More advert boards coming?

Simulation of one advertising board from the application, via Redbridge Borough Council

Planning applications for two additional digital ad screens on Wanstead High Street are being considered by Redbridge Council following the installation of two last year.

Redbridge fought and lost a battle against allowing the screens to be sited on the high street, saying they would detract from the conservation area status. But it was over-ruled by the Planning Inspectorate.

The new applications are for signs outside Gail’s (though one is already outside Tesco, barely a wicket’s distance away) and outside M&S.

A historian writes

We told you you would find good stuff on Bluesky, the alternative to the bin fire which Twitter has become. (Wansteadium is having no part of X or Facebook/Instagram). There is a starter pack of Wanstead people you can follow here.

But in the meantime here is something from a distinguished local historian which you won’t find anywhere else:

Wanstead High parents mobilise

Parents of children at Wanstead High who have been frustrated by the start of what could be a long series of strikes by teachers have taken matters into their own hands in attempting to get things back to normal.

A group of more than 200 parents has been lobbying for a return to normal schooling, holding meetings with Leyton and Wanstead’s new MP, Calvin Bailey, and with representatives of the National Education Union which is staging the action.

Though not taking sides in the dispute, the group has been dissecting the union’s stated claims, which involve workload, hours and new initiatives from the head. The group appears to be reaching a consensus that whatever the validity of the unions demands, prolonged industrial action is a disproportionate response.

Though not actually a party to the dispute, some of the parents believe they are helping to impress upon the parties the importance of reaching a resolution, not least because of the impact on children whose education has already been disrupted by lockdowns.

The school was closed for two days because of strikes this week, with more days’ action planned for next week and the week after. Only pupils with GCSEs and A Levels this year have been attending.

Wansteadium is 15

We’re 15 this year. Actually our first posts were just before Christmas in 2009 – when Wanstead still had a Thresher’s and didn’t yet have a Tesco’s.

In honour of this landmark, we have done exactly what Tesco’s itself did in its recent refit, ie we’ve been closed for a couple of weeks, and have stripped everything down to its constituent parts, only to rebuild it as an exact replica of what was there before, so much so that it will be difficult for even the most loyal customer to spot a difference.

Actually there are two differences. We’ve had enough of ~~Twitter~~ X and so will no longer be posting any of our links there. And as of this morning we’ve had enough of Facebook too, so you won’t find Wansteadium there either.

You will find us instead on Bluesky, a Musk/Zuck-free network where you will be able to find a starter pack of accounts of Wanstead people and organisations at this address: https://go.bsky.app/48VN9Ej.

It’s the kind of place you will see posts like this, which is just charming.

But on this anniversary a word of thanks to our readers old and new. Here’s to the next 15 years, though we’re not sure if that’s something to look forward to or not.

Luppolo getting refit

Pizza restaurant Luppolo, above, is joining the refit movement, meaning it will be closing for a few weeks while new kitchens, toilets and bar area are installed.

When the George & Dragon reopens later this ~~morning~~ month it’s expected to be a big draw so there is a clear logic to refresh the restaurant.

Meanwhile, further down the High Street, nosy passers-by have got a glimpse of how extensive the refurbishment in the former Larder is, with all of the insides having been removed.

No news yet on when renovations for the Bull will take place, beyond what was originally said by its new owner, Livelyhood, that work would be scheduled for Winter 2025.

Update: Otto joins the movement…