Wharf Life - Jan 25-Feb 8, 2023

TLZ Movement is helping people feel the thrill of turning old clothes into something brand new

Image by Jon Massey

Where? Temple Of Art And Music

GIG | Bailey Marie

The singer songwriter brings her soulful vocals to the underground jazz club at the foodie venue. Support comes from Nini Westwood. Feb 12, 6.45pm, £12.74, tam.tv

Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Square

GIG | Sandi Thom

The woman behind I Wish I Was A Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) graces the Boisdale stage. Expect a rendition of The Devil’s Beat too. Feb 8, 9.30pm, from £19 (show only), boisdale.co.uk

Where? Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay

TOUCH | Sensory Object Handling

Get up close and personal with objects in the museum’s collection with these hands-on sessions. Suitable for ages 3+ and anyone with an interest. Feb 11, 10.30am, 1.45pm, free, museumo ondon.org.uk

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

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

Go to wharf-life.com for more information

Dishoom has arrived in Canary Wharf and, as with all its restaurants, the Water Street venue is all about stories. Enter a world of fast deals, Ponzi schemes and intrigue, while sipping scandalous Martinis in an Irani cafe dishoom.com

Dishoom co-founder Shamil Thakrar online at wharf-life.com

Welcome to the 80th issue of Wharf Life. This issue’s main focus is health and tness, whether that’s mental and physical wellbeing at Third Space, swinging from holds at Canary Wall or talking on The Battle Of The Wharf at Barry’s – oh and there are a couple of bacon sarnies as well...

MMy Wood Wharf

TLZ Movement founder Nadia Piechestein on reworking clothes

We take a look at Greenwich Millennium Village properties

How Nepali tourist Kul Acharya went from washing pots to head chef and then owner of the Holy Cow chain of restaurants, which has just opened a new venue in Limehouse’s Narrow Street

on the radar

need to know

The Museum Of London Docklands has put a call out for help finding iconic clothes from Jewish designers worn by famous faces for its forthcoming exhibition Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style, opening in October museumoflondon.org.uk

While the Canary Wharf Squash Classic doesn’t take place until March 12-17, tickets are selling fast, so now’s the time to book seats round the glass court at the East Wintergarden. Expect to pay around £31.50 to watch some of the best players in the world canarywharfsquash.com

How Space Lab at APT Gallery in Deptford is set to showcase a series of collaborative experiments between artists and scientists as well as the work of local school children

50%

Moleskine in Cabot Place is currently offering up to 50% off selected products in its winter sale. Ideal for gifts over the year, the time to buy is now moleskine.com

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Greenwich celebrates LGBTQIA+ month with library story sessions

Theatre Royal Stratford East prepares to stage a production of Village Idiot

sheaven

noun, fake, from High German

The feeling of smugness derived from making it to the gym for a 7am class that really sets you up for the day. This is similar to sixy – the strut you do after smashing a 6am session, although very few ever really achieve this

weal

noun, real, from Old English

Before there was wellbeing, there was wealbeing, although this probably equated less to going for a spa treatment and more to the avoidance of some dreadful Medieval plague or the edge of an enemy’s sword

Bacon + Omelette Roll Greggs, Cabot Place - £2.90

In the magenta corner is this lightweight contender from the nation’s favourite high street bakery. Grinning away to itself like a greasy Pacman it’s a reasonable handful but no more.

First the positives. There’s a decent amount of lling to be found inside here. What’s more, it has the unmistakable salt twang of good bacon, o set by a reassuringly u y mound of protein.

However, it does come down to a matter of getting what you pay for. Greggs’ bap is disappointing. While the plain white roll is soft, it’s also disturbingly dry – something a good dollop of ketchup can only mitigate rather than solve. taste ★★★✩✩ value ★★✩✩✩

street food freshly baked bread local crafts

house plants artworks cheeses

In the rst of our Cost Of Whar ng match-ups, we taste a pair of bacon and egg sarnies to help you spend more wisely

Egg + Bacon Sandwich Birley’s, One Canada Square - £4.50

Bouncing out of the purple corner with a spring in its step as soft and spongy as the sourdough it’s made from is this high-end sarnie from a Wharf stalwart.

