Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1 by wharf-life

Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

+ Chris Ezekiel on the vital part meeting people in the flesh plays in business Page 10

move initiative to

Twin sisters Kristina and Sade Alleyne will perform Bonded in the Westferry Circus roundabout as part of Dancing City

how Canary Wharf is set once again to be transformed into a vast theatre of expression as Dancing City spreads across the estate Pages 8-9

inside issue 45

Six By Nico - Yole - London: Port City One Park Drive - Aberfeldy Village David Galman - Wapping Wicks - Colouring-in The Waiting Room - Cemetery Club University Of Sunderland In London Astronomy Photographer Of The Year Abbey Quay - Charlie Tymms Natasha Maddison - Puzzles

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

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Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

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feast your eyes on these

four focus

support your local institutions Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

GIG | Albert Lee The guitarist, singer and songwriter, who has worked with the likes of Glen Campbell, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson makes his return to Boisdale. Sept 13, 9.30pm, from £39 (show only), boisdale.co.uk

Welcome to the latest issue of Wharf Life. As the estate gets busier and busier, big events return and occasional bursts of sunshine burst through the grey of summer, there are plenty of things to look forward to including Dancing City across the Wharf. Keep supporting local business

dates

The joy of six as Nico Simeone opens up his tasting menu venue

London: Port City Museum Of London Docklands

Where? Canada Square Canary Wharf

FILM | Movie Nights Enjoy some cinematic favourites amid the towers with screenings of Mamma Mia! on Sept 7, Top Gun on Sept 14 and The Greatest Showman on Sept 21. Sept 7, 14, 21, 7pm, free, canarywharf.com Where? Across The Estate Canary Wharf

ART | On The Other Hand Contemporary art gallery Brooke Bennington and Canary Wharf Group have teamed up to present work by 15 artists exploring revival and value. Aug 26-Nov 12, daily, free, canarywharf.com

booking time

10 The exhibition draws heavily on the Port Of London Authority archive The Museum Of London Docklands is gearing up for a major exhibition. London: Port City is set to run from October 22 to May 8 next year and will explore the ongoing impact of the Port Of London on the capital. Held in partnership with the Port Of London Authority and tracing more than 200 years of history, the exhibition aims to present a nuanced picture of the way the port has and continues to connect the city to the rest of the world. It promises an experience peppered with stories, major operations, absorbing characters and pivotal moments, while also exploring the port’s role in the history of the British Empire. Go to museumoflondon.org.uk

London: Port City promises a visit peppered with stories and characters

Scan this code to find out all you need to know about the tournament or to buy tickets online want more? @wharflifelive

A lockdown passion and a business venture with Wapping Wicks

the joy of six Every issue Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 29

Scan this code to find out more about the exhibition or to book free timed tickets

The Canary Wharf Squash Classic – postponed from March due to the pandemic – is now set to take place from November 14-19 with six days of world-class action. Tickets for seats around the glass court typically sell out, so book now canarywharfsquash.com

Sweetness without the sugar as Yole opens its doors on the Wharf

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get more for less in and around the Wharf

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Steak lovers will rejoice in news that Hawksmoor is set to take one of the two floating restaurant spaces off Wood Wharf’s Water Street with an opening expected before Christmas. Expect a 150-cover restaurant and a 120-cover bar for dockside conviviality thehawksmoor.com

38 Looking for a new, approved used or ex-demo Jaguar or a Land Rover? Canary Wharf is set to welcome dealership Rockar to One Canada Square as it relocates from Westfield Stratford City. Expect test drives and a bestprice, haggle-free zone rockar.com

Wharf Kitchen-based Bird has announced its Eat Out We’ll Help Out scheme is offering a fifth off food ordered in person at the counter until August 31 birdrestaurants.com

Sheldon K Goodman talks touring graves in Tower Hamlets

scan 36

Meet the maker – Charlie Tymms creates all sorts of puppets, most recently some dinosaurs for an appearance on the stage, from her base at Royal Albert Wharf

Why you need The Waiting Room’s vegan dog inside you

Businesses across the Canary Wharf estate are currently running a range of discounts – dig in

Find a wide range of offers online at canarywharf.com/exclusiveoffers or wave your phone over this code to view them instantly

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fomoffice noun, fake, from Latin

That feeling of anxiety that, while you have your feet up on your desk at home, everybody else is at work making connections, moaning about the boss and planning 6pm drinks at a bar just around the corner

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Canary Wharf

Tallulah Twist Me Tie Me Dress in Burgundy (ties in 15 styles) Monsoon, £99

Custommade suit Moss Bros, from £179

Feather Kitten-Heel Sandals Zara, £89.99

moira

noun, real, from Greek An individual’s fate or destiny, but where will yours take you? How will you ever find out if you shut yourself away and only communicate with the world remotely for the majority of your life? Go on, get out there...

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

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edding season is upon us – a little late this year, for obvious reasons, but couples can finally share their special day with unlimited family and friends. The pandemic has caused a huge backlog of weddings, with many having been postponed several times, so most UK venues are now at full capacity for the rest of 2021 and much of 2022. Naturally, we’re concerned with what to wear in this column and are fortunate to have many places to shop in Canary Wharf. Monsoon in Canada Square is a great port of call for wedding guest attire. It also has a Wedding Boutique section online with pieces exclusively designed in London including a stunning array of bridal gowns, bridesmaids and flower girl dresses, and also page boy outfits. There is even a category for mother of the bride and the fascinator selection is unrivalled. If a sharp suit is what you’re after, pay a visit to Moss Bros in Canada Place. The brand boasts of its 170 years of tailoring experience, and claims to provide in-depth knowledge and suiting expertise. There is a casual category, containing less formal shirts and chinos – perfect for a smaller summer wedding, or a celebration abroad if you’re lucky enough to be able to venture overseas. Emily Bag The real seller for the brand The Kooples, £325 is that it offers customers the ability to custom-make their own suit, ready in five weeks. Online this starts at £179 with options for fabric, buttons, fit, lining and more. If you seek a suit that no-one else will be wearing, and fancy yourself as a bit of a fashion designer, give it a go. The Kooples in Canada Place is another option for suiting, also housing a flurry of floral dresses perfect for a late August ceremony. Accessories-wise, the Emily leather handbag range is to die for, starting at £325 and available in a choice of pastel colours. Footwear should not be an afterthought, and there is plenty to be found at Zara in Cabot Place. I found the brand’s brightly coloured feather kitten heel sandals priced at £89.99 amusing and they’ll certainly stand out on the dance floor at the end of the night Natasha Maddison @pazzanatasha on Insta

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Have your say on proposed changes to the Congestion Charge Last year we made temporary changes to the Congestion Charge, which meant it operated until 22:00 each day. New proposals include reducing the hours of operation to between 07:00 and 18:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00 to 18:00 at weekends. The proposals would continue to help reduce traffic and congestion. This would improve London’s air quality. Other proposals include: • How much the charge would be • Discounts for residents living in the zone Consultation ends Wednesday 6 October 2021 To find out more and provide us with your views, please visit tfl.gov.uk/ccyourview

