Wharf Life Feb 2-16 by wharf-life

Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

inside issue 56

Humble Grape pick wines to woo a lover with in the bar’s regular column Page 8

Kate Maxey - Kidd Rapinet Caravan - Thamesmead - Republic My London Home - Frank’s Cafe Titanic: The Exhibition - Choy House Wonderful Things - Potters Thumb David Galman - Wharf Life Hacks Natasha Maddison - Puzzles

space, materials and

time

discover the art of multidisciplinary creator Wallace Chan as he prepares to show 10 of his monumental works in Canary Wharf Pages 6-9

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

Fast, affordable, conveyancing services Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk

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Canary Wharf

read

feast your eyes on these

what’s on

support your local institutions Where? Crossrail Place Roof Garden Canary Wharf

EVENT | Pop-Up London Part of the Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign, this event sees a packed programme of art, dance, music and theatre arrive on the Wharf. Feb 19-20, noon-4pm, free, canarywharf.com

Welcome to Wharf Life. Our 56th issue marks three years since we started publishing, so a big thank you to our readers, supporters, writers, proof-readers, advertisers and distribution staff – we couldn’t do it without you. Dive in to the pages beyond and you’ll find the usual mixture of delights...

Hacks and diary dates to make your Wharf Life that bit better

Where? Museum Of London Docklands WIQ

TALK | Port Of Steel And Sails Second in a series where curator of painting, prints and drawings, Thomas Ardill, hosts speakers to discuss the changing landscape of London’s docks. Feb 23, 6pm, £12, museumoflondon.org.uk

Wallace Chan brings his iron and titanium Titans to the Wharf

Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Canary Wharf

GIG | Flo Collective Performing the music of Nile Rodgers and Chic, audience members can expect Le Freak, Good Times and Sister Sledge’s We Are Family, naturally. Feb 25, 9.30pm, from £19, boisdale.co.uk

How Mark Ciavola’s Potters Thumb allows people to discover the world of ceramics. Oh, and alongside Silo, he’s inventing ways to recycle single-use glass to help save the planet too

flash back

Third Space’s Kate Maxey on helping people find the exercise they love

the joy of six

34 Elite personal trainer Darren Bruce has a lot to say about safe, effective exercise and, as a former world title contender, he should know. Now working at Third Space, he offers one-toone sessions for members at the gym thirdspace.london Scan this code to read our interview with Darren and discover why expertise plays such a big role in his work want more? @wharflifelive

Why Republic near East India station wants as many people as possible to visit its campus for business and pleasure

How Wonderful Things offers a bridge between co-working and wellbeing at its Canning Town base

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 34

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I am the power behind the throne I am the budget holder I am the decision maker I am Hannah Temple, Executive Assistant & Oﬃce Manager

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words you don’t know you need

scrotroll

verb, fake, from Facebook & others subscribe to our newsletter and get Wharf Life content in your inbox each week for free

The act of filling a social media feed with dubious clickbait posts purporting to convey specific stories about interesting individuals from the past by attributing great exploits, quotes or poetry to them

style it

●

Natasha’s hair styled by Jon Hala, inset

foma

noun, real, coined by Vonnegut Harmless untruths told to the masses to quiet the restlessness of the simple minded with the altruistic motive of making their lives better. These can be hard to distinguish from fact, especially when reading the internet

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elebrity hair stylist Ted Gibson once said, “You can never underestimate the relationship between a hairdresser and their clients”. My relationships with stylists have been tumultuous. As a pre-teen in the 1990s, I asked a hairdresser down the road from my parent’s house for a “Rachel Cut”. The boys at school started calling me John Lennon – so immature. In my early 20s an old Italian man did my hair a few times. I have thick Italian hair and I thought he would handle it well, which he did. But then he started asking me to loan him money. Back to the drawing board. I had another stylist cancel on me several times due to being hungover. Despite the bad experiences, I have had some lovely hairdressers, and these days I mostly go to an old friend to maintain the balayage style I’ve had for the last couple of years. However, as a treat, I recently decided to visit luxury salon Jon Hala in Jubilee Place. Jon himself has more than 25 years’ experience in the industry, a celebrity following and is a former colleague of Nicky Clarke. He opened his salon in Canary Wharf in 2019 and, despite the pandemic forcing closure at times, it is still standing strong. I was greeted very warmly by Jon and his staff and we sat down with a much-needed coffee to discuss what I wanted. My hair is prone to damage, not helped by the colouring and heat styling I put it through, so we decided on a good cut, while still keeping the length. Jon made me feel totally at ease, and was completely professional throughout. The ambience in the salon was very relaxing and I emerged with the bounciest blow dry I have ever seen. Jon used what he called the “Turkish twister blow dry” method, which allowed him to add voluminous waves to my hair using a round brush and a hair dryer. I felt like he understood my often difficult locks and their needs. Jon also gave me some great advice, recommending I use hair masks regularly to combat dryness. He even gave me a pot of his own home-made moisturising mask, infused with relaxing lavender oil and hinted to me that it might be going into mass production soon – watch this space. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching – why not show yourself some love and book an appointment? You can see more of Jon’s work on Instagram @JonHalaLondon Natasha Maddison @pazzanatasha on Insta

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Canary Wharf

Free Noodles Marugame Udon, Cabot Place marugame.co.uk

diary dates and ideas to make your Canary Wharf life a little bit sweeter OPENING ALERT - CARAVAN February 7, 7am, Reuters Plaza, Canary Wharf caravanrestaurants.co.uk Caravan is set to open an allday dining restaurant, offering coffee and brunch in Canary Wharf on February 7. Open from 7am daily, the Reuters Plaza venue will serve up its well-travelled blend of fresh juices, breakfast classics, small plates, large plates, drinks and cocktails. From early success in Exmouth Market, the brand has continued to grow, opening at Granary Square in King’s Cross and continues to spread, fuelled by its own roasted coffee. We can’t wait for this one.

This one’s time sensitive, so get your skates on – from February 3-5 recently opened Marugame Udon is giving away 1,011 bowls of noodles in celebration of its arrival in Canary Wharf. Orders will be capped at 350 per day, starting when the restaurant opens at 11.30am. The same offer will be available at its St Christopher’s Place branch, making 2,022 free bowls in total. The brand will also be hosting a Marugame Matsuri festival on Feb 3 at both sites with Japanese Taiko drummers, calligraphy from Koshu and music from Shamisen, a traditional stringed instrument.

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Open Back Knit Dress, £59.99 Zara, Cabot Place zara.com With its high neck, cuffed balloon sleeves, flared hem and open back, this muted red dress has all the elements for a dramatic entrance or departure. Ideal for making a statement, whether it’s striding back into the office or strutting out of a restaurant, head held high. For those born in the year of the Tiger, the colour may even help ward off 12 months of bad luck.

