Wharf Life, Apr 3-17,2024

the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east

people - events - treasure

the burnt head of Boris isn’t, at its core, a political work

EVENT | Stories From Fashion City

Where? Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay

These after-hours tours round the museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition look in depth at Jewish Londoners’ impact on the fashion industry in the capital. Apr 18, 28, 5pm, £20, museumo ondon.org.uk

Where?

Canary Wharf

Crossrail Place

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Welcome to issue 110 of Wharf Life. There’s a canine feel to this issue with the arrival of Guide Dogs’ Paws On The Wharf trail, a four-legged companion at Canary Garden and even a spaniel relieving himself on a paper sculpture of former prime minister Boris Johnson. Tails wagging all round...

KIDS FILM | Migration

One for the kids, this charming animation follows some ducks as they explore the world. Tickets include one adult + a toddler. Children are £12. Apr 27, 9.30pm, £14.40, everymancinema.com

GIG | The Feeling

Where?

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

The ino ensive guitar-pop out t come to Cabot Square for an evening of entertainment. Expect Sewn, Fill My Little World and Never Be Lonely Apr 25, 9.30pm, from £49 (show only), boisdale.co.uk

How duo behind Kricket aim to bring Indian avours to the Wharf

Final collection of new homes at Royal Albert Wharf set to go on sale

Talking creativity and design with Mohamed Mohamed, the artist whose sculpture of Boris Johnson’s head can currently be found at Millennium Circle on Blackheath, abandoned to the elements

on the radar

Pop-up gig brand Sofar Sounds is set to return to Canary Wharf for a series of Wednesday gigs on June 5, July 3, August 7 and September 4. These usually get booked up fast, so act early to avoid disappointment. Tickets cost £24, with shows starting at 7.30pm canarywharf.com

More news to get the juices going, Canary Wharf’s Lunch Market is set to return to Montgomery Square on Thursdays from May 2-September 26. Trading hours will be slightly shorter this year, with dishes available from noon-2.30pm canarywharf.com need to know

Get a whole 20% o tickets to the new season of Phantom Peak

Introducing Canary Garden, a new destination for food and workshops created by local residents at South Quay Plaza. Expect niche pan-Asian cuisine, owers and activities

doing the deals

30% £20

Sri Lankan specialist Karapincha in Canary Wharf Tube station is o ering 30% o food from April 15-30 in celebration of its new menu and the New Year karapinchakitchen.com

Check out Pedler’s express lunch menu, with two courses available for £20 at the One Canada Square venue. It’s £25 for three courses pedlercanarywharf.com get more for less on and around the Wharf

Canary Wharf - West India Quay

write me

noun, fake, from old English

words you don’t know you need gleegany ferhoodle

A new word for inappropriately laughing or smiling during a broadcast interview about a serious topic, like when the election will be held, or potentially arresting homeless people if they’re judged to smell. Shameful

verb, real, from German American

Speci c to the Germanic community in Pennysylvania, this wonderful word means to confuse or mix things up. You know, like when Donald Trump ferhoodled Joe Biden and Barack Obama subscribe to our Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly

FOR THE ARTISTS

Winter Lights Open Call

Canary Wharf canarywharf.com

Canary Wharf Group has announced an open call for artists interested in submitting work for 2025’s Winter Lights festival. Those keen to participate should email arts+events@canarywharf.com to request a submission pack or with any questions about the process by May 5. The event is now the largest show of its kind in the capital and remains free to visit in January

diary dates, listings and ideas to make your Canary Wharf sweeter..

TRIED + TESTED Watch House Cabot Place, Canary Wharf watchhouse.com

Recently opened, Watch House is the kind of place that’s serious about co ee. The grass green units are merely a backdrop to a rich theatre for making the black stu as good as it can possibly be.

My heavily ca einated days might be behind me, but even a poor decaf-drinker like me can join in the fun.

Order an Americano with oat milk (no cows either) for £3.30 to drink in-house at the brand’s outward-looking wooden bar and you’ll receive a decent size cup full to the brim and a dear little silver jug of white liquid.

This presents a problem –there’s no space for the milk. Perhaps this is a conspiracy to wean me o whiteners, the only solution being to sip some of the black to make space.

No matter, the Galeras Decaf – a name I know from the thoughtful info card provided – turned out to be a subtle chocolatey cup with a little zing to it.

My companion opted to eschew liquids and try a brie and pesto baguette for £8.40.

She felt that while the

DIARY DATE

London Marathon Canary Wharf Area tcslondonmarathon.com

Just a reminder to plan your London Marathon -watching activities now. The event is set to take place on Sunday, April 21 with the route once again winding through east London via Wapping, Limehouse, the Isle Of Dogs and, of course, Canary Wharf. Top spots to watch will include Cabot Square, Canada Park and Jubilee Park

portion of cheese was generous and the blended basil had “soaked deliciously” into the sourdough, overall there was an overabundance of spongy bread to contend with, making the whole thing suitable only for those who have worked up a serious appetite.

Watch House is open from 7am-7pm weekdays and 8am-6pm at weekends. Go to watchhouse.com

Jon Massey

COMING SOON

Burger King Cabot Place, Canary Wharf burgerking.co.uk

The Big King is bringing his ame-grilled whoppers back to the top of Cabot Place’s escalators, with a branch set to open in the spring. The new restaurant will be in the unit that formerly housed Neat Burger, the unsuccessful vegan fast food chain backed by Lewis Hamilton. Incidentally it’s opposite BK’s former home, now a Nando’s

Canary Wharf - West India Quay

how Kricket and Soma are set to bring Indian flavours and late night drinks to the Wharf’s small hours

by Jon Massey

Kricket is set to try something different in Canary Wharf. Over recent years, the estate’s restaurant and bar scene has flourished thanks to a torrent of new arrivals. The likes of Dishoom, Hawksmoor, Mallow and Oysteria have built on the solid foundations laid by Amerigo Vespucci, Roka and Boisdale Of Canary Wharf to transform the estate into a compelling culinary destination.