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

how Nico Simeone is aiming to charm Wharfers with an ever-changing tasting menu

Branches of Six By Nico spread across Glasgow, Belfast, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Fitzrovia and now Canary Wharf

by Jon Massey

here’s something new in Canary Wharf. The estate has played host to many different kinds of cuisine served at everything from fine-dining establishments to street food kiosks. There was even a place that only served steak frites. Six By Nico is different. Housed in a long, single-storey space in Chancellor Passage, opposite the Wharf’s Post Office, the venue is all dark finishes, dramatic lighting, plants in pots and banquettes decorated with antique maps of Docklands. But it’s the food that’s the contrast. All guests are served a six-course tasting menu, the content of which changes every six weeks. There’s a vegetarian variant, a few extra dishes to bulk things out if wanted and an optional wine flight, but that’s the bare bones of it. And it’s a model that works. Honed by Scottish head chef Nico Simeone in Glasgow, Canary Wharf is his eighth site in the UK as his brand expands. “It was all kind of an evolution,” said the softly spoken cook. “I left school and then just stumbled into kitchens. I’ve been really fortunate that I found my passion. “I just fell in love with it – that was bit of luck. From there I wanted to keep learning, work my way up in kitchens. I did that and then I was in the fortunate position where I was able to open a wee restaurant in Cleveden Road in Glasgow. “It was called La Famiglia – an Italian family-run restaurant and then I re-branded it as Simply Fish. “It probably spent about four years failing, to be honest – breaking even or losing money. “I’ve made so many mistakes over the years. It’s cost us lots of money in some cases, but nobody should be scared to do that – you’re always going to take hits and bumps along the road and you just have to keep moving forward in the hardest times. “I had one last roll of the dice and re-branded the restaurant as 111 By Nico. That was really the first time I’d put my personality in the food and we made tasting

appeal enduring six

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

menus work. Then another site came up in Glasgow in the Finneston area of the city and I grabbed it with both hands – spending a wee bit of money from the year we’d been trading, which was the first time I’d made a profit. “Then I came up with the idea – I asked the question: ‘Why can’t we just change what we cook every six weeks?’. It started with Italian, then French and just evolved into Six By Nico. “We serve a six-course tasting menu with the inspiration for it taken from a theme. “For example, we may want our dishes to evoke memory or a destination. Right now, for the first six weeks in Canary Wharf – until September 20 – we’re doing a menu called The Chippie. “My parents ran a fish and chip shop, so that’s a memory for me and all the flavours and courses through that menu are things I’d associate with that environment. “What we say is it’s a new story every six weeks. That’s something to look forward to. The downside is you can get something that’s so successful and popular and then you throw it in the bin, so we’re always trying to create and improve on the last theme. “We change the dishes eight times a year and, about four times a year, all the restaurants sync up, but London’s never done the New York menu, for example, which we know is good so it would be silly not to bring it here – we mix

“

I see a lot of places, but sometimes you go somewhere and you get that feeling – a gut instinct. I thought it was perfect Nico Simeone, Six By Nico

taste test

Six By Nico, Canary Wharf

Cheesey chips, Six By Nico-style. Inset, scampi The restaurant’s interior features antique maps of Docklands, exposed filament bulbs and plenty of plants in pots it up across the country. As far as working on new menus goes, I’ve been so fortunate – as the company’s grown we’ve been able to get talented people in, we have an amazing creative team. “We all sit down and come up with ideas constantly, we do tastings to tweak and improve things and that’s how we do it. “The Chippie starts off with chips and cheese – Parmesan, curry oil and a pressed potato terrine. It all finishes off with our take on a deep-fried Mars bar. “The main course is smoked sausage with a trio of pork smoked under a cloche with the flavours of celeriac and apple.” Nico said opening on the estate was simply down to visiting and getting a feel for the area. “We work with agents to find sites and somebody said there was an opportunity in Canary Wharf,” he said. “I see a lot of places, but sometimes you go somewhere and you get that feeling – a gut instinct.

“I loved the spot and spent some time going around the area. I thought it was perfect for the restaurant. “I don’t even know what’s coming after The Chippie on the Wharf yet – we don’t necessarily plan that far ahead. “The big thing about Six By Nico is that we try to work seasonally – we’d never do the Amalfi Coast that’s in the other venues in winter, for example. “I want people who come here to enjoy themselves, to have a good experience and be happy. “When I go to a restaurant I enjoy everything – the atmosphere, the staff, the team and the setting. “The vibes of a place are a big thing for me. With the team here we’re really customer-focused – everything is about that. “We don’t look at other businesses, we try to compete with ourselves to make us better.”

Scan this code for more info on Six By Nico at Canary Wharf

o, what’s eating at Six By Nico actually like? The first thing to be aware of is the price. The six courses are priced at £37 per head. Add the wine flight – for £33 – and aperitif for £7.50 and a snack to go with it for £5 and you’re looking at £82.50 plus service. The dishes arrive as perfect little morsels – Six is the sort of place that errs on the side of quality rather than quantity, so the ravenous will need the add-ons, one of which comes in the form of delicious hunks of sourdough. As for the main attractions, they’re well presented, with artful dabs of sauce here and a sprig of greenery there. It’s very much dining as theatre – each arrival preceded by a discussion of what might appear and then the excitement of hunting around the plates for the promised flavours. The Chippie turns out to be a complex homage to the flavours of Nico’s youth, refined well away from their genesis but nevertheless amusing. The scampi is crisp and rich, while the smoked sausage is more pork three ways than an improbably red saveloy and the chips and cheese, a gentle nod in the direction of the deep fat fryer rather than a full-on takeaway delight. But the restaurant is beautifully kitted out, dressed in golds and rich coppers that lift the whole experience – an engaging venue to tempt back the audience for the next performance. And a special mention should go to the steak pie – a smart, meaty delight of a course.

Filo canneloni with taramasalata and lemon gel

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

by Jon Massey Wild Canary Riverside, 45 minutes Motionhouse presents a daring piece of dance-circus that imagines an urban forest in the heart of Canary Wharf. Watch as the performers navigate a jungle of poles.

A Graceful Act Of Stupidity Wren Landing, 16 minutes Candoco Dance Company presents a tale of two flight attendants as they take on a journey that slips seamlessly between the everyday and the poetic.

A Doorstep Duet Jubilee Place Mall, 10 minutes New Adventures presents a series of pop-up dances as two everyday people are transported back in time and discover the joy of dance in different eras.

Gravitas Jubilee Park, 30 minutes This highly playful performance by Ofir Yudilevitch sees performers let gravity take charge as they interact with a giant, outdoor air mat.

he weekend of September 4 and 5 sees the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival once again takeover Canary Wharf’s public spaces for a barrage of performances. This year’s Dancing City, which runs from 1pm-5.30pm at various locations across the estate, will see nine different performances scheduled, featuring everything from a vertigo-inducing forest of poles to a giant air mat that allows performers to perform gravity-defying acrobatic feats. Bradley Hemmings, who founded the festival 26 years ago and continues to run it as artistic director said: “We had a wonderful reaction to Dancing City in 2020 even though we had to restrict audiences. “Since 2002 audiences have absolutely loved this part of the festival – nothing quite like it happens anywhere else in London. The piazzas, waterfronts and public spaces in Canary Wharf lend themselves so beautifully to that very European feeling of al fresco performance and dance, which is what Dancing City is all about. “This year there is a two-day programme, which feels really wonderful because it’s so packed that I think people will need to come back for a second day if they want to see it all. “It is just about possible to do it in one day, but far better to come twice and give yourself the chance to drop into the restaurants and bars – do it properly. “We have some wonderful companies from both this country and overseas and we’re very much looking forward to all of it. “There are some really surprising pieces of work – one from a company whose dancers perform on a giant inflatable air-mat, which is beautifully choreographed. “Then there is piece, called Bonded, which takes place on a rotating set. I always like to look at the environments we’re working in, to think about how the performances are responsive to the landscape and this is a very reflective duet, played between twin sisters. “We’re putting that in Westferry Circus, which obviously has that 360-degree feel to it. I’ve always felt it’s an oasis in Canary Wharf – London’s best kept roundabout. “Another performance I’m particularly excited about is by Gandini Juggling, which we have worked with over so