This is very much the real thing –lashings of bacon spilling out from the bread and an egg with a proper runny yolk. It may be 36% more expensive than Greggs’ but it’s also a larger serving with a higher lling to bread ratio. It’s probably not quite a third bigger, but there’s also something to be said for buying quality here. The ketchup feels more like a luxurious condiment than a sticking plaster because the bread is way superior. Buy this one, less often. taste ★★★★✩ value ★★★✩✩

Brussels Wharf Glamis Road Wapping, E1W 3TD squid.org.uk/visit

GIG - Roachford

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf, Feb 10, 9.15pm, from £39 boisdale.co.uk

Andrew Roachford is set to take the Cabot Square venue’s stage for an evening of hits including Cuddly Toy, Family Man and Only To Be With You. Originally hitting the charts in the 1980s, he’s been in demand as a performer and songwriter ever since, working with the likes of Michael Jackson, Joss Stone and Chaka Khan. Support at this gig comes from New Orleans-born Londoner and soul artist Acantha Long

watercolour by Ed Bucknall - edjbucknall.com

by Jon Massey

Will 2023 be the year it happens? That the resolution takes and the good intentions are converted into consistent, positive action? January and February are traditionally the months of busy gyms as, for whatever reason, people decide to get fit, lose weight, gain muscle, improve their endurance or boost flexibility.

But, how to achieve those goals and develop a habit that will stick beyond the arrival of spring?

That’s where Third Space mind and body master trainer Clare Walters can help. Along with her colleagues, her role is to help the health club’s members take the steps they need to get where they want to go.

“Our message for 2023 is all about training for life,” said Clare. “It’s the idea that everything you do in the gym supports what you do outside it.

“At Third Space we provide facilities where you can train every part of your body. But it’s not just the physical, it’s also about training the mind and about the restorative side of things.”

Billed as the largest luxury health club in Europe and spread over three floors of the building that houses Waitrose in Canada Square, Third Space Canary Wharf isn’t short on space or amenities.

There are free weights, a swimming pool, a climbing wall, saunas, steam rooms, ranks of cardio machines, a combat zone, weights machines and a vast Crossfit-inspired training area called The Yard.

That’s before you even get to the hundreds of classes every week – all included in the monthly membership. So how best to navigate such a wealth of options?

“The best thing you can do if you’re coming into training or returning to the gym, is to get as much guidance as possible,” said Clare, who trained as a dancer before embarking on a career in the fitness industry.

“You’ll see people on social continued on Page 8

hitting those

how consistent, varied training at Third Space Canary Wharf can help people hit their goals

5Years Clare has worked for Third Space after more than six at Gymbox

Clare Walters is a mind and body master trainer at Third Space

Our message for 2023 is all about training for life. It’s the idea everything you do in the gym supports what you do outside it

Clare Walters, Third Space

EARN WHILE YOU LEARN AND MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.

Become a police o cer in London’s Met. With a starting salary of c.£33.5k.

Ready for a new challenge? Looking for a career that o ers a competitive salary from day one, whilst supporting you to build skills for life and make a positive di erence? A career in policing could be the answer.

Whether it’s working with local communities, keeping the peace at major events, or patrolling the Thames, being a police o cer in the Met means discovering a satisfying career with roles and opportunities as diverse as our Capital.

We’ll help you build on your skills and discover new strengths, while providing the support and training you need to prepare you for policing in London through one of our entry routes, including the opportunity to gain a fully funded degree through our Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship programme.

Meet your local o cers at one of our upcoming recruitment events to learn more about the Met, the role, and even get some help with your application.

26-29 January 12pm-4pm

Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, SW18 4TF

4-5 February 10am-2pm

Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Prince Charles Drive, Brent Cross, NW4 3FP

For more recruitment events, or to speak to a member of the outreach team visit www.met.police.uk/meet-our-recruitment-teams or scan the QR code.

matters by Graeme Bellenger

My position is going to be made redundant. Am I entitled to redundancy pay and compensation? Why might my employer offer me a settlement agreement?

There is a possibility the UK will be in recession during the course of 2023. Although there is currently high employment and staff are in demand, it is likely some employers will need to consider headcount and make redundancies.

Unless the employer acts in accordance with good employment practice and legislation, it risks terminating staff in breach of contract and potentially unlawfully. It’s a given that any termination will be unsettling for an employee. But will an affected employee also be able to assert that they are entitled to be compensated by their employer? The answer is – possibly.

If an employer wants to make a person redundant (there are extended consultation periods when an employer makes more than 20 people redundant at once), then it must act in accordance with their contract of employment and ensure that it terminates it “fairly” under the Employment Rights Act 1996.

The contract will set out how much notice an employee is entitled to receive. Further to statute, an employee is entitled to receive a week’s notice for each continuous year of service, subject to a maximum of 12 weeks’ notice. Many employers issue contracts of employment that provide for a longer period of notice and, if so, then that period must be given.

Contract aside, an employer must have fair reasons for terminating an employee’s employment (eg redundancy) and adopt a fair procedure.

If a redundancy is imposed, then the affected individual may be entitled to redundancy pay. There is no entitlement if the employee has less than two years’ continuous service. Redundancy pay is determined by reference to a week’s pay (currently capped by statute at £571) and multiplied by the number of years’ service (subject to a maximum of 20) and further influenced by the age of the employee. Statutory redundancy pay is not generous.

