Editor

The former car showroom next to the Odeon, empty for two years, is set to become The Showroom, a new wellness space. Sim Batth, head of property at Gilini Group, explains what that means for the community

On the corner of the High Road and George Lane, next to the Odeon, sits the old Harvey Hudson showroom with its glass stair tower and long frontage. Plenty will remember it as the Jaguar garage. Winston Churchill, then the local MP, opened the cinema next door in 1934, when it was called the Majestic, and the two buildings have shared that corner for most of a century.

Before I worked in property, I was a personal trainer. My clients taught me that most people aren’t chasing a number on the scales or a personal best. They want more energy for the rest of their lives. So, my approach was never just about exercise. It included nutrition, mental sharpness and proper rest and recovery because they all feed into one another. That’s the thinking behind The Showroom, and we want to bring that approach – and the sense of community that came with it – to South Woodford.

A building this central shouldn’t sit empty for as long as this one has, and that is what makes it such an opportunity. We all know how hard it is for anything to survive on the high street, let alone thrive.

When Acquired Woodford Ltd asked us to manage the site for them, we leapt at it. We wanted to give people one more reason to spend time on the High Road, and to keep the building’s historic features because they are what make it worth saving. That is why we’re creating The Showroom: a gym, spa, fitness studios and café, with an outdoor lounge and recovery space. It will be the same building. We’re not demolishing anything and the name nods to its past. We’re in the early stages, and we know how important it is to involve the local community. The people of South Woodford should shape this. For a place like this to succeed, and for the people who use it to be proud of it, we have to listen.

We are thinking carefully about how people will actually use The Showroom, from a quick session before work to a slower afternoon in the café or outdoor space, and we’ll set out what’s on offer as the plans take shape.

We think local businesses and organisations should help shape the site as well, not just be consulted. When we put work out to tender, we’ll invite them to bid.

The Showroom is being designed as a local facility: somewhere people walk, cycle or take the Tube to, with South Woodford station a few minutes away, and we’ll share more on access as the plans develop. We’d love to hear from you. We’ve been talking to some of you at the South Woodford market, but for those that haven’t met us yet, feel free to get in touch. This building has been part of South Woodford for decades and we’d like residents to help decide what comes next.

Southdene Surgery in South Woodford has been recognised for its work in training future doctors.

Dr Anita Bhatia and the practice were nominated for a teaching honour by students at Queen Mary University of London. The surgery, which teaches final-year medical students, was named Year 5 Placement of the Year for its outstanding contribution to providing high-quality education. “We are thrilled to receive this nomination and to be supporting the future doctors of North East London,” said a surgery spokesperson.

Redbridge Council has installed a new yellow box junction at the corner of High Road and Chelmsford Road.

It follows a series of traffic surveys across the borough which identified junctions that are regularly obstructed. “Yellow box markings are designed to keep junctions clear, prevent congestion and keep traffic moving,” said a council spokesperson. Drivers who breach yellow box junction rules face a £160 fine, reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days. A public consultation on the proposals took place in September.

October marks the 50th anniversary of the last crew-operated bus to run along High Road, South Woodford.

“On 8 October 1976, the last departure on route 20A staffed by a driver and a conductor departed Leytonstone at 11.47pm, passing through Wanstead and South Woodford bound for Loughton. I was not the only bus enthusiast on board, but I think I was the only person to take a photo,” said Peter Haseldine. One-man operated double-deckers took over the route the following day.

Route 20A was subsequently withdrawn in 1982.

Local resident Jay Maxwell turned a passion for historical swordsmanship into a career, and now offers classes in Woodford dedicated to the study and practice of historical European martial arts

Most people probably don’t expect to meet a professional swordsman at a local networking event. But I was delighted to attend the recent South Woodford Business Network meeting. We all had our stories to tell; mine stems from a passion for sword fighting.

Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) is the study and practice of how people in Europe fought in the past. Rather than inventing techniques from films or relying on modern fencing traditions, we work from surviving manuscripts that are hundreds of years old.

My father was a history professor with a love of old movies, and I was raised on a diet of Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone. I first became aware of HEMA around 2004, starting with British traditions of swordsmanship. Soon, I came across the Italian schools of the Renaissance and was fascinated by their elegance and sophistication. What began as an unusual hobby gradually became a serious martial discipline. I spent years studying the old sources, testing their instructions through practical training and eventually competing internationally. During my competitive career, I achieved top-three and top-five international rankings in several disciplines and was selected to represent the UK HEMA community at the 2019 European Games. Eventually, I retired from competition to concentrate on teaching and research.

By this point, I had established Tempus Fugitives. What started as a single school has grown into an organisation across London. I now teach full-time, helping others develop their martial potential. Students come from all backgrounds; some are fascinated by history, some want an unusual way to keep fit; others are actors and stunt performers.

My work has taken me beyond the training hall, as I became involved in motion-capture projects, including both traditional marker-based systems and newer camera-based technology. It is an interesting extension of the same work: taking physical movement and finding ways to reproduce it convincingly, whether for a live performance or a digital character in a game.

For me, that’s what makes historical martial arts so rewarding. You can open a fighting manual written hundreds of years ago, find an instruction that initially seems completely impractical, and then spend hours trying to work out what the author actually meant. Eventually, the answer ‘must’ be demonstrated physically. After more than 20 years, I’m still finding new things in those old books.

Although Tempus Fugitives has students travelling in from hours outside London, I take particular joy in having a small school here in Woodford. There is something satisfying about taking such an obscure interest and turning it into a living activity in the local community.

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For more information on Tempus Fugitives and local classes, visit swordfight.club

Having joined East London Runners for motivation during marathon training, Jacob Stevens then discovered there was a whole world of local races to enjoy and went on to become chair of the welcoming group

East London Runners was formed in 1982 – following the success of the inaugural 1981 London Marathon – when an informal group of fewer than 20 novices began meeting locally for training runs. By 1985, the group had grown to 120 runners competing in the London, New York, Berlin and Amsterdam marathons, and the Hyde Park Fun Run and Great North Run, among others.

Today, East London Runners prides itself on being a welcoming community that is open to runners of all levels, and while marathons remain as popular as ever, many people don’t realise that joining a club opens the door to a whole world of races. These inclusive events are affordable – or even completely free – and for runners of all paces.

August Bank Holiday marked the end of the summer season with the eighth and final race of the East London 5K and five-mile interclub series. Now, the local running community looks forward to a packed autumn and winter schedule. Club members get free entry to two main competitions: the local Chingford League featuring seven road and trail races across North and East London, and a Sunday cross-country league featuring five fun off-road races. Races across both leagues range from 3km to 10km.

Members also take part in various London, Essex and regional cross-country championships. Additionally, the club hosts its very own winter handicap race, which starts and finishes at Mill Plain and loops through Epping Forest around Oak Hill. Not only are these events great value, but they’re also welcoming and boast a thriving community spirit, often fundraising for local causes. They’re a fantastic way to keep active through autumn and winter while exploring beautiful parks and natural spaces. For mid-week training, casual and competitive runners alike come together for the club’s weekly social run, meeting on Wednesday evenings at Eton Manor Rugby Club. Runners join a group at a pace and distance of their choice and ability, with street routes exploring local areas through the winter.

In the lighter summer months, runs head into many local green spaces, including Wanstead Flats, Hollow Ponds and various parts of Epping Forest. The forest is also a popular destination for Sunday social runs. Organised among members, these often start on Derby Road and finish at a local coffee shop.  Monday-night track at Ashton Playing Fields in Woodford is another popular session led by the club’s qualified coaches.

No matter your pace, distance or running goals, East London Runners has an activity to suit, along with support and camaraderie from the club’s 250 members.