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Canary Wharf

how Wallace Chan’s Titans exhibition brings inspiration and sculpture together on the Wharf

Works by Wallace Chan will be on show in Canary Wharf from February 21 Multidisciplinary creator Wallace Chan began carving gemstones age 16, has risen to be one of the world’s most wellknown jewellery designers and also works as an artist and sculptor

looking beyond

by Jon Massey

abot Square in Canary Wharf is many things. A place to sit in the sunshine and eat lunch, somewhere to dip a hand in a boisterous fountain and cool off, a spot to relax with food and drink under the plentiful trees. But it’s also, increasingly, a site of cultural con uence. Not long ago artist Liz West placed Hymn To The Big Wheel nearby for Summer Lights 2021. The location was almost within earshot of Boisdale, a venue frequented by Horace Andy, who sang the vocal for the Massive Attack track that inspired the work. Now it s the turn of Chinese multidisciplinary creator Wallace Chan to be part of a connection. is five-metre sculpture Titans XIV is set to be placed in the square as part of his forthcoming exhibition Titans: A Dialogue Between Materials, Space And Time on February 21 and when that happens a loop in time will close. That’s because it will stand across from Henry Moore’s colossal bronze Draped Seated Woman and, without the English artist’s work as a source of inspiration, it’s likely a showcase of Mr Chan s work would look very different. “Starting at the age of 16 as an apprentice carver, I was working mostly with gemstones – coral, malachite and agate, for example,” he said. “I had to learn to be Even when I was very e ible, because stones primarily using always yield surprises and you have to adapt to them. gemstones, I was already “With agate, for instance, exploring. It’s about every layer can reveal different patterns and you the nature of materials, have to keep modifying your time and space ideas because of the restrictions of the materials. Wallace Chan, artist “I had to constantly compromise to attain a sense of freedom while working with them – that experience taught me that you have to be adaptable, that changing what you’re doing is normal when you’re trying to create something. “At the start I was using opaque stones but I eventually moved on to transparent or translucent ones. “That’s when I realised it was about more than working in three dimensions, because of the way the light interacts with the stones and the colours and effects that creates. “I had this idea that I wanted to

and design

Discover the work of ceramicist Mark Ciavola at his Hackney Wick studio Potters Thumb Pages 42-43

chase light and capture shadows using diﬀerent angles. This deep dedication to his craft has led Mr Chan to become one of the leading jewellery designers of his generation with a career that’s seen him patent the Wallace Cut as a method of carving refracted designs into gemstones themselves. His pieces sell for tens of millions of pounds, but when talking to him there’s a sense that he probably isn’t really interested in all of that. This is a man who, after all, following the death of his mentor in 2001, spent six months on a zen retreat living as a monk – meditating, fasting and tending to the sick and the dying – emerging to state: “I realised that the ability to dream and create was my way of life. I dream, therefore I exist. I create, so I live.” For Mr Chan his creativity is now and has always been inextricably linked with the materials he works with. “Even when I was primarily using gemstones, I was already exploring,” he said. “It’s always about the nature of materials, time and space. “What I am doing today comes from what I did in the past – that will always be the foundation of what I’m going to create. “While I was focused on jewellery making I became tired of just using continued on Page 8

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J O I N T O D AY W I T H N O J O I N I N G F E E

CANADA PL ACE, LONDON E14 5ER

THI1084_CW_Paper Full Page_ARTWORK-211202.indd 1

T H I R D S PAC E . L O N D O N

01/12/2021 16:22

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grape expectations by Nico Trevisan

Wine is our love language – it brings people together for a good time. The pop of a cork and the clink of a glass kick start a night perfectly. So, whether you’re team Cupid or anti-Valentine, our top wine picks for February will fill your heart (or at the very least your glass) with happiness... ● Domaine Allimant-Laugner Crémant d’Alsace Rosé, NV, Alsace, France £25.75 This classically elegant, sparkling wine is romance in a glass – so pale in colour it’s almost white. Made in the same way as Champagne from 100% Pinot Noir, each sip of this effervescent Cremant is scintillating with a fine-line acidity. The history behind this wine is also lovely – Grandma Allimant married Grandpa Laugner, giving the winery its name. Their love for wine has been passed down through the ages and the winery has now seen 12 generations contribute to its success. ● Casata Mergè Cupido Rosso, 2019, Lazio IGT, Italy, £20.25 This seductively drinkable wine will take you by surprise. A vivacious red with luscious fruits of redcurrant, cherry, and sour cherry, this unique liquid is born from the perfect union between ancient Cesanese grapes and Nero Buono – a chubby royal purple, similar to a Merlot. When combined, these create a harmonious, intense wine that’ll have you hooked. ● Casata Mergè, Venere Bianco, 2020, Lazio IGT, Italy, £20.25 The counterpart to Cupido, is a delicate white wine made with Malvasia – a high-quality grape that doesn’t usually get a lot of love – alongside the widely planted and more robust Trebbiano. When these two come together in the bottle, the result is pure magic. This is an eclectic white with aromas like a beautiful bouquet of flowers – think orange blossom and acacia. It’s a highly quaffable wine, that’s bright and refreshing like a cool summer breeze, with light stone fruit notes balanced with the right amount of acidity. Nico Trevisan is a personal wine specialist and tasting host at Humble Grape, which operates five bars and wine shops in London including one in Canary Wharf All of the wines featured in this column are available to buy from Humble Grape in store or online – scan this code to find out more ● IN STORE Try these wines at the Mackenzie Walk venue in Feb. Humble Grape’s Valentine’s Day set menu runs Feb 12-14 and is £35pp for five courses

from Page 6 gold, silver and platinum. I was constantly looking for new materials. I first read about titanium in a newspaper article and spent about eight years figuring out how to incorporate it into my work. hen succeeded, it became the embodiment of my jewellery. But also had a feeling that, like humans, materials should grow wanted to find ways to make larger pieces. That s when went back to a memory had from 1986, when went to see an e hibition of work by enry Moore in ong ong. t was huge there was a lot of fuss about it, so went to see these sculptures. was really surprised because they were so large. hen was working with gemstones d sometimes make carvings the size of a fist, which thought then were too big. But enry Moore had used metal to create really large works that was a seed in my mind, a moment of inspiration but at that time knew nothing about casting. Then about 20 years later, started to use iron, bronze and stainless steel to create works. They weren t as big as Moore s pieces, but they were bigger than my jewellery. felt something wasn t right with them, though was looking for a material that would re ect the spirit of the times, something contemporary and futuristic. So titanium became the natural metal to work with it s way more long-lasting and so it was the perfect material to create something more monumental with. Chan s e hibition in Canary harf, which is free to visit and runs until April 8 with the majority of the work placed in One Canada Square, is an opportunity to see the fruits of his intentions. Curated by ames Putnam, it features 10 pieces in total, many ju taposing impervious titanium with the russet tones of oxidising iron as a meditation on time and its varying effects on different materials. Three of the works Titans XIV, XV and XVI have never been displayed publicly before. The five-metre sculpture Titans XIV, which will be in Cabot S uare is about not having a sense of space or time or consciousness, said Mr Chan. t s about mindfulness, that nothing e ists e cept the moment. t was a big surprise to learn it would be displayed near Draped Seated Woman Moore is someone whose work greatly admire. was so shocked and inspired by what saw at his e hibition in 1986 and ve always appreciated his work, but wouldn t have ever considered something like this could happen back then. cannot e plain it but feel like some divine power is at work and I can t thank ames and Canary harf Group enough for this opportunity. ve always felt that m between cultures. go to temples, but also go to churches. admire sculptures made in the east and also in the west. The first pieces really got to know

