Wharf Life, Apr 5-19, 2023

Amy French on how Level39 marked its 10th year, as its work to help tech starups keeps going Page 10

inside issue 85

Oysteria - Crossword

Chris Ezekiel - David Lefevbre Sell

Wizard Works - Alexa Ryan-Mills

Superloop - Sudoku - Third Space

Cream elds South - The Founding

Aspen At Consort Place

The Flaming Lips - The Shell Wharf Life Hacks

Pages 6-9

celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - foolishness

Image by Tony Brien – enquiries to tony@tonybrien.co.uk

Where? Montgomery Square Canary Wharf

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Welcome to the 85th issue of Wharf Life. In this issue we look back and look forward, with rediscovered images, a helping hand with tness, new openings with Oysteria and The Shell plus a big sit down with the lovely folk at Wizard Works in Greenwich as they make bags and do good...

EAT | The Lunch Market

Karnival is bringing its street food stalls back to Canary Wharf on Thursdays from next month with a rotating cavalcade of traders expected. May 4-Sept 28, noon-2.30pm, canarywharf.com

Where?

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Square

GIG

Relive the 1980s with this r’n’b out t as they smoothly groove through hits such as Hangin’ On A String (Contemplating) and Magic Touch Apr 20-21, 9.30pm, from £19 (show only), boisdale.co.uk

Where? Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay

EVENT

Join artist Camilla Brendon for a workshop and riverbed walk. Participants will be taught to make a planter or hanging basket with salvaged materials. Apr 23, 11am, £30, museumo ondon.org.uk

| Living River Mobile Workshop

| Loose Ends

The Flaming Lips pop up in Limehouse to play an entire album through

How Aspen at Consort Place o ers homes just minutes from the Wharf

How Wizard Works sews a little magic into every one of the bike packing bags in makes at its Greenwich Peninsula headquarters, having made the move from Peckham to Design District

on the radar

need to know

Crossrail Place has seen drop-in gamer cafe Wanyoo replaced with another video games establishment in Platform, which recently opened its doors. Expect 90-minute sessions on consoles in semiprivate booths plus a Bottomless Brunch deal experienceplatform.co.uk

27

It’s that time again, the London Marathon is set to return on Sunday, April 23, with 50,000 runners expected to take part. Worth noting no alcohol will be sold in Canary Wharf except with a meal between 3pm and 5pm on that day canarywharf.com

work with us to promote your business to our audience

We try out The Shell’s lunchtime deal and it’s proper, solid seafood

doing the deals

get more for less on and around the Wharf

£35

Gallio has a 90-minute Bottomless Brunch deal on Saturdays with unlimited (selected) starters and pizza plus Prosecco, wine, bottled beer or soft drinks for £35 gallio.uk

33

Gallio in Cabot Place

How the Superloop connects to Royal Docks and Canary Wharf

25%

Get about a quarter off at Patty And Bun which is offering selected burger and chips for £11.50, noon-3pm, Monday-Friday at its Wood Wharf branch pattyandbun.co.uk

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Why designer Alexa RyanMills is creating a garden in celebration of the launch of Sadler’s Wells East at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, then giving the plants to a school

NEW OPENING Circle Collective

Jubilee Place circlecollective.org

Canary Wharf Group has teamed up with social enterprise Circle Collective to open a new streetwear store in Jubilee Place.

It will sell own-brand merchandise, vintage clothing and homeware as well as global names such as Eastpak, Dickies, Kickers and Fila.

The store will be sta ed by unemployed young people, allowing them to gain work experience and transferable skills through Circle Collective’s sister charity Circle Community. It’s hoped 250 people will be helped into work through the programme.

The shop will also be used for workshops, pop ups, art shows and ticketed events.

l Circle Collective is currently looking for volunteers – anyone interested should email retail@ circlecollective.org

Scan this code for more about Circle Collective on the Wharf

diary dates and ideas to make your Canary Wharf life a little bit sweeter

EVENT - Dragon Boat Race South Dock, Canary Wharf, Jul 6, noon-6pm, £350 per team canarywharf.com

Canary Wharf Group has teamed up with WaterAid to bring a day of racing to West India South Dock to raise money for charity. Last year saw teams from the likes of Clausematch (pictured), HSBC and KPMG do battle on the water, with more than £22,000 raised for the cause. Teams should be between 11 and 17 people and aim to raise a minimum of £1,500 in sponsorship. Hospitality is included on the day.

Heart Of Art Knit Tank, £42 The Ragged Priest

Dallas Track Top, £70 Sergio Tacchini

Price of six oysters at Oysteria in Bank Street – a knockout fresh appetiser

by Jon Massey

Every now and then, something comes along that makes you look at Canary Wharf in a new way. For years, the strip of real estate along West India South Dock behind Bank Street has been largely barren.

This south-facing promenade to the right of the silver South Quay Bridge that links the estate with the Isle Of Dogs with its shady colonnade has long been a haven for smokers and walkers sheltering from the rain, but not much else.

Architecturally it’s always come across as the towers of the Wharf turning their backs on the land to the south.

So kudos to father and son team Mustafa and Jamie Topkaya – the duo behind Capeesh on the Island – for spotting an opportunity.

They recently opened seafood-focused Oysteria and suddenly it’s possible to see a strip of land enlivened with hospitality and life. Come the warmer weather there will be tables outside on the dock edge and shelter for the inevitable August downpours.

Inside it’s a minimal, calming space – all smooth, pale substantial wood and muted green upholstery. There’s a solid, dependable quality to the furniture, a statement that this is a place built to last.

The menu, appropriately for a waterside venue, is unashamedly aquatic with plenty of sh and shell sh on o er.

The oysters we try to start are knockout fresh and a complete steal at £15 for six. The mains are pricier – £21.90 for Grilled Salmon and £19 for Prawn Risotto – but the Topkayas know something about value for money.

Capeesh has made its name on the back of plentiful portions and full- avoured ingredients and this is more of the same. While the salmon, which comes with a cauli ower puree and a side of green beans hits all the right notes, the risotto is spectacular.

Garnished with fat, juicy crustaceans, it’s a bowl full of

the nest

richness and satisfaction – the kind of discovery that makes it hard to explore the rest of the menu.

Similarly, a shared pistachio-laced tiramisu is a thick slab of frothy sweetness that demands reordering.

So, taste test passed, Oysteria is already well on its way to becoming a Wharf institution and, come the warmer weather, one of the top spots to head to for a cooling drink and some food right on the water.