A significant number of employers, when imposing terminations offer settlement agreements – a full and final agreement that seeks to compromise any potential claim against an employer. Why? Some employers are genuinely trying to be generous but others simply don’t want the potential hassle of claims. If you think your employer has acted unlawfully, it may give you an angle to help negotiate better settlement terms and a solicitor can assist. You need an angle, otherwise you are merely saying “Please Sir, can I have some more?”.

£210

Scan this code to find out more about the full range of legal services available at Kidd Rapinet’s Canary Wharf branch

from Page 6

media promoting crazy workouts and doing 30-day challenges. They can be great as a gateway into fitness but they are only ever the start.

“You want to be training to make your life easier, whether that’s with the aim of climbing a mountain or just running after your kids in the playground.

“In my classes I use the example of my mum. She’s retired and she loves hiking. She was struggling on the hikes to get over stiles, so I’ve given her barre exercises and Pilates for strength, flexibility and stability.

“It’s about working out why you want to train – whether your goals are aesthetic or fitness

related. I think having longer term goals really helps. They make you realise you don’t need to go hell for leather – you don’t want to start with a marathon if you’ve not been running before.

“It’s the same with any type of training – pace yourself, get expert guidance and speak to the instructors for advice.

“They will be able to suggest classes that will help. For example, a high intensity class will be very fast-paced with larger movements designed to switch on the bigger muscles.

“Adding in something like a Pilates class can help by focusing on the lesser muscles in the body that help with posture and general alignment. It’s more of a holistic approach to help maintain a balanced body and avoid injury.”

Monthly cost of membership at Third Space Canary Wharf, including all classes

legal

“If an employer wants to make a person redundant, then it must act in accordance with their contract and the law

Graeme Bellenger, Kidd Rapinet

Graeme Bellenger is both a litigation solicitor specialising in residential and commercial property and employment law and the managing partner of Kidd Rapinet Solicitors at Harbour Exchange.

Clare says it’s important to balance training with slower, softer practices and faster, more energetic exercises

Then there are the mental health benefits, derived from both intense exercise and slower disciplines.

“People who train regularly can expect to feel like they have more energy,” said Clare, who practises circus skills including the trapeze, outside work. “The endorphins it creates give you a natural mood boost and help minimise pain.

“Training makes you feel better about your life, yourself, better in your body on a mechanical level, a bit brighter, stronger and fitter. Walking up the escalator on the Tube won’t leave you puffing at the top.

“There’s something about lifting a weight that’s heavier than the one a week before, when you feel connected to your breath doing Yoga or when you go swimming and you can do more lengths than the time before.

“We lead such busy lives, especially in London – having the space to concentrate on one thing is really important. My favourite Yoga practice is actually Yin – it focuses on the softer, slower aspects of the discipline, with long held postures that are quite meditative.

“It’s good if you just need that little bit of space in your day –

you can come into our studio, it’s warm, we dim the lights, we have calm music, and we’re creating that relaxing atmosphere.

“It’s like a haven – a third space away from work and home life where you can come in and only focus on yourself.

“Of course, one of the other great things about Third Space is the community. Members meet other members and become friends, whether that’s through attending classes or just chatting in the sauna.

“One of the things we’ve learnt during the pandemic is that people need other people – isolation isn’t good for humans at all.

“It might simply be that you’re in a class, finding it tough, look to

your left and right and feel that sense of connection – something that spurs you on.

“As a teacher, it’s really beautiful when I see this happening, or when people come to a class and then end up chatting a bit more and hanging out afterwards.

“We’ve also launched Hyrox classes that are aimed at equipping members with the skills to compete in those competitive events.

“Members can do those individually, just like the event, or they can team up with a partner and the classes are the perfect place to find someone to do that with.”

In other news, the Canary Wharf club is undergoing an extensive refurbishment programme with many machines already replaced and interiors updated. Membership for Third Space Canary Wharf costs £210 per month with group-wide access £20 more. There is currently no joining fee.

Go to thirdspace.london for more

Scan this code to find out more about Third Space Canary Wharf

Training makes you feel better about your life, yourself, better in your body on a mechanical level, a bit brighter, stronger and fitter

Clare Walters, Third Space

Third Space

Canary Wharf is currently updating its facilities

It’s always so exciting to watch someone discover their new favourite sport during their rst ever climb

by Jon Massey

New climbers are always surprised by the warmth of the climbing community – spend an evening on the mats and, if you’re ready for a chat, after an hour you’ll have made a bunch of friends,” said Sara Petersen, manger of London Climbing Centres’ (LCC) Canary Wall.