Titans I Titans XIII

Titans XV

Titans III

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Canary Wharf

Titans IV

Titans X

Henry Moore’s Draped Seated Woman were the works by Michelangelo so I am in uenced by all kinds of things. Putting titanium and iron together in my sculptures is a way of combining the most futuristic and the most traditional materials could ﬁnd. They make a bridge between past and future. Greek mythology has also played a huge role in my works. found great meaning in these ancient stories so they have always been an inspiration to me. hen was carving the winged horse Pegasus would think about speed and force and d try to capture those elements in my work. e know the stories of the Titans the punishments and the ﬁghts among the gods but really wanted to capture the beauty of them with these sculptures. This idea of forming a connection between two places is also present in another way in several of his Titans sculptures. hen it comes to iron, it s interesting, he said. e ve known about it as a material for 5,000 years it s always been a part of our lives, our architecture, our tools and in our daily routines. But remember when was a child and my father was teaching me how to write the Chinese character that means craft and work. t looks like a capital , the most common kind of iron beam. e told me it was like the sky on top, the earth underneath and the humans standing in the middle between the two. t means that as a person you have to stand on your feet and you have to be grounded. Secondly that you have to reach for the sky and that you have to

understand you re a bridge between the two. That s why use it in the structure of my works. hen people are looking at any of my sculptures want them to know that it s always a projection of themselves. People should ask themselves if they are discovering or being discovered? “It might look to them like there is light and that there are shapes and forms, but in a way they re communicating with what s in front of them it s something mutual. f the audience wants to take something away from this e hibition, then hope it will be the idea that we can always transcend as individuals. t is possible to pursue many different roads at the same time, and it s always fine to go from one scale to another you can always be multidisciplinary. nowledge can be shared among different sorts of creations. started carving 50 years ago and ve never stopped trying to e pand the materials use or the scale of my work and work on many different projects all at once. Translation by Cherry Rao

Titans XIV

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I was so shocked and inspired by what I saw at Henry Moore’s exhibition in 1986 and I’ve always appreciated his work Wallace Chan, artist

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Titans V

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legal matters

by Erica John-Marie

Years Kate played hockey for England at U16-U21 level Kate likens leading exercises classes to playing team sports as everyone is focused on the same goal

Erica says making a will allows you to choose what you pass on to the next generation

hat will happen to my estate if I die without having a will in place? I’m concerned my estate and possessions might not end up with the people I’d like to benefit from them. If you die without a will, the Rules Of Intestacy will apply, which depend on your lifetime relationships as follows: ● If you die leaving a spouse and children, your spouse receives the first £270,000 of your estate and your personal possessions, and the remainder of your estate will be split equally between your spouse (50%) and your children (50%). ● If you die leaving a spouse but no children, your spouse will inherit your entire estate. ● If your die unmarried or as a widow or widower but leaving children, your children will inherit your estate in equal shares. ● If you die unmarried or as a widow or widower and childless, your estate will pass to You should consider if your surviving parents you want the Rules Of or, failing that, it passes in the following order to: Intestacy to apply to ● Your whole-blood siblings or to their your estate. If not, children. you should get a ● Your half-blood siblings or to their will in place children. Erica John-Marie, Kidd Rapinet ● Your grandparents. ● Your whole-blood aunts and uncles or to their children. ● Your half-blood aunts and uncles or to their children. ● The Crown, if none of the above are able to receive your estate. You should consider if you want the Rules Of Intestacy to apply to your estate. If not, you should get a will in place, which will give you control of the following: ● Who you wish to deal with your estate and act as executors. ● What you would like your funeral directions to be. ● Deciding whether to leave cash gifts or specific gifts of items to specific people. ● Deciding who should look after your children if they are below the age of 18. ● Deciding who should benefit from your estate.

“

Erica John-Marie is a wills and probate solicitor at Kidd Rapinet Solicitors, based at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs. She’s available on 020 7205 4191 Scan this code to find out more about downloading Kidd Rapinet’s eight-step guide to making a will

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

discovering

how Third Space master trainer Kate Maxey uses the club’s array of facilities, classes and trainers to help people find exercise they love by Jon Massey

ate Maxey is singularly well placed to recognise and relish the importance of depth at a gym when it comes to enjoying exercise and building ﬁtness. Growing up, much of her life was about hockey. er exceptional level of skill and talent with stick and ball led her to represent England up until

the end of her time at Loughborough University on a scholarship to play the sport. t was pretty full on, said ate. But loved it and it was a massive part of my life and my friendships. My older sisters played, so that’s probably why I got into it and it was what my life was about for a long time. But then got to the point of wondering whether it was really what I wanted to do – did I want to play hockey forever? Then it hit me loved the sport, but in training for it was always made to do stuff for my performance on the pitch, not necessarily the things I wanted to do for my own fitness, lifestyle or stress relief. That s when decided to e plore different things. t was a journey could have given it all up and not done anything at all – but e ercising was such a part of me. “That’s when I got into personal training and found that what I wanted to do was to inspire other people to find what works for them in terms of fitness. aving become a personal trainer, then started taking my first continued on Page 12

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Time is of the essence when you are buying or selling a property. At Kidd Rapinet we believe a timely conveyancing transaction is only truly successful if the process and cost to you is completely transparent.

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from Page 10 classes – something I especially love because they’re a bit like hockey, a team activity. “That’s my big thing, helping create a lifestyle for people and supporting them in finding something they love to do, whether that’s in a class setting or in the gym. still play hockey now to a good level and I really enjoy it, but it’s more a social thing – I had to find what love and training people is what want to do. Today, that journey has led Kate to the position of strength and conditioning master trainer at Third Space in Canary Wharf, overseeing more than 50 group exercise instructors. Her role includes responsibility for developing that team and the classes it delivers as well as coaching group sessions herself. “Fitness shouldn’t be seen as something you just do if you re an athlete, she said. f you hated sport at school, that doesn’t mean you can t go to the gym and find something you love doing. Classes are about teamwork everybody in the room might have different motivations but they’re all trying to achieve something, they have that shared aim. At Third Space we design the sessions so anyone can come along and get the best

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

Minutes is the length of the majority of classes at Third Space Canary Wharf

Kate oversees a team of more than 50 group exercise instructors at Third Space

Scan this code to find our more about Third Space in Canary Wharf

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workout for them. The camaraderie and the class environment really helps motivate people. Everyone’s doing the same things at the same time you might not know anything about them, who they are or what they do you’re all just there to look after yourselves, to get fit and maintain it and nobody is judging what anyone else is doing. “That’s the fantastic thing about my job – you get so many different dynamics. Some people will come into class and they ll want to sit at the back and not want too much attention, because they just want to do their thing. Others will be more competitive and they ll use that to motivate themselves. Both are absolutely fine.

hile the extensive class list at Third Space which includes everything from spinning to weightlifting, crossfit, combat and Yoga – presents a multitude of possibilities for members, Kate said the true attraction of the club lay in the breadth of the range of services it offers and how they complement one another. Third Space offers everything in terms of facilities, but that in itself can be daunting, she said. So the best advice can give when someone joins a place like this is: ‘Talk to someone . There are staff all around with all the personal trainers and academy and class instructors – and that might seem intimidating. But this is our world. veryone has had their own journey to get here and we all, without e ception, want to help members. hen people are new to a gym, over the first couple of months, the most common thing they do is to absolutely smash themselves five days a week. Then their body starts to break down, the stress becomes too much and they can get injured. That s why you need help. “Workouts are a stress on the body, but we re e perts in managing that and allowing people to find what they love doing and what they need to do. “Personal training can be especially great for that. A good PT can help you with the things you don t enjoy so much and that will help you avoid injury and perform better in the activities you love. They can create a plan for you that will help you develop strength so you get stronger and condition your body. Then with classes, d suggest trying a range of things. You might go along and absolutely hate it, but it’s only 45 minutes of hell, and then you ll know you can cross it off the list and try something else if it s not for you. First, it’s about safety – members can use classes to learn how to move correctly. ou often see people writing down what they ve done so they can replicate it again on their own. Then classes like ard Strong, continued on Page 33

