Wharf Life Aug 14-28

Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

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inside

Martin Gettings on the Wharf’s flora and fauna Page 14

International Quarter London Cocktails In Care Homes Royal Arsenal Riverside Analytics Intelligence Canal And River Trust Surrey Docks Farm The Admiral Hardy Heroica Lounge David Galman JP Morgan Puzzles

Winser London chooses Canary Wharf pop-up in Jubilee Place to unveil designs from its second collaboration with Gillian Anderson Canary Wharf - Pages 6-8

look finding the

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

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

read

fortnightly find

this issue’s Tiger Treasure

14 days later

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11 where?

Crossrail Place Roof Garden Canary Wharf

feast your eyes on these

Are you catching fish in the Thames but finding they have a disappointing lack of suppleness?

Perhaps you’ve picked the choice of the catch at Billingsgate only to find its elasticity sub optimal? Fear not dear reader. As ever, Tiger has your back. This flexible fishy will delight all those who desire to pull on an aquatic beast and find its body refreshingly pliable Stretchy Fish, £3 Go to uk.flyingtiger.com

09

KIDS | Ingo’s War The tale of a nervous dog, a young girl, the Second World War and evacuation. Ditto Theatre Company hosts a workshop at 1pm, play from 2pm. Ages 5+.

Sept 7, 1pm, free, canarywharf.com

JP Morgan on helping students gain access to financial careers

where?

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place Joe Blake’s sweet and GIG | Great Ladies Of Jazz The Alex Webb Trio back vocalist Jo Harrop as she celebrates Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Peggy Lee and Sarah Vaughan.

Sept 4-5, 9.15pm, from £12.50, boisdale.co.uk where?

Canada Square Canary Wharf

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tart rhubarb cruffin, Lord help our waistline

Getting digital assistance from Analytics Intelligence

taste test

Cruffin, £3.90

SCREEN | Alien Watch Ridley Scott’s classic as never before – the first in Canary Wharf’s new Movie Lates series featuring adult films screened into the night.

Sept 3, 9pm, free, canarywharf.com

to do before August 28

Take part in a Macramé Plant Hanger Workshop at Crossrail Place Roof Garden with Isabella Strambio of TwoMe. The hour-long session costs £15 and takes place on August 20 at 1pm. Pot included, ideal for beginners canarywharf.com

The tray of cruffins and other goodies next to the titanic espresso machine at Joe Blake’s newly opened bakery and coffee stall in Canada Place is unlikely to be large enough to keep up with demand once Wharfers have had their first sweet taste.

With the arrival of Crosstown Doughnuts, I thought my appetite for sugary treats was sated. That’s until I

sampled these pastry chimeras – a sinful coupling of muffin and croissant.

My rhubarb cruffin was a whirl of soft, all-butter joy sitting atop a fearsome injection of custard.

Sweet and tart in equal measure, the blend demanded my attention, leaving me oblivious to the world for the glorious moments spent in consumption.

My companion’s double chocolate was a bombardment of flavour, perfectly sat on the knife edge between over-rich and enjoyable.

Worse still, they do a discount offer where you can pick up six for £20.

Lord help my waistline. @joeblakeslondon on Insta Jon Massey

get in touch

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Editorial email stories@wharf-life.com call 07765 076 300

we want to hear from you

14

Martin Gettings reminds Wharfers to celebrate nature

the joy of six Every fortnight Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 36

need something fixed?

Head up to the terrace bar at Wahaca for tequila and views over Canada Square wahaca.co.uk

Advertising email advertising@wharf-life.com call 07944 000 144

Our editorial team works hard to ensure all information printed in Wharf Life is truthful and accurate. Should you spot any errors that slip through the net or wish to raise any issues about the content of the publication, please get in touch and we will investigate.

want more? @wharflifelive

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

on the radar

doing the deals

hit the Wharf’s malls and restaurants for less

need to know

free

Be one of the first to visit the newly opend Maître Choux offering sweet and savoury twists on classic eclairs in Canada Place’s Jubilee Walk. Expect to pay around £5 a go for a snack. Brown drinks by Monmouth Coffee Company maitrechoux.com

46 Head to Crossrail Place Roof Garden on September 15 at 2.30pm for a free, hour-long Roda De Capoeira session. Learn some basic Brazillian martial arts moves then watch a two-hour performance amid the plants.

Reservation essential canarywharf.com

Visit Rituals in Jubilee Place on August 31 for its celebration of Holi.

There will be workshops and free gifts on offer while stocks last (one per person, sadly) rituals.com

38

Flexible working and engagement at Lendlease scheme in Stratford

Canal And River Trust prepares to launch new moorings on the Island

free 42

The Admiral Hardy gets a new lease of life – James Watson of Mosaic Pub And Dining talks tradition, community, hotel rooms and bringing bands to Clarence Hall

Head to Humble Grape for breakfast in August, eat in and get a free tea or coffee for your trouble. Valid 7.30am-11am at the Mackenzie Walk bar humblegrape.co.uk

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Receive a complimentary prosecco reception when you book early!

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

buy me

words you didn’t know you need

this fortnight’s must-have item

fridhog

noun, fictional, Scottish A work colleague who generates silent rage in those around them by taking an excessive amount of time to use shared kitchen facilities, completely unaware that others are waiting to make their own tea, coffee and lunch

bucket list

write me

Frank’N’Furter reclines with Magenta, Riff Raff and Columbia in seductive support

balter

verb, real, middle English To dance gracelessly, without particular art or skill but perhaps with some enjoyment. Examples of shapes thrown can be seen outside a variety of Canary Wharf venues that play music from around 10pm on Thursdays

Levi’s x Hello Kitty Denim Shorts, £50 Levi’s, Canada Place

● Brad List Let’s watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show again. Penned by Richard O’Brien, the Transylvanian extravaganza arrives in Canary Wharf on September 10 – free to watch in Canada Square from 9pm. Join Brad and Janet as they stumble on the world of sweet transvestite Frank’N’Furter (the incomparable Tim Curry). It’s just a jump to the left... canarywharf.com

● Body List Attend HIITBox Ninja School With Sonja Moses as part of Canary Wharf’s Strong Island for free on August 25, 2pm-7pm at Crossrail Place Roof Garden. Features real ninjas. Booking is essential to be certain of place canarywharf.com

Who knew there was this much fun in Canary Wharf? Don’t let the waning summer weather get you down. Rock these in what’s left of the sunshine in Canada Square

● Book List Something for the lunch break? Pick up a copy of Haruki Murakami’s seminal Norweigan Wood in Cabot Place for a mere £8.99. The Japanese storyteller’s 1987 novel tells the tale of Toru Watanabe as he looks back to his time as a student and his relationships with two very different women, Naoko and Midori. Stunning waterstones.com

Help your loved ones to help you kiddrapinet.co.uk/understandinganlpa

eat me

You can’t control what the future holds, but you can control who makes decisions on your behalf.

Download our FREE guide to MAKING A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) Book a consultation with Gemma Hughes today on 020 7205 2896 or email ghughes@kiddrapinet.co.uk

something to consume for the working day Two Pork Sausage Rolls, £1.99 Waitrose Food And Home, Canada Place Just check out those red warning flashes for fat and saturates on the left hand side. This porky pair are a fine reward for your body that won’t break the bank and feels just that little bit cleaner than a pork pie. Why not go the whole hog, buy some fancy, schamncy pickle, smear it on and revel in the treat, unashamed waitrose.com

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

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training wheels

Canary Wharf

pumping irons

what it’s like to become a member at Canary Wharf’s Third Space

S

etting up a publication in a relatively short period of time makes for a deal of unhealthy living. Since launch in February, one of the unintended consequences of Wharf Life has been the gaining of a certain amount of heft – paper weight as my business partner put it.

With stability achieved and the offer of a month’s access to Europe’s largest luxury health club – Third Space – on the table, August seemed as good a time as any to embark on a quest to shave some flab.

After a tour of the extensive three-floor facility, which includes a spa, swimming pool, and too many exercise areas and pieces of equipment to list, the first thing new members can take advantage of is an InBody consultation with a personal trainer.

This involves standing on a machine and gripping a couple of electrodes, while remaining silent as an imperceptible electrical current passes through you.

The resulting readout

provides a starting point for exercise and, in my case, revealed my body is 30% fat with a worryingly high level coddling my organs.

My trainer Rebecca was keen to stress the positives, however, pointing out a good amount of muscle mass shown in the detailed scan, with lean meat evenly distributed.

The following day, she’d put together a programme to address my desire to become more slender and took a great deal of time ensuring I’d grasped the proper way to perform the various exercises set. Having resolved to go every day, trying a range of classes and activities, I’ll let you know how I do.

First impressions Attention to detail makes Third Space stand out. From the extraordinary playground of facilities, to the ironing boards – pumped ruthlessly by men heading for the office – nothing has been overlooked.

Go to thirdspace.london Jon Massey

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Third Space offers a wide range of fitness classes and top-level facilities as well as personal training and a spa

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

by Elisabeth Newfield

6

Months the Winser London pop-up will be in Canary Wharf’s Jubilee Place, although it may become a permanent addition to the estate

I

It was a Sliding Doors moment.

Promising teenage tennis player Kim Winser had to pick between a career on the courts or in the corridors of a high street giant.

“I was a county player and had been spotted and offered the opportunity to be trained in America,” said the 60-year-old.

“But I had also applied and been accepted to join Marks And Spencer’s management training scheme. I received both letters the same day and had to make a challenging decision.”

She chose fashion and over the next four decades became one of the UK’s most successful businesswomen fighting for e uality reversing the fortunes of three major brands and launching her own label Winser London in 2013.

And she did it all while juggling life as a single mum.

“I remember doing an interview with Vogue and I was bathing my son while holding the phone between my ear and my shoulder,” said the Scotland-born entrepreneur. It’s just like anything else, if you are thrown into it, you do it.

I’m just lucky to have two things to love.”

Her son is now grown, but Kim still rises at dawn every day, eager to pour her passion into her label with the aim of offering high uality womenswear that doesn’t break the bank.

Her latest project is a six-month pop-up shop in Canary Wharf which she hopes will become permanent, following in the footsteps of Winser’s stores in Marlow, Gerrards Cross and Bath.

“We’re really excited about it because we have been looking for a site there for uite some time ” she said. “The beauty of a pop-up is that it’s a great test. I personally believe we will stay in Canary Wharf because it’s a very, very good audience.”

It has only been going six years but the brand has already garnered fans across the world after being worn by the likes of Meghan Markle, Keeley Hawes, Emma Watson, Annie Lennox and Emilia Fox. It never would have existed if Kim had turned the other way in 1977 and chosen tennis.

