Apparently a lease has been signed for Argos to take over the old Woolworths store in Leytonstone, with the refit beginning shortly. Good news indeed.

Interesting article regarding Olympic money handed to Waltham Forest Council for improvement to South Leytonstone. Strangely none targeted at the High Road though, which is certainly in desperate need of  some attention. Maybe the council are hoping to get some separate funding for that? It’s pretty poor that we have to rely on Olympic money to actually do something about the state of some parts of Leytonstone. However, the council can’t be held solely to blame. If all landlords, home and shop owners took good care of their property, we wouldn’t have a problem.

Having visited a few Christmas markets in Vienna last year, I was kind of (unrealistically) expecting the outside of St. John’s Church to look something like this today…

Christmas Market

But not a stall in sight, seems it was all happening inside the church. So, as I was a bit short for time (and wheeling a toddler along), I missed out. Anyone venture inside? How was it?

Andy McQueen from Leyton, has been named Waltham Forest Photographer of the Year after scooping the top gong in the Love your borough photographic competition.

Andy’s picture was selected from nearly 200 received, and will receive £300 in vouchers as his prize.

I knew the re-opening of the Blackwall Tunnel ahead of schedule after Sunday’s fire was too good to be true, some loon has decided to park himself on the roof of the 491 Gallery in Leytonstone, prompting the police to close Grove Green Road and the northbound carriageway of the A12!!!

Quite why they needed to close the A12 is unclear – presumably they reckon he could leap onto the road from the roof. Unless he’s a combination of spiderman and Carl Lewis, it seems a bit unlikely. Better safe than sorry I guess

491 Gallery from the A12

The independent report into Waltham Forest Council’s failure to deliver government funded projects has been published…

The report points to failures in the Council’s ability to procure and manage contracts and finds “systemic and cultural issues” have led to repeated failures in the way in which the Council procured and managed community projects.

Further details are on Waltham Forest Council’s website.

To be honest, I started losing the will to live on my first attempt to read it – couldn’t they publish a concise summary of the findings, maybe a couple of pages? Why the hell is it spread over numerous reports containing what just read like snippets from some hideous HR Management training manual.

Maybe its just me

If anyone has the will power to decipher the thing and work out what actually went on, please feel free to post a comment!

The Star of India in Leytonstone has scooped the Waltham Forest Guardian People’s Choice Award for Best Indian Restaurant. Owner (and fellow LARA committee member), Shah Ahmed said…

We’re excited about winning and extremely grateful to our customers. We’re very happy to win such a local competition – it’s a seal of approval.

The Star of India, as well as being an excellent restaurant, is well known for supporting a variety of local good causes and of course for publishing free quarterly magazine “The Star”.

Garden City Restaurant on Leytonstone High Road has been close by the council due to a cockroach infestation and generally poor hygiene.

Senior Environmental Health Officer Pip Broad, who closed the premises, said:

It was one of the worst cockroach infestations I have ever seen. The cockroaches were crawling all over the work surfaces and it would have been impossible to miss them. I could hear them scurrying round my feet as I was inspecting the restaurant.

Nice

More info including video footage of said roaches on Waltham Forest Council’s website.

As part of the development work for the 2012 Olympics, Waltham Forest Council has received a £5m grant to regenerate Leyton High Road and the surrounding area.

Good news indeed, but no news of any money for Leytonstone.

Unfortunately it seems the long awaited and much needed refurb of Leytonstone Underground Station has been delayed. Quote from Leytonstone Labour’s October 2009 Residents’ Report…

As some of you may know Leytonstone Tube Station was due shortly to have a much needed and significant refurbishment programme totalling some £5m plus. What you may not know is that buried within the announcements by the Mayor of London – Boris Johnson – regarding his fare hikes, was an announcement postponing refurbishment works to a number of tube stations including Leytonstone.

The works were due to include the replacement of customer information systems such as the PA system, Help Points and lighting and potentially also some other work to improve the appearance and access of the station.

We intend to write to Boris Johnson, expressing our disappointment at this turn of affairs and seek assurances that this much needed investment into Leytonstone’s well used infrastructure is not lost
indefinitely.