Located near Westferry DLR station under a series of railway arches, the facility o ers an extensive range of bouldering walls including one outdoors. There’s also a training room, a Yoga studio, a cafe and a gear shop on-site.

Bouldering is a sub discipline where climbers take on short, often demanding challenges using holds on walls that are less than four metres high.

Deep crash mats underneath provide safety instead of ropes and harnesses, allowing complete freedom of movement.

Fitness-wise, climbing o ers a comprehensive all-body workout helping to build strength, exibility and endurance. Then there’s the mental challenge of

get a on your health

how Canary Wall o ers bouldering in a friendly, welcoming environment

working out the best ways to move to reach the top.

The complexity of the challenges, which are typically colour-coded and graded for di culty, also has another bene t.

“In bouldering, climbs are trickier, both physically and mentally, to complete than in roped climbing,” said Sara.

“That’s why we call them

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‘problems’. You’ll need to rest and assess each climb before tackling it, which is when conversations with those around you typically strike up. Usually you’ll end up working out the problem together.”

To help foster that community Canary Wall, which opened its doors in August 2020, o ers a calendar packed with social climbs, induction sessions and friendly competitions.

“For work colleagues and businesses, the centre also o ers social events, team building and corporate membership deals.

Sara said: “We’re always thrilled to introduce climbing to those who’ve never tried it before.

“It’s always so exciting to watch someone discover their new favourite sport during their rst ever climb and know that we’ve helped grow the community just that little bit more.”

Standard adult day passes at Canary Wall cost £15 at peak times, £11 for o -peak and £6 for super o -peak (9am-11am on Sundays).

First-time climbers receive a discount card that can be used to claim 50% o a second visit and half price shoe hire, a veentry pass for £47 including shoe hire and 10% o climbing shoes at LCC shops.

Monthly memberships cover access to all walls run by LCC with prices for o -peak deals starting at £55.

Punch card packs are also available with £240 for 20 climbs, bringing the price down to £12 per session.

Canary Wall, which is located on Trinidad Street in Poplar, is open weekdays 6am-11pm and 9am-9pm at weekends. For more information go to londonclimbingcentres.co.uk or call 020 3026 4964

Scan this code to nd out more about climbing at Canary Wall

Sara Petersen, Canary Wall

Canary Wall o ers climbers an extensive range of bouldering problems under a series of railway arches near Westferry DLR station

Bouldering fosters a sense of community due to the complexity of the problems

Minimum size of team that can compete in The Battle Of The Wharf at Barry’s – the bigger the team, the more chance you have of winning

by Jon Massey

what’s all this?

Barry’s in Crossrail Place is hosting a competition for businesses based in and around Canary Wharf.

tell me more

It’s called The Battle Of The Wharf and takes place over two weeks in February.

how does it work?

Teams of three or more people from a business or organisation take part in as many classes as possible at Barry’s Canary Wharf between February 14-28.

what’s involved?

For those who don’t know, Barry’s is home to 50 or 60-minute exercise classes billed as “The Best Workout In The World”. These take place in a crimson-lit studio called The Red Room and are based around high intensity interval training using treadmills, dumbbells and bodyweight.

what will happen?

Participants can expect to burn up to 1,000 calories per session under the guidance of instructors, who curate potent playlists of uplifting beats to spur people on.

is the Battle Of The Wharf for anyone?

First timers or Barry’s regulars are all welcome to sign up for the contest.

who wins?

The team with the most classes taken wins both glory and two weeks of complimentary walk-in classes. That means the bigger your team, the more chance of winning.

are there terms and conditions?

Participants must be signed up for classes to count. All classes must be taken at Barry’s Canary Wharf, using the registered email address for the contest. Scan the code above to register

Teams of three or more can enter

will it be your team that wins in the red room ?

Scan this code to sign up for The Battle Of The Wharf at Barry’s

The Battle Of The Wharf at Barry’s will be won by whichever team completes the most workouts at the Crossrail Place venue from February 14-28. Classes cost £24 with packs available to lower the cost

by Jon Massey

We hold the food to our lips for two minutes to see how much our mouths water,” said Kul Acharya. “That’s how we find out how tasty the dishes are. We cook everything fresh – meat, vegetables every day – and you have to taste it to know whether you’ve made something delicious.”

Kul should know. Born and raised in the small village of Dhairing in Nepal, he worked first as a primary school teacher before travelling to the UK on a tourist visa.

“I wanted to be a chef,” he said. “I came as a visitor and then started to work washing dishes at the Bombay Bicycle Club. Then I started cooking, learnt very quickly and eventually became head chef helping with the opening of new branches.”