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New members are welcome and can try out the club’s Monday and Wednesday sessions for free. For more information, visit eastlondonrunners.org.uk

Village Vouchers has launched a new digital service, replacing the printed voucher booklet with a mobile-friendly website and app offering discounts and deals from local businesses.

Residents can register for free to browse participating businesses and access selected free offers, while paid membership provides access to the full range of vouchers (£5.99 for a six-month subscription). Offers can be redeemed directly from a mobile phone when visiting participating businesses. New offers and businesses will be added regularly, with the scheme continuing its aim of encouraging residents to support independent shops, restaurants and services across South Woodford and Wanstead.

Visit villagevouchers.uk/swvg

With its Neighbourhood Forum status renewed, the South Woodford Society can now push ahead with its long-awaited neighbourhood plan, setting out a community-led vision for the area. Pearl Arbenser-Simmonds reports

In February 2020, the South Woodford Society was designated Neighbourhood Forum and Area status by Redbridge Council. Whilst Area status does not expire, Neighbourhood Forum designations only last five years. So, earlier this year, we submitted an application to have our Forum status re-designated. 

Our application has now been formally ratified by the council and we once again hold full Neighbourhood Forum designation. This will allow us to officially take the final steps towards completing the neighbourhood plan for South Woodford. It has been a long journey, but we are proud of what we have achieved thus far.

We applied for and received government funding, which allowed us to engage a consultant to assist us in drafting the plan. It also allowed us to commission: a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Opinion to assess the environmental impact of the vision and aims of our plan; and a Housing Needs Assessment to determine local housing requirements, affordability pressures and gaps in housing supply across different tenures. It informs local planning strategies, housing registers and development plans to ensure communities have suitable homes for all demographic groups. Additional government funding enabled the production of a Design Code for the area, which will support the Neighbourhood Plan.

Throughout the process, we have engaged with our local community, including service providers, landowners and businesses, to ensure we can accurately represent diverse viewpoints. The result of all this work is a vision and a set of aims outlined below:

• To manage change for the benefit of residents and to create a clean and safe environment that is well-maintained and managed. A place that people of all ages and from all walks of life can be proud of and will want to work together to protect.
• To enhance the busy atmosphere of the town centre and make it more vibrant with better shopping and entertainment.
• To protect and enhance our green spaces, being environmentally sensitive to improve amenities so people can enjoy the community areas to the full.

The success of the South Woodford Business Network is a testament to our aim to enhance the busy atmosphere of the high street, and our ever-popular Summer Festival and Christmas Light Up events further support this aim. Improvements to the Community Orchard at the corner of Primrose Road and Mulberry Way, as well as Eastwood Green opposite the roundabout on George Lane, demonstrate our commitment to protect and enhance our green spaces and improve amenities for the benefit of our community.

Our next steps will be to:

• Update our evidence, policies and preferred options.
• Hold a statutory public pre-submission consultation.
• Submit our revised plan to the council, who will publish it for further comments.
• An independent examiner will review the documents.
• The council arranges a community referendum for registered electors.

A simple majority is required to pass the referendum, and if successful, the council will formally adopt the plan. It then becomes part of the council’s statutory development framework and local decision-makers are legally required to use it when assessing planning applications.

With thanks to the community for their input and support.

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For more information on the South Woodford Society and the Neighbourhood Plan, visit sowosoc.org

Dr Chris Papadopoulos is the founder and CEO of the London Autism Group Charity, which hosts a free monthly drop-in autism community café in South Woodford

The London Autism Group Charity is an autistic-led charity providing free community services, peer support and activities for autistic people, families and carers across London and beyond.

Several years ago, alongside James Gordon, our Chair of Trustees, I helped establish the South Woodford Community Café. We wanted to create a regular local space where autistic people and those close to them could meet without pressure, feel welcomed and make connections with others who understand. It has been a joy to see the café develop into a warm monthly gathering and to watch a genuine community steadily grow.