All we need now is for the temperature to rise... Go to oysteria.co.uk for more information

arrival in Canary Wharf has the promise of a marvellous summer ahead

Oysteria’s minimal, calming interior close to the South Quay Bridge

Grilled Salmon

Prawn Risotto

how Tony Brien captured images of One Canada Square’s pyramid getting its cap in November 1990

by Jon Massey

Talk to Tony Brien about his career in photography and there’s always a sense of fun in his anecdotes. Having begun his career as a photo journalist working on Fleet Street – covering football, rugby at Twickenham and cricket at Lords –a move to Northern Ireland during the Troubles was a stark contrast.

But even here he recalls the humour of the people of Belfast and the grand times enjoyed in nightclubs under hotels despite the violence and the regularity of being stopped on nights out by the army or paramilitary groups.

Returning to London, he set up a studio for an advertising agency before deciding a couple of years later to “take a bet on himself” and go freelance, starting his own business in a mews just off Oxford Street.

“I had a few clients who were using my services and the studio, which had a red filing cabinet and bits of cameras everywhere,” said Tony. “Looking back, it was fantastic and it worked. I’ve never had a bad day in photography – if I have a big project, I’ll do anything to make it work.”

It was that attitude that would set him on a trajectory to capturing the images featured on these pages – recently rediscovered during a clear out after more than 30 years. Tony worked extensively for Olympia And York, the company founded by the Reichmann brothers, which undertook the development of Canary Wharf.

In the late 1980s, he captured many images of the scheme as construction progressed, working with the company until it collapsed in 1993.

“The people running the company were so generous of spirit – they really wanted it to work,” said Tony. “I think it was Sherlock Holmes who said to Watson that you should always carry a pistol east of Aldgate and that still applied to a certain extent at the time.

“When I was commissioned, I walked all over the East End and continued on Page 8

shots getting the

Images by Tony Brien – enquiries to tony@tonybrien.co.uk

A selection of Tony’s images, recording the moment the very top of One Canada Square was lifted and bolted into place

Height Tony’s makeshift crate was suspended from a crane to capture panoramic views of the topping out of Canary Wharf

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Years since these images were captured in November 1990

went up various tower blocks to see whether I could get a view of the development as it was being built. In the end I said we needed to hire a helicopter if they wanted shots of Canary Wharf in relation to the City.

“That was £1,000 a day, which was a lot of money, but I hired a panoramic camera – the only one in the country at the time – and sat in the footwell with the doors off, headset on, which was the only way to do it at the time.

“The clients loved the shots and they were used for promotional booklets that were sent out everywhere. They caused quite a stir at the time because of the way they used the panoramic photography.

“Olympia And York had huge plates made up – they were really keen to take ownership of that format as their look.”

The images on these pages were not, however, taken from a helicopter. In fact they almost never happened at all.

“Nowadays it can be done with

drones,” said Tony. “I’d been asked to capture the topping out of the tallest building in Europe – telling the story of the regeneration and rebirth of Docklands and, in turn, London itself.

“It was early November 1990 and it wasn’t a great day, it was blustery and they usually stopped lifting anything at a wind speed of 34 knots. That day it was gusting up to 50.

“The only way to get the shots was for me to be lifted up 830ft in a small metal cage on a single chain by a crane. Originally the cage didn’t have any walls so they built a sort of tea chest in it to stop both me and my camera equipment falling out.

“So there I was in my ski suit, all ready, and we didn’t know whether it would happen. But the wind slowed considerably – the guys at the top radioed to say it was OK and we ought to take a punt at it.

“So I got in, started sorting out my cameras and rose off the ground. About halfway up, the wind started gusting again but we

The danger, of course, was that either the pyramid, or my crate, would swing in the wind and hit the tower

decided to keep going and up we went.

“After my little bucket had passed the half way mark, they started lifting the cap of the pyramid for the top of the building.

“The danger, of course, was that either that structure, or my crate would swing in the wind and hit the tower.

“So there I was, at the top, swaying around and waiting for the pyramid, which had three flags – from the UK, Canada and the USA – in celebration of

Image by Jon Massey

from Page 6

Tony Brien, Photographer

Tony, back at One Canada Square for our interview

those backing the project. I was committed. I’d said I would do it and I was right there, in position.

“I could see the workers on the building waiting for the pyramid and I had every camera possible there and loaded. But the trouble with the panoramic cameras is you only get four shots so you’re a bit snookered.

“There I was, sitting in my box, changing film and looking up to see where we were. Then the wind really started blowing.

“Well, you know when you’ve got the shot, and I thought I had, but I bent down to load some more film and felt the bucket drop a little.

“I dropped into the foetal position, as though that was going to do anything. Then everything was OK, I stood up, got one more shot and then told the workers to get me out of there.

“Going down was fine and I jumped straight in the Range Rover and drove to central London to get to the processing house. Then, when the shots were done, I rang the client and said:

While dignitaries, press and politicians waited on the ground below, Tony was suspended 830ft in the air, waiting for the cap of One Canada Square’s steel pyramid to be lifted into place

The image on the left was taken by his assistant who had gone up the tower via a construction elevator

‘I think I got it’. Everyone was terribly excited. The flags had got knotted up and for that last shot I shouted over to the workers to pull the Union Jack out – they were very accommodating.

“It was quite something to witness their bravery in those dangerous conditions as they guided the pyramid into place.

“Finding the film again was a really nice discovery. The people running Olympia And York were a real pleasure to deal with – it’s something I’ll never forget”

Tony continues to work as a photographer and his Canary Wharf images are currently being shown at Ad Lib Gallery in Wimbledon.

For all enquiries regarding the images featured on these pages, please email tony@tonybrien.co.uk

Scan this code to see or order Tony’s work via Ad Lib Gallery

Image by Tony Brien –enquiries to tony@tonybrien.co.uk

Image by Tony Brien – enquiries to tony@tonybrien.co.uk

another level

by Amy French

We recently proudly celebrated a decade since Level39 was opened by Canary Wharf Group. We marked the event by hosting a party in our newly opened Space39 – our beautiful café overlooking the City – where we welcomed our existing, invaluable member community, our mentor, investor and partner networks, our Canary Wharf Group colleagues and the Level39 team, past and present, without whom none of our achievements would have been possible.

We’ve come a long way since the early days of our community in 2013 and now house over 180 companies innovating in ntech, cyber security, green tech, AI, life sciences and more. We recently recorded that, to date, our member community has raised just shy of $2billion of investment.

Roll on 10 years later, and I am proud of everything the team has achieved and the di erent ways we’ve supported our community, through thick, thin and unprecedented times. We’ve witnessed incredible advancements in technology and teams over the years, including the likes of Revolut, who joined us in 2014 as just two co-founders, and now employs over 7,000 people globally and occupies over 60,000sq ft of space in Canary Wharf. Today the company is valued at £26billion.