Lauded by Fay Maschler in the Evening Standard, he decided to set up his own business in 2005, launching his first takeaway in Battersea.

“I wanted it to be something different, something new – I wanted it to have a good name,” said Kul. “I was at a party and I told a friend I wanted to open a restaurant and that I was looking for a name and they said: ‘Holy Cow’. So we opened and I worked for a year to establish the company without a single day off.

“I’d be in the kitchen cooking and customers would come in and say they had never had this kind of food and that made me really proud.”

Holy Cow has now grown to nine locations, opening its first

I wanted to be a chef. I came to the UK as a visitor and then started to work washing dishes. Then I started cooking and learnt very quickly

Kul Acharya, Holy Cow

Find

Takeaways and restaurants in the Holy Cow business, with the latest opened on Narrow Street in Limehouse

how Holy Cow puts avour at the heart of its fusion of Nepali, Indian and European cuisines

Kul Acharya started Holy Cow in 2005 after working his way up to the post of head chef at the Bombay Bicycle Club

it: Scan this code to nd Holy Cow’s location on What Three Words

Images Jon Massey

dine-in restaurant in Putney in December 2019. It recently opened its second, taking over a corner space at Narrow Street’s Mosaic development in Limehouse – less than 15 minutes’ walk from the Canary Wharf estate.

Here he hopes to tap into both the east London dining and takeaway markets as the business grows.

“I have been engaged in different things in recent years, said Kul, who is the current president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association for the UK. “But my focus is now on the business. I would like to have 20 locations in the Greater London area by 2025.

“We opened one in Portugal last year but had to close due to the pandemic, so I would also like to grow elsewhere in urope.

For now though, it’s the food in London that’s very much on Kul’s mind. A dish of Murg Masala arrives along with some spinach and rice during our interview and he’s much more concerned that I eat it while it’s hot rather than aff with photography. It’s a measure of the warmth diners can expect at the new venue.

“What we serve is a fusion of Nepali, Indian and European ood, said ul. “The first ues tion I always ask myself is: ‘Am I comfortable eating what I cook?’. If the answer is yes, then we can sell it. If not, then we don’t sell it.

“I’m always checking to see if there’s the right amount of chilli or salt in our dishes. The way our food looks is also very important.

“We work with a lot of vegetables and they have to be appetising and fresh. It’s very important to understand our customers when deciding which dishes to serve. Nepali food is generally less heavy – our tomato sauces, for example are lighter, not oily at all and the dahl we serve is more delicate.

“People like what we do – it’s great to get so many good reviews. Hopefully we can continue that success in Canary Wharf.

“For me, coming to this country was a golden opportunity. My ambition was to be a chef but before I came here I wasn’t even thinking about the possibility of having even one restaurant. Really I just wanted to be head chef. I certainly never thought that one day I would have more than people working or me.

Holy Cow is open daily from noon for dining and takeaway orders.

Go to holycowonline.com

Scan this code to nd out more about Holy Cow

Where? Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Epik High

Alternative hip hop trio Tablo, Mihra Jin and DJ Tukutz – 11 albums into their career – bring fresh sounds to London from Seoul. Get ready to burn. Feb 12, from 5pm, from £42.20, troxy.org.uk

Where? Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

KIDS | Pinocchio

Performing four shows across two days, this production promises puppetry, visual humour and plenty of verbal wit for ages 4+. Tons of heart.

Feb 10-11, various times, £7, halfmoon.org.uk

Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

times vary, from £8.50, wiltons.org.uk

ash back

4pm,

of course,

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see want more? @whar ifelive

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

Bread And Macaroon is just one of the regular traders at Wapping Docklands Market, held every Saturday at Brussels Wharf from 10am-

featuring street food, freshly baked bread and,

pastries from Bermondsey breadandmacaroon.com

Scan this code to read our interview with Bread And Macaroon founder Fouad Saber at wharf-life.com

STAGE | Macbeth

Shakespeare’s great tragedy is brought to the stage in a production featuring just two actors and reimagined from the perspective of the Macbeths. Feb 14-18,

hyhy hyh hyhy

Left, the ribbon is cut on Holy Cow’s latest restaurant in Limehouse

a matter of

Murg Masala at Holy Cow

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

Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

up patched brand new

STAGE | The Masks Of Aphra Behn

This one-woman show brings a brilliant raconteur back to life as she recounts her tale of spying for King Charles II and how she became a writer.

Feb 17-18, 7.30pm, £15, space.org.uk

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

Local

Feb 17, 7pm, free,

Where? The Waterman’s Arms Isle Of Dogs

At the heart of TLZ Movement is the joy of taking something that already exists and changing it to make something new. Nadia Piechestein studied fashion in Buenos Aires before going on to ound one o the first ethical fashion brands in Argentina.

