February 2022

Contents
Features
A portrait of our High Street20–21
History comes home24
A lot to lose 28
Healthy retirement32
East End atmosphere36–37
Turf wars40
Restoring the Roding46
Illustrating a point 50–51
A potted history 54
Listen and learn 58
Doodle too64–65
Will you?68
Puzzles & competitions
Sudoku 26
Crossword competition42
Wanstead anagram52
Mind-bender puzzles70
Every month
Local news6–8, 10, 12, 14 & 16
Wanstead map60–61
Community events75–78 & 80
Community groups 82
Useful numbers84
Index of advertisers86
Contact Us
020 8819 6645
Welcome...
“Those in charge of vehicles that can cause the
greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the
greatest responsibility to take care and reduce
the danger they pose to others.” So says rule H1, the
first of the new rules in the updated Highway Code’s
hierarchy of road users. It makes sense. We expect bus drivers to
be, well, better drivers than car drivers; it’s why they have to pass
an extra test for their licence. And likewise, we should expect car
drivers to be more attentive on the road than a person waiting
to cross; after all, you don’t need a licence to walk the streets and
pedestrians are not moving a two-tonne object at pace. The new
hierarchy should go without saying, but it’s always good to have
it written down. Let’s not forget, the Highway Code also tells
drivers to turn on their lights when it’s dark (rule 113).
The hierarchy does not remove the need for everyone to behave
responsibly, of course. Rule H1 goes on to clarify that: “The
objective of the hierarchy is not to give priority to pedestrians,
cyclists and horse riders in every situation, but rather to ensure
a more mutually respectful and considerate culture of safe and
effective road use that benefits all users.” Which does sound like
something we should all aspire to. On-road and off-road, we can
all probably afford to give way to others a little more.
When you think about it, the drivers on our roads span such a
diverse range of skills – from those who stall at every junction to
those who spend more time on the road than with their families
– it’s easy to appreciate why, as in life, consideration for others is
key. We’ve all seen the driver who overtakes at speed, only to
be found waiting at the next set of lights; there’s a life lesson
in that (and I don’t mean fuel efficiency). So,
as drivers follow new rule H2 and give way
to pedestrians waiting to cross, let’s all
remember, you don’t always need to be
moving forwards to make progress.
Lee Marquis, Editor
Calling local residents...
The Wanstead Village Directory proudly supports local
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A note to businesses...
If you are a business based in Wanstead, or if you have a
presence in the local community, we can help you get your
message across to our readers. The deadline for inclusion in
the March 2022 edition is 17 February 2022.
editor@wnstd.com
wnstd.com
@wavidi
wavidi
Wanstead Village Directory
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The Wanstead Village Directory is
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