The founder and CEO, who was born and raised in Helensburgh to a Welsh mother and English father, said of her nail-biting choice: “Even though most of my friends thought I was crazy, I chose M&S because I thought that was something that would be with me for life. It was a terrific training and taught me about brand and uality and that was it – I was bitten by the bug and it’s something I have loved ever since.”

The passion it sparked for

Winser London’s pop-up can be found on the lower mall level of Jubilee Place

fashion grew stronger and so did her ambition. The winning mentality she had previously honed through tennis proved useful in the office too.

When her dream to ascend through the commercial arm to the board was blocked simply because of her gender, she refused to sit on the sidelines. The then 30-something used a chance encounter with the deputy chairman in a lift to win her case and rose to become director of womenswear and first female board director at Marks And Spencer in 1995. Her bravery pa ed the way for e uality with the company ditching its sexist rules.

A few years later when son Omar was born Kim faced the challenge of balancing a high-powered career with motherhood.

“I was ruthlessly organised with my time so I made sure I never missed a sports day or parents evening,” said the Berkshire resident who managed thanks to the help of nannies and supportive parents and recently took her son Omar out to celebrate his 21st birthday.

“It didn’t matter where I was in the world, I made sure I rang my son at the same time every night.

My family was always my number one priority and still is. That’s the same for everyone who works for me, male or female.

“I never thought of taking a step back from my career because I have always loved work and luckily there were very few con icts. erything worked out.”

A

high quality

what Kim Winser’s pop-up brings to the women of Canary Wharf

fter leaving M&S she went on to be instrumental in turning around the fortunes of ailing labels and learnt valuable lessons for the future. She was appointed CEO of Pringles of Scotland in 2000 and learnt about cashmere, president and of uascutum in 2006 and learnt about the cut of raincoats, and chair of Agent Provocateur in 2009 – where she almost tripled profits and learnt about lingerie.

During the same period she was also an advisor to Net A Porter where she discovered the digital space. In 2006 she was awarded an OBE for services to the fashion industry.

Kim said all her experience came together for the launch of Winser London in 2013.

“What prompted me to start the label was a combination of loving what the luxury brands did – brilliant designs and styling – but finding the pricing was cra y.

“Then the high street, unfortunately, over the last 10 years has just been reducing and reducing the uality to try to sur i e. “ oor uality fabrics and fit really show on a woman’s body. So

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

what I wanted to do was amazing fit and uality but to keep the price really key.” oday the company has grown to a -strong team that ships to countries and has collaborated with asmin e on and Gillian nderson.

Its second collection with the X-Files actress will be a ailable for an exclusi e first look at its anary harf pop-up which has opened in ubilee lace opposite the bottom of the escalators. he collaboration came about last year simply because im asked the merican star who now li es in ondon to work with her. im said “I think Gillian is a ery stylish lady. he has her own look really knows who she is and is ery intelligent and a brilliant actress. he’s ob iously ery hot at the moment from being on stage in All About Eve and on TV in Sex Education and now she’s going to be aggie in The Crown. “ he’s a great woman and I like her independence and confidence. he’s also ery ritish merican and outside the that’s our biggest market. o all round she has been a ery good partner for us. he really has designed her collection – people always ask me that uestion because some

Winser London’s second collection with Gillian Anderson will be available for an exclusive first look at its Canary Wharf pop-up

Gillian wears Wool Swing Coat, £395

Double Faced SB Coat, was £229 now £99, Miracle Trousers, £99 and Boyfriend Jumper, £99

“

Gillian has really been involved in the selection of the fabric, colours and the designs and is really passionate about how things look Kim Winser, Winser London

celebrities ust put their name to products. “ he has really been in ol ed in the selection of the fabric colours the designs and is really passionate about how things look right down to the finite details such as the ip and buttons that are chosen. erything is fitted on her. “ he also did her own social media for the collection and got really in ol ed with customers.

“I remember her contacting me and saying there were a lot of re uests for an in merica. o we contacted our Italian knitwear suppliers in the first week of eptember and by the middle of ctober we had deli ered them. hat’s how in ol ed she is.”

Continued on Page 8

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Stella Silk Blouse, £199 Miracle Pencil Skirt, £99

Gillian wears Cashmere Fitted Boyfriend Jumper, was £250, now £129

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From Page 7 Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, famously wore the swing coat from Gillian’s first collection at the opening of the Invictus Games in Sydney in 2018 and for two more public engagements.

Each time customers came running to snap up the £395 piece.

Kim said: “It was a complete sell out on the day she first wore it.

We were delighted and happy. It was a lovely moment. And it was going everywhere in the world – Germany, the Far East, the Middle East. We added shipping to three countries at the time because there was such demand. Obviously it put us on a new level.”

Kim said the latest collection with Gillian features new colours for the swing coat, “interesting knitwear”, some silk dresses and blouses and a pair of jeans.

Visitors to the pop-up will also get a first look at other new products before they launch online, and will be able to browse and buy bestsellers such as silk shirts and dresses, trousers and suiting.

The brand is predominantly online – about 70% of sales are through the web – and Canary Wharf was chosen for a pop-up because it is the company’s third biggest sales area worldwide behind New York and California.

“We are passionate about modern workwear and we think it’s a really good position and the landlords have been brilliant,” said Kim. “So it should be a win-win.

But it’s great we can have the pop-up for six months and see if it’s what we believe it will be.”

Kim, who has no plans to retire, already has a New York pop-up planned for 2020 and credits her success to “pinching the best people”.

“My most successful formula is working with the best talent I can find and putting together a good blend,” she said.

“And I have a ridiculous focus on the consumer. I wake up in the morning thinking about my customers and go to bed thinking about them. That is my life blood.

“I have a silly amount of energy and people ask where I get it from.

I’m wide awake at 5.30am and very excited about what every day brings and what we can achieve.

“Our message is quality, quality, quality. In today’s world of sustainability I don’t want people

“

I have a ridiculous focus on the consumer. I wake up in the morning thinking about my customers and go to bed thinking about them Kim Winser, Winser London

buying millions of things. I want them buying a few things and making them work day after day.

“I want them to be able to go to the wardrobe and think ‘yeah I’ve got great things I can mix and match and make oodles of outfits’.

“It’s all about giving women confidence so that when they’re dressed all they have to think about are the challenges of the day not their outfits.”

The dog owner, who is on the board of the Peninsula Hotel And Property Group based in Hong Kong and a trustee of the Natural History Museum, said she used lessons from other countries to improve her business.

She said: “They are all good at certain things. In Japan the attention to detail is incredible. In Germany it is so organised and the processes are so efficient and in America the marketing and communication is in a different league.”

F

or Winser London, Kim wanted her main selling point to be couture quality without the price tag.

“We buy best quality and put a small margin on,” she said. “Of course we have to do a sale at the end of the season but the whole idea is that we don’t pay middle men or waste money anywhere. The designers work directly with the fabric mills. So you can’t buy anything of ours anywhere else.”

Its clothes range from size 6-18 and feature items such as the Cotton Boyfriend Jumper (from £49), Tilda Silk Shirt (£199) and Grace Miracle Dress (£159), “Most women love silk but the problem is its creasing,” said Kim, who is dressed in the brand’s silk t-shirt and wide-leg trousers with a pair of Prada trainers.

“We weave just a tiny bit of Lycra into every metre so that at the end of the day you still look really good. And when you travel all you need to do is hang them up and by the next day they are looking great and ready to wear.

“It’s thinking about the woman and her life and doing everything we possibly can to help.”

Her passion for her customers is clear – she excitedly breaks off in the middle of conversation when she spots a woman walking past wearing a Winser silk shirt – and once a month she reads every piece of customer feedback.

“It takes me all day but I hear the most amazing stories,” she said. “One lady said her clothes had helped her in her law career, another went out with her husband of 10 years and wore our red Marilyn dress and he said: ‘Wow you look stunning’.”

So was it the right choice to drop the tennis?

“I would probably be fitter than I am,” said Kim. “But no. I think you make a decision and move on.

I have never looked back.”

Go to winserlondon.com

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

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Years JP Morgan’s Aspiring Professionals Programme has been running JP Morgan’s Victor Azubuike is a mentor on its

Aspiring Professionals Programme, having come through another scheme run in partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation

how JP Morgan helps students from low income backgrounds find their way into the world of finance

by Jon Massey

B

talent discovery

anks are not short of applicants. Top universities around the country churn out a constant supply of straight-A graduates wa ing firsts and turning hopeful eyes to the financial ser ices industry. It’s often a story of entrenched privilege, with those from wealthy backgrounds following in the steps of parents or relatives with a natural bias to give those like themselves a leg up.

Increasingly organisations are realising they are missing out on a rich seam of talent such systems sti e and are seeking alternati es.

JP Morgan’s Aspiring Professionals Programme, which has just seen 80 students spend a fortnight living in London and working at its anary harf offices targets high-achieving secondary school students from low income backgrounds.

Run in partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation (SMF), it not only offers rare access to the bank’s businesses, but also mentoring for a year after the two weeks in London, to help participants with their university applications.

JP Morgan’s head of employee engagement and volunteering Jessica Ferguson helps run the programme.

“For us it really has a dual purpose ” she said. “ he first is to improve the life chances of young people by giving them opportunities.

“That falls within the work the SMF does to help people access really good quality careers, by building a network, their commercial acumen and really setting them up for success.

“That’s why we’re involved and everything we do targets people who are otherwise excluded from those opportunities and are disadvantaged in some way.

“The second reason that we do it is to find talented people that we might not otherwise discover, because we know talent comes from everywhere.

“We’ve been running the programme since 2012, and we’ve had 475 students who’ve come through it. It’s in its eighth year Continued on Page 10

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“The students often start by being unsure of what to expect, and whether they will have a good time fit in or be comfortable. and we’re really proud of it.

“In the vast majority of cases We’ve built it collaboratively the students have fun, they learn a internally, and with the SMF and lot and they believe that they can we were lucky enough to receive a thrive in an environment like JP Queen’s Award For Enterprise for Morgan. promoting opportunity through “ e definitely see them grow the programme.” over the 14 days, and when we The bank continually evolves the see them come back in the work scheme, which now includes the experience programme, we see the chance to apply for a week’s paid difference the two weeks and the work experience once the students mentoring have made. We’re really finish school as well as support proud of everything that they while at university through the achieve after that.

SMF to ensure they get targeted “What I have loved with the information about internships and programme in particular this graduate programmes at the bank. year is that we have had so It’s all building on the range of many people involved who have experiences they have during the been through the programme initial fortnight. themselves.