Scan this code for full details of Dancing City including performance times on the Wharf

The piazzas, waterfronts and public spaces in Canary Wharf lend themselves so beautifully to that very European feeling of al fresco performance and dance Bradley Hemmings, GDIF

the pure joys of

movement

why you need to clear two days in your diary for Greenwich + Docklands International Festival’s Dancing City across Canary Wharf

many years across many different sites. To call them jugglers is rather under-representing their skills. “The company’s piece Life has been inspired by the work of Merce Cunningham – an extraordinary American choreographer who has been influential perhaps beyond any other. It’s a chance to see this before it goes on a major tour. “Traditionally Dancing City has always been on a Saturday and by bringing things fully into the weekend we’re working to draw people onto the estate. “We’re part of the fabric of the place we’re working in, so a two-day intervention is really exciting for many people who aren’t aware of what Canary Wharf has to offer – there’s such a rich array of other things to do there, and it’s such a fantastically accessible environment as well. “We’ve had a lot of hard thinking about how to make the festival more accessible for deaf and disabled people over the years and one of the beauties of Canary Wharf is that it is one of the most accessible sites in London.” GDIF performances are set to take place across Docklands and east London from August 27 to September 11. A full programme of events can be found at festival.org

GDIF artistic director Bradley Hemmings

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

Performances to view over the Dancing City Weekend from September 4-5

Mayfly Upper Riverside Terrace, 16 minutes Kapow presents a piece exploring the fleeting ephemeral nature of life and how our survival is inextricably linked to our environment. Expect plenty of water.

Born To Protest Columbus Courtyard, 35 minutes Joseph Toonga and Just Dance Theatre present a work that dismantles preconceived ideas about black male and female figures to a Hip Hop beat and a voiceover.

Life Cubitt Steps, 20 minutes Gandini Juggling present a love letter to legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham by imaging that he might have created a piece for five jugglers.

Lance Moi En L’Air Jubilee Place Mall, 25 minutes Acrobatic dance duet Joli Vyann explore sensitivity and connection between two people. Expect acrobatic prowess to speak between two bodies joined together.

Bonded Westferry Circus, 30 minutes Twin sisters Kristina and Sade Alleyne perform on a striking, transparent stage as they explore dependency and how time can change and challenge relationships.

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

virtual viewpoint by Chris Ezekiel

This number of Yole branches Milad and Salman plan to open as they establish the brand in the UK

by Jon Massey

M No longer forbidden, but don’t forget to wash your hands or sanitise afterwards

s the world starts to reopen, face-to-face business meetings are slowly starting to happen again. Over the past 18 months, we got used to conducting our meetings via video. Humans, like all creatures, depend on face-to-face contact. We consciously and subconsciously pick up on facial expressions and body language, which isn’t the same on a screen. As a technology company, Creative Virtual was already well set up to work remotely, but when it comes to the sales process, building long term relationships, and strategy planning, face-to-face meetings are essential. I usually spend a lot of time travelling between the UK, Australia, the US, and a variety of places in between and I’ve been thinking about the impact the pandemic has had on businesses From the perspective in different places. Australia was all of Creative Virtual, about face-to-face business meetings, it’s great to have the while the US tended to option of holding conduct business more remotely, as often some of our meetings people are spread out. in person once again The UK fell somewhere in between. Chris Ezekiel, Creative Virtual Therefore, the US has had less adjustment to make. As most countries enter an era of a hybrid home-office working model and less travel overall, we will need to strike a new balance. Creating a better work-life balance is certainly a positive potential outcome, made possible by the technological revolution. But with fewer face-to-face meetings, and a generation more adapted to screen-time than human-time, there is a danger of losing the very essence of how we build relationships. The pandemic has certainly made us realise the importance of human contact and how much we’ve missed it – especially as our more vulnerable loved ones have had to endure many months of isolation. From the Creative Virtual perspective, it’s great to have the option of holding some of our meetings in person once again.

“

Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at West India Quay’s Cannon Workshops Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on Twitter

ilad Nawaz and Salman Qureshi have been friends for about 20 years. Friends at university, the pair sold sunglasses together at Harvey Nichols before both embarking on careers in banking. “I was probably the better salesman,” said Milad, who subsequently became a consultant. “We used to try to take each other’s customers.” “We’ve actually had arguments over this,” said Salman, who left banking after a couple of years to go into retail, partially at least because he didn’t like wearing a suit every day. The warmth between the two men – born 20 days apart – is palpable. As we chat they earnestly praise each other’s skillsets, the foundation of a business partnership born in 2014 as they began to discuss working together. The pair’s first experience of franchising came in 2016 when they opened a branch of Subway in Leyton. They grew that business to 11 outlets before selling two and maintaining a portfolio of nine. In 2019 they became the master franchisors for Wok & Go – a food store where customers see their noodles cooked fresh in front of them – in a deal that gave them the rights to the whole of greater London. It’s a business they’re keen to grow with an east London branch expected to open in Canning Town in the coming months. But right now the focus is on something sweeter, albeit without the usual sugar rush – ice cream and frozen yoghurt brand Yole, which opened in Canary Wharf on August 14. “We actually debated for a while because we were looking for another venture and it was Milad’s idea to get a dessert, but something healthy,” said Salman. “We spent a lot of time doing research – about a year searching for a brand – and we found Yole and it ticked the boxes.” Milad added: “We’d been looking at bubble tea, which is a big trend, but that’s full of sugar – for me, I want to enjoy dessert and not worry about the calories. “A medium cup of Yole is equivalent to a mango, a small cup works out at about a banana. “Our servings start at 55 calories and then you add the fruit so you have something that has protein and fibre in it and it’s gluten free. “Every new product that the owners are developing is also sugar-free. “For example we’ll have a bubble waffle coming out later this year and that’s the first sugar-free Continued on Page 12

Yole launched its Canary Wharf Branch in Canada Place on August 14

sweet no sugar, but still so

how a Canary Wharf branch is central to two friends’ plans as they establish ice cream and frozen yoghurt brand Yole across the UK