When I re ect on the milestones we’ve achieved, the key contributors to these have been collaborative partnerships

Each startup journey is unique, and we are proud to be part of every single one.

Amy French,

Level39

When I re ect on the milestones we’ve achieved and the evolution of our technology community in Canary Wharf, the key contributors to these have been collaborative partnerships and the importance of keeping people at the heart of what we do. We’ve worked with the likes of London & Partners, UCL, Innovate Finance, and the Department For Business And Trade, to connect with international, academic, and sector speci c audiences, and convene the opportunities that enable our members to scale.

If you’d like to view our 10-year celebration video online, you can do so via our website below.

Amy French is director at Level39 in Canary Wharf – follow @Level39CW on Insta and Twitter and @Level39CanaryWharf on LinkedIn

Go to level39.co for more information about the One Canada Square-based tech community

Scan this code to view Level39’s 10-year celebration video or to nd out more about the tech-focused startup community

For a one-hour session with elite personal trainer

Tim at Third Space Canary Wharf – rates vary depending on the trainer’s experience

how personal training at Third Space can help gymgoers focus on individual goals and address any issues

by Jon Massey

Imagine driving your expensive car to a garage, paying a fee and then being let loose on the tools to fettle and prod at your vehicle in the name of maintenance. Unless you already have a fairly decent body of knowledge, it’s unlikely such activity will yield positive results except in the most basic of jobs.

Now consider how di erent that is to taking your body – a vehicle you’re born into and will ride in your whole life – to the gym. Sure, there’s plenty of equipment there, but how well do you really know how to use it? Crucially, will you be doing more harm than good? The logical step is to seek help.

Members at Third Space in Canary Wharf, in addition to an induction session with a trainer, essentially have two avenues to explore in this regard. There’s an extensive timetable of group classes. But for those really looking for something bespoke, there are the personal trainers o ering one-on-one sessions.

An hour-long session with elite personal trainer Tim Hart was enough to convince me of the bene ts of such sessions. Trained in nutrition and health science, he has a wealth of experience in helping people to reach their goals, tackle physical weaknesses and prepare for intense expeditions.

Consequently, when I told him I wanted to address a bit of knee pain on the right hand side, he

was well-quali ed to suggest some relevant rehab exercises to improve strength and stability around the joint.

Following a few mobility drills, he soon had me skipping up and down the gym’s track, then leaping sideways from foot to foot, struggling to hold my balance while he watched for signs of instability.

From there, we went to work the core, chest and arms by using moves on a cable machine to ensure all of my body was involved in the exercise. Then came a series of side-to-side squats with a bar and single leg deadlifts.

During every exercise Tim was constantly keeping an eye on my form, o ering corrections and encouragement to ensure I was learning the right movement. He also explored the range of motion to identify exactly where any discomfort in my knee was occurring – a process that enabled both the modi cation of the exercises and a far greater awareness of my capabilities than before. At the end of the session, I left with an arsenal of moves designed to work the a ected area without damaging it – a programme that has since seen a big reduction in pain and a great increase in con dence.

That focus, really, is the power of personal training. It allows, more than any other form of exercise, an ability to address speci c issues or goals in detail with the e ects multiplied by subsequent, dedicated sessions.

Personal training sessions are charged as extra to membership.

Go to thirdspace.london

Elite personal trainer Tim Hart

Scan this code for more info on personal training at Third Space

full focus

Tim Hart on why personal training is worth the time and investment for gym-goers

>> For Tim, who has more than a decade of experience in the health and tness world, the key to good personal training is putting his clients’ goals front and centre:

>> “From my perspective it’s to provide some science and solid theory behind the process,” he said.

“Your goals will always be your targets, and there may be some worry that a personal trainer is going to hijack what you’re looking for and all of a sudden you’ll be doing exercises you’re not interested in.

“My advice is to nd a good personal trainer to start with in an establishment that will have a high calibre of individuals

and professionals working in it. A client’s aims should always remain the focus and as a customer, you should look for an e cient scienti c method being used by the trainer that you feel streamlines the process of really getting to where you want to be.

“For example, if it’s a knee injury and you want to lose weight, then the theory will combine quite nicely by nding exercises that will facilitate a reduction in pain and aid recovery, but will also get you to lose body fat as well.

“Your trainer should not be putting their own goals on you, but be using science and theory to optimise your own goals and help you achieve those results.”

train taking time to your body properly

Months - the length of pause suggested in the development of systems more powerful than OpenAI’s GPT-4 in a bid to ensure AI is safe for society and humanity by more than 1,000 signatories to a letter from the Future Of Life Institute including Elon Musk

virtual viewpoint

by Chris Ezekiel

Jonny, my personal robot, gently wakes me up. During the night he’s had a ‘conversation’ with the bot at the supermarket and ordered some items rich in vitamin D for my breakfast because a ‘conversation’ he had with my smartwatch identied a slight de ciency.

My fridge bot joined in the conversation and added items to the order that were running low. Jonny took delivery from another robot while I slept. Wide awake, I am served the perfect breakfast he’s whipped up.

Mid morning, my autonomous driving car takes me to my favourite clothes shop where I’m met by a very amenable robot who helps me choose a new shirt, and then upsells me some jeans.

Fancying a co ee, I then head to my favourite café, and am served by my favourite barista bot, while we chat about the weather. Sipping my co ee I watch Jonny replying to messages on my behalf on my heads-up display.

Early evening, I go to my favourite pub, run very e ciently by robots. Humans and robots mingle, laugh and joke together. A human friend arrives and we share a few beers and watch the football.

This is the rst time all day that I’ve interacted with another person – assuming it’s not his digital representation, of course, a new craze now that robots have become so lifelike.

The convergence of arti cial intelligence, augmented reality and robotics will one day make all this possible. Robots are already replacing or augmenting human tasks, including in surgical procedures and the military.

At Creative Virtual, our V-Person technology uses AI to create digital humans that transform the way organisations interact with their customers. It’s the ‘conversational’ piece in this new technological revolution.

As for the football in the pub, West Ham beat Barcelona 3-0 to win the Champions League nal. One thing machines can’t yet do is dream.

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

Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at West India Quay’s Cannon Workshops

The convergence of AI, augmented reality and robotics will one day make all this possible

Chris

Ezekiel, Creative Virtual

Chris imagines a future where robots and humans mix and interact freely

a vision of the

People are 30% more likely to be obese if they get less than seven hours’ sleep a night 30%

take a breath

by David Lefebvre Sell

Ageing is weird, isn’t it? I suppose it’s always strange, but up until somewhere in your early 30s it mostly feels like it’s going in an agreeable direction.