However, even with a wealth of destinations to choose from, finding food after 10pm can be challenging. While some venues are open until midnight and a few don’t close until 2am, they are the exception rather than the rule.

But Will Bowlby and Rik Campbell feel this corner of London is now right for a venue that cooks into the small hours.

“We’ve got a late licence on the site so we can open to 2am, which is great for our bar, Soma, but we’re also going to use that for our restaurant, Kricket, and do the full service until late, on the nights that demand it – Thursday, Friday and Saturday,” said Rik, who co-founded the business with university friend Will in Brixton. “It’s a selling point and I think we can get a following going for it.”

Will, who works as the business’ executive chef, added: “We took a lot of our team over to Mumbai in January this year – many have been with us for five years or more – as we wanted to show them the city we were inspired by. “There’s a lot of late-night eating there and we thought it would be great to recreate that vibe – Mumbai really is a 24-hour city, even if London isn’t.”

There’s something fitting, perhaps, in the arrival of a cutting-edge brand in Docklands that started life in a shipping container in Brixton. Those metal oblongs were themselves a transformative force on shipping – their introduction one of the factors that left the docks obsolete, clearing the way for Canary Wharf to emerge.

“We started Kricket in 2015,” said Will, who went straight to work in a London kitchen after university in Newcastle, before moving over to India. “I cooked the food and Rik served the customers. It was like a foray into the darkness – we didn’t really

know what we were doing until we opened – then we learnt as we went along. From there, we opened in Soho in January 2016.”

Rik, for his part, had always wanted to work in hospitality but spent time at Deloitte in corporate finance before joining forces with Will. Their Soho venture was a success and Kricket now operates three sites – a restaurant under railway arches in Brixton and another in White City.

“Having been in India, we wanted to showcase what we’d seen there,” said Will. “When I was first over there, I was running a European restaurant – but I was always more interested in what I wasn’t cooking.

“In London at the time, there were high-end Indian fine dining establishments and curry houses with very little in between. It was about waiting for an opportunity and that was the container.”

Rik added: “We were young – in our mid-20s – and naiveté was bliss. We did 50 covers on our first night – mostly friends and family – but we had no kitchen porter and no bar. A lot of time we would get out of trouble because Will’s food is so good. We had a lot of fun, just focused on the food and service and worked really hard doing 90-100 hour weeks.

“It was an important part of the journey, but you couldn’t pay me to go back there now.”

The buzz the duo created won them recognition and a shot at Soho, attracting a line of diners with an open kitchen and counter service. Eventually they took on the space next door, opening basement bar Soma at least partly to lucratively lubricate those waiting in the queue.

It’s this combination that will inform their forthcoming Canary Wharf branch – tentatively expected to open in July at Frobisher Passage under the DLR.

“The site was in a very unassuming building, quite un-Canary Wharf, but Rik said we must go and see it,” said Will. “It’s underneath the DLR, quite tucked away, opposite Blacklock.

“Neither of us had been to Canary Wharf for about 10 years, and we’d assumed that it wasn’t really where we wanted to be. But when we went over there, we were really surprised by how much it had changed. It’s a full seven-day operation with an established community – lots of committed residents, people visiting and staying locally. You

Time Kricket and Soma are set to close on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with full food service until late 2am

Pandhi pork curry

Tandoori paneer

open’til

Neither of us had been to Canary Wharf for about 10 years and we’d assumed that it wasn’t where we really wanted to be

Will Bowlby, Kricket

can get to our Soho branch near Piccadilly Circus via the Elizabeth Line in less than half an hour.”

So what can people expect from the new venue when it opens its doors?

“Kricket is our interpretation of Indian food,” said Rik. “It’s such a varied cuisine – there’s so much to learn and to eat. Our menus are constantly changing and we showcase local ingredients in dishes that are designed to be shared, just as they are in India.”

Will added: “We’ve designed the restaurant so people can come on their own, as a couple or with eight or 10 people for a feast.

“We have dishes from £2-£45 so it’s accessible. The most expensive one is really a big showcase of a plate. We’ve always had open kitchens, which is unusual for an Indian restaurant and it’s how we like to eat – up at the counter.

“Then there will be Soma, which will have a different feel and its own entrance. If Kricket is a bustling market-like place, then Soma is the quiet little sister – a little broody and underground.

“In Canary Wharf it will be India and beyond with a definite Japanese influence and elements from across Asia. Our Soho bar was formerly a Japanese gentleman’s club so we’ve taken inspiration from that in the classic style of the drinks. High quality and reasonably priced.”

While the last time Will and Rik ate together at Kricket they had the steak with garlic bread, when asked for guidance, Will was clear.

“Start with the tomato rasam pani puri (£2) and then have the bhel puri (£7.50),” he said. “The first is an explosion in your mouth and the second has been on the menu since day one.”

Anyone else salivating?

key details

Kricket and Soma are set to open in Canary Wharf’s Frobisher Passage in July.

Go to kricket.co.uk for more details

Scan this code to find out more about Kricket and Soma

Will Bowlby, left, and Rik Campbell are set to open Kricket and Soma in Canary Wharf later this year

The food at Kricket is inspired by Indian cuisine

Bhel puri

Junoon cocktail

Keralan fried chicken

Cornish sole

Mussels Goan chorio and assorted dishes

Image by Jon Massey Food images by Rebecca Hope

virtual viewpoint

by Chris Ezekiel

New York. Berlin. Melbourne. Sydney. It’s been a busy month for me – visiting four cities on three continents. Meeting up with our customers, partners and our teams – who I normally interact with virtually – has been great.

