Redbridge Council’s Leisure partner Vision has announced plans to deliver COVID-safe community focussed events and family activities on Christchurch Green this summer, with a new café kiosk to act as a focal point and meeting space.
“A new licence, applied for in February, will enable Vision to work with local groups and residents to host a range of activities in the park, like children’s storytime, poetry readings, outdoor book clubs and potentially small film screenings,” said a spokesperson.
The new café kiosk – which is expected to be located behind the bathroom block along Woodbine Place’s boundary with the Green – will be run with ‘thought to the environment’, avoiding single-use plastics and using local supply chains, serving coffees, teas, pastries, fruit, sandwiches and cakes. There will be limited seating (tables and chairs and deckchairs) outside the single-story structure, which will measure approximately 6.5m x 3m, and operating hours are likely to be from 10am to twilight (9pm during peak summer).
The location of the kiosk will enable deliveries to be made without vehicles needing to access the Green and its external appearance will be ‘designed in consideration of the Green and the Wanstead Conservation Area requirements’.
The café will have an alcohol licence, providing a limited offering, allowing the kiosk to complement events. “All staff will be fully trained in managing public behaviour to ensure the Green remains a welcoming family-orientated space.”
With littering a growing problem, Vision have confirmed there will be additional bins located around Christchurch Green, and litter picking patrols are to be expanded. To support the café and small events, there will also be a daily staff presence on-site.
“With summer approaching, we want to support local people to enjoy our parks and green spaces as much as possible. Wanstead benefits from such an active, creative community, and our council wants to engage with local people and groups to help organise activities from craft workshops, talks, Sunday afternoon Jazz all the way to puppet shows and school choir performances, all centred around a small café space serving locally sourced products,” said Councillor Kam Rai, Cabinet Member for Finance, Culture and Leisure.