Her clothes were made with sustainable khadi cotton, made by a cooperative, with the clothes produced by another cooperative in the city that offered classes to former prisoners to help with their rehabilitation. As a dancer herself, her styles focused on costumes for performance as well as pieces to exercise in.

Relocating to London a few years ago, with her husband Herman, she arrived with her collection in the UK, bought a sewing machine and initially started making clothes here.

“But then I decided not to make any more clothes at all, because I think we already have enough on this planet,” said Nadia.

“My idea was to make existing clothes better so people can keep them rather than throwing them away.

“So I stopped making clothes and I started repairing, customising and altering them.

“That’s what I do for customers, but I also teach people how to do it themselves.”

TLZ Movement is now located at The Forge on the Isle Of Dogs’ Westferry Road and is a member of Craft Central, the charity that runs the facility.

Nadia essentially offers three core services. She reworks existing garments, using up-cycling and dead stock materials from other producers that would otherwise go to waste. She uses these to refresh and customise clothes for their owners to give them a new lease of life.

Nadia also offers a more standard alterations and repairs ser ice to ensure clothes fit correctly to start with or to rescue damaged garments. For this she is happy to create visible or invisible repairs depending on her customers’ desires.

Then there are her workshops at

The Forge, where participants can learn mending techniques, how to use a sewing machine, copy their favourite clothes, weave and rework.

“I’m not against the theme of having a bright new garment –that’s my inspiration,” said Nadia. “If you’re bored with a piece in your wardrobe, you can bring it to me and I will put something new into it. That way you get the feeling of having a new piece of clothing again.

“The best way is to think of it as caring for your clothes, as keeping them and continuing to love them. It’s also something nobody else will have. For Christmas this year, I asked friends for garments they no longer wore – I didn’t tell them what I was doing. Then I

OFFER | Free Pint With A Burger

Head to this Isle Of Dogs pub on a Wednesday and enjoy a free selected pint or soft drink with any burger ordered from the menu. Wednesdays, ongoing, thewatermansarms.co.uk

GIG | Friday Sessions: Sama Waves

Su musician Samad Majid is joined by Mohammed Salih and Patrice Andrews for this session of ritual, spiritual listening.

poplarunion.com

ash back

This is Stefan Johnson, founder of mobile bike maintenance company SJ Cycles and a resident of Poplar. Stefan carries all the tools he needs to work to his customers on board a custom cargo bike @sjcycleslondon on Facebook

Scan this code to nd out more about SJ Cycles and to read our interview with him at wharf-life.com

by Jon Massey

how Isle Of Dogs fashion brand TLZ Movement gives garments a new lease of life for their owners

I’m not against the theme of having a bright new garment – that’s my inspiration. If you’re bored with a piece I will put something new into it

Nadia Piechestein, TLZ Movement

Years since Nadia created her brand in Argentina with a focus on sustainability

Nadia reworks existing clothes using dead stock materials

Image by Jon Massey

Find it: Scan this code for the location of The Forge

Left, Nadia models some of her creations in The Forge on the Isle Of Dogs where TLZ Movement is based

reworked them, gave them back and my friends were amazed. When they wore them, they had that story to tell.

“When I make visible repairs or additions, the more people can see the time and effort that has een put into something. It connects the owner with the maker and shows how much you care about a garment.

“Here at Craft Central and in London, I collaborate with other makers and textile businesses a lot, using pieces and scraps of fabric that would otherwise go to waste.”

In a world of ceaseless pressure and communication, the convenience and discount pricing of fast fashion is an ever-present temptation. Never in the UK have so many garments been available to consumers so cheaply.

But at what cost to those engaged elsewhere in the world making them – or for the planet in terms of the resources necessary to produce them and the inevitable waste mountain they create?

To help address some of these

issues, Nadia has created iron-on patches that can be used both to repair and customise clothes.

Made with khadi cotton sourced from India, they can be applied with a normal household iron, so no need to get out the thimble. Available in a variety of designs with prices starting at £18 for six, they are aimed at time-poor indi iduals looking or a rapid fi or update to their apparel.

“Patches can go in the washing machine at less than 40ºC and should last a long time,” said Nadia. “I would encourage people to think that wearing them is a statement about Planet Earth.

“It shows that you care about the environment and it spices you up as a person. People can buy them online and use them to create any shape they want – they just need to cut them.

“It’s something that can be really creative and they are great for kids too who are always putting holes in things.

“With TLZ I’m really happy with what I’m building here now. I’ve been part of London Fashion Week and London Craft Week – I really want to boost what I’m doing now and expand in east London and into the City.

“It would be great to see the patches stocked in small shops so that people can embrace repairing and customising their clothes.