“The students have many “ n the first day one student different types of acti ities ” said talked about his journey through Jessica. “They spend some of the programme into mergers and the time doing skill sessions as a acquisitions, and another one group, or in smaller groups, to get insights into different lines actually interviewed one of of business, secondly, the co-presidents of the they get talks firm aniel into from our head who gave insights researchers on on his career and the economy what it’s like to and different be in that position to all of topics.

“They also the students present. It spend time was really with their host lines special to of business see that. I’m – it might be incredibly wealth manageproud to be ment, or on a part of this trading desk with programme. the banking team, It feels like a Jessica Ferguson and there they really real collaboration as understand what that job is well, between J P Morgan and SMF, but also between lots actually like on a day-to-day basis. of different departments in the “They might go to team firm coming together to change meetings, client meetings, get set people’s lives.” a project that is relevant to the business, and really gather an in-depth understanding of the ne of the people day-to-day. involved in this “Another aspect of it is evening year’s programme and cultural activities, where was Victor Azubuike. the students have fun together Having successfully and form a network, so that they come through an can continue to stay in touch SMF scheme in Whitehall, he throughout school and do different secured a position with JP Morgan things. For example, we went to after graduating from Warwick the Globe with this group, and saw University.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream which “I put my hand up because I’m a lot of them really enjoyed – they really passionate about the work were really raving about it. the programme does,” he said.

“My role as a mentor is to encourage the young people that we get in the tasks that they’re doing.

“It’s also to help them with When you have the questions about what university thinking of attending, how resources and will to tap they’re they’re finding the day-to-day into these communities, and the projects that we set them, where they are with those, and there can be a tangible generally to encourage them to enjoy the experience here at J P change in the trajectory Morgan. of people’s lives “I work in the platform sales business which is an offshoot Victor Azubuike, JP Morgan

From Page 9

O

“

8

Aspiring Professional Programme alumni that have been offered full-time positions with JP Morgan since the initiative launched in 2012

This year’s programme saw former APP alumni and EMEA credit trading team member Daniel Orr interview JP Morgan CEO and co-president and COO of JPMorgan Chase Daniel Pinto during a fireside chat, left

the overseer

clearing pathways to careers JP Morgan head of data analytics Samik Chandarana oversees the APP for the firm.

He said: “Working with these students inspires me and everyone else involved in the programme a great deal because of the spirit they bring with them.

“They really energise the teams they join. There are a few key elements of this programme. Firstly, the two-week experience living in London and working full time at the firm is hopefully a lifeshaping experience for them.

“Secondly, during the two weeks and long afterwards, they receive a level of professional mentorship they may not have had before.

“Lastly, for those interested, this programme clears a pathway into working at the firm. That’s a really exciting element for both the students and for us, and rare for a programme like this.”

Samik Chandarana speaks to the students

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

of markets – we help to facilitate institutions with our operational perspectives and to provide them with custody and security services.

I sell to investment trust businesses in the UK. “I’m relatively fresh to JP Morgan. I graduated from Warwick a year ago, and then helped out with the students on the programme in 2018 but this is my first year as a professional mentor.

“One of my tasks was to help a mentee who was presenting a pro ect about a fictional client and pitching our product to us.

“It was encouraging to see the path that she took because she was asking a lot of insightful questions.

It was a treat to see where they are now and where they will potentially be.”

For Victor, the opportunity to help out was a natural step in his career.

“Giving back is in my DNA. I could see how what I received at certain points in my life had helped me, not just in my career, but also in my education.

“Ultimately JP Morgan has a passion to bring about change in the community we work and do business in and it was great for me to be a part of that.

“I grew up on a council estate in Hackney, with a single mum and four younger sisters.

“We were on free school meals because my mum wasn’t able to work much. I went to a relatively rough state school and then to the Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School for sixth form, did very well there and went on to Warwick. I owe all of that to my mother.

“I have a younger sister who has ust finished at arwick another who has just started there, but another of my sisters has spoilt the trend by going to Manchester instead. My mum was very keen on education and that we should stay focused on the books.

“Ultimately, just making my mum happy is the most important thing for me.

“As long as I can still do a good job, with my values entwined with those of JP Morgan, and do the best possible job for the clients, while learning and developing my skill-set as a financial professional I’ll be happy.”

Victor was also keen to stress the importance of organisations and networks helping people.

“No man is an island and I think it’s very important, where you have opportunities, that you can provide opportunities for other

people, especially people from dispossessed and disadvantaged communities, where they don’t have that access or that exposure,” he said.

“Even the co-president spoke about how important it was to provide opportunities for all people, regardless of background or where they start off in life.

“As our client base becomes more diverse, we value diversity of thought and different backgrounds can offer different ideas and different ways of coming to decisions, which will ultimately serve our clients’ best interests.

“So it’s important to tap into untapped pools of experience, because we want to provide that level of service.

“To be fair, being involved with this programme still feels unreal – as though you are the one still asking the uestions fi e years after you were with SMF. “It is encouraging for me, because it shows what happens when you have the resources and the will to tap into these communities, and there can be tangible change in the trajectory of people’s lives, and that’s one of the most important things for me.”

Go to jpmorgan.com or socialmobility.org.uk for more

student insight

two of this year’s APP participants offer their views

This internship is an amazing opportunity to put your foot in the door of the banking world, by meeting highly skilled and talented JP Morgan employees working in all types of departments within the bank.

I am able to pick their brains about all kinds of topics and it is a truly inspiring and useful experience that has changed my mindset and encouraged me to work harder in order to reach my goals, which seem less impossible now.

Mustafa Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre Newham My experience so far at JP Morgan has been invaluable and without the Social Mobility Foundation, I would have never received such an amazing opportunity.

Having parents that didn’t go to university meant my network was small but having the chance to come to London and network with employees at the largest US Bank has been something I wouldn’t have seen myself doing a year ago.

The work the SMF does means that students from less privileged backgrounds are able to experience what it is like to have a highly successful career in the capital city and through this internship I have been inspired to work even harder to achieve my goals.”

Zenab Sacred Heart Catholic High School Newcastle Upon Tyne

BBQ LUNCH

AND A BOTTLE OF BEER*

£10.00

*OR SMALL HOUSE WINE

AVAILABLE 12pm2pm TUESDAY TO SUNDAY UNTIL 1 SEPTEMBER 2019 FIND US AT MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, 1 Warehouse, West India Quay, London E14 4AL bookings@rumandsugar.co.uk rumandsugar.co.uk

WEST INDIA QUAY

12

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

by Jon Massey

D

avid Edoja has a vision.

He sees a future where every employee in a company has a data analyst as an assistant, providing a constant stream of information – tailored to their role – to help them perform better and improve their decision making. ut before and finance directors start sweating about all the extra pay and admin there will be, David’s proposal doesn’t involve taking on any humans. Instead, the company he founded in 2011 – Analytics Intelligence – is engaged in developing digital employees to perform such functions. Based at Level39 in Canary Wharf since 2012, the company creates software to help businesses make the most of their data.

“My background is in digital analytics, I have been doing this for about 16 years now,” said David. “It started purely with web analytics, but it’s now called digital analytics because it includes social media, mobiles – all sorts of things – anything that is digital.

“So, for example, you think about sales conversion – an e-commerce site’s primary goal is to sell more product. So they look at people coming to the site and how they behave.

“It’s that science of understanding of behaviours online and optimising the ow to con ert a whole lot more and catch them before they go somewhere else – you might give them a 5% discount if they hit a page where others routinely drop out of the site before paying for their items.

“Analytics Intelligence started as a consultancy service for loads of clients such as BT, Vodafone and Comic Relief – a wide range of companies.

“Behavioural web analytics was pretty straightforward – you put in tags, collected information, analysed the data and saw how you needed to improve to achieve your targets.

“But in the last six years that has changed. It’s gone from looking at how people behave to asking how we tie a much wider range of data together. We’re now in a phase where it’s not just web analytics, but more data analytics.

“Even though the company started off on the consultancy path, it very quickly evolved into a solutions company.

“The more I worked in companies, the more I realised two things – one, that data grows exponentially, it’s everywhere you turn, and businesses have the problem that there’s more than they expected to have, and two, there are not enough analysts within these organisations to find

4

Years data analysts typically remain at firms before moving on, causing companies to lose valuable experience

“

Founder David Edoja has created a system of digital assistants to help firms

To be a data driven organisation, you need to change your old ways and not make decisions based on gut feelings

deal with their data

David Edoja, Analytics Intelligence

how Analytics Intelligence delivers data insights with a difference from Level39

ai

the real meaning of

Image by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

13

Innovation - Technology

and analyse insights properly. So you talk to companies and they say: ‘We’re all about data; we’re all about analytics, AI and machine learning’. And a lot of people think if they have data, throw in some data science and a bit of machine learning they’re doing AI, but that’s far from the truth.

“So my idea has always been to answer the question: ‘How do you get real AI into an organisation to get insights?’

“It’s not so much about the technology, it’s really about being data driven. To be a data driven organisation, you need to change your old ways and not make decisions based on gut feelings and experiences. Nobody should be saying: ‘This is how we did things in my previous company, so it must work here.’ That really doesn’t apply.

“You have to go evidencedriven, and ask what the data is really telling us, based on circumstances, or based on supporting variables.” creating a product With a shortage of human analysts, David resolved to go digital, developing a constantly evolving offering to take to businesses.

“My idea was to build an AI system to fulfil that function ” he said. “It started off as a chatbot but it quickly became a digital assistant and it evolved from there to become almost a digital employee.

“The thinking was to have an assistant for everybody within the organisation. Most companies, as large as they are, probably only have a handful of analysts.

“It’s not that they don’t want to get more, there aren’t enough of them out there and everybody is paying top dollar. So, to get analysts, even if you’re paying the highest amount, their lifespan with an organisation is typically only three-to-four years.

“What is alarming there is the loss of knowledge. What somebody has learnt in the four years they’ve been with you, they have a whole lot of things they’re taking away with them.

“So I asked the question: ‘How do you solve this with technology?’ I did a course at MIT about the application of AI in the enterprise space.

“AI has four parts to it – machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and robotics. Most companies focus on machine learning but, as good as it is, it’s a means to an end.

“You can do machine learning till the cows come home, but if you don’t have the will to apply it, it doesn’t really get results.

“It doesn’t solve the bigger problem, it doesn’t satisfy the need for more insight within companies.

“So, Analytics Intelligence has

created digital assistants that act as analysts for every individual within a company.

“Say you have a retail company with a marketing manager. We assign an assistant to them, it knows their role, their targets for the month and that they are a member of the marketing team and the team’s goals.