Every organisation is on, what I like to call, its “Destination AI” journey. And – while there’s a lot of excitement and fear that’s pretty much in equal measure – I think the goal is clear, even if the processes and timelines are much less so.

There will be a future when everything is connected. Our beds, chairs and fridges will monitor every aspect of our lives and wellbeing, and proactively prompt us with suggestions – or even carry out tasks on our behalf.

Robots will be commonplace, used at home and in work situations. Augmented Reality (AR) contact lenses will enable us to seamlessly superimpose the virtual world onto the real one.

This will transform how we interact with organisations. There may be no more websites, bank branches, contact centres or even shops in the traditional form. Artificial intelligence will power all of our interactions with organisations, with perhaps the need for humans only in situations where there’s a requirement for empathy. The shopping experience will be via AR or robot product expert sales assistants.

I founded Creative Virtual more than 20 years ago with the vision that humans and machines would work in harmony to create better customer experiences.

The idea was people and technology working seamlessly together through meaningful conversations. The convergence of computing power, large language models, large action models, the internet of things (connecting all devices) and robotics is already delivering solutions today that involve humans and machines doing just that.

Legislation is currently playing catch-up, however, when it comes to AI and some sectors – especially regulated ones like financial services – are very much waiting to see the parameters within which they will be allowed to use this technology.

Nevertheless, the demand for better experiences and efficiencies –to innovate for competitive advan tage – will drive a proliferation of all things AI in the coming years.

Our V-Studio platform is designed to allow organisations to plan and dictate how that happens for them as they move towards Destination AI.

Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on X

Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square

One day even our beds will be connected

Sculptures to find on the Paws On The Wharf trail, which features locations across the estate as well as West India Quay and South Quay

Artist Sian Healy with Uri at the launch of Paws On The Wharf, in place until May 17

how Paws On The Wharf showcases sculptures with a message across the Canary Wharf area

by Jon Massey

Kudos to Guide Dogs, Wild In Art, Citi, Canary Wharf Group and the Canal And River Trust. The organisations have come together to create a pop-up trail of 25 sculptures, celebrating and raising awareness of the charity’s work. Inspired by a London-based guide dog called Theia, each of the canine statues has been decorated by a different artist, forming a route that takes visitors across Canary Wharf as well as to West India Quay and Canary Garden (find out more about this new attraction on South Quay on Pages 24-25).

“The Paws On The Wharf trail features sculptures scattered all over this area with a total distance of about 5km,” said Guide Dogs CEO, Andrew Lennox, at the launch event.

“We’ve only just launched and we’re already seeing such great engagement and involvement with the public.

“People who see these sculptures are appreciating the art, but also learning more about the impact Guide Dogs has on people’s lives every single day and the artists behind the creations.

“We had Theia at the launch, who is a dog sponsored by one of our amazing partners Citi, which is also supporting the trail.”

Jackson Mendosa, chief of staff to Citi’s UK CEO, added: “Two things that make this trail stand out are accessibility and inclusivity, which are also concepts we believe we embrace as a firm through our staff and our business.

“Guide Dogs was our charity partner between 2020 and 2022, with Theia the result of that relationship – but it was also the start of this initiative.

“Paws On The Wharf’s first sculpture is just outside Citi’s offices and I’d like to thank everyone involved in the trail – it’s really something phenomenal.”

Key among those involved are, of course, the artists. Sian Healey created Guide Dog Adventures for the trail, which can be found near the eastern exit from Canary Wharf’s Crossrail Station.

She said: “I’m from Cardiff and I’ve been visually impaired since I was a child, due to a form of albinism that affects my eyes, hair and skin. I lose melanin slowly over time.

“I’ve always needed extra support and help throughout my life, whether that was with education or mobility and, eventually I applied for a guide dog, which now gives me independence.

“I had my first guide dog 15 years ago when my children were young and that opened up my world considerably. I had been pretty independent before when I was on my own – using my cane and hiding my disability as much as possible. But with young children you can no longer do that because you could be putting them in danger.

“Once I had children, I had to accept how poor my vision was – how

because that’s the way my world is. I have no depth vision, so that’s why my paintings are a bit flat but very bright.

potentially dangerous simple tasks like walking across a road could be – and I had to reach out and accept help, because it was affecting my mental health too.”

Having donated artwork to Guide Dogs as a way of giving something back to the charity, Sian was invited to contribute a piece to the trail.

She said: “I submitted a few ideas which were developed and eventually accepted. Then, one day, Wild In Art delivered a big statue of a guide dog to my home and I was left with the paints.

“Uri – my current guide dog – didn’t like him at all. We had to cover the sculpture with a duvet most of the time. Uri wouldn’t go near him, even while I was working. I wanted my piece to be about being a guide dog owner and, of the 25, mine is probably the most realistic-looking. He’s in a traditional harness and has a nose that’s the same colour as Uri’s. Then I thought about what these dogs do for us and how I could depict that. The main thing is to do with travel –getting out and about and doing things.

“So I thought of postcards of different places people had been with their guide dogs. The organisers wanted it to reflect all parts of the UK, so I have views from Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales.

“I also wanted it to reflect the diversity of what the charity offers, so there are different dogs on there – labradors, retrievers and a shepherd – with a variety of owners.

“I’ve always painted and drawn, although I did stop for a while. It started picking up again when I had my first guide dog, who helped me to get to art classes and build my confidence up.

“It’s something I’ve always loved doing, and my artwork is different from other people’s because of the way I see – it’s very blurry and abstract at times,

“I have to wear dark glasses and hats all the time because the light burns my eyes and I have no colouring in the back of them. In certain lights I can’t see anything at all, but in other lights I can see quite well up to my nose. My sight is constantly changing and it’s not something I can depend on.

