Sir Alfred Hitchcock

Love Your High Street Leytonstone Saturday 8 June

Love Your High StreetSaturday 8 June 2013 is Love Your High Street Day in Leytonstone organised by the London Borough of Waltham Forest and E11 BID.

There will be a day of activities in Leytonstone Town Centre including a pop up Hitchcock cinema, silent disco, open day at St John’s Church and regular activities like the E11 Market.

Don’t miss the opportunity too to visit the Stone Space’s Star Walls exhibition which closes on 9 June and Woodhouse Players’ The Oedipus Plays on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 June.

Waltham Forest residents will also get vouchers to spend in local shops.

Watch Jonathan Ross on Hitchcock tonight

Leytonstone tubeDon’t forget to watch ITV’s documentary tonight 10pm-11pm about Sir Alfred Hitchcock presented by Jonathan Ross. Both Hitchcock and Ross were born in Leytonstone, so this documentary promises to give a unique insight into Hitchcock, who is celebrated in Leytonstone with mosaics of his films at Leytonstone tube on the Central Line.

More information:

New music venue opens this Saturday

The Plough and Harrow turns into a music venue this weekend with its Venue Launch Party on Saturday. There’s also live music at The Crown on Saturday evening and this Saturday is also due to see the opening of the E11 Market, outside Matalan.

Reside continues at the Stone Space and next Wednesday Leytonstone Film Club is screening the French film 36 Quai des Orfèvres.

Leytonstone doesn’t have a cinema, but the cinemas will be full from the end of this week with a new film about Sir Alfred Hitchcock, who was, of course, born in Leytonstone.

10 January–17 February 2013

Reside: at The Stone Space

The Stone SpaceOpen Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Check their website for eact times:

Saturday 2 February

E11 Market

Due to open for the first time Outside Matalan. Check their website for updates:

Saturday 2 February, 2.30pm

Heavy Metal, St John’s Church Bellringers

Website: St John’s Church

The Plough and Harrow

The Plough and Harrow

Saturday 2 February

Venue Launch Party

Plough and Harrow. Check their website and Facebook page for more details:

Wednesday 6 February

Screening of “36 Quai des Orfèvres”

Leytonstone LibraryDir: Olivier Marchal. (2004) France; 111 min (15).
Leytonstone Pop-Up Cinema, at Church Lane Library. Check their website for full details:
Website: www.leytonstonefilmclub.com

Looking ahead

Woodhouse Players

Book ahead for the next production from the Woodhouse Players, who are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year:

Triple Bill

  • Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet
  • A Separate Peace by Tom Stoppard
  • The Book Club of Little Witterington by Joan Greening

Fri 8 and Sat 9 March 2013
Fri 15 and Sat 16 March 2013
Welsh Church Hall
Website: www.woodhouseplayers.co.uk

Leytonstone Festival and Arts Trail Mon 16-Fri 20 July

Leytonstone Arts Trail 2012 mapLeytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail continue this week and into next weekend (21-22 July) with music, art, photography, theatre and much more.

Most of the local pubs have special events on and many events are free, or low cost.

Do look at the official programmes on the Leytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail websites/Facebook pages, however, to check for any last minute updates to the programmes, in case I have missed anything or where you may have to book in advance or numbers may be limited. If you spot an error, please let me know. Highlights of the coming week include:

Leytonstone Arts Trail 2012

Leytonstone Arts Trail Map Exhibition launches at The Stone Space

The Stone Space is the headquarters for Leytonstone Arts Trail 2012 and is showing samples from over 70 artists. You can collect a Trail Guide from The Stone Space, which is open every day this week, and find out about the venues taking part in this year’s Arts Trail including:

  • Stone Space Projects, Leytonstone’s new pop up gallery situated just outside the tube station
  • As Time Goes By exhibition featuring 17 artists
  • The Red Lion’s group of exhibitions
  • Norlington Road Studios ‘When The Walls Come Down’
  • The Sir Alfred Hitchcock Hotel
  • Leytonstone Social Club’s Shadwell Printers exhibition
  • Leytonstone Library
  • Davies Lane Primary School
  • Electroset Studio, Davies Lane
  • Queen Elizabeth Jubilee Centre
  • Eatery 7, Church Lane
  • Meze Patisserie, High Road Leytonstone
  • 491 Gallery, Grove Green Road
  • Café de Montmartre, Church Lane

and many more.

 Mon 16 July

Don’t forget: Olympic Controlled Parking Zone period starts today!

Leytonstone Museum photosMonday 16 July

Leytonstone Museum at The Red Lion

Created this year as an online museum of photographs of people and places in Leytonstone, these sessions will give you an opportunity to see printed copies of the photos.