That’s my big thing, helping create a lifestyle for people and supporting them in finding something they love to do whether that’s in a class setting or in the gym Kate Maxey, Third Space

www.creativevirtual.com info@creativevirtual.com | 020 7719 8332

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Canary Wharf

We will always strive to go above and beyond what’s on offer elsewhere so every person who comes to Third Space achieves what they want to and is able to train with us

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

Exercise stations set out for participants in Third Space’s Yard Strong classes

Whether it’s a class, a personal training session or just training individually, Third Space has the facilities and equipment necessary to help its members find what they love doing

Kate Maxey, Third Space

from Page 12 for example, allow people to try things they might not have done before, which is always exciting. It has 10 stations with exercises like log bars and farmer carries – exercises that leave people feeling they’ve really accomplished something. “For members who want to get stronger, classes like these are there for them to lift in a safe environment with a knowledgeable instructor who can help them develop and keep an eye on their technique. In a class like that it’s more about working in partnership with the trainer. “The important thing is that for every class you can stay within your own zone – you can interact as much as you like. Likewise, if someone has suffered an injury or is restricted in what they can do, it s our job to adjust what we re offering to include them, to provide alternatives so they will still get something from the class. “We will always strive to go above and beyond what s on offer elsewhere so every person who comes to Third Space achieves what they want to and is able to train with us. That’s why, for me, this is the ultimate gym. ou have your home, which is your first space, your place of work which is your second space and then we’re your Third Space. Then, within that, there are so many spaces at the club, whether you’re a member who wants to find a uiet corner, put their headphones on, do their workout and not be seen or whether it’s a member who wants to take part in a big class in The Yard. “The great thing about Third Space is that you have the facilities to do all those things, whether it’s taking part in a dance class, going for a swim, using the climbing wall or doing a treadmill class. It’s about what you want. Then what s key is finding something that is sustainable for you and that you enjoy. That way, you can make good habits, build slowly over time, and achieving those goals becomes so much easier. Here, you can come and know there’s always someone who is there to help you get through your workout and make the most of it.” ● Membership of Third Space Canary Wharf costs £180 on a rolling monthly contract. Personal training rates at the club are available on request, with a discount for new members on their first two sessions. Group-wide membership for all clubs including City and Tower Bridge costs £210 per month. New members get two guest passes, a meal or shake at Natural Fitness ood, 25 off their first treatment at the Canary Wharf spa and an ongoing discount of 5% as standard. Go to thirdspace.london

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Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

126k

Square footage let to universities across Republic’s campus in east London

how Republic is seeing people flow back to its campus as universities expand and arrive in east London by Jon Massey

e’d always had the talent of the future at the forefront of our minds while the whole complex was being designed,” said Laurence Jones. “To see that ﬁnally coming to fruition is hugely gratifying.” The head of asset management at Trilogy Real Estate is in a buoyant but humble mood as we chat about the present and the future. His employer, in partnership with LaSalle Investment Management, is at the helm of Republic London, a project to regenerate four unloved and unlovely buildings around Clove Crescent near East India DLR, after acquiring them in 2015. The project is entering its sixth year and appears in rude health with 2021 seeing 120,000sq ft let to organisations – around 30% of the Docklands market over the last 12 months. While Trilogy’s strategy has been to deliberately target a diverse range of tenants, an emerging trend as a place ideal for education has emerged. The University Of The West Of Scotland (UWS) and Anglia Ruskin University have both increased the size of their operations on-site, together occupying more than 125,000sq ft across the scheme’s Import and Export buildings. York St John is also relocating to Republic in a move to expand and consolidate its existing courses and apprenticeships while allowing it to launch seven new postgrad programmes and professional education courses at a 25,000sq ft facility. “We’ve seen the emergence of

higher education as a key sector and that really underpins the ethos of what we want to be – an innovation hub,” said Laurence. “We want universities sat next to business, sat next to real, meaningful community engagement. “When you have all those elements collaborating with each other, benefiting from that proximity, you get an environment that’s greater than the sum of its parts and huge opportunities. “In terms of winning these expansions and clients, it’s been very helpful to work alongside the organisations already based here. “People kick around this idea of landlords and tenants being partners but at Republic we really do mean that. e re here from first viewings to agreeing terms and ensuring fit-outs are undertaken effectively because we want to work with operators and make sure they have the maximum chance of success. “We’ve created a fantastic environment here but, crucially for the educators, it offers something more. You have business – the City and Canary Wharf – close by. “The endgame for most of the graduates and postgraduates here is employment, so to be in a place that lends itself to getting direct work experience for their CVs is incredibly powerful.”

Laurence wants more people living locally to visit Republic to discover what it has to offer

epublic isn’t simply about providing big buildings for large organisations, however. Laurence and his team are determined to accommodate businesses ranging in size from a single entrepreneur to thousands. He said: “In partnership with UWS and The Trampery we’ve created The Greenhouse which essentially provides incubator

the creation of a Incubator: The Greenhouse at Republic’s Export building

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

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

Part of the campus’ extensive public space

what’s on

People kick around this idea of landlords and tenants being partners but at Republic we really do mean that

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Poplar Union Poplar

Laurence Jones, Trilogy Real Estate

Inside the Export building at Republic, which is 54% let

space. It has a real focus on offering a support network and a space for local businesses to make that leap from an idea at home to making it a reality. ually, it gives a platform for some of the university students here to start trying out their entrepreneurial ideas. Once someone has a credible business with a track record, they re going to want staff and their own front door. So, just before Christmas, we created five micro studios. They re a very simple prospect 500-to-1,000s ft an all inclusive rent for SM s and startups to come and occupy space on a relatively e ible basis. t s a short-form lease that a business can sign there and then on the day. One is already let to our Parking Space and, as its business grows, we can accommodate the firm s e pansion. e see that journey for businesses as being absolutely crucial to our campus that there s an entry point for everyone.

rilogy is also sharply focused on opening its campus up to the local community and visitors from further afield, with a range of places to eat, drink, e ercise and even shop, framing its i-fi enabled water gardens. Open and trading are the likes of physiotherapy and fitness centre Myoset, e ercise powerhouse 45, independent bakery and cafe Sweet Nothing Bakehouse, ice cream parlour Gelato A Casa and recently opened specialist whisky bar Black Rock. The local community is, for us, very important, said Laurence. e ve always strived to ensure Republic isn t just perceived as a business park. e created the public areas here because we want people to come and use them, to understand what s here and think our big objective for 2022 is to make certain there continues to be a huge amount of community engagement to de-mystify things. The early indications are the

ne t 12 months will hopefully deliver some degree of normality and we re super e cited about people coming back. There will be e perimentation for many organisations who will be asking what their working practices will look like and what their use of space will be. But the early indications are good and that s fantastic news for the food and beverage businesses and the ﬁtness companies we have here. There s a lot of e citement. e re 94 let in the mport Building and 55 let in port and we want to keep the leasing momentum going and ﬁnish the job that we started. Looking further forward, a planning application for the second phase of the project is currently under consideration. Trilogy and LaSalle hope to build homes for rent, student accommodation, more o ce space and a data centre on-site. That will help us in our ambition to crack the night time economy here, said Laurence. Part of that will come from having beds on campus for students and other residents, but e ually by making sure there are more people coming here from the local area. e always knew we needed provision here outside traditional working hours because otherwise it could just be a 9am-5pm destination. e see this is as the ne t logical step, especially given the universities we have based here now. The student body at Republic is incredibly diverse many are mature students and there are those from overseas. e are a centre of gravity for them and we want to be somewhere that they can call home. Find out more about what’s going on at Republic at republic.london