There’s a shift that happens around the age of 40 where “self care” becomes preventative maintenance.

And then, next thing you know, you’re alarmed by your ear hair and can only achieve orgasm by picturing the Robert Dyas catalogue. Don’t judge me, I love my wife, but £700 o a pair of outdoor recliners is just lthy.

If you’re very lucky, you’ve got some healthy habits by the time you reach that age. Hopefully you’re not still trying to eat like a teenager and drink like a 20-year-old business school student, but if you’re not so lucky then you might have a hard time knowing where and how to start.

Let’s begin with sleep, because one in three people in the UK are a ected by insomnia and if you tend to sleep less than seven hours a night you are 30% more likely to be obese.

The causes of insomnia can be complex and varied, and it might only take two bad months to create a negative association with sleep that can last for years.

Changing that habit starts with having a bedtime routine. It helps kids fall asleep and it works for adults too – for some people it’s a simple matter of leaving their phone in the kitchen and buying a cheap alarm clock. If you must use your phone then dim the screen as much as possible. Reading before bed (an actual book, with a reading light) or using a “body scan” meditation can be a helpful way of getting to sleep.

If you wake up during the night, resist the urge to look at the clock, just tell yourself that you’ve got plenty of time and think about the Robert Dyas catalogue. Or whatever. Look up sleep hygiene practices for more ideas on how to start a better sleep habit.

Follow @davetheyogi on Twitter and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB

Scan this code for information about David’s work as a transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist

David says there are many things you can do to improve your sleep hygiene

David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf

The causes of insomnia can be complex and varied and it might only take two bad months to create a negative association with sleep

David Lefebvre Sell

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

£43.55

Starting price for a ticket to see The Flaming Lips at Troxy in Limehouse

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

Where?

St Katherine Docks Wapping

SEE | Dunkirks At The Docks

In celebration of the coronation, the largest gathering of Dunkirk Little Ships is set to be held at the marina in May. Expect various events to mark it. May 4-6, daily, free, skdocks.co.uk

Where?

Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Jessi Uribe

With a career spanning more than 15 years the Latin American singer pitches up in east London for a passionate rendition of his various hits. Apr 23, 7pm, from £51, troxy.co.uk

Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | Cautionary Tales

The young artists of the National Opera Studio and the Orchestra of Opera North showcase a series of scenes at Wilton’s from their recent productions . May 2-3, 7.30pm, from £12.50, wiltons.org.uk

boat show

St Katherine Docks is getting ready to host London Luxury A oat, a high end boat show for yacht enthusiasts. Expect the marina to be ooded with craft from April 18-22 with tickets to see them costing £49.99 londonluxurya oar.com

Scan this code to nd out more about London Luxury A oat or to book tickets for the event

want more? @wharfwhispers

The band are set to play their breakthrough album in full on the night

how The Flaming Lips are set to perform Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots in full at Limehouse’s Troxy

by Jon Massey

Wayne Coyne and crew –well known for their extensive live shows – have added a second date to their London tour after the original show at the Eventim Apollo sold out.

The Flaming Lips are therefore set to transfer to east London on April 25 to repeat a full performance of their seminal album, Yoshimi

Battles The Pink Robots at Troxy in Limehouse. Originally released in 2002, it was the band’s 10th studio record and saw them pursuing a more electronic direction to critical and commercial success. Its songs tackle a diverse array of subject matter, o ering thoughts on love, mortality, arti cial emotion, paci sm and deception as it tells the story of Yoshimi’s ght. Her character was inspired by member of rock band Boredoms Yoshimi P-We, whose vocals also

appear on the recording. While some consider Yoshimi a concept album, lead singer Coyne has repeatedly stated it was never intended to be seen in that way.

Tickets start at £43.55 with doors opening at 7pm. The event will end at 11pm. Go to troxy.co.uk to book or for more information

Scan this code for more about the show or to book

£9.90

Price of Mussel Linguine at The Shell as part of its lunchtime meal deal, available Monday to Friday, from noon-4pm

a fresh spot for

how The Shell supplies a fabulous lunchtime deal in a cosy environment that o ers shelter for the April weather

by Jon Massey

We’re always on the lookout for a good deal at Wharf Life and this one’s a zinger. The Shell – unsurprisingly a seafood-focused restaurant, given its name – recently opened its doors at South Quay Plaza on the Isle Of Dogs.

Its standard menu features platters of shellfish ranging from £39.90 to £199 (a feast for three people). Mains are typically about £20-£25 although skew upwards when ingredients such as lobster are involved.

However, there is a way to eat here for less. On weekdays, The Shell is currently offering a lunchtime meal deal with heavily discounted dishes available

between noon and 4pm. It’s enough to tempt me and my companion, who bravely paddle through torrential rain to the restaurant’s cosy interior, which comes complete with illuminated crustaceans and luxurious sea green leather furnishings.

With the rain hammering down outside it’s a comfy place to sit with warm, welcoming service and a short list of eight dishes on offer. We opt for minimal financial flex by choosing the Mussel Linguine and Mussels With Fries –the joint cheapest options at £9.90 each.

Expecting little, we receive a lot with two square bowls of shellfish swimming in garlic, butter and white wine. The mussels are full fat – plump orange creatures whose sweet taste is accentuated by the classic sauce.

For a shade less than a tenner, the portions are reassuringly

generous, suggesting that the pricier options might be similarly plentiful with value and quantity clearly in the mix.

While the seafood options have recently been thin on the ground around Canary Wharf, fish seems to be having a moment with Oysteria open on the estate and Fish Game soon coming to Wood Wharf.

As for The Shell, it’s a splendid bolthole on a wet and windy April afternoon – especially with prices as reasonable as these. We’ll be back to try the sea bass in the very near future.