Monday 16 July (and every day)

I am Cann Hall, 1948-2012 photography exhibition

The Holly Tree

Monday 16 July

Heavy Metal 2: Bell ringing at St John’s Church

Monday 16 July

Hitchcock Retrospective

O’Neills, Green Man roundabout

Monday 16 July

Mr Nightingale’s Diary by Charles Dickens and Mark Lemon

Leytonstone Library Playreading Group
Leytonstone Library

Tuesday 17 July

Leytonstone Museum at The Red Lion

See Monday 16 July for more details.

Tuesday 17 July

I am Cann Hall, 1948-2012 photography exhibition

The Holly Tree
The Star of India

Tuesday 17 July

Maddona at the Star

The Star of India

Wednesday 18 July

The Art and Architecture of St Margaret’s

St Margaret’s Woodhouse Road

Wednesday 18 July

Leytonstone Museum at The Red Lion

See Monday 16 July for more details.

Wednesday 18 July

I am Cann Hall, 1948-2012 photography exhibition

The Holly Tree
Golden Curry

Wednesday 18 July

Leytonstone Film Club’s Curry and Quiz Night

The Golden Curry

Wednesday 18 July

Norman Jacobs talks on Gilbert and Sullivan

Leyton and Leytonstone Historical Society
St John’s Church Hall

Wednesday 18 July

Pandora’s Box—an hour of Comedy Cabaret

O’Neills, Green Man roundabout

The Welsh Church

Wednesday 18 July

Woodhouse Players

The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The Welsh Church Hall

Wednesday 18 July

What’s Cookin’ presents Eric Brace and Peter Cooper

The Birkbeck Tavern

Thursday 19 July

Leytonstone Museum at The Red Lion

See Monday 16 July for more details.

Thursday 19 July

I am Cann Hall, 1948-2012 photography exhibition

The Holly Tree
St John's Church, Town Centre

Thursday 19 July

Lunchtime concert at St John’s

Thursday 19 July

London Sunset Tower Tour

Music, a drink a a tour of the tower with stunning views over London.

Thursday 19 July

An evening of spoken Word, Storytelling and Music

Leytonstone Library

Luna Lounge

Thursday 19 July

Stand Up Musical Comedy Night

The Luna Lounge

Heathcote Arms

Thursday 19 July

The George Simmonds Septet

The Heathcote

O'Neills 'The Green Man'

Thursday 19 July

Pandora’s Box—an hour of Comedy Cabaret

O’Neills

Friday 20 July

I am Cann Hall, 1948-2012 photography exhibition

The Holly Tree

Fri 20 July

Woodhouse Players

The Rivals by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
The Welsh Church Hall

The Birkbeck Tavern, Leytonstone

Fri 20 July

Lost Horizons presents Ewan McClellan

The Birkbeck Tavern

Fri 20 July

The Legendary Mr Will Gaines with Jacqueline Pert and Bret Jones

Leytonstone Social Club

Further afield

The British Film Institute has a Hitchcock Season this summer.

Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 1


… and more events on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July

Check these pages for more information:

Independent Retailer Month poster

July is also Independent Retailer Month, so while you’re out and about in Leytonstone, take the opportunity to support your local shops, cafés and restaurants!

London celebrates Leytonstone’s Sir Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Hitchcock

The work of one of Leytonstone’s most famous sons is being celebrated this summer by the British Film Institute, as part of the Cultural Olympiad, and as part of the Leytonstone Festival.

British Film Institute Hitchcock season

From June to October 2012 the British Film Institute is celebrating the works of one of Leytonstone’s most famous sons, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, described by the BFI as “the most influential and iconic British film director of all time”.

The celebration includes displays, talks and screenings. Two years ago the BFI also began a fundraising campaign to restore Hitchcock’s nine surviving silent films ‘Rescue the Hitchcock 9’ — the BFI National Archive’s biggest single project to date.

The London Nobody Knows, the Leytonstone Nobody knows and Alfred Hitchcock.

Sunday 15 July − Part of  Leytonstone Festival

Screenings and debate exploring London’s unknown ‘underside’ plus documentary on ‘The Leytonstone Hitchcock never wanted to know’.

The Heathcote, Grove Green Road, E11 4EA

More information

Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube

First time visitors to Leytonstone can’t miss Sir Alfred Hitchcock if they arrive by tube as his films are celebrated in mosaics at Leytonstone tube station, here are a few examples.

Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 1Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 2Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 3Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 4Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 5Hitchcock Gallery Leytonstone Tube 6

More information

Leytonstone’s arts season kicks off this weekend

Langthorne Park amphitheatreWith Euro 2012, the Olympics and the beginning of Wimbledon next week likely to dominate the media in the next few days, let’s not forget that the Arts Season in Leytonstone kicks off this weekend.