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

From Page 10 one in the world. Yole started off in Singapore – the founders began by franchising for another ice cream brand but they decided they wanted to change it up and spent two years making a sugar-free version. “The whole concept is healthy desserts – something you don’t have to feel guilty about. That’s how we fell in love with it” Salman said: “The products are developed in Spain and the owners are Spanish. They have massive plans to open worldwide. “We’re looking to expand in the UK and we have master franchisor rights for that.” Canary Wharf is the pair’s second opening in the UK, having already launched an outlet at Lakeside shopping centre. Plans are in the pipeline for further branches at Canary Wharf, Covent Garden, Shaftsbury Avenue and Westfield White City, with further hope for one at Westfield Stratford City. “Our plan is to open five stores initially – the first thing you want to do is to make sure the customers love it and that it works in this country,” said Milad. “Then we want to roll it out across the rest of the UK.” Yole offers its core products in a variety of different ways – in small, medium and large cups with a selection of toppings including fresh fruit, sauces and – for those who need a bit of sugar, mashmallows and M&Ms. “The customers who have tried it at Lakeside have loved the taste,” said Salman. “We also have something unique – the cone, which we make in front of them once they’ve ordered. I haven’t come across anyone making them fresh and warm and also, the size of it is a lot larger than you’ll find in many other places, making it really good value.” Cones cost around £3.95 at Yole, while other options such as having bubble tea pearls included with your ice cream or a serving of pre-flavoured Twist cost £4.95 and £4.45 respectively. “The Twist has been very well received – people sometimes think it’s like a McFlurry but it’s covered with fruit and it’s sugar-free,” said Salman. Milad added: “The Boba is following the trend of bubble tea, so you’ll have the tapioca balls with mango or strawberry and you have it with the ice cream instead of with the tea. Our products are great for children because they don’t get that sugar rush and they’re also suitable for diabetics. There’s something for everyone.” Salman said: “I have a fouryear-old and this is the first time I’ve let him go crazy on ice cream. “We really believe in the ethics

“

Years since Salman and Milad opened their first franchise together

We really believe in the ethics of the brands we’re working with. I want to be selling things that I would give to my kids Salman Qureshi, Yole

of the brands we’re working with now. We’re very conscious about promoting things that are healthy. I want my son to be eating healthy food and I want to sell things I’d give to my kids. “We’re also very conscious of being environmentally friendly – everything that can be is recyclable or breaks down. “We’ve all seen the weather recently and we can all do our bit by educating the people around us and raising awareness about climate change. We all need to work together and brands need to get behind that. Yole is certainly doing its bit.” Canary Wharf was selected as a place to open partly due to Milad’s knowledge of the area. “Because Milad has worked in Canary Wharf for years he had a particular vision,” said Salman. “For example, he just knew this site would work for Yole.” Milad said: “Everyone here works really hard and they are concerned about what they eat. “You can see Farmer J is doing really well because it’s all freshly made in the morning. “People don’t mind paying a little bit more for something healthy. Investment bankers work 12 hours a day, the least they can do is eat healthily. For us, it’s about getting the message out there that Yole is healthy.” While the pair are currently working hard on their various franchise options, they said they were very happy to talk with anyone else who was considering leaving the corporate world to start their own business. Milad said: “If there’s anyone who wants to talk about doing it, we’re very open. We’ll always try and help because we had mentors when we were younger and they guided us. I would say for those considering starting their own thing that you should stay working in your job at the start. There is a lot of risk involved and you should work to get it to a point where the business is stable first.”

Friends Milad, left, and Salman met at university before years later deciding to launch a business together

Yole serves its products in a range of ways including inside freshly made cones with various toppings available

Scan this code for more information about Yole Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

how Sara-Jane Cross discovered a passion during lockdown and turned it into a business venture

£14

Cost of a Seashore candle from Wapping Wicks, partly inspired by the Thames foreshore

Sara-Jane started candle-making business Wapping Wicks having dabbled with production over lockdown

by Jon Massey

t started off with making gifts for family. Trapped at home in lockdown, Wapping resident Sara-Jane Cross decided to try a new hobby. She sent away for a kilo of wax on the internet and all the ingredients necessary to make her own scented candles, got melting and posted the finished products off. “I made seven different ones,” said Sara-Jane. “My mum said they were amazing and that I should sell them. “My boyfriend came up with the name – Wapping Wicks – and we started in November because I’d decided I needed to hit the festive market, which is huge for candles. I started making one called Christmas Frost in batches of six. “There are all sorts of secret ingredients in it, lots of spices – a combination of orange, pine wood and cloves. It just smells like Christmas and it completely took off. At that stage I had no website and it was a bit out of control. I was making candles at 11pm to keep up with demand. “I’d come home from work, do the deliveries in the pouring rain and spend the weekends making as many as I could. “I’ve always wanted to start my own business – to be honest I didn’t know whether people would buy them, but the orders kept coming in through Instagram so I created a website when I couldn’t go north over Christmas and after that I was in a lot more control.” Sara-Jane, who is originally from just outside Chester and moved to east London eight years ago, has spent the time since developing her range, which now includes many different scents, wedding favours and even candle-making kits for those who want to give the craft a go themselves. “I really want to see where it goes, where I can take it,” she said. “I use soy and coconut waxes and was passionate from the start about making sure I wasn’t using paraffin. “I feel like there’s a gap in the market for natural wax so I’m going to see what this Christmas looks like because September to Continued on Page 30

scents Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

making

of Wapping

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Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

Wapping Wicks’ Rosewood mixes citrus pear with amber, English lavender, jasmine, sandalwood and musk, £17

from Page 29 March is the sweet spot in terms of sales – generally people buy candles when it’s colder weather.” Sara-Jane, who works in the insurance industry when she’s not making candles, uses recycled jars for her products and donates 10% of the proﬁts she makes to charity. “I’ve raised money for Action Medical Research and the Countess Of Chester NHS hospital where my nan passed away so I wanted to give something back to the nurses there,” she said. “I’ve also supported local charities including East London Cares, which tackles loneliness among the elderly. People have sent their ideas in via Instagram about who we should support.”

o far, Sara-Jane’s range of products includes Pomegranate Kuro, Winter Frost, Pomelo Breeze, Velvet Peony, Rosewood and Seashore. She also produces limited editions and is always looking to develop new scents. “A lot of the ones I’ve come up with have been based on feedback I’ve had from people,” she said.

I really want to see where the business goes, where I can take it. I feel like there’s a gap in the market for natural wax Sara Jane Cross, Wapping Wicks

Velvet Peony blends damask rose, oud, vanilla and clove with other ingredients, £17

“Seashore, which features vanilla, coconut and amber, reminds me of the seaside and being by the river in Wapping. “I’m working on one at the moment for friends, which has peppermint and eucalyptus, and my brother has decided he’s into candles so I think there’s a bit of a male market out there – I haven’t got a masculine scent at the moment. “It’s all about experimenting, just finding something that smells amazing. “The black and white branding is just me – I love it – and I do a bit of art, sketches of buildings, which are all monochrome too. I’ve done some of Wapping and I definitely want to combine the candles and those images in the future.” That’s a move that’s likely to go down well with Sara-Jane’s core customer base which has seen strong sales locally. “Some people order 10 at a time and give them out to family, especially customers who are living in Wapping,” she said. “A lot of my customers come back and you see orders coming from the same housing development after one person has bought some.” With strong sales in her first year, Sara-Jane said she would ultimately love Wapping Wicks to turn into her full-time activity, but for now she’s content to keep making her candles from home. “You have to be really precise,” she said. “You measure out the wax, the scent, which is a blend of different types of oils. “Then you melt the wax using a bain-marie, as if you were melting chocolate, until it gets to about 65-70 degrees centigrade. You take it off the heat and wait for it to cool down to about 55 degrees and then you add the scent, stir it in and pour it into the containers you’ve prepared. There’s a little sticker on the bottom of the wick that holds it in place and a centring piece for the top to keep it straight. “I have to use sellotape when I’m making my bigger candles because they have three wicks. “Then you have to let the wax set for a couple of days – I always have lots of candles standing around in my house at different stages of the process.” Prices for Wapping Wicks candles vary, starting at £14 for Seashore or Winter Frost. A threewick Pomelo Breeze candle costs £26. Local customers can get 10% off their next order by returning jars to Sara-Jane for recycling.