Go to theshellseafood.com for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about The Shell at SQP

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

Where? Craft Central Isle Of Dogs

EVENT | Sew Sustainable Fair

This shopping event at The Forge is dedicated to small independent businesses making eco-friendly garments. Workshops also available from £25. Apr 22, 10am-4pm, free, craftcentral.org.uk

Where? The Waterman’s Arms Isle Of Dogs

OFFER | Burger Wednesday

Order a burger on a Wednesday at this Isle Of Dogs pub and diners will get either a free pint of Amstel, Heineken, Guinness or Birra Moretti or a soft drink. Wednesdays, thewatermansarms.co.uk

Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Working For Crumbs

This naturalistic and absurdist play comes sprinkled with a bit of mystery as Grace and Amy – two outrageous admins – contend with disaster. Apr 25-May 6, 7.30pm, £17, space.org.uk

ash back

This is Adaku Parker, owner of Dovetailed London – a importer of African wax print fabric and a maker of clothes using the vibrant material. She’s based at Craft Central on the Isle Of Dogs’ Westferry Road dovetailed.co.uk

Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Adaku and nd out more about her business at wharf-life.com

want more? @wharfwhispers

The Shell seafood restaurant is located at South Quay Plaza on the Isle Of Dogs

Mussel Linguine and Mussels With Fries, below

PROPERTY

FLAT TO LET Isle Of Dogs - Westferry Road

nd our advertisers’ messages here

Randox print Wrap online randox.com

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Metropolitan Police print Page 5 online met.police.uk

Residential Land print Page 18 online residentialland.com

Far East Consortium print Page 19 online fecil.uk

Countryside print Pages 20, 21 online countrysidepartnerships.com

Hamptons print Pages 22, 23 online hamptons.co.uk

Life Residential print Page 24 online liferesidential.co.uk

be part of the Canary Wharf conversation

Perfect Waxing print Page 28 online perfectwaxing.uk

Being Human Well print Page 28 online beinghumanwell.com

MEDITATION

Meditation For Self-Expansion

In-Person Workshop

Katie from Being Human Well is set to host a three-hour workshop at Wonderful Things in Canning Town May 13 – 2pm-5pm – £55

Scan this code for more information or to book your workshop place

- E14

>> Minutes from the Thames, this well presented ground floor studio apartment is perfectly located to offer the best the Isle Of Dogs has to offer. The property boasts a reception room with high quality laminate flooring, a separate kitchen and a goodsized bathroom. The sleeping area is also separate to the main room and features ample built-in wardrobe space.

>> The apartment is situated within easy reach of the amenities of Canary Wharf via nearby Mudchute DLR station, three regular bus routes or 20 minutes on foot. Historic Greenwich is also within walking distance and the property further benefits from open space close by along the Thames path at Sir John McDougall Gardens and at Mudchute Park & Farm.

>> Access to a gated parking area and bike storage can be arranged at no extra cost. The property is offered unfurnished. Available now.

Complimentary gifts, snacks and organic tea

BEAUTY SERVICES

BODY WAXING BY THE EXPERTS IN CANARY WHARF

scan for full details of this property

Services Include Female Waxing - legs, bikini, eyebrow, full body, facial, pregnancy and vajacial Male Waxing - eyebrows, chest and abs Book at perfectwaxing.uk or call 07411 068 541 Wharf Life Apr 5-19, 2023 wharf-life.com 28

CONTACT

Dawn Sandoval

Residential to view 020 7093 1702

dawnsandovalresidential.co.uk

Amount paid to participants in the We Move project with a further £1,000 available to fund their ideas £500

projects to

how We Move at The Albany is aiming to improve the lives of local youngsters using ideas from those aged 16-25

by Jon Massey

The Albany in Deptford is looking for young people to participate in a creative project aimed at making a di erence to the lives of people living locally. The arts centre has launched We Move, o ering participants aged 16-25 a series of workshops to develop ideas for positive change.

The brief for applicants is that the idea can address any issue including inequality, education, health and relationships and take a variety of forms such as research, poster or social media campaigns, events, workshops, music or art works.

Ideas can be fully formed or works in progress. Participants will be paid £500 with a further

£1,000 of funding available for each applicant to test out the ideas they have come up with and developed. Workshops for the project will run from April 29-May 27, followed by a testing phase from May 30-July 8. Final delivery of the results of these sessions will be in July. Applications should be made online with more information available by calling or texting 07984 355 826.

Further enquiries via email should go to youth.projects@ thealbany.org.uk. Go to thealbany.org.uk to apply for a place on the scheme

Scan this code to nd out more about We Move at The Albany

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

Where? Printworks London Canada Water

EVENT | Brew LDN

Around 12,000 people are expect to come and worship at the temple of craft beer as this two-day festival returns to the vacant press halls. May 5-6, times vary, from £21.25, printworkslondon.co.uk

Where? Brunel Museum Rotherhithe

EVENT | Community Open Day

The museum is getting ready to ing wide its doors, welcoming visitors for free into its exhibition spaces and Thames Tunnel entry shaft. May 6, 11am-5pm, free, thealbany.org.uk

Where? The Albany Deptford

The vocalist and multi-instrumentalist returns to his home borough as he tours latest release Conduit Support comes in the form of London-based Tyson. Apr 27, 7.30pm, £18.50, thealbany.org.uk

move fast

There’s still time to catch The Hydra: That’s How It Is at Printworks London in Canada Water – a nostalgia-fest featuring the likes of Bonobo, Roni Size and Krust. Expect to pay about £29.50 for tickets printworkslondon.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about The Hydra and other events at Printworks London

want more? @wharfwhispers

GIG | Cobey Sey

The project is being run by The Albany in Deptford

We Move projects must be based around ideas to make young people’s lives in south-east London better

wharf edit

what Wizard Works makes

A selection of products available from the brand, made by hand at its Greenwich Peninsula workshop...

50%

Of net sales of the AllBlack collection will go to charity. The brand aims to donate at least 2% of turnover every year to good causes

Ideal for adventurers or commuters who carry larger loads - £195-£205

by Jon Massey

The author Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen, V For Vendetta and The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen maintains magic is very real. It’s just that it lives in our minds rather than the real world.

I was jet-boated to safety, through the vineyards I worked in as a teenager, the valley Dad spent his whole life cultivating, completely engulfed by the little river we grew up playing in.

Mounts either to saddles or handlebars, ideal for the light packer - £68

A visit to Wizard Works at Design District on Greenwich Peninsula, however, does a little bit to confound that notion. On the face of it, co-founders Harry Major and Veronica Lowe and their team hand-make a range of bike packing bags for cyclists in a bright and airy ground floor workshop.

But look more closely and there’s a little bit of magic running through the thread on every seam. That’s because everything this company does has a purpose – design that stems from a real world problem or a lived experience.

When I arrive for our interview, Veronica seems buoyant. A Crowdfunder prize draw she’s set up is gaining some traction and it’s for a cause close to her heart.

This bag easily expands and comes with straps for bigger loads - £148-£215

She and Harry had travelled to her native New Zealand at Christmas the first time she d been able to see her family for four years, due to the pandemic.

Sadly, not long into their trip, her father died suddenly. The couple extended their stay to be with family before arry flew back, with Veronica set to follow on. But then, in February, Cyclone Gabrielle hit, devastating the Esk Valley where she was staying –the floodwater rising so rapidly she and those in the household where she was staying had to ta e refuge on the second floor, before being rescued by boat the following morning.