Arts in the Park

On Saturday and Sunday there’s art and music and more at Arts in the Park in Langthorne Park, Leytonstone. See the Waltham Forest Guardian for more details.

Langthorne Park is easily reached on the 257 bus from Stratford and Walthamstow.

The Stone SpaceThe Stone Space

The Stone Space in Church Lane, has a particularly interesting exhibiton, which features works about Leytonstone called ‘1 day’s walk’. Conveniently it’s only 1 minute’s walk from Leytonstone tube, where of course you can also see the Hitchcock Murals as a refresher for the Sir Alfred Hitchcock festival coming up soon. On Saturday 23 you can also see printed photos from the online Leytonstone Museum.

Just round the corner, with arts, craft and homemade food will be the Lion Heart Market this Saturday.

Leytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail

After this weekend’s taster put the 12 to 22 July in your diary for the Leytonstone Festival and Leytonstone Arts Trail.

Let’s grow local

An event to inspire and facilitate growing food in Leytonstone (Update Sun 24: Event postponed, see link below for details)

If you’d rather turn your creative talents to growing fruit and veg, Let’s Grow Local on Sunday will feature guest speaker Pam Warhurst who will talk about how the Todmorden community in Yorkshire turned disused areas into a giant allotment. Tea and cake and much more. All welcome.

The Epicentre, 41 West Street Leytonstone E11 4lJ

And you can get a taster of organically grown fruit and veg from the Organiclea stall outside Matalan on Saturday.
Organiclea Transition Leytonstone stall

New Look Leytonstone
Outside Leytonstone station towards Church Lane

Outside the station towards Church Lane

The last week or so has seen the finishing touches to the building work that has been going on the length of Leytonstone High Road, in the town centre and along Whipps Cross Road to give Leytonstone a new and brighter look ready for the Olympics.

I haven’t managed to get photos of everything, the weather has not been so kind, but I’ve added a collection of photos showing most of the work and I’ve summarised some of the other main changes that have happened in the last year or so on New Look Leytonstone.

A lot has happened, new pubs, a market, an art gallery and more and all against the backdrop of one of the most horrible recessions in living history.

So, if you know someone thinking of moving to Leytonstone, investing here, or who just has a view of the area which is second hand or out of date, please share on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, by email or however you can and send them to this page, it might just help!

Hitchcock murals featured in Time Out
One of the Leytonstone tube Hitchcock mosaics

One of the Leytonstone tube Hitchcock mosaics

Leytonstone tube’s Hitchcock murals were the first pictured in a recent article in Time Out Going underground: London’s unsung tube mosaics and murals. Thank you Time Out for some positive coverage about Leytonstone and to Hil Do for sharing this story on Facebook.

Welcome to Leytonstone London E11
November 2013:
This site is no longer being regularly updated as I have moved from Leytonstone. I hope you have enjoyed using this site. A lot of text and pictures will still be relevant for a long time to come but please check other information in case it is out of date.

Please do NOT contact me to do errands for you.

Leytonstone doesn’t have an official website, but I created this website to act as a link to all the other main official and unofficial community and resident association websites in the area.In Free time you can find out about the increasingly lively arts and music scene in Leytonstone, our own local Woodhouse Players and the Pop-up Cinema, sports facilities and where to eat out. Take a look at the Calendar for key dates of major events in Leytonstone and the borough.There’s practical information on doctors and dentists under Health, on schools and colleges under Education, and who your councillors and MPs/MEPs are under Democracy.There are profiles of the different areas and links to residents’ associations under Areas and a page for local Charities.

At the bottom and side of each page you’ll find useful links and/or live feeds to Transport for London, The Highways Agency, the Waltham Forest Guardian, Evening Standard and the local weather forecast.

If you live in Leytonstone, bookmark this site, I hope it will be the best one-stop-shop for everything that’s happening in the area.

If you’re new to Leytonstone I hope it will give you the best introduction to the area and prove that, whatever people may think about the rest of London, in the East End we’re friendly and welcoming.

The site aims to be accurate and informative, unbiased and to give a balanced view. It aims to work with, and support the local community, not compete with any other resources. It’s not an official site by any means, and nobody has paid anything towards it, so it is entirely free of influence!

I hope you enjoy the site and find it useful. The site is constantly being updated, so keep coming back: and pass on the link to anyone you know who will find it relevant. If you have suggestions for new content, or spot anything that’s no longer correct, please do let me know using the Contact Form.

Best wishes

Leigh Horton

Hollow Ponds