Wanstead Beer Festival proves a great success but the industry is under pressure

The recent Wanstead Beer Festival (WBF) was a great success. Around 950 attended, enjoying the different beers,ciders, gins and wine. Brentwood Breweries, Mango Unchained, was the most popular beer selling out quickly and getting voted beer of the festival. Devon based Farmer Jim's Rhubarb Bob cider won cider of the festival. So the event, goes from strength to strength. Many thanks go to the tireless team of organisers and support from local business sponsors and breweries. But though the WBF seems to be booming, the industry generally is having a hard time. Pubs have been shutting regularly across the country for many years. After, the surge in new breweries opening, following the tax breaks provided by the Labour Government at the start of the noughties, some of these are beginning to struggle. Locally, Walthamstow based Beerblefish and Wildcard recently ceased trading. Fortunately, some new ones like Libertalia in Leyton have also appeared. The difficulties began with COVID, which hit the hospitality sector harder than most. Then, inflation and the rising costs, such as employers national insurance. So life is difficult. Pubs are one of the things that bring people together it community - it is an important function. People may go in groups to pubs or just sit alone having a drink and/or something to eat. They want to be with others. This need is likely to grow, as society becomes increasingly atomised. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has played an important role over the years advocating for the industry. They have also helped keep pubs alive. The local East London branch have been very supportive of the WBF. But even CAMRA are struggling. The trademark Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), held annually at Olympia, attracting many thousands, will not happen next year. This year the event was held in Birmingham, which proved less successful. Promoting and supporting beer festivals is a crucial role that CAMRA play and must continue. It must be hoped that the GBBF resumes in 2027. The other smaller beer festivals, though, need ongoing support Things are not easy. The success of the WBF and many other festivals shows that there is a real appetite for such events. Pubs in Wanstead are up against it but doing well It was excellent earlier this year to see Urban Pubs and Bars take over the George, when Wetherspoons pulled out. The move came after a strong local campaign to save the pub, attracting some 3500 signatures on a petition. The George and Dragon provides a different offer but has proved popular with locals. It also means we kept our landmark pub. Micropubs have proved a successful innovation in many parts of the country. These are humbler affairs, stocking a number of beers, ciders, wines and gins. There is food but usually basic stuff, like scotch eggs. There are less overheads on these usually smaller premises. So the micropub can offer a way forward. But all in all, it is a case of use them or lose them, when it comes to pubs. The WBF and other festivals prove how popular getting together to have a drink and celebrate with friends remains. The need for community has never been more important. So, support the pubs and festivals, as well as getting involved with groups like CAMRA and others seeking to support and protect our pubs and breweries. Cheers.

West Ham suffer fourth home defeat of season in lacklustre display against Brentford

West Ham 0-2 Brentford Brentford emerged deserved winners of this derby game against a lacklustre West Ham at the London Stadium. On the basis of this performance, those who thought that a change of manager at West Ham would turn things around maybe in for a shock. This was an even more haphazard and under par performance than those previously seen at at the London Stadium this season. The fourth defeat out of four. The initial selection baffled many, with left and right backs, Ollie Scarles and Kyle Walker Peters, reversed to play on opposite flanks. Again, there was no recognised central striker, as the midfield was packed. Brentford really should have won the game far more easily. Though, West Ham did start the game brightly, pressing in and around the visitors box for the first 20 minutes but this quickly fizzled out. Half an hour into the game, Igor Thiago headed over when well placed in front of goal. Alphonse Areola then pushed a header from Mikkel Damsgaard round the post. Finally, the breakthrough came when Max Kilman failed to intercept another long ball, allowing Kevin Schade to lay off for Thiago to apply the finishing touch. Thiago then had the ball in the net again but it was ruled out for offside. West Ham's sole threat was a shot by Jarrod Bowen from the edge of the area, which was pushed round the post by Caoimhin Kelleher. The second half, saw Brentford continue to dominate, with Schade seeing his powerful header bounce back off the bar. Then, Areola saved with his legs from Thiago. It was not until the 94th minute that Brentford sealed the deal, Keane Lewis Potter crossing for an unmarked Mathias Jensen to smash into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty area. West Ham head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, had sympathy with the fans angry reaction. "I understand the atmosphere, it is up to us to change it," said Espirito Santo, who expressed concern about players not winning individual battles on the field. "We are a long way from finding an identity," said Espirito Santo. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews was pleased with, what he regarded as his team's best performance of the season. "We controlled the game, with the ball and pressed," said Andrews. Espirito Santo certainly has a job on if he is going to save West Ham from relegation, at the moment they must be among the favourites.