“The devastation is heartbreaking, there are people and families that have lost everything, including their lives. My dad’s house, with all his special things, that only days before we’d organised and lined up in his hallway to collect – reminders of our lovely father – all totally destroyed.”

I mention this deeply traumatic set of events because Wizard Works’ reaction to it says everything about this small, independent company.

It’s created an AllBlack collection of bags with 50% of net sales donated to the Hawke’s Bay Foundation Cyclone Relief Fund and set up a prize draw to contribute to the relief effort for a disaster that killed at least 11 people, displaced some 10,000 and left homes, businesses and farmland in ruins.

While born of adversity, this latest project is perhaps emblematic of the open-hearted way Harry and Veronica run Wizard Works – a business that grew from a passion for cycle touring adventures, a bout of miserable winter weather and a desire for a creative outlet.

“We met in London,”said Veronica. “I was on a working holiday and my visa expired in 2011, by which time we’d been dating for a while and so he said he’d come with me when I left.

“We were not strangers to harebrained schemes, like going round the world with someone you’d only just started dating.”

Major, Wizard Works

In a blog post she wrote: “Eventually the rain eased, the water stopped rising and in the morning I was rescued. I cried as

“We’d been in Melbourne for a few months and we did our first big ride together – maybe one and a half miles from a neighbouring suburb to have brunch in a cafe,” said Harry. “We realised we’d

how Wizard Works is packing a whole host of good things at its Greenwich Peninsula workshop

Right from the beginning, we just wanted to make the bags that we wanted ourselves

Harry

l Alakazam Basket Bag

l Lil Presto Barrel Bag

l Shazam Saddle Bag

Scan this code for full details of the prize draw

prize draw

raising money to help those a ected by Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand Wizard Works and Fairlight have teamed up to raise money for the Hawke’s Bay Foundation’s Cyclone Relief Fund, o ering participants a chance to win a Fairlight Secan 2.5 Frameset and a full set of Wizard Works bags in AllBlack. The campaign has raised £17,080 so far and closes at 9am on April 11. A single entry costs £5. Readers can also donate to the fund on WW’s website

because the winters in Canada are shit,” said art school graduate Harry, who grew up in London.

“He was right, it rained every day that October. So, having spent most of our trip around Asia talking about the gear we wish we’d had, we decided to do something about it and we bought a little Singer sewing machine and started making bags.

“I thought it would be easy, but it wasn’t – everything I made was terrible, but it was mesmerising. I loved that combination of technical problem solving and creati ity. We started off ma ing bags for ourselves and they slowly got better.”

The hobby turned into a side hustle with Harry and Veronica back in London gradually increasing the time they were spending on the business. Finding success through online sales, they hired staff to cope with demand and took space in Peckham before outgrowing that and moving to Design District.

Today, Wizard Works is a team of six producing a collection of core products as well as custommade bags. The bags it makes are inspired by the Bike Packing movement, which aims to place luggage within the frame of the bike rather than having to rely on unwieldy panniers. But it’s not just about function.

Veronica said: “Something that really felt di cult when we were buying things for the trip was that everything was black or brown. You could buy bags that were fun, but they were at the lower end of the quality spectrum.

“We wanted to do something which was more colourful and that fitted with our brand name.

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

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

Where?

The O2 Arena Peninsula

ridden from there to here – it felt like we could do anything. We thought we might get a rainbow-coloured tandem and cycle round the world.

“Although we prefer two bikes, the feeling of that conversation stuck with us and we planned our first multi day cycle around Mornington Peninsula. It was awesome and my first time camping – Veronica was the outdoors person.”

Hooked, the couple began planning –reading blogs and making lists – as they set their sights on a year-long journey by bike from Tokyo to Kuala Lumpur. Although they didn’t know it, their experiences on that trip were the foundation for what would become Wizard Works.

“After that trip we got holiday visas and moved to Vancouver to stay with a friend we’d met in Melbourne who told me we were going to need an indoor hobby

“Right from the beginning we just wanted to make the bags that we wanted ourselves,” said Harry. “The name partly comes from Veronica’s older brother who used to say: ‘You’re a wizard, Harry, and a thumping good one at that,’ when he saw me because that’s what a British ‘Harry’ is.

“Wizard Works got a name and went from being a hobby to being a business – but we were always coming at it as the end user. We knew what worked, but we wanted it to have an aesthetic that lined up with the kind of bikes we were riding and the stuff we were wearing. In about 2017 and 2018 there was a kind of culture around kooky bikes – things people had built themselves. We wanted to be the luggage brand to go with that type of cycling.”

As you might be able to guess, there’s an enormous amount that won t fit on these pages Wi ard Works’ tireless battle to make its Cordura bags more sustainable, for example but su ce to say it s a brand well worth checking out. Go to wizard.works

GIG | Post Malone

The richly inked rapper, singer and songwriter pitches up for three dates on Greenwich Peninsula –the third added due to popular demand. May 4, 6, 7, 6.30pm, from £62, theo2.co.uk

Where?

Queen’s House Greenwich

DRAW | Sound And Vision

This online and in-person pair of events o ers artists the chance to respond to performers in the context of the museum’s Van De Veldes’ exhibition. Apr 20, May 25, 7pm, free online + £5, rmg.co.uk

Where?

Visitors’ Book Cafe Woolwich Works

GIG | China Bowls

The alt-pop and future soul songwriter brings her sound to the Woolwich Works cafe. Expect a set accompanied by drums and piano. Apr 22, 6.30pm, £10, woolwich.works

be quick

Tramshed Young Company is set to perform Derry Girls’ creator Lisa McGee’s play The Heights with two shows scheduled for April 15 at 3pm and 7pm at Tramshed in Woolwich. Tickets cost £6, under-16s free tramshed.org

Scan this code to nd out more about the production or to book tickets for one of the performances

want more? @wharfwhispers

Harry Major and Veronica Lowe recently moved Wizard Works to Design District on Greenwich Peninsula

A loaded bike

Harry hard at work on a bag

£65

Plus a booking fee is the cost of a day ticket to Cream elds on Friday, May 26. Saturday and Sunday day tickets are £85, with two and three-day packages on o er for campers and non-campers

Scan this for full line-up details or to buy tickets

line up don’t miss these artists

Friday - May 26

Tiesto

Becky Hill

Example

Saturday - May 27

Anni Mac

Calvin Harris

Carl Cox

Sunday - May 28

Fatboy Slim

Swedish House Ma a cream eldssouth.com

how Creamfields South at Hylands Park in Chelmsford offers an easily accessible escape from the Wharf

by Jon Massey

While there are myriad attractions to staying in Docklands – including the arrival of Dockyards in Royal Docks for fans of dance music – one of the many great things about living or working in this area is the high level of connectivity it enjoys to other parts of London and the areas surrounding it.