“The marketing team has a responsibility to the company’s target for the month, so all our system does is serve to make sure everyone involved has all the data and the insights they need.

“It does that for everybody within the team and for the team collectively, and it does that for the department.” the power of the hive ith the firm’s products employees get their own individual, tailored insights via digital assistants who together form something of a hive mind, reporting to every level of an organisation.

David said: “The system is part of a collective. Everything is serving the hierarchy of objectives, and the individual task for the individual to do serves the bigger picture.

“Consider how big organisations work – you arrive in the morning, know you’ve got a couple of things to do, so you just get on with doing them. We did a survey that found only very rarely do people think of the big picture.”

Analytics Intelligence has come up with MyData, a product designed to help businesses and organisations remain focused on their goals at all levels. Firms identify key performance indicators (KPIs) they want to keep track of in the data the system is processing and can set weekly, monthly or yearly targets, keeping tabs on progress in real time.

But rather than simply rely on reports or visualisations, David wanted to build a product that delivered more. talking data “I got into this with a background as an analyst and that means a whole lot of visulisations,” said David. “I believe that visualisation alone doesn’t really help non-analysts understand data.

“Narratives are the key thing.

So, let’s create a system which can interpret data, where you can ask questions, and it comes up with answers.”

The fourth generation of MyData offers users dashboards of data and reports on how they’re doing against their KPI goals. But crucially it features another of the key planks of AI application David studied at MIT – a natural language interface. Employees simply email their digital assistant and ask it to provide the data they

need or to use a wide range of tools to help improve the company’s performance based on that data.

It’s designed to be customisable, allowing Analytics Intelligence, which employs 12 people in London and Africa, to target multiple sectors.

“The more interactions the system has, the more it learns,” said David. “We have a team of people in the background who look at the conversations each day, and curate them.

“Organisations are getting to a point where there is less fear and scepticism about AI taking over jobs. One of the things we’ve added into the system is mentoring. If organisations are going to be more data-driven, then let’s get the system to train people, to understand more and get people to rely more on data and less on gut feeling, so they become more like analysts themselves. It’s very much a culture change.” further evolution “One of the things we’re doing this year is to launch a mobile app,” said David. “Now the mobile app is an interesting one because there’s so much information you can get from your phone, which

adds context to what people are doing.

“There’s a whole lot of demand in our space, a whole lot of need for analytics, so we’re absolutely excited about it and love being based in Canary Wharf.”

Part of that excitement is the company’s intention to complete AI application by adding robotics to the machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing it’s already engaged in.

“People are struggling to get analysts, so let’s get robots in offices ” said a id.

“We have partnered with a company called Temi Robotics, which makes a small robot, not exactly a humanoid, but one that has a voice and that you can add your own software to.

“We’re not at this stage yet, but, if we can get something like that and load our software into it, an organisation might say: ‘Well you can have our systems and you can book one of these robots and it will find its way around within the business. It could even present.

“Essentially we’re keen to get the message out there about AI and the role it can play in analytics. It’s really a case of watch this space.”

Go to analyticsintelligence.com for more information

Are you struggling with a failing chatbot?

We’re coming to rescue you!

Contact us today for a no cost consultation workshop & initial chatbot upgrade to our award-winning V-PersonTM platform. info@creativevirtual.com 020 7719 8332

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www.creativevirtual.com

14

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

£1k

Value of the Canary Wharf gift cards offered as the top prize in the estate’s Wildlife Photography Competition

getting greener

A previous entry in the competition – Grebes Hitching A Lift by Victoria Jones

by Martin Gettings

W

ith summer in full swing, the same can also be said for sustainability at Canary Wharf and across London too.

You may have seen that nature in the city is incredibly topical this month, in light of the fantastic announcement that the capital is to be the first city in the world to become a National Park City.

The overall goal of the scheme is to collectively make our cities greener and healthier and encourage all of us to enjoy the outdoors.

It is truly inspiring to see London take green issues seriously in such an approachable and exciting way.

Canary Wharf Group is an official supporter of the initiative and our 10-year Biodiversity Action Plan is in place to ensure we not only protect but enhance nature on the estate.

For example, the allotment we’ve incorporated into Crossrail Place Roof Garden is thriving.

Canary Wharf Group is responsible for cultivating the 300m semienclosed space, which has an abundance of plants and trees, many of which draw on our area’s heritage as a trading hub.

This includes many plants and trees native to countries visited by the ships of the West India Dock Company that have been arranged according to which hemisphere the plants and trees are from.

The garden is free to visit and is open daily to the public until 9pm or sunset in Summer – perfect for winding down the day against the stunning backdrop of our new National Park City.

Canary Wharf Group’s annual Wildlife Photography Competition is currently running – encouraging people to celebrate the diversity of flora and fauna on the estate.

Entry is free and open to all. Those who enter before September 27 have the chance to win an overall prize of £1,000 in Canary Wharf gift cards.

The contest is split into four categories, namely Architecture, Street Photography, Wildlife And Water and Up Close And Personal With Nature – those taking pictures may like to have these in mind when looking for suitable subjects on the estate.

There is also a junior competition for younger entrants, who could win a camera if their submission is chosen as best picture. Simply go to canarywharf.com for more details on how to enter.

With London setting a goal of being 50% green by 2050, the buzz of a greener future is greater than ever and it’s worth thinking about what you could commit to changing.

If there was one achievable thing you could do to improve nature and biodiversity in your city, what would it be?

Don’t forget, you can track Canary

lens through the

Canary Wharf Group’s

One And Five Bank Street has

of sustainability already achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating

Wharf Group’s progress in tackling plastic through our website at breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk.

If you have any questions about our recent activity, or you’d like to contribute towards helping us achieve our long-term sustainability goals, please get in touch at sustainability@canarywharf.com.

What has caught your eye on the estate?

“

Canary Wharf Group’s annual Wildlife Photography Competition is currently running – encouraging people to celebrate the diversity of flora and fauna on the estate Martin Gettings, Canary Wharf Group

Martin Gettings is group head of sustainability at Canary Wharf Group Go to canarywharf.com or breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

35

Creative Space

this space is yours

bottomless pit, dinner table, pie chart, you decide – share your doodles with @wharflifelive or #keepittoyourself – don’t like, subscribe or comment, please

WORKING TITLE

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

30

Years Magic Me has been putting generations together in Tower Hamlets and beyond

by Jon Massey

C

first person

what it's like to volunteer

an opportunity for mischief and lots of laughter

Parties at Cocktails In Care Homes are themed with costumes and props provided for volunteers and residents

by Jess Maddison

O

n my first visit to Cocktails in Care Homes my sisters and I were invited to a table with an elderly gentleman and all given drinks.

The theme of that party was Las Vegas and the table’s decorated with a roulette mat and betting chips, which helped break the ice.

We chatted with the man about where he had worked and the places he had lived before being joined by by a Spanish woman who spoke little English. She laughed at our attempts to recall GCSE phrases about what we liked to do on holidays and the contents of our pencil cases. The hilarity was natural and inclusive.

I have been attending the parties for around a year and, while there are the unavoidable, issues of ill health and confusion due to dementia, the prevailing atmosphere is one of positivity – not just fostered by the music, drinks, props or singing happy birthday, it’s the residents.

Whether they’re trying to sneak a last drink in when the bar is closing up or offering dating advice – one 85-year-old told us: ‘If he doesn’t make you laugh, then get rid of him’ – it’s an opportunity to discover that wicked character and appetite for mischief are often undiminished by the years gone by.

Plus, at the end of the day, who really can resist a cocktail and a gossip?

Phoebe was initially a volunteer with Cocktails In Care Homes before going on to manage the project for Magic Me

Main image by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta

ocktails In Care Homes has the a our of genius about it. reated by ethnal Greenbased charity agic e in the pro ect offers residents something to do on otherwise acant e enings and the olunteers an opportunity to connect with a different generation o er a drink or two. ith the scheme running in locations across the capital from eptember including estport are entre near imehouse station I sat down with intergenerational arts pro ect manager hoebe Grud inskas to find out more. “ agic e has been running in ower amlets for years and the core of the work is putting together two generations and creating artforms to establish connections and break down stereotypes ” she said. “ e were mainly working with groups who were li ing in care homes in the area and also schoolchildren. In one of the care homes they were doing an e aluation session and some of the residents said It’s really great you come during the daytime but could you do anything in the e enings ’ “ ypically acti ities coordinators lea e about pm dinner gets ser ed about pm and then people are taken to their rooms to go to bed about pm. ot many families isit in the e ening. ou might ha e stayed up until pm in your own house so that has the effect of residents going to sleep ery early waking up ery early in the morning and not being taken out of bed until am. “ ur director usan angford came up with the idea of ocktails In are omes. It was also because we had people who knew about the work of agic e but as young adults couldn’t get in ol ed in pro ects between am and pm.

“It started in three care homes in ower amlets in and we’re about to go into from eptember across boroughs in ondon. “ or the first few years of the pro ect it was uite a slow growth because it was a pilot running alongside other initiati es. It was through excitement and interest about the pro ect that we realised it had the potential to grow – olunteers wanted to get in ol ed. “ ou get a free drink and you get to go into a care home a place that normally seems ery closed. “ are homes like the idea because we train all our olunteers – we’re like a olunteer brokerage for them. e bring people in who are fresh faces and take o er that space for a couple of hours of an e ening.” fter creating an online profile

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

37

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

how Magic Me’s Cocktails In Care Homes brings generations together for a little fun

shake a project to

things up

Phoebe says one of the key benefits is simply sitting down and being present with residents for a period of time, chatting and listening to their stories and completing an induction, which includes communication exercises and training around dementia, volunteers can book into themed parties as and when they want.

“Parties are themed and run every Wednesday and Thursday in different locations between pm and 7.30pm, excluding August and dates around Christmas,” said Phoebe. “Each care home or party has two or three party managers who we train a bit more and they are our core volunteer team.

“We have some who have been doing it for six years, which is amazing, and they host and manage the parties for us.

“They arrive early, around . pm – they know the care staff because they go to the same party every month – and set up the space ready for when the other volunteers arrive about 5.45pm.

“They serve the drinks and work with the care staff to make sure everyone’s having a good time before packing everything up at the end.”

In essence, the project is all about bringing people together for a good time and maximising the benefits of that.

Phoebe said: “We’ve found a lot of the volunteers are seeking to build a relationship either within their community or to talk to an older person. This can be

because they’ve moved to London for study or work and a family member might be in a care home or might have lived with dementia, and they’re seeking that kind of engagement. I’ve been involved since 2012 – I was originally a volunteer – and then started working for Magic Me in 2017.