“The majority of my customers are from the Isle Of Dogs and I have so much gratitude for that – there are no words. I love them.

“I also want to reach a new audience through teaching so people can understand all the good things they can do.

“That’s why I’ve started creating team building events for businesses and organisations.

“People can come with their colleagues, have some drinks and learn the basics of sewing before being challenged to repair a garment that they can then take away.”

Nadia also works with arts companies to give performance costumes new lives after their stints on stage.

TLZ Movement’s next event is set to take place on February 18. People are invited to bring damaged garments to The Forge for a free mending session using her signature patches between 11am and 4pm.

Go to tlzmovement.com for more details

Scan this code to nd out more about TLZ Movement

Nadia Piechestein runs TLZ Movement, a fashion brand dedicated to repairing, customising and caring for clothes

Nadia wears patched shirt

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

Where? Brunel Museum Rotherhithe

by Jon Massey

KIDS | Tunnellers Club

Suitable for ages 7-11, this monthly club o ers a free hour of activities themed around the life of Marc Brunel. Expect to make a kaleidoscope in this one. Feb 12, 10am, free (ticketed), thebrunelmuseum.com

Where?

Canada Water Theatre Canada Water

FILM | Under Your Nose

This documentary follows a group of activists as they establish the Black Lesbian And Gay Centre, which supported people in the 1980s and 1990s. Feb 17, 7.30pm, donations, canadawatertheatre.org.uk

Where? The Albany Deptford

The Albany is looking for creative ideas deserving of a £1,000 grant. Shortlisted entrants will pitch live to audiences and a panel on March 14. Get thinking. Application deadline Feb 21, free, thealbany.org.uk

coming up

Ziah’s Games Night is set to take over The Albany on February 10 from 7.30pm and will see performances from a line-up of talented Lewisham creatives. Participants will complete a number of games for the audience’s pleasure thealbany.org.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Ziah’s Games Night or to book tickets for the February 10 event

If you think this article is going to explain exactly what will fill the rt In erpetuity Trust Gallery from February 16 to March 5, you’re in for a disappointment. But sit with Space Lab co-curator and artist Nicola Rae for a chat about the exhibition and you can’t help but feel a little awed by its ambition.

Her studio space at the creative enclave on the banks of Deptford Creek is currently festooned with tripods as part of her collaboration with the Gravity Laboratory at the University Of Nottingham.

These await arious pieces o equipment that will focus on a series o uid ortices, part o an investigation into gravity, water and acoustic waves.

Magnets will spin, stirring liquids in tubular glass vases, while a camera is used to capture something called schlieren distortions. Quite how it will all come together is still a work in progress.

This is ust one of seven co-creative experiments conceived for Space Lab by Nicola and co-curator Ulrike Kuchner, an artist, astrophysicist and creative producer.

involved is very interested in process. I ha en’t seen all the finished work yet, including my own, but we have set really ambitious targets. Some of it will work and some of it won’t. Some will change in curation from how it appears in the studio when it’s placed in the gallery.

“We want all those elements to e ree owing, allowing things to happen.”

While the experiments are too complex to list comprehensively here, one to watch out for is io designer nshuman upta’s BioBorgs – iocomputers that imagine a reality where organisms can act autonomously, based on environmental threats.

These respond to the research of collaborator and exoplanetary astronomer, maury Triaud, into the Trappist system. Its planets are most optimal for evidence of life beyond our solar system.

Nicola Rae

“We have spent more than a year on this show,” said Nicola. “We put in an application for grant unding to the cience nd Technology acilities ouncil and were amazed that we got everything we asked for.

“In a way we shouldn’t ha e been surprised, because Space Lab is an incredibly exciting pro ect. lrike, as a post doc researcher at Nottingham, has a lot of connections and she feels strongly that often collaborations are not as in-depth as they could be, focusing instead on public engagement or the dissemination of research by scientists.

“ o we set off with the idea o going deeper. We also wanted the artists and scientists to have a really big space for the work they create.

“We call Space Lab an expanded field o e periments – it is the idea of going beyond limits, outside the remit o scientific experimentation. Everyone

“We wanted to set this ambition that the artists would contribute meaningfully to the science,” said Nicola, who has been ased at T’s studios since 1995 and has taught at the Univeristy Of The rts ondon since 2006. “My work will be a series of experiments working with li uid ortices and I’m making the scientific e uipment myself.

studios since 1995 and has taught at the Univeristy Of

“I’ll e working with uinine and coconut oil in the water to create different densities. There will also be magnifying glasses and different e uipment on tripods and there will probably be a performative element as well.