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GIG | PlayForProgress Meets Leafcutter John This sonic collaboration celebrates International Mother Language Day with DIY instruments, sampling, singing and playing. Feb 19, 7pm, £10, poplarunion.com Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Pass It On Yellow Coat Theatre Company showcases emerging writers, performers and directors who identify as women or non-binary. Voices amplified. Feb 23-26, times vary, £14, space.org.uk Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Soldier Tales Watch five pieces drawn from work by veterans and their families entered in Soldiers Arts Academy’s International 10-minute Play Competition. Feb 27, 4.30pm, 7.30pm, £15, space.org.uk

flash back

Lightship95, moored at Trinity Buoy Wharf boasts a fully equipped recording studio below decks offering an astonishing array of analogue and digital options for musicians of all kinds to experiment with lightship95.com Scan this code to read our interview with Giles Barrett and Dave Holmes of Lightship95 want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

£6.90

Cost of a full English breakfast with tea and bread – a bargain

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

STAGE | Ugg ‘N’ Ogg And The World’s First Dog For ages three and up, we’re promised a mind-boggling story of how hunter gatherers paired up with their enemies, the wolves, for mutual benefit. Feb 12, 11am and 2pm, £7, halfmoon.org.uk Where? Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Damon Albarn For War Child The founder member of Blur, Gorillaz and The Good The Bad And The Queen will perform new material and classic tracks. All proceeds go to charity. Feb 20, 7pm, from £45.20, troxy.co.uk

Frank’s Cafe is located on Commercial Road across the street from Limehouse station

why Frank’s Cafe is a welcome haven from busy streets and, to some extent, the endless march of fiscal progress

Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

DANCE | Phantoms - Green Apples - Folk Tales The Mark Bruce Company return to the venue for a triple bill of cinematic dance theatre. Expect love, tragedy and the music of The White Stripes. Feb 24-Mar 5, times vary, from £15, wiltons.org.uk

flash back

Read the thoughts of pianist and Cockney Sing-A-Long king Tom Carradine – ahead of his February 8 show at Wilton’s Music Hall. He’s a regular performer across east London so check his website for future dates and ‘av a banana carradinescockneysingalong.co.uk Scan this code to read our interview with Tom as he celebrates six years of shows at Wilton’s want more? @wharflifelive

the warmest

by Jon Massey

m a size eight, but could fit into a nine or 10 at a push,” confides the diner at the ne t table to his mate as they chat earnestly about footwear. Kathy’s Cafe in Eastenders might be the idealised versions of an east London caff. But Frank’s is, unquestionably, the real deal. Established getting on for si decades ago, this is a place for a good, honest, no-frills feed. But best of all is the warmth of the welcome. Family-run, Frank’s staff communicate a genuine enthusiasm for hospitality. This is old-fashioned, uncomplicated service with a smile. It has none of the Farrow And Ball shades more boutique venues offer and is decorated haphazardly with pieces that have sentimental value rather than aesthetic beauty, but it nevertheless manages to feel like a cosy haven.

Filling: The full English at Frank’s comes, as it should, with tea, toast and as much ketchup as you want

The food is solid, serviceable stuff, e tremely reasonable in price and filling when consumed. Really that’s all anybody could want from a place like this. It’s clear that’s enough from the busy stream of patrons, some in hi-vis jackets, one reading a novel intently over a cup of tea. There’s chat, buzz and a general air of friendliness that chain coffee shops, for all their attempts, can’t quite replicate. There s even the une pected charm of a hand-written cash only sign which, post-pandemic in 2022, seems impossibly archaic. How fast things move. This must be one of the last venues in east London still trading in paper and coin when even street food stalls beam card payments through mobile phones to their banks. I can’t say for sure how close the full English at Frank’s today is to the one served up in the 1960s, but I get the sense it won’t have changed much. In a world of change, that’s quite comforting.

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

£27.90

Starting price for adult entry to Titanic: The Exhibition in Rotherhithe

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? The Albany Deptford

LEARN | Creative Coding Collective Taking place Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, this 12-session coding project is for those aged 16-21 to get some serious tech training. Feb 22-Apr 5, 6pm, free, thealbany.org.uk Where? Canada Water Theatre Rotherhithe

POETRY | Off The Chest This evening of spoken word and poetry celebrates a chorus of original voices hosted and curated by Ella Dorman-Gajic and Iftikhar Latif. Feb 24, 7pm, donations, canadawatertheatre.org.uk

seabed

Where? Deptford Does Art Rotherhithe

The exhibition brings together around 200 objects from travellers on the ship as well as recreating interiors on board for visitors to explore as they listen to an immersive soundscape

stories

from the

how Titanic: The Exhibition promises touching tales of travellers on the world’s most infamous ocean liner by Jon Massey

t will be 110 years ago this year that the Titanic sank into the icy depths of the North Atlantic, taking with it the lives of 1,496 people. It’s a story that’s spawned novels, films, a play and even a musical. Titanic: The Exhibition, which is currently filling events venue Dock at Canada ater, promises something different to the dramatic portrayals of the ship s final, tragic hours. Produced by Spanish company Musealia, the travelling collection, which has toured urope, promises

to emphasise the human stories associated with the ship’s sinking by displaying around 200 objects from passengers alongside life-size recreations of Titanic’s interiors. By combining these artefacts and sets with audio guides featuring music and sound effects, the curators aim to create a narrative e perience focused on the fates of those on board the ship as she made her first and final voyage. Objects such as photographs, keepsakes and handwritten letters, some never seen before in the U , will be available to view. Visitors will be able to listen to the testimonies of passengers and crew as well as insight from

historians and Titanic expert Claes-G ran etterholm as they walk in the footsteps of those who embarked on that fateful journey. Tickets for Titanic: The Exhibition are on sale now with adult prices starting from 27.90 and for children from 15.90. Discounts and family passes are also available. For more information about the exhibition or to make a booking go to titanicexhibitionlondon.com

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EXHIBITION | Illustration + Print Open This free-to-visit exhibition and sale of work by 40 local artists has been extended after Omicron curtailed its festive run. Pop along and buy a piece. Until Feb 13, 10am, Weds-Sun, deptforddoesart.com

train up

Book in quick as The Albany is offering training courses in technical theatre skills and live event production from February 14 for those aged 16-30 who would like to explore a career in the creative industries thealbany.org.uk Scan this code to find out more about courses and training at The Albany in Deptford want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

Advertising Directory - Classified

find our advertisers’ messages here Third Space print Wrap online thirdspace.london