“My colleague, Sarah Watson the project coordinator, was a party manager – we met when we were volunteers and became friends.

“It’s also about getting to meet people within London because of the other volunteers. We encourage them to talk to one another too.

“London can be a vast, fastpaced and lonely place. That’s what the volunteers get and it makes them feel good – going to someone, sitting with them, chatting and listening to someone else’s life is really interesting.

“It’s also about being able

“

There’s a lot of fear around care homes and care schemes and, for the volunteers, hopefully it’s breaking that down Phoebe Grudzinskas, Magic Me

to communicate and having a conversation with someone who is non-verbal, having those breakthroughs. There’s a lot of fear around care homes and care schemes and hopefully for the volunteers it’s breaking that down.

“For the residents, many are more lonely than they would be living in a community even though lots of people are living together in a care home.

“Often because of illnesses and so on, not many people are talking to each other. I think the benefit of ocktails In are omes for them is having something to look forward to. We found from the beginning of the project that people started dressing up.

“One woman hadn’t had an occasion to wear lipstick for seven years and now she does.

“A gentleman in King’s Cross wears tracksuits all the time, but every month he puts on a suit for the party. The volunteers are fresh faces and a different kind of noise just shaking things up. Care homes can be very, very quiet.

“It’s also having someone sit down, be present and be next to you for a period of time, which is really, really important especially if you’re not getting any visitors.

“Then there’s having a choice about whether to have a drink.

Just because you’re living in a care home doesn’t mean you can’t. Last year, one woman said: ‘I’d love a gin and tonic,’ and I said I could get it for her. She said she’d been asking for one for three weeks and everyone had said no. I was thinking: ‘I’m getting you a bloody gin and tonic – here you go’.” he pro ect also offers the potential for extremely moving encounters.

Phoebe said: “There’s one lady I’ve known since I started volunteering who used to be a singer in the 1940s. It would be tradition for her to end every party with a song.

“I lived away for about a year and when I came back, I got the job with Magic Me. I hadn’t seen her for over a year and her dementia had advanced a lot and it was a real shock, it was hard to see.

“But I would go and sit down with her and, if music was on, we’d shimmy our shoulders together and she’d laugh and smile. At one party, she was looking at my nails, which I’d had done for a wedding. I showed her pictures of it on my phone and there was a picture of my grandma in Australia, now 107, and I felt she was really understanding, that we were having a conversation.

“Then I said: ‘We used to sing a song together,’ and I started the song and she sang back to me – just a few lines – my mind was literally blown.”

Go to magicme.co.uk for more information about the project or to enquire about becoming a volunteer

14 days later

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11 where?

Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

STAGE | The Crown Dual Two actors reimagine how Elizabeth Windsor became QEII and recreate a pair of Netflix series in 70 minutes with much use of hats.

Sept 3-14, times vary, from £14.50, wiltons.org.uk where?

Troxy Limehouse

STAGE | Richard Dawkins And Ricky Gervais The comic actor and writer sits down for an unscripted conversation with one of the world's foremost scientists. Richard Wiseman hosts.

Sept 3, 6.30pm, waiting list, troxy.co.uk where?

Jamboree Limehouse

MUSIC | Fiddle Workshop Day Join fiddler Tom Moore for a day of group workshops and lessons suited to intermediate or advanced players keen to try unusual folk tunes.

Sept 1, 10.30am-6pm, £35, jamboreevenue.co.uk

to do before August 28

A night of Caribbean unity beckons as One Famalay pitches up at Troxy on Aug 23, from 7pm. The Limehouse venue will host Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous as well as Fay-Ann Lyons and Mr Killa troxy.co.uk

spot check worth a visit Try Husk for coffee, bowls of dhal and unusually confused service huskcoffee.com want more? @wharflifelive

38

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

12

Spaces for narrow boats at the Canal And River Trust’s new moorings. There will also be room for four wide-beam craft

by Jon Massey

F

rom a personal point of iew more acti ity is always great – anything that brings people down to the water space ” said am nderson- rown. e’re chatting beside the most northerly stretch of illwall uter ock next to the epper aint ntiod pub and within sight of Glengall ridge.

It’s here the anal nd i er rust the charity that manages the waterways on the Isle f ogs is putting the finishing touches to ramley alls – not an orchard on the uay but new moorings for up to houseboats. s the organisation’s partnerships and external relationships manager it’s part of am’s remit to communicate these plans and with their launch expected later this year he’s in upbeat mood. “ e’ e been trying to de elop these for a long time – we recognise there’s a need and a market for people who want to be closer to anary harf itself who work and want to li e in the area to access this water space ” he said. “ i ing on a boat can be a fantastic way of life and we wanted to make sure that we ga e people the opportunity to do that here. emand is high across ondon and actually across the network as a whole. “ eople are increasingly seeing life a oat as a really nice way of li ing and it’s great that we can pro ide the infrastructure to enable people to li e on boats.

“It’s fantastic that we’ e been able to work with our partners and with the local authority to make it happen.

“ he moorings will offer water and electricity and there will be refuse collection – effecti ely ramley alls has all the ser ices your house does. “ here are also storage bunkers so people can store their personal belongings safely rather than ha ing to ha e them on top of their boats. “ e keep the site clean and smart and we’ e put in ecological enhancements oating planters fixed to the etties so the wildlife in the docks has somewhere to go. “ opefully this time next year we’ll see this area teeming with animals which will be ama ing.

In short people can expect a really nice fully ser iced peaceful existence.” ending weight to am’s painting of the future we spot a duck snoo ing in a con enient corner on one of the ecological enhancements. hen open the moorings will ha e space for narrow boats and four wide beam craft such as utch barges. hile details are still under wraps it’s likely permits will be granted on an annual basis. hould boat owners miss out howe er this might not be the last chance to find a spot on the docks. “ e would like to see more of them but the thing with the docks on the Isle f ogs is that it’s about striking the right balance ” said am. “ e ha e some really exciting features in the water space here – round the corner we ha e the ocklands ailing nd atersports entre in outh ock we’ e got the cout pro ect – so people are getting out there using the water space and we wouldn’t want to hinder that.

“

It’s not about covering the docks with moorings, it’s about having a really nice mix of users – striking the right balance

A sailor himself, Sam believes people get a great deal out of being beside and on the waterways the Canal And River Trust manages

Sam Anderson-Brown

“ e want to see more people interacting with the water space but we need to recognise that whate er we do in the docks because of their high profile nature we need to work with our partners and e eryone needs to be brought into a similar ision. “ or the moment we are fairly open to how things might proceed but we recognise there’s a need for a docks master plan and that’s something we need to de elop with the local authority with other organisations ha ing an input including local communities and existing users. “ e ha e to come up with a strategy that works for e eryone.

It’s not about co ering the docks with moorings or not allowing them because you want to ha e open water swimming – it’s about ha ing a really nice mix of users.” he trust is responsible for more than miles of waterways in ngland and ales. In ondon that’s specifically the egent’s anal the Grand nion anal the ertford nion anal the imehouse ut and the ri ers ea and tort. am said it was increasingly keen to work with organisations based along these routes as well

why Bramley Falls is just one of the reasons to get down to the waterways of the Isle Of Dogs and get involved with them

activity it’s all about

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

39

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

dock droplets

a few facts and figures ● The Canal And River Trust is

responsible for managing the docks, including the water levels and Impounding Station in Westferry Road that keeps them topped up ● The charity helps more than 350 boats a year through West India Lock including super yachts and naval vessels ● Volunteers help the charity out including an adoption group – Hubbub UK – which carries out floating litter picks with school groups and businesses on a weekly basis – 1,300 hours in 2019 so far ● Bramley Falls will have 16 berths for houseboats, that are expected to be complete in either September or October

14 days later

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11 where?

Jazzgir Isle Of Dogs

GIG | Mandy Meadows The Kiwi jazz, pop and cabaret singer brings her show to the Harbour Exchange venue.

Entertainment is free for diners and drinkers.

Aug 31, Sept 7, contact for times, free, jazzgir.co.uk where?

Poplar Union Poplar

TRY | Capoeira Three teachers from different schools of the Brazilian martial art offer weekly classes for east Londoners to embrace the thrill of movement.

Sept 4, ongoing, 7.30pm, £7, poplarunion.com where?

Bokan Isle Of Dogs

as those close by West India and Millwall docks.

“What we’re all about as a charity is encouraging people to get down to the water,” said the senior sailing instructor who has worked at the trust for fi e years.

“We understand, and we’ve got research to show that being next to water can make people healthier and happier.

“We’ve just come from Canary Wharf where it’s busy and bustling, but quite a stressful environment. A few hundred metres away and it’s quiet, it’s peaceful – you can sit and contemplate.

“The air is fresh and it helps people to be healthier. Being on the water and doing exercise is a great thing. here are real benefits which these unique spaces can bring.”

And a visit to the docks and waterways can also deli er tangible benefits to the environment.

Sam said: “We’ve got our plastics campaign – we encourage

everyone to pick up one piece of litter and carry it away when they visit. If everybody did that, we’d have plastic-free canals in a year’s time.

“Around 14million people visit our network every two weeks and, if everyone of those picked up one piece of litter, we’d have none.

“We did a piece of research that showed the number of plastic items going from our waterways out to the sea – it’s around 570,000 a year. If you can make that link with someone chucking a can or a bottle on the quayside and it ending up inside a whale, then people suddenly see the power of clearing up litter. We also arrange voluntary groups to clean up and look after our network.”

Prices for mooring permits at Bramley Falls have yet to be announced.

To register interest in a berth, go to watersidemooring-london.com or for more on the Canal And River Trust, go to canalrivertrust.org.uk

Image by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

GIG | DJs, Live Performers, Jazz Head up to Bokan for DJs, live gigs and jazz on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays respectively.

Entertainment is free when dining or drinking.

Fri, Sat, Sun, times vary, free, bokanlondon.co.uk

to do before August 28

Pop down to the increasingly popular Wednesday night jazz sessions at Trinity Buoy Wharf. Next up is saxophonist Dave O’Higgins who plays the fairy light-lit venue on August 21 from 6pm. Tickets £12.50 trinitybuoywharf.com

spot check Occasionally overlooked, Hazev Bar on South Quay is a cool dockside joint hazev.com want more? @wharflifelive

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

by Rachel Endley

P

erched on the banks of the Thames, Surrey Docks Farm sits in the shadow of Canary Wharf’s skyscrapers. For the past 33 years it’s been located on a Rotherhithe site that’s seen use as a ship building yard for the East India Company and the Royal Navy, a quarantine site for smallpox victims and a Second orld ar fire station.

