Sunday 24 August 2008

“Welcome to Walthamstow”






















The local paper sarcastically pointed out months ago that a visitor to Walthamstow getting off a bus at Courtenay Place E17 would find themselves greeted by a helpful sign that directed them to public lavatories which were closed years ago. The Council blustered and promised to rectify this unfortunate mistake. Needless to say it has done precisely nothing and any visitor in urgent need of relief will still find themselves in a spot of bother if they follow the wild goose chase directions on this map.





































Further up the High Street the Council’s six hour celebrations of the Olympic handover to London today, utilising the Big Screen, with local choirs celebrating global harmony has been cancelled after the Town Square became a crime scene, when in the early hours of this morning a teenager was found stabbed to death.

A visitor disappointed by the cancellation of the Olympic celebrations could always take a stroll and sample the local environment. Away from the police tape and the lines of cops there are typical local scenes such as this. Cedars Avenue E17, on the corner with Hoe Street. Welcome to the Borough which aspires to be the Greenest and nicest in London.




















(Below) Carisbrooke Road E17:






















(Below). Saturday morning. Near the entrance to the path through St Mary's Church, Church End E17. This litter bin is no longer emptied regularly.




















And just across the road is more squalor. Sacks of rubbish are left uncollected for days, which means that if they contain anything tasty the local foxes will tear them open.