NU Living print Page 23 online nuliving.co.uk

Kidd Rapinet Solicitors print Pages 1, 4, 11, 13 online kiddrapinet.co.uk

Landmark Estates print Pages 24,25 online lmlondon.com

The PA Show print Page 3 online thepashow.com

My London Home print Pages 26, 27 online mylondonhome.com

Rockar print Page 5 online rockar.com

Hamptons print Page 28,29 online hamptons.co.uk

Bullards print Page 9 online bullardsspirits.co.uk

Galliard Homes print Page 32 online galliardhomes.com

Creative Virtual print Page 12 online creativevirtual.com

Simon Bradford print Page 38 online handyman-services-london.co.uk

London Square print Page 20 online londonsquare.co.uk L&Q print Page 21 online lqgroup.org.uk Alex Neil print Page 22 online alexneil.com

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

IMPROVE YOUR HOME

Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited and printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2021 In regard to advertising material submitted by third parties and printed in Wharf Life, each individual advertiser is solely responsible for the content of such material Massey Maddison Limited accepts no responsibility for the content of advertising material, including, without limitation, any error, omission or inaccuracy therein

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

£8

Price of the Tofu Satay Rice Bowl at Choy House on Greenwich Peninsula

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Royal Museums Greenwich Online

TALK | Queer Eye For The Museum Guide A select group of artists, academics and activists interpret objects from the Greenwich museums’ collections through an LGBTQIA+ lens. Feb 22, 6.30pm, free, rmg.co.uk Where? Beanfest Woolwich Works

The beige tones of the tofu and satay sauce topping the rice bowl hide a dish of delicate and complex flavours that come together to form an engaging, gently seasoned blend

STAGE | A Waltz In New Orleans This debut play from writer, producer and, here, braggadocios drummer Lucas Keen tells the tale of the greatest jazz musician you’ve never heard of. Mar 1-4, 8pm, £15.50, woolwich.works

a choy, pure and

Where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

how Vietnamese cafe Choy House, located beside the river on the Peninsula, serves subtle, satisfying food by Jon Massey

opping a quivering, soft parcel containing prawns and chives in my mouth at Choy House is a revelation. Dipped in mayo and soy sauce, these little dumplings are astonishingly tasty on the tongue and priced at a tempting £5.50 for six. This, I discover, is typical of the Greenwich Peninsula venue, which can be found at the very tip of The Tide looking out over the Thames. There it shares a commercial unit with a gym, evidenced by a giant leader-board of eﬀort on one wall and the occasional ﬁt-looking person heading up the stairs. Strangely

this doesn’t detract from the atmosphere of a place that re ects the food it serves in its aesthetic – deliberately pared down to the essentials. But, on the plate, what essentials they are. On paper, £8 sounds like a lot for a tofu satay rice bowl. But the clean white ceramic vessel is wide and deep. The ingredients are laid out neatly – shredded lettuce, a pickled slaw of cabbage and carrot, crispy onions and the tofu itself. It’s an orderly, inviting pile, challenging the diner to pour on the thick, potent satay sauce and create some chaos. Generous in size, it’s more than enough on its own, the dumplings feel like a super uous, but very necessary luxury.

While there’s nothing exactly blockbuster about Choy House, its food is ﬁlling, warm and reliable – even when the toppings have been exhausted the rice in the bottom of my bowl is pleasantly moreish with subtle notes of salt and pepper. Perhaps that’s why it’s full for late lunch at 3pm – the secret to its survival when other venues in the area failed to gain traction with passers-by and local residents. ither that or the steady ow of gym-goers have been unable to resist its charms. Come to think of it, I can’t imagine anything better after a decent workout.

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STAGE | Frankenstein Blackeyed Theatre and South Hill Park promise a thrilling adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic tale of gothic horror and science fiction. Mar 1-5, times vary, £21, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

flash back

Tescha Joy is serving something fresh across south-east London – Joy’s Caribbean Fusion blends spicy flavours with vegan recipes to create a street food and sauce brand that’s at once delicious and sustainable follow @joys_caribbean_fusion on Insta Scan this code to read our interview with Tescha and discover how to make her banana skin curry want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

£5

per person per hour is the introductory price being offered to teachers

how Yoga and meditation studio Wonderful Things wants to adapt co-working for the wellness industry by Laura Enfield

new space that embraces the increasingly blurry lines between home, work and wellbeing is about to emerge in Canning Town. onderful Things will oﬀer traditional Yoga and meditation classes alongside sessions such as sound healing, moon ceremonies and ecstatic dance. Inspired by the autonomy of co-working spaces, it promises to shun rigid schedules and memberships and instead mould itself around the needs of teachers and students to create a sanctuary from stress. Set to open in March at Caxton Works, general manager Sean Reilly said it was a “beautiful but no-frills” space run with a laid back philosophy. The 27-year-old, who is a trained hypnotherapist, has spent weeks talking to therapists and Yoga teachers about what they need. “People are looking for a space that’s super simple where they can just walk in, no faﬀ, start their class and they know where everything is,” she said. “They want to know they are in a space that is safe, that they can relax and nothing is going to go wrong so they have peace of mind and don’t need to worry about a thing. Creating that is our sole focus now, so we can slip into people’s lives as if we have always been there and they can just click and book and it’s done.” She turned to the wellness industry after becoming disillusioned with her hospitality job during lockdown. “During the pandemic, there was a drastic change and it came to a point where I was doing 12-hour shifts by myself, back-to-back, which wasn’t good for my brain,” she said. “The Deliveroo drivers

and I were best friends. I loved hospitality because I love talking to people and it lost the magic for me a little bit.” Despite no o ce e perience, she landed a role at Keyboards And Dreams, a co-working company set up by Jonathan Fren with sites in Clerkenwell and Caxton Works. They quickly discovered a shared passion for wellbeing and have been working together to create Wonderful Things in the unit next door. The 150sq m space oﬀers 24 oga mats as well as straps, blocks, blankets and pillows. There is also a changing area, kitchen and a dedicated street entrance, which will be accessible via a mobile app. It is a new direction for entrepreneur Jonathan but a natural one. The 32-year-old started out in tech as a teen, but a decade later shut down successful web company Rebel Minds after it grew into something he hated. He went travelling and began renting out the central London o ce space he had acquired and Keyboard and Dreams was born. He launched his second space in Canning Town in November 2020, after he fell in love with the area and then jumped at the chance to start another business at the development. “I took this new space on a year ago without even having an idea of what to do with it because I

“

breathe space to

and teach

Our space is beautiful but has no frills and is all about welcoming people. If that works for your idea in your mind, then please come down Sean Reilly, Wonderful Things

Yoga teachers interested in hiring out the space, which has room for 24 mats can speak to Sean directly as well as discussing any additional requests with her Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