Take Chelmsford, for example. Travellers from Canary Wharf can expect a journey of about 45 minutes via the Elizabeth Line and frequent trains out of Liverpool Street. There, from May 26-28, the vast expanse of Hylands Park will host the Cream elds South festival – a three-day celebration of electronic music and dance.

Having made its debut in Essex in 2022, the May Bank Holiday event promises headline sets from Tiesto, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Ma a on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.

They will be joined by some of the biggest names in electronic music including big beat supremo Fatboy Slim, house and techno from Carl Cox and an appearance from Annie Mac. A swathe of artists appearing was recently announced including Alan Fitzpatrick, Wilkinson, Skepsis, Hedex, Christopher Coe Live, Holy Goof, Franky Wah, Richy Ahmed, Alisha, Darkzy & Window Kid, East End Dubs, TS7, WaFF, Serum, Max Dean, Notion, Marco Faraone and Flava D.

There will also be drum ‘n’ bass and jungle avours from Andy C and Shy FX and the return of hospitality hosts The

Cream elds South 2023 features artists such as Tiesto, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Ma a

living the

Scan this code to nd out about ways to camp at Cream elds South 2023

ways to stay yurts, tents, trailers and more

While Cream elds South can easily be visited on a daily basis, the best experience comes in the form of Dream elds – an on-site luxury accommodation solution that o ers a range of options alongside parking, showers and toilets, a pamper tent and site security. Festival-goers can choose from the likes of yurts for two-to-four people (from £1,110), Airstream trailers for three- ve (from £3,070) and Emperor Bell tents for up to six (from £1,070). Festival entry is extra. Prices don’t include booking fees.

Garden Party, which will supply dancers, disco balls and plenty of performers across the event. The action will be spread across two main areas – the 100m-wide Arc stage and 20,000-capacity Runway Presented By Shein stage. Cream elds o ers a wealth of accommodation options both on and o site and a shuttle bus service to Chelmsford Station for those travelling home after the event.

As an escape from the city, a 15m-high video wall and some of the best production in the business seems like a very ne temptation. Go to cream eldssouth.com for more information or to book tickets

Royal Docks - Canning Town

£6m

Funding from the Mayor Of London to improve orbital bus services and bring them under the umbrella of the Superloop, circumnavigating central London

It’s not clear when Superloop services will start serving Royal Docks but a consultation should begin within a year

by Jon Massey

Royal Docks is set to be among the bene ciaries of the Mayor Of London’s new Superloop bus services. TfL’s plans will see four existing services plus six new routes combine under fresh livery to o er passengers a series of limited stop express services that largely circumnavigate the centre of the capital. Among the new routes that

will be consulted on is a bus that will connect Royal Docks’ Custom House Elizabeth Line and DLR station with Illford and Walthamstow. While that process is expected to begin within a year, it’s unclear when the new route might start running. Although not directly connected by bus to the other Superloop services, plans for an X239 bus from Canary Wharf to Grove Park have also been included in the plan. There’s already been a consultation on this route

as part of the process for opening the new Silvertown Tunnel and, while exact stops have yet to be determined, it is expected to start running by 2025 when the tunnel opens. Passengers can use other methods of transport to get to the wider Superloop. Go to t .gov.uk for more

Scan this code for more on the Superloop

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

Where? Fold Canning Town

CLUB | Kaos Presents Orphx Beck Stoke, Chronzon, Dahc Dermur VIII and Orphx are all in the line up for a night of techno and industrial music with roots back to 1993. Apr 22, 11.30pm-6am, £20, ra.co

Where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | BizX

Billed as “a dynamic business event designed to grow your business”, this three- day show at Excel features the likes of Gabby Logan and Mary Portas. Apr 20-21, daily, from £199, thebizx.co.uk

Where? Cody Dock Canning Town

WATCH | Wild Isles

Stream the sixth and nal episode of Wild Isles narrated by Sir David Attenborough which features Cody Dock’s work on the River Lea. From Apr 9, free, bbc.co.uk

coming up

These are members of UEL’s Artistic Change Leaders collective, set to hold a Community Art Day at Art In The Docks in Royal Albert Wharf’s Art In The Docks Gallery from 10am6pm on April 29. Attendance is free @artisticchangeleaders on Insta

Scan this code for more information about Artistic Change Leaders’ event in Royal Docks

want more? @whar ifelive

how the Superloop bus service is expected to join up to Royal Docks and Canary Wharf in due course

in the

An indicative map showing Transport For London’s Superloop project linking outer London boroughs by bus. The scheme also includes routes into more central areas

£48.85

Starting price of tickets for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023

how Alexa Ryan-Mills is creating a garden for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 that’s inspired by the

by Jon Massey

I‘m just looking out at the rain and wondering when it’s going to start warming up,” said Alexa Ryan-Mills. While idle talk of the weather is ubiquitous in the UK, for the Walthamstow-based garden designer – and all those in her profession – precipitation and temperature are a constant preoccupation.

That’s especially true when there’s a deadline looming and, for Alexa, the 10 days leading up to May 23-27 are fast approaching. That’s when she and her team will create her first garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show –arguably the biggest stage in British horticulture.

What exactly appears in that garden will, to some extent, be dependent on the

forthcoming opening of Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford next year

weather – although Alexa said she was confident the nurseries she’s working with

weather – although Alexa said she was confident the nurseries she’s working with would ha e su cient stoc to provide backup options, should the mercury fail to rise to the desired level.

While Wharf Life covers neither Chelsea nor Walthamstow, the reason we are interested in this garden is twofold. Firstly, Alexa’s design is inspired by the forthcoming opening of Sadler’s Wells East – the fourth venue in the Sadler’s Wells family, which is set to open overlooking Stratford’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2024.

But that is still a building site at present, so secondly,

An artist’s impression of Alexa’s garden design, which uses locally sourced materials and draws inspiration from the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

there’s a more immediate link – all the plants and materials used in the creation of the Sadler’s Wells associate institution School 21 in Stratford,

there’s a more immediate link – all the plants and materials used in the creation of the garden will be donated to Sadler’s Wells associate institution School 21 in Stratford, where they will be used to improve its outdoor spaces.

“School 21 has been planning and fundraising to do this for a while,” said Alexa. “I found out about that and we’ve now spent some time going round and identifying areas where we can put the plants after the show.

There are lots of different play spaces, which at the moment are quite bare, and we can get the kids involved in planting those up. The school also has a great design and technology department that will be able to re-use the materials too.

materials too. recently decided to work

“For the garden we also recently decided to work with Brixton-based artist

useful links rhs.org.uk/chelsea for the show alexaryanmills.co.uk for Alexa sadlerswells.com for Sadler’s Wells

Benjamin Wachenje, who will be creating a hip hop-themed mural as a backdrop and School 21 will be able to use this as well.”

