Wansteadium

We wish all readers a happy Fringe day — yes it’s the start of the 8th Wanstead Fringe today, a fortnight of cultural and community activities to make the most of living in this marvellous place.

The Fringe starts in earnest this evening with the launch of the Wanstead Bookclub, a new forum for booklovers to share recommendations and enthusiasms with other readers. The launch is taking place online on Friday evening at 7pm, and all Wansteadium readers are invited to join in – just go to the event page below and click RSVP to get a link.

On Saturday there is the annual Duke Street Party, as well as the Makers’ Market and a photo clinic for budding photographers by Geoff Wilkinson. On Sunday there is the return of Jazz Vespers, a magnificently cool church service in Christ Church.

Details of all events, including next weekend’s Kinema, are available at the Fringe website, wansteadfringe.org.

The centrepiece of the Wanstead Fringe, the open air Kinema, is returning on Friday 10 September. The event has become reliably the most popular event in the whole Fringe, and has always been a memorable, atmospheric event.

This year the film showing will be The Lorax, which was chosen as the 2020 film before Covid cancelled the Kinema at the last moment. This year there’s even more reason to show it: the Dr Seuss book it’s based on is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the message of children being able to make a difference to the environment could hardly be more timely. You can read more about why Fringe organisers have chosen the film here.

This year, to help with social distancing, the event will be held at the Kinema’s original venue, Wanstead Cricket Club. There will be a bar and hot food available.

The event has always sold out, so you are advised to get tickets now via the Fringe website. Click below for details.

And just as a reminder, here’s a taste of the atmosphere of the last Kinema from 2019.

With everything stacked against them, it’s no wonder that the station kiosk at Snaresbrook is now shuttered. To the former staff, thank you for your service. To any interested parties, just imagine the joy of starting each day at one of the most beautiful stations on the Underground, surrounded by happy, smiling Wanstead folk. You know you want to.

The comedy line-up for the 2021 Wanstead Fringe has been unveiled – and it’s got a couple of familiar faces who are well-loved by Fringe audiences.

Paul Sinha, whose appearance has become a regular Fringe high point, is making a very welcome return. And Graeme Matthews, another favourite, is returning for a year in which there is more comedy aimed at children than we’ve ever had before.

Tickets are all selling fast though, so you’re advised to get them while you can.

These are great days for cricket lovers, with almost daily action to enjoy. And that goes too for supporters of Wanstead Cricket Club who are now able to enjoy video of key home games thanks to new cameras and streaming technology.

The new service includes on-screen statistics and highlights of matches which are available via the club’s YouTube channel.

There are, sadly, just a few games left for this season – there is a league fixture against Chelmsford at home on Saturday 4 September, however, and the new technology will be in use again next year.

So the Nationwide went ahead with its plan and closed its Wanstead branch, instead advising its customers who relied on in-person banking that they could go to South Woodford, Walthamstow or Ilford instead.

Nationwide is hardly the first financial institution to close a branch on our high street (remember Barclays? HSBC? Santander?) but they are the one which promised they would not be closing any branches this year, only to do exactly that in Wanstead. And in a year when they made more than £800m in profit.

To the staff of the branch, however, thank you for your years of service.

(Previous coverage on this subject, including the Nationwide’s reasoning, is here.)