The café takes place on the last Sunday of every month, from 1pm to 3pm, at St Mary’s Church in South Woodford. It is a free, drop-in event open to autistic people of any age, as well as parents, carers, family members and allies. No diagnosis, referral or booking is needed. People can come for a chat, a hot drink and refreshments, take part in an activity, ask about support, or simply spend time in a calm, accepting setting.

We are enormously grateful to St Mary’s for hosting us, and especially to Rev Dr Elizabeth Lowson, the Rector, and the wider church community for their welcome and support. Having a trusted venue in the heart of South Woodford has helped us build a consistent, accessible space for local people.

One of the much-loved elements of the café is our regular music therapy. This offers an enjoyable, gentle way for people to engage, particularly those who may find spoken communication difficult, have learning disabilities or feel anxious in more conventional social settings. We also provide sensory items, games and informal activities.

The café is supported by a wonderful and growing team of volunteers, activity leaders and community members. Their kindness and commitment make every session possible. What matters most is the atmosphere they help create: safe, inclusive, relaxed and genuinely welcoming.

At its heart, our work is about challenging isolation and creating practical opportunities for inclusion. Too often, autistic people and their families encounter spaces that are overwhelming, judgemental or inaccessible. We believe community life should be different: people should be able to join in on their own terms, be respected for who they are and find support without having to explain themselves. For me, the South Woodford Community Café reflects what the London Autism Group Charity is about. It brings people together, reduces isolation and gives people somewhere they can be themselves. We are proud of what has grown here and look forward to welcoming more local people in the months ahead.

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For more information on London Autism Group Charity, visit swvg.co.uk/lagc

After addiction brought his life to breaking point, local resident Danny (not his real name) explains how Cocaine Anonymous helped him find sobriety and discover a second chance at life

“Welcome to Cocaine Anonymous. We do hugs, not drugs!” This was the warm greeting I was given when I entered my first Cocaine Anonymous meeting at a venue on Derby Road, South Woodford, back in March 2013.

At that point, my life had progressively fallen apart. Despite leaving school a straight-A student, studying law at a good university, building a successful career in the City, having a wife and two young babies and a nice home locally, I couldn’t stop using cocaine and drinking alcohol. I had to admit that I couldn’t do it on my own; I couldn’t control how much I drank or used once I started, and once I had stopped, I couldn’t stay stopped.

I thought addicts were junkies doing heroin on stairwells and alcoholics were old men on park benches. At Cocaine Anonymous, I found they were doctors, lawyers, teachers, men, women, Muslims, Catholics, mums and dads. I learnt that addiction doesn’t discriminate and isn’t caused by circumstances or trauma.

It was such a relief to finally understand that:

• Addiction is an illness.
• I wasn’t alone.
• There was a way out.

I got a sponsor at my first meeting, a man who was three years sober and who was willing to help me as he had been helped previously. This man took me through the 12-step recovery programme that was developed by Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s and has since helped millions of people around the world tackle all different forms of addiction.

That was 13 years ago, and I haven’t drunk or used since. I thought giving up was the end; in truth, it was the beginning.

Addiction is a family illness and the damage I did to my family haunted me for many years in my early sobriety. But Cocaine Anonymous delivered a family solution. I have been able to make amends for the harm I caused and to finally become the husband, father, son and brother I always wanted to be. Addiction robbed me of my ambition, my hopes and my dreams. Recovery has given me a second chance at life, something I will be eternally grateful for.

Sure, as is the case for most people, life isn’t without its challenges. But by working recovery, one day at a time, I know I never have to drink or use again, no matter what.

Cocaine Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship and there are 100 meetings in London every week. If you or someone you know thinks they have a problem with drink or drugs, there is a place that offers a way out. It did for me. I only wish I had found it sooner.

