Wanstead’s new wine bar

Occasional correspondent George C Parker writes:

“Congratulations to Mike and team on the successful soft opening of Must Wine bar on Thursday evening. Guests toasting the success of the new business included the proprietor of the former Coco Boutique, which occupied the site until recently.

“Renovations have been exacting and thorough, with the creation of a new garden space and exclusive private tasting room. Several interesting artefacts were uncovered during the work, including a Forest School photo from 1947 – these will be put on display shortly.


“Those fortunate enough to attend the launch were treated to elegant sharing platters of delicacies from around the British Isles accompanied by a tantalising flight of exciting wines from Uruguay, South Australia and Lebanon.


“As well as regular bookings in the wine bar, Mike and team are looking forward to hosting groups and events including a celebration of English wine on 17th September as part of the Wanstead Fringe. Other regular tastings will take place at 7:30 on every second Wednesday of the month. Welcome, Must!”

10 years ago

Hard to believe it but it was 10 years ago last week that the blow-up Stonehenge made by artist Jeremy Deller appeared on Christchurch Green. Here was how Wansteadium reported it at the time – it seems to have coincided with a period of unrelenting joy and goodwill to all.

Wanstead’s party weekend

In other news that week, a lion was on the loose in Essex, a new ice-cream parlour (Mario’s Shake Shack?) was due to open, and there was much debate about the future of the Evergreen Field following the sale of the site to a developer.

Wanstead Fringe sales break records

Sales of tickets for Wanstead Fringe events broke every first day record on Friday as the full line-up of events was published.

More than £1,000 in tickets for the tours, plays, book talks, Kinema and other events were bought by earlybird purchasers – dwarfing the first day sales in other years. This year’s programme includes more than 60 events.

The listings are available on the Wanstead Fringe site here.

Definitive image

The PA picture as used on the BBC site

Wanstead Park’s status as one of the nation’s barometers was reinforced this week as the Press Association photograph of a dried up lake was used across the nation’s media – one of the week’s defining images.

We suspect PA’s chief photographer, and Wanstead resident, Stefan Rousseau has been at work…

Revealed: The line-up for the biggest Wanstead Fringe yet

The programme for this year’s Wanstead Fringe has been published – and it’s by far the biggest in the nine-year history of the Fringe.

This year it will include THREE plays – one coming directly to Wanstead from the Edinburgh Fringe.

There is also the inaugural Wanstead Book Festival which will feature poet Hannah Lowe (winner of the Costa Book Award), the BBC’s Justin Webb, and controversial historian Otto English.

There is also comedy, live music, opera, a brass band, a blow-up planetarium, talks, masterclasses, pottery, the ever-popular Jumble Trail, and more besides.

All listings and tickets are available now at wansteadfringe.org.

This is the ninth Wanstead Fringe, which is organised by the Wanstead Fringe Association, a group of residents. It has been built entirely without public money, and is funded by ticket sales and by its generous sponsors who this year include Petty Son and Prestwich, Edwards Duthie Shamash, THP Chartered Accountants, The Wanstead Society, Eton Manor RFC and The Duke.

Let us know what you make of the line-up of events – you can use the comments box below.