Benjamin Wachenje, who will be creating a hip hop-themed School 21 will be able to use this as well.”

though, the garden itself must be created and shown – a project that has its genesis in

communications.

Before that happens, though, the garden itself must be created and shown – a project that has its genesis in Alexa’s change of direction from a career in PR and communications.

“I felt like I’d had enough of that industry and I was thinking about what to do next,” she said. “Around the same time I met a garden designer, having just bought a house in Walthamstow. She designed my garden and I really enjoyed the process and thought I’d like to know a bit more about it. Before I did anything crazy and quit my job, I did some initial training.

job, I did some initial training. so I decided to invest more wound up starting to build a

“That went really well and so I decided to invest more in training and that’s how I wound up starting to build a business in east London.”

Having worked mostly designing private residential gardens in the likes of Waltham Forest, Hackney and Newham, Alexa specialised increasingly in planting design, studying for a diploma in the field and collaborating with landscape architects and other designers on a freelance basis.

“While I was studying at the London College Of Garden Design, I knew I wanted to create a garden for a cultural hub and I used Sadler’s Wells as my imaginary client,” she said. “I found out Sadler’s Wells East was set to open in Stratford, so I created a design that was related to dance – choosing plants that might have an interesting shape or ones that would self seed and move around the garden like that.

“Then I saw a call out from an organisation called Project Giving Back – a grant making charity that provides funding for gardens for good causes at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. I

realised I had an idea and all I had to do was persuade Sadler’s Wells. They said: ‘Go for it’, so I applied and after various rounds, got the funding. Then I had to apply to the RHS because you get the funding, but still have to be chosen for a place at the show itself.”

realised I had an idea and all I had to do was persuade Sadler’s Wells. They said: ‘Go for it’, so I applied and after various rounds, got the funding. Then I had to apply to the RHS because you get the funding, but still have to be chosen for a place at the show itself.”

She was successful and is now set to lay out a six-byeight metre space under cover in the All About Plants category of the show’s main pavilion. Featured plants will include the nodding blooms of salvia nutans and three trees, namely hionanthus retusus, styrax obassia and acer monspessulanum.

eight metre space under cover in the All About Plants category of the show’s main include the nodding blooms of salvia nutans and three trees, namely hionanthus centre stage,” said Alexa. “It’s all about visitors being able

different places to sit and walk through. There’s a pipelike sculpture inspired by the Wells East – itself a reference to the manufacturing and industrial heritage of Stratford

have interesting shapes with lots of purples and limes as well as oranges. I want it to feel energetic. It’s about dance.

“I really wanted to make the plants the performers –the dancers – and put them centre stage,” said Alexa. “It’s all about visitors being able to see the planting and the shapes and enjoy them from different places to sit and walk through. There’s a pipelike sculpture inspired by the saw-toothed roof of Sadler’s Wells East – itself a reference to the manufacturing and industrial heritage of Stratford that frames different iews. “I’ve chosen plants that have interesting shapes with lots of purples and limes as well as oranges. I want it to feel energetic. It’s about dance.

“There has been a fashion at Chelsea for lots of calm, muted planting, but this design is not like that at all.”

been a fashion at Chelsea for lots of calm, muted planting, but this design is not like that at all.”

Scan this code for more on Alexa’s project

There has been a fashion at Chelsea for lots of calm, muted planting, but this design is not like that at all

Alexa Ryan-Mills, Garden Designer

Garden designer

Alexa Ryan-Mills has created a garden for RHS Chelsea Flower

Show inspired by the arrival of Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford

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

Where? Cart And Horses Stratford

from imagination to

GIG | Infantry, Secrum + War Grave

The Dutch thrash metal masters of Infantry share a stage with London-based bands Secrum and War Grave for this evening of hair, leather and tats. Apr 27, 9pm, from £7, cartandhorses.london

Where? Stratford Picturehouse Stratford

FILM | Junk Head

Made over seven years with a limited budget by obsessively dedicated creator Takahide Hori, this stop motion sci- action thriller is an incredible watch. Apr 24, 8pm, £8, picturehouses.com

Where?

Copper Box Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

SEE | League Of Legends Mid Season Invitational

Some of the world’s top gaming teams are set to descend on Stratford for a multi-day tournament leading up to a grand nal. Who will triumph? May 2-21, times vary, from £24, axs.com

ash back

This is Beverley Charters and Geo Cosson of the House Mill in Bromley-By-Bow, both engaged in the project to get its tidal waterwheels spinning once more as work on its restoration continues wolfrayet.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about the project and how local people can get involved with the mill

want more? @wharfwhispers

Sudoku

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

Cryptic Quick Down

Take a break from that phone Across

1. Treatise on muscles is not concrete (8)

5. Person who employs a confusing ruse? (4)

9. Musical codes? (4) . enefit is central to the lazy (8)

11. Muddy brickwork or computer program? (5)

12. Impresario is reduced in size (7)

13. Dance designer starts with a hard task (13)

18. Sounds like a shoreline to the letter (8)

19. Palindromic popsters? (4)

20. We hear, I see, a composer in a cup (7)

21. Mary’s provenance in song (5)

. Slow flyers are confused? (4)

22. Flower in an avalanche? (8)

2. Could be the width of a tangled thread? (7)

3. The bottom line for working drinkers? (7)

4. A scam, an ensign, a share – it’s hot! (13)

6. Athletes lose a vowel in secrecy (7)

7. Sounds like they change a wheel after work (7)

8. I’m against a mixed up carton (6)

13. Divine West Indian chanteuse or song? (7)

14. Confused follower of police – the eyes have it! (7)

15. Find exclamation in a trice – it’s saucy! (6)

16. Dentist gives notice of thickly coated teeth, we hear (7)

. Medical o cer puts ban on barge, sort of (7)

Across

1. Learning manual (8)

5. Once more (inf.) 4

9. Luncheon meat (4)

10. Shaken up (8)

11. Faint (5)

12. Table linen (7)

13. Swimming styles (13)

18. Classical style (8)

19. Poet (4)

20. Ivor____, composer (7)

21. Not fresh (5)

22. Jellied treat (4)

23. Breaded meat slice (8) Down

2. Give strength to (7) . a e

4. Institutions (13)

6. Airport (7)

7. Sun worshippers (7)

8. Loss of consciousness (6)

13. Equilibrium (7)

14. Of summer (7)

15. One at a time (6)

16. Surrounding (7)

17. Hat attachment (7)

the

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