Scan this code for more information about Wapping Wicks or to order

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support your local institutions Where? Tobacco Dock Wapping

TRIVIA | Meatopia Expect a ton of brown leather aprons, tats, unshaven jawlines and, naturally a ton or more of ethically sourced flesh on which to chew as Meatopia returns. Sept 3,4,5, times vary, from £23.85, meatopia.co.uk Where? St Katherine Docks Wapping

EVENT | Classic Boat Festival Explore dozens of vintage boats including many of the surviving Little Ships that rescued 336,000 soldiers from the beaches at Dunkirk in 1940. Sept 4-5, times vary, free, skdocks.co.uk Where? The Yurt Cafe Limehouse

GIG | Live Music Celebrate the Bank Holiday with some sounds over four days from the likes of Gabriel Moreno Trio, Adam Beattie and Whiskey Moon Face. Aug 27-30, 2pm-9pm, free to attend, rfsk.org.uk

show time

Catch Curtain Raisers at Wilton’s Music Hall from Aug 31-Sept 4 – a double bill of Cox And Box by Arthur Sullivan and Les Deux Aveugles by Jacques Offenbach, both wildly popular in their day. Tickets start at £22 wiltons.org.uk Scan this code to find out more about Curtain Raisers at Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping or to book want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

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support your local institutions Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Toothache Billed as an outrageous comedy, this play tackles the raw difficulties of growing up different, as twins raised by an amateur DJ and a Janis Joplin wannabe. Sept 7-11, 8.30pm, £15, space.org.uk

The University Of Sunderland In London has taken a whole

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

floor at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs to keep up with demand for places

Lynsey left school at 18 and worked in banking before higher education

Out motto is that we’re a life-changing university. Ultimately we want our students to progress and to fulfil their potential Lynsey Bendon, University Of Sunderland

a year. I had to learn quickly because I’m also the Covid lead for the London campus. “Fortunately, it’s a really vibrant place, and a really great community, so people were very forgiving when I asked the same question for the sixth or seventh time, because I didn’t quite understand what went where. “Our student growth over the years has been pretty consistent so I don’t think our current figures are down to people looking for a new direction just as a result of Covid. “In our admissions process, we speak to each student individually and help them to make sure they are taking the right decision for them. “The pandemic has shown us aspects of strength in our teaching and other areas where we’ve been forced to introduce things that we’re going to keep. We’re lucky that we get lots of people coming to us through word-of-mouth – Mr X may come to sign up with us in September and then Mrs X will follow in April – and you only really get that if you’re giving people what they want and the best tools for success.” The University Of Sunderland in London offers courses across four main areas – business and finance; tourism, hospitality and events; nursing and health and engineering at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The campus also offers Master Of Business Administration degrees – MBAs. Go to london.sunderland.ac.uk

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EVENT | Poplar Picnic Expect live music, market stalls, food, drink, canal activities, craft workshops and a dog show. Families, picnic rugs and, naturally, dogs, all welcome. Sept 12, 11am-4pm, free, poplarunion.com Where? Millwall Park Isle Of Dogs

TRY | Pitch Up And Play Millwall RFC is inviting both adults (Sept 4) and kids (Sept 5) to try rugby followed by food and drink at the clubhouse – email info@millwallrugby.com Sept 4-5, 2pm-4pm & 11am-12.30pm, millwallrugby.com

reading material

Check out The Magic Box – a book by Isle Of Dogs-based writer Nithya Sridharan, aimed at introducing kids to concepts within banking and published under her PecuniArt brand, suitable for seven to 11-year-olds @pecuniart on Insta Scan this code to find out more about The Magic Box and Nithya’s ongoing creative work want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Years since the University Of Sunderland launched its London campus on the Isle Of Dogs at Marsh Wall

by Jon Massey

e were shown a lot of different places, but this is where we want to be – it’s perfect – it works for us and it works for our students,” said Lynsey Bendon. There’s excitement in the voice of the assistant director of operations and student experience at the University Of Sunderland In London as she talks about its expansion at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs – a move that will allow it to keep up with demand for places while retaining the links it’s built in the area since its creation in 2012. “It’s on the opposite side of the DLR tracks to our Marsh Wall site, so it’s very close by,” said Lynsey. “We’ve been able to start with a blank canvas to design what we need as a teaching space. “It has flexible rooms and it’s a lovely environment in terms of group and study areas. We’ve listened to what our students need and want – everything down to having a kitchen that’s really accessible where they can make their own food but also meet with staff. We’re thrilled. “It’s also really nice to be able to grow from where we are because the students love our location next to Canary Wharf and our connections to local businesses but also the food, culture and shopping.” The expansion of the campus, which will see the university taking a whole floor at Harbour Exchange, has been driven by significant demand. More than 4,400 students attended courses at its Marsh Wall base over the past year, with 2,794 joining across four intakes since March 2020. While about 10% are international – reflecting perhaps the university’s

outward-looking stance, having opened a Hong Kong campus in 2017 – about 50% are drawn from nearby London boroughs. “Our students are what we call in the industry ‘non-traditional’,” said Lynsey. ”The average age is 36 and we have 60-40 female to male split. “Our motto is that we’re a life-changing university and we like to think that our people don’t necessarily come to us straight from school, but with a measured decision that they want their lives to change, which we hope to facilitate. “We quickly realised there was a demand here in London and we tailor our courses to our students – we don’t expect them to be 18, straight out of school. “We expect them to have experience that they can talk about and build on. When we started, some of the courses were targeted that way, but we’ve rewritten them and developed them through talking to our students to meet their needs. “Ultimately we want them to progress, we want them to do the best they can for themselves and to fulfil their potential.

“You can’t just teach something – you have to build it around them. Our students are very vocal, which is extremely helpful when you work in the role I do, because you need ongoing conversations. We want to be there, supporting them, to help them succeed.” Lynsey, who joined the University Of Sunderland In London in January 2020, is well placed to have those conversations, having left school after her A-Levels. She said: “I was then unemployed for a short time before going into the workforce. I worked in banking in London in the 1990s, which was a very interesting time. When I came to have my children, I realised that it wasn’t a career I could stay in, so I left the workforce for a bit. “Then I went back as a part-time member of staff on the help desk at the University Of East London. After a few years I specialised as an international student adviser before joining London Metropolitan University as compliance and immigration manager in 2014. “That was challenging and taught me a lot – but I realised that I wasn’t going

to progress further in my career without higher qualifications and at that point I was very lucky to be able to participate in a postgraduate certificate through my employer at that time, with the University Of Nottingham. “So I was there, at 39, looking at a blank sheet of paper, never having done a first degree, absolutely out of my depth, and I can completely relate to our students, when they get to that point. “But it gave me so much, some fantastic experiences and it taught me so much academically – both how to write reports and also all those things you don’t necessarily associate with academic learning. It also gave me so much confidence that I could do these things. “I always say the tears were worth it, but I had such a good time, it outweighed any difficulties and it enabled me to go into management. “So, after becoming the international immigration manager at London Met, I became head of student services and, in January, came here. Then lockdown happened in March, so it’s been quite

why the University Of Sunderland is expanding on the Isle Of Dogs

location getting the right

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

four focus

support your local institutions Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

