This week on the map
Find the places mentioned in this edition. The outline includes the forest and its neighbouring towns.
The places in this edition, at a glance.
Shops, cafés, restaurants & pubs
Local finds and changes around the forest.
Fishfellas
Already tradingWoodford Green
A family-run fish and chip shop on Chigwell Road, serving fish, kebabs and fried chicken with halal-certified meat. It opened under new management around a year ago.
Sources: Fish Fellas Chigwell, Food hygiene rating
Chingford Halal Meat & Grocery
Already tradingChingford
An established halal butcher and grocery shop on Chingford Mount Road.
Source: Food hygiene rating
Kickin Chicken
Already tradingChingford
A long-running fried chicken takeaway on Chingford Mount Road, just over a kilometre from the forest boundary.
Source: Food hygiene rating
La Sala, Woodford Green
Unclear - needs an on-the-ground checkWoodford Green
This restaurant on Chigwell Road has a confusing recent history: it closed some years ago, was repossessed, and press coverage mentions new owners taking over the site since. Online listings still show it trading under the same name as recently as this year, but we can't confirm whether that's accurate or what's actually operating there today. Check directly before making a trip.
Source: New owners take on former La Sala restaurant - Ilford Recorder
Morrisons café, Loughton
Café closedLoughton
Following up on last week's note: the in-store café at the Loughton Morrisons still shows as closed. The supermarket itself is trading normally.
Source: Morrisons Loughton Cafe - Yelp
Road closures & access
Things that might affect getting around the forest.
Burst water main disruption, South Woodford / Chigwell Road
Resolved, mid-AugustWoodford Green / Chigwell
A significant burst affecting two water mains near Chigwell Road and Daisy Road cut off supply to a wide area in mid-August, with the road partly closed to traffic while it was repaired. The council and Thames Water reported supplies restored and repairs complete by the end of that week. We haven't independently re-checked the road itself this week, but haven't seen anything suggesting the closure is still in place.
Source: Thames Water fixing burst pipes in Chigwell and Redbridge
Water main replacement, High Beech / Loughton
Ongoing, multi-year projectLoughton
The long-running project to replace water mains across around 20 streets in Loughton is continuing. Work began on Queens Road and Spareleaze Hill in March, and is set to keep moving through the rest of the street list - including Hillyfields, Woodbury Hill, Rectory Lane, Debden Lane and Newmans Lane - into 2027. We weren't able to pin down exactly which street is being worked on this specific week from the sources available to us, so anyone planning a route through the area should expect some disruption without a precise location.
Bakers Lane, Epping - carriageway works
Ongoing, exact current phase unclearEpping
Resurfacing and carriageway work on Bakers Lane, between St John's Road and Albany Court, has been running in phases for a while. The sources we can reach disagree on which phase is current, so we can't confidently say what's closed this specific week - only that the project is still active and diversions have been running via St John's Road, Coronation Hill and Lincolns Field when a closure is in force.
Forest car park hours reducing
From 15 SeptemberEpping Forest (forest-wide)
From 15 September, the forest's car parks will close earlier - 6:30pm instead of 8pm, still opening at 7am. Worth knowing if you're planning an evening visit later this month.
Source: What's new in Epping Forest - City of London Corporation
Events in the forest
What's on this week.
Skylark conservation event
Saturday 6 September, 2-4pmWanstead Flats
A free, drop-in event at the Harrow Road Pavilion about the forest's skylarks and the conservation work protecting them. No booking needed.
Source: What's new in Epping Forest - City of London Corporation
The forest's grazing cattle
Epping Forest's conservation-grazing cattle move around the forest through the year.
Where the cattle are grazing
No change this weekSewardstone
The forest's grazing cattle haven't moved paddocks this week — they're still in the same area, close to Sewardstone.
A little closer to the forest
Local discoveries, things to do and updates for your next visit. You do not need the app to enjoy the Ledger.
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