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For more information on local Cocaine Anonymous meetings, visit ca-london.org

How do you dream up new topics for your diary? I don’t, really. I just wait. This month, inspiration came when I was peeling potatoes. I set out at once to meet you down the lane.

Friends, Linda and Sue, were enjoying their usual midday snack at Soul Stop. “Do you enjoy cooking?” I asked Linda. “I used to, but not so much now. Just enough to keep well. You can tell I’m from the East End, can’t you?” (I certainly could!) “When I had my three children, I loved dishing up the traditional recipes: piping hot pie and mash and bread pudding for afters.” Sue joined in: “My old oven is only used for storage now. I use an air fryer for everything. It’s so much quicker and cheaper and easier than using the electric cooker.”

I was delighted by Peter’s frankness: “I certainly enjoy cooking, when it works. I’ve been known to make some stupid mistakes. I tried out my breadmaker but forgot to put in, of all things, the flour! I try to eat ‘real meals’: real veg, carrots, greens, beans. The guidance from my late wife is not forgotten. When cooking a dish with minced beef and rice, I remember to fry off the onions thoroughly first. I even experiment a bit. I found ‘onion granules in a jar.’ Good time-savers. I haven’t had much luck with chops. I seem to overcook them but they’d never go to waste. Sometimes, I give in and fall back on Charlie Bingham. As for desserts, I’m a sucker for ice cream. Recently, I spotted a small pot of ‘natural fruits’ in the supermarket. They go beautifully with the ice cream. I even followed a recipe from YouTube for ‘a cake for one.’ I was very impressed and sent some feedback to the company and had a lovely reply. From America!”   

Clare answered with a definite: “Yes, I do enjoy cooking. When my children were young, I was rushing about, fitting in meals with school hours and all the routines of life with teenagers. Now, I cook with a new friend. A new boyfriend, in fact. He’s very anti pre-made, avoiding high-sugar content. Cooking from scratch; more of a creative process. Of course, being fond of each other does help! We favour Mediterranean-climate dishes, garlic chicken, pan-fried, then roasted in the oven. I’ve never been able to cook steaks but I’m learning. He cuts off any fats and uses that for the frying process. There’s no rush. We eat ‘as and when’. Could be four o’clock. Could be nine.”

Andrew set the scene: “My wife and I are both working full-time and we’ve got three kids, so we share the load. I may be cooking the Christmas lunch or it may be a banana loaf or an apple cake, two of my specialities. When people say they can’t cook, what it really means is they’re too lazy to stay in the kitchen. You’ve got to get engaged, to pay attention to details and timings. You must keep an eye on a joint of beef: do you want rare, medium or well done? I’d really like to master baking, to grasp the importance of correct proportions of ingredients.” Andrew’s wife emerged from Sainsbury’s, confirmed without hesitation his impressively well-ordered cooking methods, but admitted: “I just put a casserole in the oven and assume it’ll be fine.”

In Churchfields park, two 18-year-olds sitting in the shade. They promised to help me get up again if I joined them on the grass. Cooking? Zara favoured: “Quick and easy. Fish and chips in the air fryer. Sometimes, an Indochinese dish, chilli chicken, fried with plenty of chopped peppers and onions and coated with sweet chilli sauce.” Claudia is the youngest of six daughters and doesn’t do enough cooking. (Understandably, I thought.) “But I do like simple, tasty dishes: pasta, for example, cooked and then fried with plenty of garlic and a tin of tuna fish. Another favourite is chicken satay and rice, fried with grated carrots and cheese with an egg or two dropped on top and deliciously mixed in with all the other ingredients.” They kept their promise, helped me up and waved me away across the park. Thank you and good luck, girls, with your A Level results!