It’s seen its fair share of drama over that time including an arson attack that badly damaged a tower overlooking the water 10 years ago and, more recently, when the theft of 11 two-week-old piglets from their mothers hit the headlines last year.

Now, however, the farm is looking to the future and, after securing a new 35-year lease, it is set to grow with work underway to restore the fire-damaged tower.

Development work – which is expected to be finished by the end of the year – will deliver a new farm kitchen an office and a community space with river views.

Farm manager Gemma Hooper said: “I’m particularly excited about the kitchen space, which will enable us to use far more of our own produce to educate and excite a wide range of people to gain cooking skills and really engage with where their food comes from.

“We’re now part of Southwark Food Action Alliance and are exploring links with food banks and community groups who could also make use of this new space.

“While the new development will be used for schools and community groups for the majority of the week, we hope that when it’s not in demand we can rent out rooms for things such as meetings, children’s birthday parties and corporate events so we can bring in a regular income for the farm that helps keep entry free well into the future. “ he financial challenges continue to grow as costs increase, on-site donations are decrease as people tend not to carry cash and grants are more and more in demand.”

As the farm steers a course to the future, I’ve taken a look at its

“

The financial challenges continue to grow as costs increase, on-site donations decrease and grants are more and more in demand Gemma Hooper, Surrey Quays Farm

free

Cost of visiting Surrey Docks Farm, although donations are always appreciated

farm over on the

As it looks to the future, we take a glance at the Rotherhithe site’s dramatic past

Recent images by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

the swine

how Surrey Docks Farm is recovering from the theft of 11 piglets – half of two separate litters – in 2018 It is nearly a year since the devastating loss of 11 piglets that were stolen from the farm overnight on September 15, 2018.

Farm staff sent out a desperate plea for the two-week-old piglets to be returned as they feared they would not survive without their mums. The sad incident was made even stranger by the fact only half of each litter was stolen from each sow – Winnie and Marmalade – and the thief managed to avoid alerting

neighbours. Nearly a year on, anyone visiting the farm will see there is a new littler of piglets, born to Marmalade on May 1, now protected by beefed-up security.

Gemma said the farm planned to breed from Winnie again and have one more litter a little later this year. She added: “We’re extremely grateful for all the public support following the theft of the two-week old piglets. Thanks to the generous donations we have increased security around the pig pens.”

history. It started life in nearby Greenland Dock in 1975 as a place to grow food crops for the community who were struggling to make ends meet after the docks closed.

In 1986 the animals were paraded along the river front – commemorated by the bronze statues you can see at the front of the farm – to their new home – formerly known as South Wharf.

From the 1740s until around 1820 this site was part of one of the largest shipyards in Rotherhithe, where around 100 ships were built.

As shipbuilding began to move out of Rotherhithe the disused site became a timber yard for around 60 years from the 1820s to 1880s.

In a de astating fire ripped through two acres of wood stacked 70-80 feet high, taking with it all

Some of the piglets from Marmalade’s current litter

the buildings on the site, six barges moored at the wharf and several houses and large buildings nearby. he fire e en spread across the Thames to a ship in Limehouse and up to a rope makers in illwall thanks to fierce winds blowing its sparks over the river.

Thankfully there were no casualties – human or animal – as the wharf’s 14 horses were let out

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

41

Rotherhithe - Bermondsey - Deptford

Long history: Images from the farm’s past

14 days later

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11 where?

The Albany Deptford

EVENT | Lewisham Homes Garden Party Music, dance, family theatre and recognition of the housing association’s residents. Expect sounds from the likes of Jack Patchett and Jay Johnson.

Aug 31, 1pm-4pm, free, thealbany.org.uk

The farm produces cows,

where?

Deptford Cinema Deptford

pigs, sheep and goats

Bronze animals marking the move to South Wharf

reasons to visit

attractions and forthcoming events ● Get involved In the holidays the volunteer team will be offering meet the small animal sessions for a small donation of £1 per person. Alternatively, join the Farm Holiday Club for 8-13 year olds on Fridays ● Harvest Festival The annual harvest celebration on September 7, from 11am-4pm, offers visitors the chance to play traditional games with a veggie twist (butternut squash skittles anyone?), enjoy a BBQ in the field, sample fresh bread baked in our wood oven ● Something just for adults...

The Farm has just launched a new five-year project Putting Down Roots In Rotherhithe, thanks to funding from the City of London Corporation’s charitable City Bridge Trust. The project is focused on food growing and gardening for local adults both at the Farm and through community outreach in the borough. A programme of workshops has started this summer including Urban Food Growing and Bee Keeping with more to come. Go to the farm’s website for more details on how to take part

of their stables and galloped away. he origin of the fire was found to be a nearby home’s soot-filled chimney which caught fire and blew into the timber yard.

In 1884 the Metropolitan sylums oard started to use the site as a receiving and assessment centre for its i er mbulance Service. team would transfer smallpox and fever patients (and from 1913, patients with scarlet fever and diphtheria) to isolation hospitals that had been set up on huge ships on the river in Gravesend, Kent. his building which is now the blacksmith’s forge, was where patients would be dropped off – although initially it was lacking one wall, enabling nosey neighbours to peer in at patients and sometimes catch diseases as a result. any people were uneasy about ha ing the centre there and staff were shunned forcing them to li e on site.

B

y the s the uxiliary Fire Service was sharing the site with the then scaled-down smallpox receiving station for obser ing suspected smallpox cases before transporting them by road. uring the econd orld ar though much of it was obliterated along with the ma ority of urrey ocks during hea y bombing raids the ire er ice continued to use outh harf and it was acti e until when it was abandoned. y all the buildings on the site – except the forge – had been destroyed and the war-damaged pier which had been used by the smallpox centre was gone. he site lay abandoned for several years, before being used as a sawmill

and timber yard in the s and as a lorry park and for shipping container storage in the 1970s. y the s the site was being eyed up for ri erside ats but instead became home to some furry and feathered occupants.

Started by one resident in the s in the disused urrey ommercial ocks – now Greenland ock – the farm needed a permanent home by the 1980s as it had grown in popularity.

Fast forward to 2019 and Gemma said she was proud to run a proper working farm – producing pork lamb, goat and occasionally beef and selling chicken and duck eggs and seasonal fruit and egetables. he added “ e’re ery keen to encourage people to think about where their food comes from, to reduce food miles and also to think about the amount of meat they are eating and ensure this has come from high welfare farms. “ he best thing about working here for me is the real community spirit and alue this place holds for so many. lus the ariety – working with people and animals never gets boring and there are always new opportunities and challenges. “ e’re a small team and all muck in together to get things done. One memorable and contrasting day started by giving a presentation in a very smart anary harf boardroom to raise awareness and sponsorship for the farm.

“I then returned to the farm to find the bins hadn’t been collected and it was mid-summer so one had spilled open with maggots crawling out on the path and needed clearing up. o I got a broom and went from a boardroom to the bins within an hour.”

Go to surreydocksfarm.org.uk

SCREEN | Days Of Heaven See Terence Malick’s screen poem about life in America. Richard Gere and Brooke Adams star in this tale of love, murder and cinematic beauty.

Sept 7, 5pm, £6.50, deptfordcinema.org where?

City Of Lonfon Academy Bermondsey

TRY | Muay Thai Aerobic Fitness Workout Super heavyweight kickboxing champion Daniel Sam hosts a day of Muay Thai-themed fitness workouts, family fun, massage and physio.

Sept 7, 10am-3pm, £5, dynamovement.co.uk

to do before August 28

Book into Printworks in Rotherhithe for The Hydra August Bank Holiday featuring the likes of Nils Frahm, Jeff Mills and Carl Craig from August 23-24. Single day tickets to the celebration of London’s diversity cost £22.50 printworkslondon.co.uk

spot check worth a visit Visit the APT Gallery for an unexpected selection of art and creativity aptstudios.org want more? @wharflifelive

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

£5.50

by Jon Massey

14 days later

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11 where?

Indigo At The O2 Peninsula

GIG | Felabration UK The celebration of African music icon Fela Anikulap Kuti hits the UK, spearheaded by his daughter and featuring a plethora of Nigerian artists.

Aug 30, 6pm, from £63, theo2.co.uk where?

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | A Disappearing Act Attend a memorial service for a deceased magician.

This magic act, comedy and musical show asks how we want to be remembered. Limited capacity.

Sept 9-10, times vary, £16, greenwichtheatre.org.uk where?

Peninsula Square Peninsula

EVENT | Sample The pop-up market returns for Autumn with its blend of designers, makers, crafts, food and up-and-coming DJs. Curated by Wayne and Geraldine Hemingway.

Sept 7, 11am-7pm, free, greenwichpeninsula.co.uk

to do before Aug 28

Free festival (for jazz purists, according to the billing) Jazz On The Peninsula takes over The Tide from 1pm-7pm on August 17 and 18. Expect the usual mix of performances, workshops and street food greenwichpeninsula.co.uk

spot check one to try There’s something fun and pleasant about Bianco 43’s upstairs downstairs vibe bianco43.com want more? @wharflifelive

Cost of a pork and duck sausage roll at the Admiral Hardy (with date ketchup, naturally)

B

onhomie is the word for James Watson. The joint CEO of Mosaic Pub And Dining, which recently reopened The Admiral Hardy in the north-east corner of Greenwich Market, exudes a chaotic charm and lightness (he hasn’t informed the manager we’re coming), underwritten by the solid concrete foundation of a life spent in the watering hole industry.

Following a full interior refurbishment, the core operation is in full swing with tables in the market, beer in the taps and food available. Within a matter of weeks, Mosaic expects to add rooms to rent upstairs as part of its ongoing redevelopment of Clarence Hall, which itself is being reconditioned as a function space available both for private hire and landlord Greenwich Hospital’s community events.

For James the acquisition of the site has more resonance than pure commercial ambition. He has links to 10 generations of Watsons in Charlton and his grandfather used to work at the National Maritime usuem. It’s also not the first toe Mosaic has dipped into Greenwich, which already operates The Oystercatcher at New Capital Quay.

“We want to be here for a long time and be part of the community and give people the pub they want as well as to be a good resource for tourists,” said James.

“Greenwich is a special place. It has survived and kept its identity and it’s still relati ely cut off from London – just far enough away that it hasn’t been consumed and lost touch with reality. It’s fantastic.

“What we’re always trying to be is the best pub in your local area. The Admiral Hardy is traditional.

You come to our door, you’ll get a friendly welcome – the navigation is pretty straightforward, through the main door and straight to the bar. “ he bar staff will be attentive, ask if you want to eat something, you’ll order your drink, and then you have a choice of two areas inside to go to.