“It’s quite a buzz to have a piece included in the trail. I hope Paws On The Wharf helps people understand that visual impairment is a spectrum, not just one thing and that this trail helps raise awareness.”

Following the trail, the sculptures are set to be auctioned off to raise money for Guide Dogs. This will take place at the Saatchi Gallery on June 5 with a limited number of tickets, costing £20, available on an application basis. Prices will start at £2,000. Those interested in attending should in the first instance email pawsonthewharf@guidedogs.org.uk for more information.

key details

The Paws On The Wharf trail starts in Jubilee Park and is available to follow from now until May 17. Visitors can tour the sculptures at their leisure using either a digital or printed map.

A limited number of free, bookable, 90-minute multi-sensory tours – with priority spaces for people with sight loss and the option to request a sighted guide – will also be held on various dates during the trail’s run. These will include both items to smell and touch.

Go to guidedogs.org.uk for more information

Scan this code to find out more about Paws On The Wharf

Some of the trail sculptures including Sian’s, above left, and his postcards from across the UK, left

why the Isle Of Man picked the docks as a place to showcase the foodie exports it is aiming to boost

by Jon Massey

The docks may have closed 40 years ago but that doesn’t mean they’re entirely defunct as a part of the import and export sector. The Isle Of Man is currently on a mission to boost its foodie exports, including seafood, alcoholic beverages, salt and cheese, as it attempts to shift the balance of its economy and bring greater prosperity to its inhabitants.

The world’s only whole-nation UNESCO Biosphere reserve –described as a learning place for sustainable development – had brought producers down to the International Food And Drink Expo at Excel in Royal Docks, opting for a further spin-o showcase at the Museum Of London Docklands on West India Quay.

These included the likes of shellsh from its sustainably managed King Scallop Fishery – available at a selection of top London restaurants, dairy produce from the Isle Of Man Creamery and hand-harvested sea salt from the Isle Of Man Salt Co. It’s especially apt that a space in a listed former sugar warehouse on the edge of a dock that was once a major receiver of imports should be used in this way– better still that one of the products on show should be a rum.

Outlier itself is an importer as well as an exporter. It buys-in cane molasses, but otherwise uses exclusively local ingredients to create its products. Available in Harrods or to buy online, it is at present still a small concern.

“Hoolie is our 41% white rum and it’s the rst one made in the British Isles to be sold at the department store,” said co-founder Rick Dacey. “That’s not bad going for a couple of guys working in a shed on a farm. “We’re called Outlier because we are that, both philosophically and geographically. We’re doing our own thing – we’re not interested in producing millions of bottles. We

want to have fun with it and we’re happy to be quite polarising. Some people don’t like our bottles and I’m happy about that because at least they have an opinion.

“The way we produce it is laborious – two middle-aged men in a Rocky montage chopping wood and throwing it in the still – so it’s a proper craft product. We make it from scratch. The Isle Of Man has very clean air and water which is good for the booze and it’s going down well with the rum crowd so why deviate from that?

“The Isle is a small place, but it has some great producers so it’s great that it’s getting some government support.”

Another company eager to boost its overseas activity is the Isle Of Man Creamery.

“We’re a cooperative of 28 dairy farmers on the island,” said Findlay Macleod, its managing director. “We bring in all of the milk that’s produced there and process it into cheese. On the Isle Of Man, our cows are out eating grass for a minimum of 200 days every year, which means they’re enjoying a natural diet.

“That makes for a healthier milk and provides a better base for our award-winning cheese that regularly wins national and international recognition.

“We export to Canada, the USA, Australia and the UK as well. We’re hopeful to nd further distribution in London in independent stores and in top restaurants. My favourite is our Vintage Red Leicester – it goes with anything and it’s a beautiful cheese. A really wonderful product.”

Go to isleofmancreamery.com or outlierdistilling.com for more details or to order

Rick Dacey

Wapping

music is

how The Kills promise an Anglo-American night of punchy duo rock as they continue to tour God Games

by Jon Massey

Born in London, The Kills have spent nearly a quarter of a century blending eclectic in uences into stripped-back rock music. Latest album God Games promises more primal call-and-response from power duo Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart.

Hitting the road for the rst time in a while, the band invite audiences to join them in a deity search that showcases songs drawn from the past seven years.

“I wanted to write a record

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where?

Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare’s comedy of enchantment, love and confused identities hits the music hall stage with masks and magic from Flabbergast Theatre. Apr 9-20, times vary, from £12.50, wiltons.org.uk

Where? Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Kanine

Following his debut in 2016, Kanine has risen to the very top of the drum and bass scene. Here he plays a late night gig, promising a powerful playlist. Apr 6, 9pm-2am, from £30.09, troxy.co.uk

STAGE | Moby Dick

Where?

Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

Planks of wood, tattered sheets and an old accordion help conjure the hunt for the great white whale as Melville’s classic comes to this east London stage. Apr 23-May 11, times vary, from £15, wiltons.org.uk

book now

of godless spirituals,” said Jamie. “In real life, I’m an atheist. Creatively, I play with God a lot, though. I liked occupying the space between those opposites.”

For her part, Alison added: “In this space, it’s hard to be dishonest. The record is a canvas of time for us.”

Whatever these lofty pronouncements mean, gig-goers can expect plenty of energy.