The University Of Sunderland In London has taken a whole

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

floor at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs to keep up with demand for places

Lynsey left school at 18 and worked in banking before higher education

Out motto is that we’re a life-changing university. Ultimately we want our students to progress and to fulfil their potential Lynsey Bendon, University Of Sunderland

Scan this code to find out more about the University Of Sunderland In London

reading material

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Creative Space

colour collaborations

we've teamed up with Made In Greenwich – a shop stocking pieces by artists and makers from the borough – to give readers a creative colouring-in challenge Scan this code to visit Ann's website THE ARTIST This work – Thames Path IV, Mining & Piling by Ann Hillary – is one of a series of four linocut prints available at Made In Greenwich, priced at £95 each. Ann graduated in fine art from Goldsmiths College in south-east London in 1973. She paints in oil and watercolour and makes linoprints, etchings and monoprints. Her main focus is her environment and the life model, with emphasis on the fall of light and change of the seasons. You can find our more about her work by following her on Insta @annhillary1012

WHEN YOU'VE FINISHED... Anyone taking a fully coloured-in version of this page to Made In Greenwich at 324 Creek Road, Greenwich, London, SE10 9SW, 11am-5pm, Wednesday to Saturday, will receive a FREE gift of five of Ellen Strachan's Seed Of Hope colouring-in cards, worth £3 each, which come with a pack of mini coloured pencils to finish them off. Check out her work on Insta @pigeonloftprints l Also, we'd love to see your efforts – tag @wharflifelive and @migreenwich in any you post on Insta Made In Greenwich is part of Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (gcda.coop), which has been supporting communities to be healthy and sustainable since 1982 Scan this code for more on Made In Greenwich

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Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

Categories of images in the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer Of The Year Competition

Iceland Vortex by Larryn Rae

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support your local institutions Where? Indigo At The O2 Peninsula

exhibition an

of the sky at night

see the winners of Royal Observatory Greenwich’s annual Astronomy Photographer Of The Year competition by Jon Massey

he winners of the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s Astronomy Photographer Of The Year competition are set to be announced on September 16. Now in its 13th year, the contest has drawn more than 4,500 submissions across its various categories, with two special prizes also up for grabs. The winning images will form the content of a celebratory exhibition at the National Maritime Museum from September 18. They will also be published in an accompanying book by the Royal Observatory in partnership with Collins, along with all of the shortlisted images from this year’s crop of entries. This will be available exclusively at Royal Museums Greenwich’s shop when the exhibition opens and more widely from the end of September. This year’s iteration of the annual competition saw photographers tackle subjects in nine categories – Skyscapes; Aurorae; People And Space; Our Sun; Our Moon; Planets, Comets and Asteroids; Stars And Nebulae; Galaxies and Young Astronomy

Milky Way Rising Over Durdle Door by Anthony Sullivan

The Soul Of Space (The Soul Nebula) by Kush Chandaria

Photographer Of The Year. There are also special prizes for best newcomer and innovation. The overall winner gets a £10,000 prize while category winners get £1,500 and special prize winners £750. While the results remain tightly under wraps, shortlisted images, such as the ones featured on this page include subjects such as a comet passing over Stonehenge, a sunset on Mars and the Milky Way looming over lavender ﬁelds in France. The competition is held in association with BBC Sky At Night Magazine with its judging panel including art editor Steve Marsh as well as comedian and impressionist Jon Culshaw, a keen amateur astronomer. Those keen to watch the online awards ceremony and to ﬁnd out who the winners are can sign up to the Royal Observatory’s online newsletter at rmg.co.uk/shortlist. The exhibition at the National Maritime Museum is open 10am5pm daily and costs £10 for adults and £5 for kids.

Scan this code for more info about the exhibition or to book tickets

GIG | Clearwater Creedance Revival Soak up the spirit of John Fogerty with other fortunate sons and daughters as this tribute act take to the stage fronted by Peter Barton of The Boomtown Rats. Sept 8, 6.30pm, from £29.15, theo2.co.uk Where? Greenwich Market Greenwich

SHOP | Elementary Beauty Company Discover the extensive range of niche cosmetic products – skincare, hair, makeup and fragrances – stocked by this store in Greenwich Market. Open daily, elementarybeauty.com Where? Design District Peninsula

OPENING | Design District Canteen A new food hall is set to open on Greenwich Peninsula featuring Ehla, Sugo, Guasa, Raastawala, Toasted and Eat Lah. Arepas, foccacia and more. From Sept 1, daily, designdistrict.co.uk/canteen

shop right

Check out the Art Of Zero Living in Greenwich Market, offering more than 400 products carefully selected to minimise waste and promote a sustainable lifestyle – just bring your own container along artofzeroliving.uk Scan this code to find out more about the Art Of Zero Living and the products the store stocks want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Years since Charlie started working in theatre as a scene painter

how Charlie Tymms creates magic through movement with puppets ready for the stage

Demonstrating the brachiosaurus

by Jon Massey

oyal Albert Wharf might look like a relatively ordinary residential area – brick clad oblongs arranged sensitively around both the waters of the dock and the older buildings in the area. But look behind the doors and windows of its lower floors and you’ll find a thriving community of artists and makers. The presence of Bow Arts and Art In The Docks – which recently opened its artist-led project space at the development – ensures a rolling programme of public activities, helping the work spill out to a larger audience. So when puppet maker Charlie Tymms, strapped and velcroed into her latest creation, steps out onto the quayside – tail whipping behind her – it only causes a minimal stir. The beast is one of a series of creatures she has made for The Dinosaur Show, a new production that is currently enjoying its maiden run at the Blue Orange Theatre in Birmingham until August 29. It’s also her first ever single-person puppet. “He’s a really naughty character on stage and chases after the palaeontologist and nicks sweets out of her rucksack – he’s delightful,” said Charlie. “While we were doing our research and development for this project – a really important part of the process – we had a puppeteer, the puppetry director, two producers and myself play around for three days with basic prototypes. “It was really good fun because it quickly became The Dinosaur Show That Went Wrong. “We had the size of the theatre marked out on the floor and the sheer scale of the T-Rex – with its huge tail knocking things over – was where the part of the story about this one being really naughty came from.”