“There are also 40 covers

James Watson is keen for Mosaic’s latest pub in Greenwich to serve its community

The Admiral Hardy’s main bar is all leather upholstery, brass and wood

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43

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

“

Greenwich is a special place. It has survived and kept its identity and it’s still relatively cut off from London – just far enough away James Watson, Mosaic

outside, so you have the opportunity to go out there first come first ser ed basically filling in the square of the pub.

“We envisage a mixture of customers, mainly tourists and locals, coming in and having a quick sandwich, possibly not drinking at lunchtime, because fewer people do that now. For us the challenge will be to build up the evening trade when the tourists have gone home and it will be more about the locals.

“I know this pub has got a rich music history, so we’re keen to explore that with bands – I love going to gigs – and I think that will work very well here, because it has that heritage. Greenwich has a lot of quirky places, we’re more conservative so we hope to add a bit more colour with the bands.

“The manager, Dave Hay, has a good pedigree with Fuller’s and Young’s, two premium operators.

The job he does these days is not so much about serving pints or food, but more of a charm offensi e and being strategic.”

U

derpinning his efforts will be a wide selection of drinks and a menu packed with pub classics as well as a few more unusual options. It’s notable, for example, that topping the list of mains is an halloumi and avocado burger, served with chips for £11, pushing the likes of beef and ale pie and cumberland sausage ring further down the list.

“We’ve grown up believing that the best pub sells a premium and varied range of drinks and really good food, appealing to all those strands of people that you want to have inside.” said James.

“Our menu has relatively traditional dishes but it’s great to give people choice. For example, we’ve got a duck and pork sausage roll, which looks a bit quirky, so maybe someone will try it once and see what happens.

“I think there’s plenty of interest there – a comforting pub menu with a few interesting things on it.

“We really aim to become part of the community and we really invest in that, and hopefully that’s a mutual process.

“My favourite pub is probably my local back in Bromley, where I worked behind the bar when I was a student.

“Everyone was in there, from the local solicitor to the builder and everyone in between – a really great mix of people and that was to the pub’s credit. People were able to co-exist in that great experience.

“We will look at every site and say there are probably fi e different types of customers – people who live locally, tourists, workers, students and shoppers.

“Greenwich is arguably one of the few places where all of those exist in quite good numbers. We can ob iously see the benefits of the cookie cutter thing from the outside looking in, and people do very well from that.

“But our model is a higher gross margin and hopefully offering people a bit more.”

While other Mosaic sites boast the likes of Sky connections, a distillery and a micro brewery, the variations are always guided by the specific location.

Located at the heart of a tourist hotspot and within easy reach of Canary Wharf, it’s perhaps little surprise then that hotel rooms and function space are soon to open at The Admiral Hardy.

“We spent a long time securing the site because we really wanted it and finally signed the paperwork

The Admiral Hardy sits beside the entrance to Greenwich Market, which is below Clarence Hall

pub rebirth of a

for the town

the Admiral Hardy stakes its claim to the north-east corner of Greenwich Market, serving drinks food and rooms

it’s a space that could easily form in February this year,” said James. the centrepiece of a whole-venue “The pub had been closed for wedding offering or as a place to something like 18 months, so host gigs or even classical concerts we’ve put in everything new – given its proximity to the Trinity structurally not so much, the body Laban Conservatoire Of Music is still the same – but all of the And Dance at the Old Royal Naval interior decoration, furniture and College. all the barwork is new. It’s kind of osaic’s astute fit-out of the pub a two-phase fit-out. proper certainly lifts a corner of “ he first stage is to get the pub the market and brushes away the up and running, and we’ve got dust. The company has provided seven rooms upstairs that will be all the infrastructure necessary hotel rooms. for success, a welcoming, friendly “We envisage a mixture of environment of leather upholstery, holidaymakers and business brass and wood. people – hopefully the latter will And the inclusion of rooms stay with us during the week and tourists at the weekend. should give the place a “We will be sharing constant stream of the large function activity, morning room with Greennoon and night wich Hospital, in addition to who have been the regular great to work patrons who will with. doubtless arrive as it re-estab“They will be doing some lishes itself at community-based one of the main stuff and we’re gateways to the very happy with market. That’s The pub’s that – a great resource a process that for there which will be James, can’t happen upper room helpful to residents. soon enough.

He said: “These things do take “The market looks immaculate a few months to feel like they’re and it’s a good thing for us – it’s lived in. At the moment it feels really important to get on well a bit museum-esque – but get a with your neighbours in this few functions in here and a little business.” bit of gentle wear and tear, a few While the upstairs room and bar scratches on the paintwork and a offer punters space for celebrations bit of patina on the bar and it’ll be such as birthday parties, the perfect – a bit of not too shabby refurbishment of Clarence Hall chic.” gives Mosaic further commercial It’s almost as if, by going for a clout in addition to its community pint or two, you’d be doing The function.

Admiral Hardy a favour.

Complete with vaulted ceiling For more information go to and a mezzanine that could act as admiralhardygreenwich.co.uk a 21st century minstrels gallery, Images by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

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Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

Advertising Directory - Acknowledgements

find our advertisers’ messages here Chase Evans print Pages 1, 22-23 online chaseevans.co.uk

L&Q print Page 21 online thamesstreet.co.uk

The Gun print Page 3 online thegundocklands.com

Berkeley Homes print Pages 24-25 online berkeleygroup.co.uk

Kidd Rapinet print Pages 4, 15, 28 online kiddrapinet.co.uk

Notting Hill Genesis print Page 27, 31 online nhgsales.com

Capeesh print Page 5 online capeesh.co.uk

Southern Homes print Page 29 online bowrivervillage.co.uk

Join The Docks print Page 7 online royaldocks.london

Galliard Homes print Page 34 online galliardhomes.com

Greenwich Market print Page 8 online greenwichmarket.london Rum And Sugar print Page 11 online rumandsugar.co.uk Vantage Properties And Management print Page 20 online vantage-uk.com

be part of the Canary Wharf conversation To advertise in Wharf Life call 07944 000 144 or email advertising@wharf-life.com

without these people, Wharf Life would not have been possible Graeme Bellenger, John Garwood, Jon Dyer, David Galman, Natasha Maddison, David Campbell, Matt Grayson, Kerry Hill, Stephanie Massey, Sarah Leaman, Steve Grieg, Phil Wetz, Camille Waxer, Lucy Merritt, James Vellacott, Lyndon Nunn, Camilla Maddison, Philip Wild, Michelle Vellacott, Andy Shaw, Andrew Scott, Paula Voong, Nadia Maddison, Gary Pring, Edwin Chiu, Annamaria Maddison, Mike Televantou, Chris Ezekiel, Steve Askari, Michael Massey, Andy Shrimplin, Gooch Heer, Rudy Wong, Nick Preston, Steven Herd, David Massey, Ian Li, Andrew Brown, Jean Paul Toerien, Mark May, Ranald Macdonald, Mustafa Topkaya, Simon Spann, Enza Capodici, Mathew Heaton, Kim Wiper, Sophie Watt, Louise Howell, Victor Huang, Phillip Maddison, Spencer Fortag, Dan Smith, Richard Carroll, Randeep Thethy, Toby Wilson, Joel Rayney, Lana Marshall, Olivia Curle, Laura Warren, Rebecca Wood, Maria Tognarelli

thank you Jess Maddison co-founder and commercial director Jon Massey co-founder and editorial director

@wharflifelive

Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited, printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge and distributed by Willis News Distribution. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2019

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

45

Canning Town - Royal Docks

£10

Typical price for a pizza, although Margheritas are available for £8.50

We stop by Heroica Lounge in Royal Docks on a sweltering

14 days later

day for some serious food

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11

including this piccante

where?

RAD London Royal Albert Dock

top

what lies on

where?

Outside The Crystal Royal Victoria Dock

DANCE | Guru Dudu Silent Disco Tours Dance-walk in the Royal Docks with a commentary from a grooving guide and uplifting tunes from the 1970s-2000s. Booking essential due to limited space.

Sept 7, 14, 21, times vary, free, royaldocks.london

by Jon Massey

S

tretch out some dough, smear some bashed up tomatoes on top, add a little cheese and thrust into a blisteringly hot oven until ready. Slice and serve. For such a simple dish, pizza exerts an incredible pull on diners across the globe – apparently 13% of the USA’s population aged two or over consume a version of it on any given day.

Its origin and, crucially, where to find the best, are hotly disputed topics. But for those in Royal Docks, help is at hand.

They need look no further than Heroica Lounge – a converted bus parked on the edge of Royal Victoria Dock. With a brightly painted chameleon now adorning its pillar box-red exterior, a pergola protecting its open top deck from the elements and a picket fence marking out its area of service on the quayside, it’s an inviting site.

My companions and I visit on

Heroica’s truffle pizza

GIG | EFG London Jazz Festival ABP London’s scheme will play host to the first outdoor event in the festival’s history. Expect sets from Kinetika Boco and Urban Flames. Nice.

Aug 31, noon-7.30pm, free, royaldocks.london

where?

RA Fold Canning Town

GIG | HTRK The Australian band hit the UK off the back of their latest album, set for release in August. Support comes from Ossia, Anika and Trevor Jackson.

Sept 6, 9pm, from £15, residentadvisor.net Heroica Lounge is based on a disused bus at Royal Victoria Dock the hottest day since records began, taking refuge beside one of its chunky wheels.

With no tap water available (a shock with temperatures the way they are) we’re forced to rely on other refreshment, which arrives swiftly. I order a well-priced piccante to eat for £10 and am a little surprised when the waitress attempts persistently to upsell me an nduja instead for a quid more. Perhaps it’s the heat.

Having stuck with my desire, a wide silver plate arrives complete with doughy crust and a sizzling display of spicy salami, chilli flakes, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil. The heat’s getting to everyone. Behind me a couple launch into a lengthy, sweary discourse on their relationship and its many faults.

But I don’t care. My world is

all spice, heat and the delightful goo of the topping.

And my companions are no worse off. Saltimbocca (also £10) is a fresh hit of cherry toms, rocket and Parmesan presented as a sort of sandwich.

Just across the table, however, sits arguably the highlight of our visit. A white pizza (£12) with truffle sauce, Parmesan, Italian sausage, mushrooms and olive oil, it proves a rich, luxurious dish.

As we left for a swift half of local craft beer from Husk Brewery at the excellent Oiler Bar round the corner of the water, the couple were just ordering a second round of drinks and agreeing they actually liked each other quite a lot. What other than good pizza could have such an effect?