Michael Rosen getting through it

Getting through it Old Vic Poet, author and broadcaster, Michael Rosen, delivers a mesmerising talk on the themes of trauma, grief and mortality. The subjects being his son's death and his own near death experience with COVID in 2020. A mixture of poetry and diary style recall, punctuated with Rosen's trademark humour, holds the audience spell bound. The first half deals with the death of Rosen's 18 year old son Eddie from meningitis. The second, his own battle to overcome COVID which involved being in a coma for 48 days then almost having to re-learn how to live. The recall of the death of Eddie brings forth the positive aspects of life. The shock of death, yet celebration of life. The shock came in Rosen finding his son dead, some celebration was the fun of arranging the funeral. All the emotions come out, such as expecting his son to suddenly appear, that inner denial we all have when someone has passed. He recalls meeting a woman in a French cemetery, who has just lost her 18 year old son in a car accident, wondering whether she is more bitter because of the suddenness of her loss. One incisive insight focuses on death and grief. The first, a biological event, the second, being sorry that things are not what they were. Rosen's COVID trauma began, when he was taken into hospital in March 2020. He recalls being asked to sign a form allowing ventilation of his lungs. He asked what were his chances? Nil if he didn't sign, 50% if he did. "I signed," said Rosen. Another time, a nurse called Dan said a number of Hail Mary's over him. Though, Jewish, Rosen felt at the time it was best to cover all the bases. Rosen's treatment came in the context of a government policy, at the time, based on herd immunity,. This saw NHS staff working in a context that saw older people as expendable. The former children's poet laureate also recalled later being asked to give a talk about being in a coma. A short session, he recalled. This audience with Michael Rosen offers fascinating insights into human emotions via two very personal experiences. His trademark humour lightens the darkest of moments. It is truly remarkable that via his poetry and prose Rosen can cover what appear dark subjects in such an illuminating way. The tour of Getting through it began at the Old Vic continuing into next year. Rosen's book of the same title is also an excellent read. published - Morning star - 21/10/2025

Flag fanaticism first seen in Belfast / Patriotic to pay taxes - Irish Post

The sight of St George and Union flags appearing across Britain has caused alarm. There is more than a resemblance to the streets of Loyalist parts of Belfast, with the flags and union jack kerbstones. When coupled with the 100,000 plus protesters out on Tommy Robinson's march a few weeks ago, there is a real intimidatory feel to the whole thing. A major focus is the small boats coming across the channel. The way in which this issue has been used to whip up racism is incredible The number of people taking this hazardous route to refuge in this green and pleasant land is relatively small. Some 35,000 this year (a medium sized football ground). Less than 2% of migrants coming to these shores. Yet a combination of Nigel Farage's Reform, Robinson and the rabid supporting cast, amongst Britain's right wing media, have presented the boats as some sort of threatening invasion force. Using the flag symbolism plugs into the 'we will fight them on the beaches' mentality of Second World War fame. Fortunately, it does seem like the Labour government is at last beginning to stand up and defend the values of a pluralist, inclusive, multicultural society. The Prime Minister Keir Starmer did well recently in calling out Farage and Reform for their racism. However, for the Irish community, especially of Belfast, this whole issue must have an eerie feel. There have ofcourse also been ethnic tensions in the north with minorities being targeted. Some 3.4% of the population of the North come from ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to 18% in England and Wales. But whilst historically the background causes of the divisions in Ireland are different, the hardening of attitudes and physical division of communities seen in the North could provide a glimpse of the future in Britain. A land of segregation. Instead of pluralism, the communities shrink into their religious or ethnic groups. Tensions rise. The trend over the years of seeing developments in the North, later extend to the rest of Britain, is well known. Methods of policing, military actions and laws have all come home as it were. Not usually for the common good. Will the latest manifestation be any different? So how things go over the next few years in Britain will be interesting to see. Certainly the continual rise of the racist right will see an exodus from Britain to places like Ireland, which today appears, for the most part, a country must more at ease with itself, inside Europe, despite other tensions. Patriotic to pay taxes No one wants to pay more tax. But why is that? It is actually a patriotic thing to do. Pay your dues, contribute to the common good. Part of the problem is the perceived unfairness of the tax system, with those who have most seemingly contributing least. The billionaires who prosper, while millions go to food banks. The big multinational companies that use the local population, who have been educated and nurtured at tax payers expense, exploiting that resource, while paying next to no tax themselves. Rich individuals who store their wealth off shore in areas, where they can be assured of paying the least tax. Yet, if we want decent public services they have to be paid for. In Britain and Ireland there has been a myth sold that there can be low taxes and top grade public services. There can't - one thing is used to pay for the other. The idea of the common good is drawn from Catholic social teaching. It really should be the guiding principle as to how a society is run. Not bottom line economics. Everyone pulling together for the common good. Love thy neighbour rather than rip off they neighbour for your own advancement. Those with the broadest shoulders have to carry the heaviest burden. And some are prepared to do so. Groups like Patriotic Millionaires say they want to pay more tax. If more tax was paid there would be less reliance on outside factors like borrowing via the bond markets. What could be more patriotic? But the system does need to be fair and just for all. So let's adopt the common good as the mantra that governs society, not the law of the jungle