Collaboration has been a constant feature of Charlie’s career, which began when she was asked to do some scenic painting 25 years ago for her mum’s friend. She went on to work in set design and fell into her current area of expertise “by accident”. “In terms of puppetry, which I now specialise in, I was asked to sculpt a full-size elephant – a massive polystyrene thing – with four people inside for the legs that could carry a small child on its back,” she said. “It was for a Michael Morpurgo show called Running Wild and through that process I met this amazing puppet-maker called Nick Barnes, who is very well established. I’ve

been making with him for years – almost as an apprentice – on loads and loads of projects. Then, through that, I’ve been gradually doing my own projects. “With Nick I’ve tended to be the sculptor and painter, while he designs all the armatures and mechanisms. “It’s a really nice process because everybody gets involved at some point – the puppeteers and the people producing the shows. I’ve gravitated towards collaborative projects because I like working with other people.” Every project Charlie takes on is diﬀerent but all her puppet creations involve translating an idea into a physical form that can be manipulated. “For the T-Rex, I made the ﬁrst model out of cheap plumbing pipes to try out the length of it and the harness,” she said. “In the end the frame became more of a rigid structure as I decided on the best form of engineering for one puppeteer and the easiest way for them to control the dinosaur. “I’m a very intuitive maker, so I don’t

You start with the human and build the puppet around them. In the end you want to ask the audience to believe that this thing has a life and a spirit Charlie Tymms, puppet-maker

Charlie takes the T-Rex for a test drive along the quayside

generally pre-design – I do it on the hoof but I do loads of anatomical research, so I’ve got hundreds of pictures of skeletons of T-Rexes – their skulls and anatomy – and loads of sketches. “Then you start with the human and build it around them. In the end you want to ask the audience to believe that this thing has a life and a spirit. “The puppeteers are amazing creatures in themselves, because they can bring things to life, but the maker can help the process enormously by where they position all the joints and where the strength needs to be to operate the puppet. “So, with T-Rex the thighs are really important, because they’re just so massive – along with the head and the tail – visually they are the anchor points. “Then the audience can use their imagination to fill in the gaps. In this model, for example, there is no rib cage.” Those aged three and over watching The Dinosaur Show, will also have to use their imaginations when it comes to another of her puppets. “We knew quite early on we wanted a large head of a brachiosaurus coming out and looking over the tree canopy, then craning into the audience,” said Charlie. “I wanted to make it really huge, but that would have been too terrifying so a head on a long neck is what we’ve ended up with. The children will be able to feed it leaves as it swings out.” Charlie, who has produced owls for Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, been on puppet hospital duty for Wes Anderson’s Isle Of Dogs movie and created a Toto out of gingham scraps for Wizard Of Oz at the Chichester Festival, said watching her puppets in performance was always a mixture of anxiety and joy if the audience liked the show. “With every job you learn a little bit more about how to do things in a better way, to solve problems,” she said. “It’s a very inventive life, which I love. “Puppetry is definitely having a renaissance partly down to the success of His Dark Materials and especially War Horse, which put the puppet at the centre of the story. “It was quite a radical statement for a theatre company to do that and it kind of lifted the genre. “Then there’s Lyndie Wright of the Little Angel Theatre who’s a figurehead in our world and her daughter Sarah who set up the Curious School Of Puppetry a few years ago, that every year sees 12 puppeteers come out, which is having a real impact in terms of growth. “Anyone interested in becoming a puppeteer should take a look at its website – curiouspuppetry.com.”

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Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Royal Docks - Canning Town

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support your local institutions Where? Art In The Docks Space Royal Albert Wharf

SEE | Reincarnating Cycles Artist Yuliya V Krylova and her collaborators will be creating a dance performance over the week with fashion made from recycled materials. Sept 13-18, 10am-8pm, free, artinthedocks.com Where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | The PA Show Join the largest gathering of executive support professionals in the UK aimed at EAs, PAs and office managers who want to develop their network. Sept 1-2, 9.30am-5.30pm, from free, excel.london Where? Royal Victoria Gardens North Woolwich

EVENT | Healing Together This smorgasbord of performances and installations is the finale to GDIF and aims to reconnect the Woolwiches across the Thames. Sept 10-11, times vary, free, festival.org

real

yes chef

made

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

Chef Cyrus Todiwala is set to open Cafe Spice Namaste in August at Royal Albert Wharf following its relocation from Aldgate and he and wife Pervin have big plans for the site including a cooking academy cafespice.co.uk Scan this code to find out more about Cafe Spice Namaste and to keep tabs on that opening date want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

how Sheldon K Goodman’s lifelong passion for cemeteries set him on a path of discovery

350k

The number of people interred at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park – located a short walk from both Bow Church and Bow Road stations

by Jon Massey

heldon K Goodman’s interest in cemeteries was kindled in childhood with regular Sunday visits to the graves of his grandfathers. As a boy, he was intrigued by the differences between the two burial sites, tantalised by the varied memorials that he wasn’t allowed to investigate. This, perhaps, goes some way to explaining his current occupation – a historian and City Of Westminster guide with a particular focus on cemeteries. “The passion has always been in the background and I gradually developed it into what I do today,” said Sheldon. “I find cemeteries fascinating places – I want to change people’s preconceptions, to show them that these places are not scary and that headstones are only part of the story. “My friend and I started the Cemetery Club blog in 2013 originally, showing what we’d found on gravestones and stuff. From there it’s built really, to me now doing online lectures, in-person tours and short documentary videos. “Cemeteries can be misinterpreted and, if you get below the surface – excuse the pun – there is a life that the headstone doesn’t do justice to. I like sharing what I find, because a lot of the people I do research on had lives untouched by the internet. “Whether they thought that 30, 40 or 50 years in the future, someone would be standing by their graveside telling people about their lives, I don’t know. “It’s all very well having their dates of birth and death, but what was their favourite colour? What was their favourite piece of music? “I love sharing those kinds of details, because they make the lightbulbs pop above people’s heads on my tours. “People generally don’t make those connections – they don’t think that graves represent a onceliving, breathing, walking, talking person like they are. “For many, the concept of death is something that happens to other people, so I try to bring a bit of death-positivity into what I do and also illuminate the social history

explore driven to

Sheldon believes cemeteries should be viewed as libraries of the dead and seeks to celebrate the people who have ended up in them and their achievements

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

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

More than just headstones: Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is filled with stories of ordinary east London people who lived, worked and died in the area Inset, Sheldon offers tours of the cemetery to bring those stories to life

“

I’m very much a champion of everyday lives – these stories are far more pertinent to our understanding of Victorian London Sheldon K Goodman, Cemetery Club

that we find in these places of memory.” While Sheldon runs tours all over London, he has a particular interest in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park in Bow. “I first went there shortly after qualifying as a guide in about 2014 – I did a tour of the seven cemeteries of London including Highgate and Norwood,” he said. “Tower Hamlets was the last of the seven large private cemeteries to open in the 19th century, built to deal with London’s overflowing churchyards. “I’d long wanted to visit, because, unlike Highgate, for example, there are no big, showy memorials here, just good, honest cockney people. Many of the people buried there don’t have headstones at all, so much of it is just managed forest, unlike the steeples, monuments and mausoleums you find elsewhere. Hurrah for them, but I’m more interested in the lives of regular people who struggled on a day-to-day basis. “I first started doing tours there to coincide with Shuffle Festival, which was co-founded by Danny Boyle and then I went off on my own and started doing them on behalf of the cemetery. “I’m not their official guide, but I do a lot of stuff for them and that’s led me down the rabbit hole with access to the cemetery records. “I like the fact that it is full of

regular people who had to work hard for a living – I’m very much a champion of everyday lives – and these stories are far more pertinent to our understanding of Victorian London than those of people who could aﬀord pretentious memorials. A lot of the people who come on the tours are local people, who didn’t even know it was there. “When you consider it, this is an area that has gone through massive migration – particularly after the war – when a lot of the cockneys were bombed out and moved out to places like Kent and Essex. “A lot of the families, who had ancestors buried in Tower Hamlets moved on and a lot of that history went with them. Then you’ve got this new wave of people coming in and I notice that they’re as intoxicated about the place as I am and want to ﬁnd out more about the people buried here.”