Dogged or attered by comparisons to The White Stripes, there’s little doubt that fans of Jack and Meg will nd much to enjoy here, even if the tone is just a little bit less frenetic and intense – erring more on minimal grooves than six-string spectacular.

this details

Scan this code for more information on The Kills’ gig

key details

The Kills are set to play Troxy in Limehouse’s Commercial Road on May 1. Doors will open at 7pm with curfew at 11pm. Tickets start at £35.81 – ages 14+. Go to troxy.co.uk for more information or to make a booking

Kids aged 3-8 will delight in a sensitive exploration of creativity as Ten In The Bed comes to Half Moon Theatre. The show is currently booking dates in May and June with tickets costing £7 for relaxed performances halfmoon.org.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Ten In The Bed at Half Moon Theatre in Limehouse

Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince are set to play Troxy in Limehouse on May 1

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

DANCE | Imago

Where? Lanterns Studio Theatre

Isle Of Dogs

Ballet Nights hosts a spotlight on duo Pett / Clausen-Knight deliver the UK premiere of Imago at the Isle Of Dogs’ Lanterns Studio Theatre. Apr 26-27, 6.15pm, from £35, balletnights.com

Where? The Space

Food traders will be hosted by Canary Garden on the Isle Of Dogs 5

how Canary Garden aims to inject much-needed life into an unused patch of land beside South Dock

by Jon Massey

One of the criticisms levelled at regenerated parts of London is that they can lack atmosphere. Crisply manicured parks might look great as the promise of “public realm” is dangled before lanning o cials. ut the Isle Of Dogs is littered with odd chunks of land that don’t really do anything. Perhaps there’s a small kids playground, a few benches, a fountain or a sculpture.

interested in and what people wanted. The immediate local area can be awfully boring at weekends – even the Pret is closed on Saturday and Sunday or after 4pm or 5pm on weekdays.

“We wanted to make this somewhere people could bring their family for a chilled out session and to enjoy a bit of sunshine, hopefully.

“We often go out to the countryside for a bit of freshness, a change of mood from the concrete city. That’s what we wanted to create here at Canary Garden.

STAGE | Sacred And Profane

Enjoy a romping comedy from Samantha Gray as the tale of Lad makes its debut. Expect romance, family, friendship and blackmail. It’s all about true intimacy. Apr 23-27, 7.30pm, from £10, space.org.uk

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

KIDS | Clare And Cory Share A (Glorious) Story

Really Big Pants Theatre promises a production with a message, encouraging young viewers to share their belongings and illuminating the bene ts. Ages 3-7. Apr 27, 11amn, from £7, poplarunion.com

ash back

You’ll need to be very quick, but there’s still just time to catch They’ll Never Close The Docks at The Space, a new play by Steven Shawcroft telling east London tales from 200 years of loading and unloading ships space.org.uk

Isle Of Dogs want more?

So it was with a paved area of dockside waterfront on the corner adjacent to ierra uebec ra o a rebrand from the rather unimaginati e outh uay uilding and South Quay Plaza’s Hampton Tower.

Despite its impressive views over West India South Dock towards Canary Wharf and Wood harf, this neatly finished o en space had no obvious function –other than as a thoroughfare for pedestrians enjoying a waterside walk east, before diverting down to Marsh Wall to cross the Millwall Cutting bridge. Enter Canary Garden founder Oscar Tang, local resident and entrepreneur.

“My wife Nadine and I live in one of the towers at South Quay Plaza and one of the things we’ve observed is that people have started to move in after the pandemic and the demographic is ever-changing,” he said. “There are younger people from every corner of the world coming to the Island, but we’ve also found there are not many activities going on.

“The developers have built this infrastructure for a high density of residents, but not necessarily the amenities – there’s not much feeling of community. That’s why we thought it would be good to do something.”

Thus Canary Garden was born, a project to inject some life into an underused patch of land that’s just about to get into its stride.

Part cafe, part farm shop, part florist and art street food market, Oscar’s vision has arrived in the form of a series of greenhouse-like structures and wooden kiosks that will offer an array of attractions.

“We thought this place was really under-used and it could be much more fun – that’s where it all started,” he said.

“During Christmas we started to test out a few things to see what the neighbourhood was

“It’s based on wooden structures because we really wanted to build this as a reflection of nature.

“One of the disadvantages of living in an apartment in a city is that you don’t have a back yard and nowhere outdoors to spend time. At Hampton Tower there are 56 storeys, 2,000 people living on-site, but there is not much around the area – why not create something like a backyard? The idea is not too complicated.”

Already in place is a cafe, with indoor seating spread through three greenhouse-like structures. Also up and running is lorafind, a florist offering bouquets and workshops. Then there are a series of pine food kiosks which, from this month, will offer an array of culinary delights.

e will ha e fi e food traders in total,” said Oscar. “We’ve picked them from all across London and have tried to create a theme – at the moment the focus will be on oriental dishes.

ach will celebrate a different cooking technique or niche dish. he first has a focus on the marination of ingredients, for example. The second will serve a particular type of noodles from the Chinese city of Suzhou, which is close to Shanghai. It’s a very traditional soup dish with one kind of noodle, two kinds of base, three kinds of topping.

“The third will be Hong Kong street food, cooked by a lovely couple who graduated a few years ago and started their own business to bring the younger generation’s understanding of the cuisine there over to the UK.

“Then, the fourth will be a halal barbecue – who doesn’t like that over the summer with a bit of drink?

“Finally, we will also have a

hosting the

We wanted to make this somewhere people could bring their family for a chilled out session and to enjoy a bit of sunshine, hopefully

Oscar Tang, Canary Garden

rotating trailer spot, where we’ll have guest traders when we sense there is a seasonal thing people might want. The next will be serving Malaysian cuisine with laksa on offer.”

With matcha brownies at the cafe, already a firm fa ourite, readers could be forgiven for thinking that Canary Garden is simply a food hall with great views and plenty of outdoor space. But Oscar’s vision for the site is wider.

“We also intend to host other workshops and events including afternoon teas,” said scar. “We’re already in touch with other organisers to see what we can include. That might include calligraphy, watercolour painting and aromatherapy. We’re also looking at theoretical beekeeping without the insects.