Royal Docks - Canning Town

therapists looking for affordable just really believe in that area,” he spaces to use. Renting a space can said. “I’ve always wanted to do be extortionate, so you have to do something in wellness but hadn’t a joint contract where one person crystallised the idea. For the past uses it one day and another person year I’ve been living in the counanother. tryside and my girlfriend is a Yoga “It’s always complicated. You teacher, so I’ve been doing a lot want the focus to be on your of that and meditation and it just clients’ wellbeing, but you spend clicked at some point that I wanted half the time worrying about to create a space in London where whether you can afford the rent. people can go and just be with “We said it would be themselves. “Now, more than great to have an ever I think it’s all-round wellbeing hub and really important that spaces have make it the kind more than of space we would want just o ces. A to go to. lot of spaces “Hopefully, in London if it goes are made well over by people the next year, with lots of money and we will open that’s all it’s the mezzanine about, especially space with with a lot of gyms. meditation spaces Jonathan Fren We want Wonderful and break out spaces Things to be warm and where people can be alone with their thoughts or have inviting, but it will really be about therapy sessions.” creating a space where people can Classes will “start with a trickle discover themselves. and turn into a ood with a “When I go to London one schedule being developed over thing I miss is being in a silent time, but room will also be left for room where I don’t feel I’m being ad hoc events. Teachers will pay a watched or have to talk. I want set price to use the space and then Wonderful Things to be that safe be responsible for promoting their space.” classes and deciding ticket prices. Jonathan never returned from “There’s nothing in the area his travels. He now lives in that really has the same vibe,” Portugal, managing both busisaid Sean. “We are very relaxed nesses remotely with Lewisham and if you need anything you can resident Sean on-site. just talk to us. It’s open to anyone In addition to being a hypnowho wants to be there because the therapist, she is studying psychospace is so adaptable. It isn’t going therapy and hopes to see clients at to be the right fit for everyone. f Wonderful Things in the future. you are looking for a big, mainShe said hen first met on stream space, this isn’t that. I told him my idea of the perfect “Our space is beautiful but has space and he told me about this no frills and is all about welcoming project and asked if I wanted to people. If that works for your idea be involved. I knew it was where in your mind then please come I was meant to be. It worked out down.” perfectly. Go to wonderfulthings.space “There are so many brilliant

eco warriors

sustainable focus

Jonathan said he wanted Wonderful Things to heal bodies and minds while not damaging the planet. He said: “Being a company you have a huge responsibility. I want to do as much as I can on that front to reduce our impact. “I’ve spent hours and hours researching the pros and cons of paper towels and hand dryers.” Measures he has implemented so far at the facility include: ● The site being powered by 100% renewable energy (solar, wind and hydro-electric). ● No waste going to landfill. The venue recycles and ensures general waste is burned to produce electricity. ● It provides no plastic bottles, and uses bulk re-fillable consumables where possible and always recyclable where not, buying supplies from reputable and vetted sources. ● Toilet paper is bamboo and the facility does not use paper hand towels. ● It also funds tree planting, and donates 1% of revenue to environmental causes.

Scan this code for more info on Wonderful Things

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock

MUSIC | Atif Aslam After a sold-out 2020 tour, the Bollywood and Pakistani singer is back with his full band for an evening of mesmerising and emotional music. Feb 12, 8pm, from £45, excel.london Where? Britannia Village Hall Evelyn Road

KIDS | Little Kickers Got an aspiring footballer at home? These sessions are run by trained coaches and provide a fun start to sport for ages 18 months to seven years. Weekends, various times, £36/month, littlekickers.co.uk Where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock

EVENT | The PA Show A chance to connect, share and learn from other executive support professionals from across the UK with talks and advice to help you climb the ladder. Mar 8-9, 9.30am-5pm, £129, thepashow.com

travel ready

London City Airport is predicting a solid period of recovery as the year unfolds, based on strong performance in the six months up to Christmas. New destinations for travellers include Thessaloniki londoncityairport.com

The main studio space at Wonderful Things in Canning Town

Scan this code to read to find out more about flights to and from London City Airport in Royal Docks want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

how you can try making your own ceramics at Potters Thumb under Mark Ciavola’s guidance

£35

Cost of a hand-building class at Potters Thumb above Silo in Hackney Wick

by Jon Massey

Mark and Douglas are working together to find a way to upcycle single-use glass

finding a greener way to use all of that glass

ouglas founded Silo with the premise that the restaurant would operate without a bin, producing no waste. So he’s enlisted Mark’s help in a project to create a new material from the single-use glass that flows through the venue to improve its environmental impact. He said: “From day one that was always the headache. Even when recycling it you need pure silica to make new bottles and that’s the best case scenario. “The other problem is that systemically used glass doesn’t end up where it should – getting into parks, canals and landfill, where it takes thousands of years to break down and does a whole lot of environmental damage. But there isn’t really a better way to get all these wonderful liquids here, so I approached Mark about using it as a raw material.” Mark said: “No good potter would ever throw away decent material – clay is a gift from Mother Nature so we treat it with respect. I looked at this problem with a ceramacist’s hat on, rather than as a glassmaker. There’s silica in both glass and clay and that was the catalyst to find a solution and marry up these two materials. “We crush the bottles, pound them until the particles are the size we can manipulate and then mould it as glass porcelain. There’s lots of experimenting, but we can turn this into something useful. We’re working on flat objects at the moment like tiles and plates.” Watch this space.

Used bottles are ground and pounded so they can be used to make glass porcelain, inset

don’t immediately realise it, but as I raise the cup of tea to my lips at restaurant Silo in Hackney Wick, they’re touching an object conceived and created by the man sitting beside me. Mark Ciavola is the ceramicist behind Potters Thumb, which oﬀers clay-based classes and memberships at its studio space above the zero waste venue. He also supplies it with its handthrown cups, from which we’re drinking and that’s not the only reciprocity, but more of that later. Lamenting the shrinking presence of pottery in schools, he is determined to pass on the knowledge he’s accrued from a lifetime spent around ceramics. “At a very early age I showed signs of interest and my parents saw that and guided me,” said Mark. In fact, it was his mother, Anna, who sadly died last year, who had the biggest in uence on Mark. She forged a career as a potter at a time when the craft was dominated by men, teaching, nurturing and inspiring numerous others in their native Malta and seeing her work enter the island’s National Collection. “I was fortunate to travel a lot with her, visiting potteries across the world, but mostly in Europe,” he said. “So I had the pleasure of meeting all these potters in Greece, the UK and Italy. “That included Phil Rogers in Wales who, along with my mother, took me under his wing. He’s been hugely in uential in the contemporary ceramics world and has pieces in the British Museum and collections all over the world. “He suggested courses for me, so I went to Harrogate College where I did my national diploma, and then to Cardiﬀ to do my degree. I’ve been so lucky to be able to learn new techniques and skills from potters such as Michael Casson and Terry and Beverly Bell- ughes. Having originally set up shop in Brighton, a lack of empathy from his landlord during the pandemic saw him return to Malta rather

with the clay

Mark makes a cup on the wheel at Potters Thumb Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick Mark offers workshops, classes and memberships at his Hackney Wick studio space than take up the Government s generous invitation to re-train in cyber. is relocation to ackney ick came via a message from Silo owner Douglas McMaster, who he d met and supplied when the restaurant was also based in Brighton. Oﬀered the chance to create a new material in partnership with the restaurant (look left for more on this), he moved back to the U , plugged the potters wheels and opened the doors. hen was working in Brighton didn t want to make pottery that was e clusive and unattainable for the general public, said Mark. wanted to get my work out to the people as uickly as possible and in abundance. was thinking of who would use crockery like that and that s how met Doug, through creating ceramics for Silo. ve been doing that ever since and for other restaurants and it s snowballed from there. Giving lessons is very important for me. t is part of the structure of pottery and keeps us sustainable as well so we can keep doing what we re doing. Obviously we have a responsibility to spread this craft around it s a dying trade unless it is encouraged and there s not much of that coming from the state at the moment, so it s an uphill struggle. Nevertheless, am determined to pursue it.