More needs to be done to address biodiversity challenge

There was an excellent debate around a motion to restore nature at the last full Redbridge council meeting. The motion highlighted the biodiversity crisis of the moment, with 19% of wildlife lost since 1970. One in six species under threat of extinction. There has been much happening in Redbridge on biodiversity, with 400,000 square metres of land given over to wild space and 10,000 sq m to grow zones. There have been 7,000 trees planted in the last year, while 850 tree pits have been adopted. This is all good but much more is needed to address the biodiversity crisis. A lot of the work undertaken is of a voluntary nature, done by individuals and community groups. Redbridge Council are not the only public body to use volunteer labour. The City of London Corporation get much voluntary help for the park and flats from the likes of the Wren Group and Friends of Wanstead Park. The River Roding Trust does great volunteer work on the river. All of these things are vital, showing a buy in from the community. They must though not be exploited, simply being used to do tasks that otherwise people would be paid to do. They must have a significant voice, in return for endeavour. The need to address the biodiversity crisis also needs to be given higher priority. Both biodiversity and climate aims could be made into statutory duties for local authorities to take on. Additional funding would need to accompany such duties. Environmental groups in Redbridge are urging the council to pass a Nature Emergency motion, similar to the Climate Emergency motion passed in 2019. This would include clear benchmarking of things that need to be done, like committing to 30% of council land for nature recovery by 2030. Also, to extend the duty on developers to provide a 20% biodiversity net gain in projects. There would need to be a comprehensive nature recovery strategy. This would see nature recovery embedded in the policy and plans of the council. This upping of priority for biodiversity aims must be he next step for addressing the crisis. To learn more about the petition for a nature emergency motion see: Https://chng.it/S8TYXnTpBJ What is for sure is that things need to move more quickly. The whole of civil society and local governance needs to be galvanised to address the emergency in nature. It can be done with the right political will supporting the present groundswell of support from residents wanting change. Together, we can create a cleaner, greener Redbridge.

How much has Wanstead changed?

A plaintiff cry sometimes heard amongst those who have lived in Wanstead for a while is that things aint what they used to be. Having lived here for 60 plus years I would question the claim. Yes, things have changed, often for the better but much has stayed the same. A former student of Aldersbrook Primary and Wanstead High schools, those schools continue to excellently serve the local community. A different pupil intake and the developments - including the swimming pool, in the case of Wanstead High - have brought change. But the biggest physical development in Wanstead over recent years, came in the 1990s,with the forcing through of the M11 Link Road. Some of us opposed. Though, the cut and cover approach has ensured that much of the road goes under George Green and beyond. The high street has changed in terms of different types of outlets. The boat shop, Woolworths and Stockdale's have gone. There are many more coffee shops now but that is as a result of different demands. There are excellent independent shops, well supported by the local community. The high street has managed to whether the threats posed by online deliveries, though these occur in practically every road in Wanstead these days. The community in Wanstead has always been strong, never more so than today. The Community Gardeners, Wren Group, Friends of Wanstead Park, Wild Wanstead, Wanstead Climate Action, and allotment holders, to name but a few - all make valuable contributions. There have been welcome new additions to life over recent years, like the Wanstead Festival, Wanstead Fringe and most recently the Wanstead Beer Festival. All signs of a vibrant community that cares. That care also manifests itself in strong protest when people are not happy. I joined with many others to oppose the M11 Link Road at time of construction. There has always been a strong voice for peace, with much activism following the 9/11 attacks in America. Then, the multi-faith group Peace and Justice in East London formed. More recently there has been action over Gaza and Ukraine. Some local people have made their voices heard recently over proposed new stalls on the high street. It is all part of living in a vibrant community, where people care. So, yes there has been change in Wanstead over the years, most good, some not so much. But the cry things ain't what they used to be rather emanates from the human condition. Life is a conveyor belt to the end. We all seek security and certainty - the notion of stop the world I want to get off is something that resonates with many of us. The reality is that the moment we are born everyone is on a journey to the end. The conveyor belt cannot be stopped, no chance to get off. We all have to live life as much, as possible, to the full and in the moment. I have enjoyed life in Wanstead and continue to do so. As a local Labour councillor for Wanstead Village over the past eight years, it has, for the most part, been a pleasure to serve. There is,though, still much to be done. I will not be standing as a Labour councillor next May, so now is time to look for the next challenge on the conveyor belt of life. And Wanstead offers lots of opportunities to do that.