“We’re also working in partnership with the Wutian Martial Art Institute, which is based around the corner, so when the weather is warmer their kids can come and enjoy the outdoor space and do some acti ities.”

While separate entities, recent arrival Theatreship and forthcoming arrival Artship, will be neighbours to Canary Garden –something scar belie es fits well with what it offers.

“We have collaborated and for me, I call it toothbrush and toothpaste – two things that go together ery well,” he said. “It works perfectly for their audiences.”

key details

Canary Garden’s cafe is currently open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am-5.30pm. Food stalls are open from noon-8pm. Group worksho s at lorafind take lace on Saturdays and Wednesdays and cost £90 per person for two hours. Times vary and refreshments are included. Children’s workshops are available too and start at £55.

Go to canarygrocery.com or florafindflowers.com for more details

Scan this code to nd out more about Canary Garden

Far left, the colourful interior of on-site orist Flora nd

Left, Oscar Tang with Collie the Border Collie

Right, richly avoured vegetarian noodles from Lu at Canary Garden on the Isle Of Dogs

be part of the Canary Wharf conversation

To advertise in Wharf Life call 07944 000 144 or email jess.maddison@wharf-life.com

20%

O when booking standard tickets to Phantom Peak in Rotherhithe for its latest season - use code WHARF20

Spring At The Peak features new cocktails, story lines, characters and inventions as the southeast London attraction opens its refreshed immersive experience to the public

how Phantom Peak’s latest season is a tale of constant polish and invention as the attraction welcomes guests

bringing the

by Jon Massey

There’s a reassuring feeling of progress and evolution at Rotherhithe attraction Phantom Peak. Not content to simply og the same experience to customers like standard escape rooms or West End shows, the fully immersive ctional town has unveiled Spring At The Peak, its latest season – currently booking into April.

It’s a desperately clever business model combining the now familiar, quirky backdrop of a town ruled by a suspect, bu cult leader called Jonas and its love of the platypus, with a quarterly overhaul of storylines, locations and even tech.

For repeat visitors, of which there are many, that essentially means the opportunity to go deeper into a world they already know and enjoy.

Spring At The Peak features

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

FILM | Rocky Horror Picture Show

Where? Deptford Lounge Deptford

Tim Curry, Meatloaf and Susan Sarandon – it has it all. Settle in to watch Richard O’Brien’s time warp classic complete with a DJ and party afterwards. Apr 26, 7pm, free, thealbany.org.uk

Where? The Pen Theatre South Bermondsey

COMEDY | Will Robbins + Eddy Hare

Get two Edinburgh preview shows in one as Will, pictured, and Eddy stretch and ex as they warm up their acts for outings north of the border. Apr 18, 7.30pm, £11.55, thepentheatre.com

Where? The Albany Deptford

10 new tales based around the Festival Of Innovation. As expected, this involves the townsfolk wrapped up in dastardly deeds and skulduggery that somehow doesn’t get old as a theme.

There’s also fresh tech in the form of Klacky, a brand new interface that invites visitors to “push my buttons”.

It’s upgrades like these alongside new cocktails and VIP experiences (at an extra cost) that help keep things feeling new and exciting.

As a veteran peaker, the overwhelming impression is that those organising this bonkers extravaganza are persistently beavering away behind the scenes to put a bit of polish on things.

It’s a delicate balancing act between preserving what

Scan this code to nd out more about Phantom Peak

makes the experience great to start with – to delight rst-timers – while coming up with just the right amount of sparkle to keep repeat visits from becoming stale. This time The Broken Chalice “Jonacocktail Experience” is a pleasing session of nonsense for £19.99 with a VIP Afternoon Tea also available for £74.99. As ever the food is solid stu , while a new set of brightly coloured drinks at the bar deliver a buzz.

key details

Tickets for Spring At The Peak are currently on sale for Friday-Sunday dates in April with prices starting at £15.19 (with code WHARF20) for those aged 16 or under or £19.99 for those aged 17-25. Standard tickets start at £35.19. Performances start at 6pm on Fridays, noon and 6pm on Saturdays and noon on Sundays. Go to phantompeak.com for more information

COMEDY | Bangers And Nash

Chantel Nash, nalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards 2023 is set to host a new monthly comedy night at the Deptford venue. Chortles all round. May 3, 7.30pm, from £11, thealbany.org.uk

be quick

Deptford Lounge is hosting Speaking Up, a series of workshops aimed at helping young people develop their skills in debating and public speaking. Spaces are free but allocated on a rst-come, rst-served basis. Until Apr 5 thealbany.org.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Speaking Up at Deptford Lounge

want more? @wharfwhispers

how Mohamed Mohamed uses litter to make his art with tools and skills from his background in industrial design

by Jon Massey

As we stand beside the head of Boris Johnson on Blackheath, a young spaniel scampers up and urinates on it. After I mention to the four-legged critic’s owners that I’m with the artist who created the sculpture, they’re immediately full of apologies and dash off with the same ner ous energy as their canine charge.

Mohamed Mohamed, howe er, welcomes the act. For him, Old News, is just that. He’s already set fire to it at eaker s Corner and, ha ing been made, run its course and suffered symbolic destruction, it has now returned to the streets of Greenwich like the discarded newspaper it started life as. He’s not sentimental about it – sur rising, erha s, gi en the effort that went into creating it.

“I built my own machines so that I can physically sculpt things,” said Mohamed. I e been an industrial designer since the age of 14 and after graduating from the ondon College f Communication I e worked for large format fabrication companies in their research and de elo ment de artments.