hile the details of Sheldon’s next run of tours at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park are still being thrashed out to ensure a safe and pleasant experience for all attending, there’s no doubt he’ll be back leading visitors around the pathways and telling tales, not least perhaps of the ninemonth-old he shares a forename with. “Sheldon is unusual, so when I go to a cemetery I always look to see if there’s one there,” he said. “I took a look and there was a little baby called Sheldon Morse who came from Maine in the USA. “Not everyone buried in Tower Hamlets was a local – some came from all across the world because at one time it was on the doorstep

of one of the biggest ports in the world. “People would have disembarked from all corners of the British Empire, and not all of them would have survived. It wasn’t possible to carry their bodies back so they would be buried in the nearest cemetery.” Sheldon’s approach treats cemeteries as libraries of the dead, with his tours giving participants both an overview of the site’s history before focusing in on speciﬁc graves to give depth to his themes such as the history of women or LGBTQIA+ people in the area. “One of my favourites in Tower Hamlets is a guy called Alec Hurley who was the Michael McIntyre of his day,” said Sheldon. “He was married to music hall star Marie Lloyd, was the son of an Irish sea captain and loved performing on stage himself. “He had a number of hit songs such as a version of the Lambeth Walk and I Ain’t Nobody In Particular – but tastes change and now he’s almost completely forgotten. “When I do a tour I sometimes end up at his graveside doing a song of his, which I found the sheet music for, learned and can perform. There’s a power to doing that and people love it. It’s not a gimmick, I do it because I ﬁnd some of his songs amazing because he was an amazing chap.” ● Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park is always looking for volunteers to help with its upkeep. Find our more at fothcp.org

Scan this code to find out more about Cemetery Club and its tours

four focus

support your local institutions where? Lord Napier And Star Hackney Wick

OPENING | Lord Napier And Star The doors have been flung wide and what was formerly just a building covered in graffiti is now a pub in Hackney Wick with an enormous roof terrace. Ongoing, lordnapierstar.co.uk where? Here East Stratford

TECH | Stack Fest A three-day event for the e-sports and games industry is set to arrive with business, careers and gaming days. Convert your passion into a job. Sept 9-11, 11am-5pm, prices vary, stack-fest.com where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

STAGE | Shining City Conor McPherson’s play is an unsettling exploration of guilt, loneliness and the places between us, directed by Nadia Fall and featuring Brendan Coyle. Sept 17-Oct 23, various times, from £10, stratfordeast.com

visit this

Now is certainly the right time for a visit to International Quarter London as The Pavilion takes shape and its Summer Screen promises visual delights for all including films and sport until August 31 internationalquarter.london Scan this code to find out more about what’s happening at IQL and its Summer Screen schedule want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Aug 18-Sept 1, 2021 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Medium

3 5 6 1 4 8 7 9 2 Sudoku 7 a8break 1 from 2 3 that 9 phone 4 6 5 Take 2 4 9 5 7 6 3 1 8 How 1 to7 play 5 6 8 2 9 3 4 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 8 such 9 1 5 row, 2 7column and 3x3 box one6 to3nine that4each contains every number uniquely. 9 2 4 7 5 3 1 8 6 6 find 7 strategies, 8 9 1 hints 2 and 5 3tips online You4can at sudokuwiki.org 8 9 3 4 2 5 6 7 1 5 to 1 play 2 3 6 7 8 4 9 More

3 1 9 2 8

SUDOKU

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

No. 1386 that each row, column and 3x3 box

6 8

3 5 7 3 6 9 6 2 9 3 1 1 8 3 5 4 4 1 6 5

Medium

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 18. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Russian plane has the speed to go to another country (7) How the speaker communicates an appeal for a reunion! (6) Appearing to view ﬁne pottery (7) Sickly-looking friend needs some cover (6) This may provide ventilation for the art gallery (6) Bits of paper that get cleared up after the match (8) Pa set out, in a way, to leave port (3,2,3) Apply the brakes both ways (4,2) Quantity of wine - ﬁfty in broken crate (6) It’s lace put out of shape when stretched! (7) Socialist now sent back that’s a remarkable thing (6) Does academic work that is when the bosses are around! (7)

Notes

2. 3. 5. 6. 7. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 19.

This will hold the powder ﬁrm and close (7) Oﬃciating at a squaredance is a vocation (7) Fish for one in a particular locality (6) No pragmatist producing a catalogue of brain-waves! (8) Strange tailless feline making a disturbance (6) Notes of considerable value, we hear, for vocalists (6) The most one can pay for a spinning device (3,5) You’ll need a good man to go on horseback - like this (7) A street breaking into unspoilt farmland (7) It comes out of the barrel, but it’s news when it gets in! (6) Came to an end and shut up (6) Wicked material that is made light of! (6)

4 3 7 8 1 5 9 2 6

8 9 6 2 4 3 1 5 7

7 4 3 9 5 1 2 6 8

9 6 1 3 2 8 5 7 4

2 5 8 4 7 6 3 1 9

Quick Across 4. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 18. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Peewit (7) Overseas (6) Meticulous (7) Vibrate (6) Beginning (6) Eﬀort (8) Flog (8) Trouble (6) Leap (6) Diary (7) Attack (6) Sideboard (7)

Down 1. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 19.

Feast (7) Umpire (7) Potential (6) Water-boa (8) Garland (6) Disgust (6) Augment (8) Least (7) Protracted (7) Hue (6) Refrain (6) On one’s back (6)

Across: 4 Lapwing; 8 Abroad; 9 Careful; 10 Quiver; 11 Outset; 12 Exertion; 18 Chastise; 20 Bother; 21 Spring; 22 Journal; 23 Onrush; 24 Dresser. Down: 1 Banquet; 2 Arbiter; 3 Latent; 5 Anaconda; 6 Wreath; 7 Nausea; 13 Increase; 14 Minimum; 15 Lengthy; 16 Colour; 17 Chorus; 19 Supine.

1 2 5 6 9 7 8 4 3

Cryptic Solution

Down

6 1 9 5 8 4 7 3 2

Across: 4 Migrate; 8 Orally; 9 Seeming; 10 Pallid; 11 Louvre; 12 Confetti; 18 Put to sea; 20 Pull up; 21 Claret; 22 Elastic; 23 Wonder; 24 Studies. Down: 1 Compact; 2 Calling; 3 Plaice; 5 Idealist; 6 Rumpus; 7 Tenors; 13 Top price; 14 Astride; 15 Pasture; 16 Bullet; 17 Closed; 19 Tallow.

Across

5 8 4 7 3 2 6 9 1

3 1 9 3 5 If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other Apps 7 2 puzzles, 8 3 6 and books. Visit www.str8ts.com 9 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such whether you’re each row, column and 3x3 box beating the 3 1 6 2 9 that containssleuth every number cryptic oruniquely. 3 5 1 8synonym For many strategies, solverhints inand tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org 4it forIf you quick wins, like Sudoku you’ll really like and oursatisfy other puzzles, Apps should 4 1 6 5 this ‘Str8ts’ and books. Visit www.str8ts.com For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Cryptic

3 7 2 1 6 9 4 8 5

crossword The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

last issue’s solution

Previous Jul 21-Aug 18solution - Very Hard

6 8

Previous solution - Very Hard

Quick Solution

No. 1386