Mystery surrounds disappearance of newspaper stands (From Times Series)

Mystery surrounds disappearance of newspaper stands in Edgware

2:48pm Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in News By Natalie O'Neill

An investigation is underway to find seven newspaper stands which have mysteriously disappeared from a busy high street.

John Roycroft, 83, of Colindale, is determined to track down the stands that used to line the railings in Station Road, Edgware.

Mr Roycroft, the clerk of Edgware Quakers, bought a stand for £200 back in 2008. He used a bicycle lock to secure it to the railings and topped it up with 200 copies of Quaker News four times every year.

But two months ago the stand disappeared. Mr Roycroft said: “I want to know how it disappeared, who did it, why and on what authority. Nobody seems to know and so the mystery deepens.”

Mr Roycroft has been carrying out his own investigation, contacting shopkeepers and councillors, as well as fellow Quakers but he remains stumped by the disappearance.

He says the other stands included a Jewish newspaper, a travel magazine and the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association’s (LTDA) newspaper.

Steven McNamara, general secretary of LTDA, said: “We lost one about two months ago and put another one there about eight weeks ago but that went as well. I don’t want to put another one there for that to disappear as well.”

Mr McNamara says he thought Barnet Council was responsible, but a spokesman for the local authority said they are unaware of what has happened to the stands.

Traders and shoppers are also baffled. Sheroz Taliv, owner of convenience store, Food Centre, said: “People have been asking me where the newspaper stands have gone but I don’t have a clue. They were there for ages and suddenly one day they were gone. It’s very strange.”

Do you know what happened to the newspaper stands? If you can help, contact the news desk on 07795 497 327.