“When the pandemic struck I’d just signed a lease on a workshop in Greenwich and then I was furloughed. With Old News, I had been de elo ing slicing capabilities – how to accurately cut an object at higher and higher resolutions. 3D printing uses this technique and it’s similar to the idea of pixels in an image.

he first thing I made was using sheets of cardboard, then sheets of metal and then newspaper at 0.3mm per slice.

he first Co id lockdown was kicking off and I collected newspapers with the help of my wife, who was working as an mental health nurse.

I had to remo e the sta les from e ery co y and iron each

sheet. While I was doing that, I was thinking about what to make and oris face was e erywhere.

I roduced a digital ersion of him using photogammetry, which uses images from many different angles to create a 3D map.”

Mohamed used this to cut some 6,277 newspaper pages, working in layers of fi e to recisely re ro duce the former prime minister’s head in three dimensions –stacking them on a steel base plate with precisely calibrated bars holding them in place.

“To iron the newspaper took a week, to cut it was three weeks, and to assemble it was me in a dark room for another three,” said Mohamed. here s a le el of dedication – of sacrifice to be able to make something honestly like that. Before I made my own pieces, I made work for lots of other people.

“If an artist uses a 3D printer or wields a iolin themsel es, that’s one thing. If you’re paying someone to do it for you, to me, that’s something else.

I m not ualified to judge whether it’s better or worse, but for me ersonally, I ha e to hysically feel the sweat on my brow, and that links me with my work – that I ha e hysically done it.”

uring our con ersation, the topics of truth and process come up consistently. Both sit ery much at the heart of what Mohamed does.

I ha e been making art as a way to sharpen my skill-set for as long as I can remember,” he said.

“It’s a gymnasium for my brain – you create geometry or a thing that doesn t ha e to sol e a roblem – I just ha e to challenge myself to do it. In an art setting, you’re just expressing what’s inside you.

“While I work, I pick up litter and that’s what my sculptures are made from. I e always been ery much into en ironmental causes and we e got a lot of stuff going into landfill. If you re creati e, you can turn those objects into

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

6,227

Pages of discarded newspaper ironed and sliced by Mohamed Mohamed to create Old News during the rst Covid lockdown

something else. So I collect lots of things – I’ve picked up coins, a toothbrush and gambling pens on the way here – I have thousands of them in a bucket and I have lots of buckets of different things.

“I listen a lot to the Quran and I see the fineness of art in the world around me. The purest art would be the sunrise itself – then a painting of it, a scan of that printed out and so on.

“I know I’m not going to be at the top of that hierarchy, but I can take secondary creations like empty bottles of beer and turn them into something else.

“For me, it’s about taking objects which have been discarded – that someone felt were worthless – and giving them worth.

“I gather things then ask what skill level I’m at and what physics and technology will allow me to do. I use things like CNC machines or 3D scanners, but I’m not deluding myself – they are just tools, no different than a pencil. They allow me to produce what I want to create better.

“The beauty of it, for me, is the engineering element. Anthony Gormley is one of my favourite artists and I like how his pieces are made, how the magic is done, which no-one ever looks at.

“People might appreciate the message of a piece, but if an artist concentrates too much on that, they end up trying to sell you a message. Then what’s created is no longer art, it’s just decoration.

“When I work, I am trying to distil my skill level – my entire life’s work – into a physical object and then move on. I’m not then sentimental about that piece – it’s made.”

Above, Rock Paper Scissors, 2021 - marble, dagger, money

Left, Penny for Your Thoughts - Heads, 2023found pennies Cleave, 2020playing cards, #7 clamp

Mohamed, who has Palestinian roots and lives and works in Lewisham, uses the analogy of a tree. While its trunk, branches, leaves and blossoms might appear impressive at any one time, he says he sees the whole growing process – the complete history of the entity. He said people looking at his art were often considering the fruit of the tree, rather than seeing this story. It’s one reason why those viewing his work may wish to be wary of interpreting his pieces as overtly political.

“The fact Old News features Covid and Boris is irrelevant to me, but significant to others,” he said. “The beauty of art is that it doesn’t have to mean anything to me – I’m just the vessel for the thing and other people analyse it.

“If I was making Old News today, it would be about the Palestine conflict – 10 years ago, it would have been about weapons of mass destruction.”

need to know

Old News can currently be found at the Old Donkey Pit, also known as Millennium Circle, at 0º longtitude on Blackheath. Go to mohmoh.art or @mohmoh_art on Instagram for more information

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

COMEDY | Live At The Works

Where?

Fireworks Factory Woolwich Works

The regular comedy night returns with Paul Chowdhry, Jen Brister, Abi Clarke and Michael Odewale taking turns on the mic. Apr 20, 6.30pm, from £17, woolwich.works

Where?

Greenwich Theatre

Greenwich

STAGE | Frozen

The rst of the venue’s major productions is a dark chiller by Bryony Lavery, billed as one of the 40 best plays ever written. Stars Kerrie Taylor and Indra Ove. Apr 26-May 19, times vary, from £21, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

GIG | Take That + Olly Murs

Where?

The O2 Peninsula

Testament to the ongoing appeal of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald that this clutch of gigs has had two dates added. Of course, it could be Olly fans... Apr 25-May 1, 6.30pm, from £56, theo2.co.uk

ash back

The Duke Of Greenwich is all set for the summer as it refreshes its garden under new management for the rst time in 18 years. Visitors can expect locally brewed craft beer, potent avours and warm welcomes dukeofgreenwich.com

Scan this code to read our interview with the venue’s co-owner, Jonathan Kaye, online at wharf-life.com

want more? @wharfwhispers

Mohamed made Old News, below, in 2020 during the rst few months of the pandemic, choosing then prime minister Boris Johnson as a subject due to his prominence in the media at the time – he set re to the piece at Speaker’s Corner

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

ART | The Place I Call Home

Where?