“

No-one teaches us how to play with playdough – it’s just given to us and instinctively we know what to do. It’s something in our DNA

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

Mark Ciavola, Potters Thumb

t cuts you off and gives you that space that we all need. Today, humanity deliberately and consciously deprives itself of mental states that preserve our mental health. Crafts and art are slowly being cut from the curriculum of our schools, colleges and universities and there are cuts in funding because the Government doesn t have any faith in the creative industries. Cooking, for e ample, used to involve 30 or 40 minutes of preparation and then the savouring of the food you d made. Now it s two and a half minutes in the microwave and a plate in front of the laptop. ith pottery, people feel they ve missed out and they want to come and e perience it and practise it. As children, no-one teaches us how to play with playdough it s just given to us and instinctively we know what to do. t s something in our DNA and, even as adults, our primal instincts are alive and kicking. Pottery gives us a sense of satisfaction that we re able to do something and this gives us energy to pursue other goals. That s why we re giving lessons here with heart, in a creative comfortable spot where you don t need to invest heavily in machinery in kilns or materials. ou can come here and use them. really want to share my e periences, help develop other people s creativity and pass on this dying craft to others. Thankfully ceramics is getting more publicity with T shows like The Great Pottery Throw Down and an increasing number of people are getting interested in it as it becomes more mainstream. But the best thing about it is that it s a great way to escape the madness we re living in today. Potters Thumb offers a variety of classes and workshops at its studio, based in the hite Building at ackney ick. These include sessions on hand building techni ues (from 35) and wheel throwing (from 55). Memberships to use the studio are also available (from 150), with kiln firing services also available. Go to pottrersthumb.com for more information, to buy Mark’s pieces or to book a class

art of Mark s drive to get more people handling clay is down to his belief in its wider benefits. These, he said, e tended beyond the creation of ceramics and spoke to fundamental things about what it means to be human. Personally it s been doing me the world of good for about 37 years, said Mark. believe that in contrast to the fast-paced world that we live in now and, because we are more aware of our mental health and other sensitive topics which affect us, ceramics, clay, pottery is art therapy. t transports you, because working with clay involves so many of your senses with your hand-eye coordination you ve got this vision of the future, imagining your finished item while you re still making it, the clay catching up with the line you re seeing in the air, and all the while you re touching and manipulating the material.

Scan this code for more info on Potters Thumb in Hackney Wick Maker’s Mark: Look for the ‘M’ in the skull in Mark’s pieces, which can be bought online

STAGE | After The End Dennis Kelly takes an acidic look at what it takes to survive an apocalypse. Work colleagues Mark and Louise attempt just that after a nuclear blast. Feb 25-Mar 26, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com Where? Stratford Picturehouse Stratford

FILM | My Neighbour Totoro Two young girls befriend the largest and oldest fantastical creature in a mystical forest and embark on a magical adventure. Charm from Miyazaki. Feb 18, 8pm, £8, picturehouses.com Where? Copper Box Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

EVENT | Legacy Cheer And Dance Returning to the Copper Box for the first time since 2019, the competitions Just Believe regional championship is a festival of energetic movement. Feb 19-20, from £28, legacycheeranddance.com

flash back

Playwright, filmmaker and poet Dipo BaruwaEtti’s latest play An Unfinished Man is set for a run at The Yard Theatre from February 12, interrogating juju, mental health and their effects on central character Kayode theyardtheatre.co.uk Scan this code to read our interview with Dipo at wharf-life.com and hear his multiple truths want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life Feb 2-16, 2022 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Medium

9 5

7 2 6 1 9 3 4 5 8 Sudoku 1 a5break 8 from 4 2 that 6 phone 3 9 7 Take 4 3 9 7 5 8 1 6 2 How 5 to4 play 1 8 6 2 9 7 3 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 2 such 3 that 7 4each 5 row, 1 6column and 3x3 box one9to8nine contains every number uniquely. 6 7 3 5 1 9 8 2 4 7 strategies, 2 4 1 hints 6 and 8 5tips online You3can9find at sudokuwiki.org 2 6 4 9 8 5 7 3 1 8 to 1 play 5 6 3 7 2 4 9 More

1 3

9 2 1 6

7 3 5

No. 139 that each row, column and 3x3 box

4 7

9 2 1 3 8 6

8 3

Tough

Across

Down

8. 9. 11. 12. 13. 15. 17. 18. 20. 22. 23.

No heavy warning with this vessel (9) Sounds like you may suﬀer from this beer (3) It’s a game drinking inside (6,5) Saying no blows everything again, we hear (7) The smallest ducks are messed up (5) Seven ____ more! (6) Get them to be admitted (6) A jolly conﬁrmation! (5) Philip or Christopher? (7) Upset a low bent person by censoring them? (11) Cohere a crossed leg (3) Crossrail refers to a queenly descent, perhaps (5,4)

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. 11. 14. 16. 19. 21.

3 9 4 7 1 6 5 2 8

5 3 9 4 6 2 8 1 7

8 4 7 1 9 5 2 3 6

2 6 1 3 7 8 4 5 9

9 5 6 2 3 7 1 8 4

4 8 3 6 5 1 9 7 2

1 7 2 9 8 4 3 6 5

Quick Across 1. 8. 9. 11. 12. 13. 15. 17. 18. 20.

Diversion (9) Unwell (3) Presenting (11) Support (7) Due (5) Probable (6) Swimsuit (6) Stairs (5) Tea (7) Uncertain about the EU (11) 22. Neither (3) 23. Operation (9)

Guinness hides a place to drink it (3) A whistle is a term of endearment (5) To embezzle hustings is a con (6) A wanderer around the front of a ship (7) It’s raining heaviest in Battersea (4,3,4) Un cafe noir de Matisse? (9) A tailbag feed can be exhausting (11) Recount a birth date to make a story (9) A tosspot? (7) George shows a sign of amusement (6) A Russian mountain is countriﬁed (5) Shorten the twilight hours also (3)

Down 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. 11. 14.

Set by Everden

Male persons (3) Poem (5) Explodes (4) Libyan capital (7) Important (11) Plodding (4,5) Watches (11) References (9) Roman ﬁve-year puriﬁcation (7) 16. Girl’s name (6) 19. Portion (5) 21. US Govt. Dept. (Acr.) (3)

Across: 1 Lightship; 8 Ale; 9 Indoor sport; 11 Refusal; 12 Least; 13 Potato; 15 Grades; 17 Roger; 18 Marlowe; 20 Bowdlerised; 22 Gel; 23 Royal line. Down: 2 Inn; 3 Toots; 4 Hustle; 5 Prowler; 6 Cats and dogs; 7 Demitasse; 10 Defatigable; 11 Reportage; 14 Thrower; 16 Smiley; 19 Rural; 21 E’en.

Cryptic Solution Across: 1. Amusement; 8 Ill; 9 Introducing; 11 Armrest; 12 Owing; 13 Likely; 15 Bikini; 17 Steps; 18 Lapsang; 20 Eurosceptic; 22 Nor; 23 Manoeuvre. Down: 2 Men; 3 Epode; 4 Erupts; 5 Tripoli; 6 Significant; 7 Slow going; 10 Timekeepers; 11 Allusions; 14 Lustrum; 16 Alison; 19 Piece; 21 INR.

Notes

6 1 5 8 2 9 7 4 3

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

Cryptic

7 2 8 5 4 3 6 9 1

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org

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

last issue’s solution

Previous Jan 19-Feb 2solution - Medium

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

8 9 4 6 5

Previous solution - Very Hard

Quick Solution

No. 1395

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