Go to heroicalounge.com

coming up

For those who like their dates planned well in advance, block out October 10-13 for New Scientist Live at Excel. Expect activities for all ages, a stunning line-up of speakers and Friday Night Lates. Prices vary live.newscientist.com

spot check worth a visit Visit Yi Ban at the London Regatta Centre in Royal Albert Dock for Chinese yi-ban.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

46

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

transform the power to

a blank canvas

how International Quarter London is delivering for visitors and companies alike in Stratford

by Jon Massey

I

nternational Quarter London (IQL) is the very essence of smart development.

The joint venture between Australian developer Lendlease and London And Continental Railways is located on the corridor of land separating estfield tratford City from both the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the forthcoming East Bank scheme.

Already establishing itself as the gateway to the former, it will doubtless play a similar role for the latter when the likes of adler’s ells the and he mithsonian mo e in.

The development is a blend of residential properties, commercial office space and retail units due for completion in 2025.

We sat down with Lendlease IQL project director Andrew Tobin to talk fresh air, the tactility of wood and what the future holds for the tratford site. tanding on the th oor of ne estfield enue we watch as workmen manoeuvre timber sections into position as they construct the site’s latest attraction.

“The Pavilion is going to be small in scale compared to the other buildings, but it is the main place-making building,” said ndrew. “It’s going to frame the main s uare and it’s o er three le els – a ground oor which has a visitor centre for the whole of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a cafe attached and a restaurant on the sunny south side a first oor with another restaurant and a roof with a bar that will be open to the public. “ hat you’ll notice is that it’s timber construction. he building is located across the top of the railway line, with a tunnel underneath and wood is a lot lighter – it’s also a lot more sustainable as a product.

“It’s brought in from ustria

IQL has just opened its shared office space Workable on the 19th floor of One Westfield Avenue Views like these: Andrew believes those moving to IQL will get an experience that’s ‘quite unheard of’

from forests that are replenished, particularly for the purpose of building. It’s low in body carbon and is probably the most sustainable building product.

“Both the columns and the beams are glue-laminated timber, to give it size and strength while the oor areas are cross-laminated timber – a little bit like plywood. It’s all pre-fabricated in the factory before it’s brought here so, not only is it light and sustainable it’s also uick to build, clean and not noisy.

“Lendlease is a big advocate for timber construction – we ha e a number of timber office buildings that we’ e completed and they have been really well received. People in those offices like to touch and feel the columns in their space.

“It’s a natural product – while I have no particular desire to touch glass or steel, people are drawn to go up and touch timber. It’s a warm material.” nce finished later this year The Pavilion will also provide theatre-style seating for performances in ndea our uare in a design intended to attract the public to IQL.

“When there are no big events at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic ark what we’d like to do is activate the space in a similar way to what we’re doing this year with our ummer creen programme around the corner,” said Andrew.

“Everything we do is all about bringing people in, not only those who work and live here, but also others from around the community and other organisations that form part of the local area.

“It’s absolutely important to do that to make IQL a place where people want to come rather than only to work. We are constantly thinking about how we can improve on and adapt what’s already here.

“In the master plan we want to introduce more leisure space, so in the next commercial office building to be built we’re going to have a cinema on its podium level to draw people in, not only during the day, but also in the evenings. “ here’s always going to be a large footfall of people coming to this area due to the park, this development, University ollege ondon’s campus and e erything else that’s happening here. hen it’s built there will be two ways to access East ank from estfield – typically people will go through our development.

“We want the space that we’ e created where they come through, to be somewhere where they’ll stop and dwell on their way to and from those attractions.”

Outlets such as established ramen purveyor Tonkotsu and tratford-born independent bakery ignorelli will play to that market as well as making IQL an even greater draw for companies considering relocation to the district. With Unicef UK and the Financial Conduct Authority already in place, and Cancer Research UK and the

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

47

Stratford - Bow

12

Buildings set to be constructed as part of the IQL South masterplan with a further three on a separate site

IQL is a £2.4billion project to develop a corridor of land between Westfield Stratford City and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with completion due in 2025

“

We’ve been able to take our expertise in developing offices and bring all the things we’ve had success with globally to one location

14 days later

plan your life from Aug 28-Sept 11 where?

Pitch Stratford

Andrew Tobin, Lendlease

Images by Holly Cant - find more of her work at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta

British Council soon to arrive, the development’s clever blend has already proven attractive – a result Andrew puts down to the quality of the scheme.

“Very rarely in London do you get a blank canvas, where you’ve got a complete, considered masterplan for development,” he said. “We’ve been able to take our expertise in developing offices around the world come here with a clean slate, and bring all the things we’ve had success with globally to one location.

“You’ve got the place, you’ve got the product – with buildings that include things like 100% fresh air ventilation systems, stairs between levels exposed by glass walls to encourage people to walk between oors and fullheight glazing to make the most of the views – and then you’ve got this emerging precinct that’s very well connected.

“We have had many surveys, both through ourselves and also through the tenants that are already here and I think you’ll find the experience people ha e here is quite unheard of.”

In addition to the big oorplate spaces of Rogers Stirk Harbour nd artners’ ne estfield Avenue and Two Redman Place, IQL is also looking to the future having recently opened a shared office space on the th oor of the former, complete with upside down plants and a social enterprise cafe by Change Please, which works with homeless people to train them as baristas.

“One of the things that we want to do is to increase the diversity of people who want to use the IQL community,” said ndrew. “ ecause these buildings are suitable for occupancy by large tenants, we wanted a space where some of the smaller organisations and small-tomedium enterprises could come and be part of us as well. That’s one of the drivers for Workable.

“It’s also a location where people who are our partners can host events – a shared space where people can work and where we can showcase what we’re doing right now – what the buildings are and the broader Stratford story.”

Go to internationalquarter.london for more information

FILM | The Fifth Element See Bruce Willis and Milla Jovovich in a surreal sci-fi tale featuring a star turn from Deptford’s own Gary Oldman as Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg.

Aug 28, 7.30pm, £10, pitchstratford.com where?

London Aquatics Centre Stratford

EVENT | World Para Swimming Championships See stars such as GB gold medallists Mikey Jones and Ellie Simmonds take on the best in the world at this key qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Sept 9-15, times vary, £5, britishswimming.org where?

International Quarter London Stratford

FILM | Lego Family Day Head to IQL’s The Spark for a day of workshops, entertainment and a showing of The Lego Movie 2 on the district’s Summer Screen at noon.

Sept 7, 11am-4pm, free, internationalquarter.london

to do before August 28

The auditorium may be closed but Theatre Royal Stratford East is hosting a Bottomless Brunch with London-based drag queen Cookie MonStar at the helm on August 25.

From £25 for two hours, from 2pm stratfordeast.com

spot check try this place out Visit the Cody Dock Cafe on the River Lea, part of the Cody Dock’s regeneration @codydockcafe1 on Twitter want more? @wharflifelive

48

Wharf Life Aug 14-28, 2019 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Very Hard

Previous solution - Tough

7 2 1 9 5 3 4 6 8 Sudoku 9 a8break 4 from 6 2 that 1 phone 3 7 5 Take 6 3 5 8 4 7 9 2 1 How 2 to1 play 6 7 9 5 8 3 4 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 8 such 1 that 3 2each 6 row, 5 9column and 3x3 box one4to7nine contains every number uniquely.

3 5 9 4 8 6 2 1 7 9 find 3 strategies, 2 7 8 hints 1 4and6tips online You5can at sudokuwiki.org 8 6 2 5 1 4 7 9 3 1 to 4 play 7 3 6 9 5 8 2 More

5 8

2 6 3

4 5

1 6

2

3

8 3 7

9 1

9

You can find more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection ofTo others available in apps and books at str8ts.com. This complete Sudoku, fill the board Sudoku is supplied by Syndicated Puzzles. by entering numbers 1 to 9 such

4 4

7

2 6

that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

Notes

© 2018 Syndicated Puzzles

9

7

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com

crossword Down

1.

2.

9.

10.

11.

13.

14.

16.

18.

19.

20.

21. .

Chance to work towards harbour agreement (11) Leading vehicle (3) Cause to blush, perhaps – bears arms in a way (9) The correct political wing? (5) Look at the chopper that is returned – it belongs to me (7) A pre-eminent leader of revolt (6) Sailor to obtain his aim (6) Speech reveals where one comes from (7) Yeast made up to now (2,3) Petulant shooting? (5-4) Exclamation which may go with bill (3) urrent affairs circulars for landlords from all quarters? (11)

Notes

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

12.

15.

17.

19.

21.

It has point and makes sin spin (3) Above letter not concealed (5) Commemorative stone of battle (6) Ran Ivan as perfect state (7) Afternoon meal taken one by one isn’t to be taken seriously (9) Excess causes one to lose one’s equilibrium (11) In no state to make a show... (11) ...or a design on a magnificent scale Folds in which there would be extensions (7) Aim at a steeple (6) Beer is right for keeping one wide awake (5) Dog needs tail to shorten (3)

Quick Across 1.

9.

10.

11.

13.

14.

16.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

Praise (11) Have (3) Watch (9) Relieved (5) Excites (7) Numbness (6) A fabric (6) Vie (7) Clan symbol (5) Carriage (9) Prohibit (3) Weather science (11)

Down 2.

3.

4.

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6.

7.

8.

12.

15.

17.

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21.

Write (3) Assessed (5) Lament (6) First-rate (3,4) Fail to stop at (9) Homeliness (11) Dimension (11) Melee (9) Superintend (7) Diversion (6) Sum (5) Morass (3)

Across: 1 Approbation; 9 Own; 10 Timepiece; 11 Eased; 13 Arouses; 14 Torpor; 16 Velour; 18 Compete; 19 Totem; 20 Transport; 21 Ban; 22 Meteorology.

Down: 2 Pen; 3 Rated; 4 Bemoan; 5 Top-hole; 6 Overshoot; 7 Domesticity; 8 Measurement; 12 Scrimmage; 15 Oversee; 17 Detour; 19 Total; 21 Bog.

Across

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

Cryptic Solution

Cryptic

beating the

Across: 1 Opportunity; 9 Van; 10 Embarrass; 11 Right; 13 Examine; 14 Anarch; 16 Target; 18 Address; 19 As yet; 20 Cross-fire; 21 Coo; 22 Newsletters.

Down: 2 Pin; 3 Overt; 4 Tablet; 5 Nirvana; 6 Teasingly; 7 Overbalance; 8 Ostentation; 12 Grandiose; 15 Creases; 17 Aspire; 19 Alert; 21 Cur.

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Quick Solution

No. 826