Art In The Docks

Royal Albert Wharf

See art by participants created during a series of family-oriented workshops run by the collective and exploring love for home and its place in Newham. Apr 20-23, 27-28, 10am-4pm, free, artinthedocks.com

Where?

Excel

Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | Solar And Storage

Learn all there is to know about ways to harvest energy from the sun and then store it ready for use at this convention. Expect 150+ exhibitors. Apr 29-30, from 9.30am, free, excel.london

EVENT | Spring Forward

Where?

Cody Dock Canning Town

Celebrate the changing of the season with a day of workshops, community science activities and live music plus fabulous food, drink and fun. Apr 20, 11am-5pm, free, codydock.org.uk

ash back

This is Robert De Jong, director of the University Of East London’s Royal Docks Centre For Sustainability, a new facility aimed at steering local regeneration in a positive direction for the community and the planet uel.ac.uk

Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Robert about the work of the centre online at wharf-life.com

Films will be screened at Good Hotel from April to November 8

First up: Hedwig And The Angry Inch will kick o the screenings

announcing a

how

Social Convention’s Queer Film Club is set to screen eight films at Good Hotel in the Royal Docks

by Jon Massey

Good Hotel in Royal Victoria Dock is set to host a season of LGBTQIA+ cinema. Social Convention’s Queer Film Club is set to take place at the venue on the last Friday of the month, starting on April 26 and running through until November.

The free events run from 7pm-11pm and feature badge making workshops run by lm critic and journalist Ben Walters, founder of The Badge Cafe, and themed on the movie featured.

Produced by Social Convention, the nights will begin with a screening of Hedwig And The Angry Inch. This 2001 lm tells the story of a transgender punk-rock singer from east Berlin who tours the USA with her band as

Appropriate Behaviour will be shown on May 31

she tells her life story of her forced gender reassignment surgery and the former lover who stole her songs.

This will be followed by Appropriate Behaviour from 2014 on May 31, which tells the story of Shirin – a woman struggling to become the ideal Persian daughter, politically correct bisexual and hip young Brooklynite

but fails miserably to achieve any of the above.

Other lms on the schedule include Tangerine, following a sex worker in Hollywood on Christmas Eve, Young Soul Rebels where two DJs attempt to solve a friend’s murder in 1970s London and Boy Meets Boy where two men experience a brief encounter over 48 hours in Berlin.

need to know

The rst screening in the season is set to take place on April 26 at the Good Hotel. The evening will run from 7pm until 11pm and tickets are free. Booking online is essential.

Go to socialconvention.org for more information

Scan this code for full season listings

Making More Mischief is free to visit at the London College Of Fashion’s East Bank building free

The exhibition is set to run from April 9-June 22 in Stratford

impact in the

how Making More Mischief: Folk Costume In Britain is set to explore fashion’s impact on customs

by Jon Massey

The London College Of Fashion (LCF) at East Bank in Stratford has announced its next major exhibition. Making More Mischief: Folk Costume In Britain will be on show at the east London branch of the University Of The Arts from April 9-June 22. Hosted in collaboration with the Museum Of British Folklore, the exhibition aims to explore the role of clothing in customs and traditions viewed through a London lens. Highlights will include

Pxssy Palace, an immersive installation celebrating the Brixton-born party movement, London Carnivals, featuring costumes from Notting Hill and Hackney carnivals and Pearly Kings And Queens with garments and lms illustrating the history of London’s Pearlies. “Folk customs are constantly changing and evolving, and we hope

Making More Mischief at LCF

Scan this code to nd out more about the exhibition

that,”

captures that,” said Simon Costin of the Museum Of British Folklore. “These customs are so often overlooked by museums and we are trying to address that by producing these exhibitions.”

key details

Making More Mischief: Folk Costume In Britain is set to be on show at the London College Of Fashion from Tuesdays-Saturdays. The exhibition is free with no booking required. A wider programme of events around the exhibition will be announced in due course. Go to arts.ac.uk for more information

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

STAGE | Cheeky Little Brown

Where?

Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

Audiences are invited to enjoy this failed night out – a musical show that takes in heartbreak and queerness as it explores a friendship between two black women. Apr 1-20, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com

Where?

Barge East

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

OPEN | The Gardens Spring must be here. The much-lauded canalside venue has reopened its gardens, with tables available on Fridays from 5pm and 11am at weekends. Ongoing, times vary, bargeeast.com

TRY | Swan Pedalos

Where?

River Lea

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

With the weather warming up, Stratford’s swan pedalos are back available for hire from the Stratford Waterfront Pontoon close to East Bank. Until Oct 31, £9 adults, £5 kids, leeandstortboats.co.uk

hot stu

We sampled the delights of Stratford Sauna in our last issue and can’t recommend this simple al fresco experience enough. Get hot in wood- red facilities before cooling o in rapid fashion with a cold water plunge... community-sauna.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Stratford Sauna or to make a booking at the Penny Brookes Street site

want more? @wharfwhispers

Sudoku

Take a break from that phone

How to play

To complete Sudoku, ll the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

More to play

You can nd more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca

Notes

crossword

beating the whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy

Cryptic Quick

Across

7. Sounds like we’re up to removing a cash register (5)

8. A break for misplaced New York teams? (7)

9. Wished good cheer to something hot (7)

Down

1. Crowds confuse many two-handed players (10)

2. Poet bets on a meaty meal. All change! (5)

3. Storyline for an horticulturist? (4)

. Poetic ban for ichard, we hear (6)

5. Bewitched way in (8)

6. A drug for the ambitious, sort of? (7)

11. Ambitious aeronauts? (10)

13. Single confused role for Bach? (8)

14. A look at a dancer? (7)

16. Air Conditioning is the thing in Caribbean theatre performances (6)

17. Symphony for an inebriated Beethoven (5)

20. Backward pinches in a whirl (4)