to the Public and enable officers to deal with local issues during peak hours. The Borough will have four such contact points.

“Local communities and businesses will benefit from a more visible police presence that will increase safety, reduce crime and improve confidence and satisfaction for our communities. These changes are good news for Redbridge and working together with our partners and communities, the future looks very positive for the Borough.”

The new opening arrangments for police station counters are
* Ilford Police Station which will be open 24/7.
* Barkingside Police Station will be open Monday to Friday from 7am to 11pm but closed each weekend.

For Wanstead, though, there will be a new “contact point” where the public can speak to an officer between 7-8pm each Wednesday and Thursday, or between 2-3pm each Saturday. That will be at Wanstead House.

The Wanstead Guardian reports, though, that members of the public will not be able to report crimes at the contact point.

It reports: “If residents want to report crimes they must call police who will then send a officers in an ‘appointment car’ to their homes to get further details.”

(Photograph Copyright Geoff Wilkinson)

Tweets about the Wanstead Festival

https://twitter.com/Nani_wine/status/379243966874791936