Wanstead in gentrification shock

  People of Wanstead, your attention please. Mario’s Shake Shack has been gentrified.  It has lost its home-made red painted sign. It has lost its uncomfortable banquettes. It now has a cake counter and what look suspiciously like an interesting selection of gelati. (If you want a reminder of how it used to look, see this video on YouTube.)

In case this change is too much to handle, may we take the opportunity to highlight the drastic refurbishment at the much-loved Wanstead Hairdresser’s on Woodbine Place.  The yellow woodwork has been replaced with what looks like Farrow and Ball Pitch Black (number 256). Fans of original features will be delighted to know that the Wanstead Society-compliant original lettering of the sign has been retained.

 

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(And in its prefurb state…)

7 thoughts on “Wanstead in gentrification shock”

  1. obviously no such thing as ‘Wanstead Society-compliant lettering’. Why big up the useless wanstead society? please remember all the unpopular developments they have failed to object to!

    the rules for design of shop fascias are contained in LBR guidance for the Wanstead Village Conservation Area. This prohibits internally illuminated plastic signs in favour of wooden signs.

  2. Would someone mind showing the kebab man the Farrow and Ball range.

    Do Redbridge enforce their shop sign policy; job lot of illuminated signs last time I looked at the Wanstead strip.

  3. unfortunately the planners dont enforce much.

    there are some old illuminated signs that may pre-date the policy, but anything new should be wooden/compliant and if not then report.

  4. Does anyone remember the 1972ish
    fast food american burger take away, “Carpet Baggers”. Illuminated stars and stripes Facia?
    If my memory serves me, along by what was Russells Wine bar?

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