It was on one of those boiling hot heatwave days that I sat down for a chat with Graham. “I live alone. I don’t spend much time on cooking. More perhaps in the winter when I enjoy baked potatoes with baked beans and grated cheese, or perhaps pasta with chicken or meatballs. I don’t go in for roast dinners except sometimes I’ll drop in to a Toby Carvery. In the summer, it’s usually salad with prawns or tuna or salmon. Or rice with Thai sweet chilli. Work-wise, I’m in the process of moving from investment banking in the City to childcare here in South Woodford.” (I probably looked surprised). “Not so strange a transition really: from office politics to distressed mums. No doubt I’ll be adapting my cooking accordingly.”

Polly came straight to the point: “I’m a home cook. I cook for my family every night. One old favourite in the winter: spaghetti bolognese. Lots of salads in the summer: Greek salad with feta cheese and olives and cherry tomatoes with a squeeze of lemon. Caesar salad too, with that delicious classic sauce.” Polly passed the baton to her daughter, Milly. “It’s fun! And you’re in control. I make a Mexican dish, a chicken fajita, a wrap, with rice, natural yoghurt, peppers and cucumbers. Sometimes, I find a recipe on TikTok: a Turkish garlic pasta with yoghurt and paprika and butter sauce, or a super recipe for chocolate brownies.” Polly was back: “I love seeing both my daughters busy in the kitchen, becoming more independent.”

When I’m peeling potatoes, I’m enjoying the thought of opening the door to the friends who will be sharing the meal with us.

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To contact DD with your thoughts or feedback, email dd@swvg.co.uk

From traditional brewers to East London’s thriving craft scene, the beer industry has flourished, but now needs our support, writes Paul Donovan, one of the organisers of the Wanstead Beer Festival

The growth of the brewing industry has been one of the big success stories of recent years. There have been the old traditional brewers like Fullers in West London. The brewery sits next to the Thames at Chiswick, the fantastic aroma of beer filling the air.

Beer drinkers will be familiar with Fullers’ trademark London Pride, a staple of many pubs around these parts. Others like ESB and 1845 also crop up. The Fullers brewery was founded in 1845. Back in the day, beer was a regular part of working people’s diets, safer to drink than water. Fullers survived and prospered. They have 360 pubs across the land. Other big brewers like Kent-based Shepherds Neame and Adnams in Southwold will also be familiar.

There have been many ups and downs in the brewing industry over the past century. The modern brewing industry, though, got a real boost in 2002, when then Chancellor Gordon  Brown brought in Small Brewers Relief. This cut the tax payable by 50% on breweries producing up to 5,000 hectolitres (880,000 pints) per annum. There was then a taper of tax payment up to 60,000 hectolitres. Above that figure meant paying the full tax amount. This gave small brewers a chance against their larger brethren, who benefited from economies of scale. The impact was dramatic, resulting in hundreds of smaller breweries developing across the country.

In East London, the brewing industry really took off. What has become known as the beer mile in and around Blackhorse Road in Walthamstow bears witness. Many breweries have sprung up in the last 20 years. Present incumbents include East London Brewery, Pretty Decent, Signature, Exhale and 40 Foot. Brewing is not exclusive to this area, with others, like Libertalia, recently starting under the railway bridge at Leyton. The Wanstead Beer Festival is supplied by many of these local breweries.

Times, though, are tough for brewers and pubs. The cost-of-living crisis means people have less to spend and costs of production have increased. More than a pub a week has been closing across the UK this year. Despite the great success of local brewers, some have been forced to close, such as Walthamstow-based Beerblefish. Industry bodies have called for business rates cuts to help.

The brewing sector is one of the modern-day successes of the British economy. It is great to be able to go into our pubs and have a pint from a local brewery. Similarly, people attending the Wanstead Beer Festival have said how much they enjoy being able to enjoy beer from the local breweries; a real precious resource. So, let’s make sure we support the beer makers, servers and drinkers. See you on 10 October!

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The Wanstead Beer Festival will take place in the halls of Christ Church on 10 October from 1pm to 11pm. Visit swvg.co.uk/beer