“ t the heart o it, we’re trying to communicate a fascination with phenomena and the scientific process – something that’s so often seen in labs but less so outside them.”

side rom the se en colla ora tive experiments, there’s another strand to Space Lab.

s part o the process o putting the exhibition together, the curators have been working with Tech ard creati e technologist Jazmin Morris to create a series of workshops for young people.

Titled Space Labs: Stars In Your Eyes, these have seen astrophysicists going into Lewisham schools to explore the themes of

IDEAS | Pizza And Pitches Call Out

how creative collaborations for Space Lab aim to go beyond the scienti c as artists explore areas of astrophysics

Images by Jon Massey

the exhibition and have a go at creating their own pieces.

“The big surprise for us was how enthusiastic the children were, particularly when talking about science questions, and there’d be a big sea of hands going up, asking really good questions,” said Nicola.

“We thought there might be a lack of interest, but not at all.

We will be featuring some of the students’ work on screen at the exhibition and we’ll be inviting their families and friends to see that on the last weekend of the show.

“I hope anyone who comes down to see Space Lab feels really intrigued and excited. Astrophysics is seen as quite elitist but this is all about reaching out to people who might feel they could go into this field.

“With new telescopes generating a huge amount of data, this is really an expanding area.

“It’s not just about the children, but also changing the minds of parents. This is something that’s come up in research again and again – kids listen to their parents and it’s really sad that children who are good at maths are told they shouldn’t go into these areas.

reflecting art and

science

“When you go into these astrophysics departments, you see how varied an environment it is – people rom different countries around the world – and that’s very exciting to see.

“Although we’re artists and creative technologists, one of the lovely things that comes up in the feedback we’ve had is how many of the children participating in the workshops are now considering science as a career.”

Space Lab is set to go on show from February 16 to March 5 at APT Gallery in Creekside. Entry is free.

Go to aptstudios.org

Scan this code to nd out more about Space Lab

I hope anyone who comes down to see Space Lab feels really intrigued and excited. We have set some really ambitious targets

Nicola Rae, Space Lab co-curator

Nicola is seen re ected in a mirror from a telescope that will form part of the collaborative experiment she will be exhibiting at Space Lab in Deptford’s APT Gallery

Total number of storytime sessions Mama G will be hosting at Greenwich libraries as part of the borough’s LGBTQIA+ celebrations

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

Where? National Maritime Museum Greenwich

EVENTS | Sailing Out

Half term sees a selection of events taking place from badge making to sign language workshops, all celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month. Feb 12-19, times vary, free, rmg.co.uk

Where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | Tweedy’s Musical Mayhem

Gi ord Circus clowns Tweedy and Mikey take to the stage in a comic caper for all ages. Expect big egos, big pants and all the usual big top hilarity. Feb 12, 2pm, ages 4+, £16, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

Where? Beanfest Woolwich

telling the

how Greenwich’s libraries are celebrating LGBTQIA+ history with pantomime dame Mama G of BGT fame

Feb 15, 6pm, free, woolwich.works

opened up

Tramshed has returned to Woolwich following an extensive refurbishment of The Tramshed Theatre. Expect a range of events to take place at the venue including the return of its regular comedy night tramshed.org

Scan this code to nd out more about Tramshed, its work and the various events coming up at its venue

Greenwich Council is supporting LGBTQIA+ History Month with a range of events.

Kicking things o will be Charlton Athletic’s rst ever Football vs Homophobia week with themed matches until January 28 held in partnership with club supporters group the Proud Valiants and LGBTQIA+ side Charlton Invicta.

Then, between February 2-17, pantomime dame Mama G will return to the borough’s libraries for ve storytime dates.

Performed by Robert Pearce, her shows feature tales focused on being who you want and loving who you are for children and their

adults. A regular performer with her company Petit Pantos, she has also auditioned as a dame for Britain’s Got Talent.

February will also see the borough’s libraries’ reading groups focus on LGBTQIA+ authors, while its weekly craft sessions will explore queer themes.

Greenwich Council cabinet member for equality, culture and communities, Cllr Adel Khaireh, said: “This February, the council and our partners have an exciting programme of fun and educational events exploring LGBTQIA+ History for residents to get involved with.

“This year’s theme is ‘claiming our past, celebrating our present, creating our future.’ It encourages us all to learn more about the invaluable achievements

and contributions of LGBTQ+ people to our society.

“From historic gures, to those lesser-known but no less important people who’ve worked behind the scenes to make progress possible, let’s celebrate those who have fought and are ghting against prejudice to create a better future.

“This month is a time for both our LGBTQIA+ community and allies to think about how far we have come in the ght for equality, but also the work still to be done all year round.”

Go to royalgreenwich.gov.uk for more information

Scan this code for more on the council’s events

EVENT | Ola Animashawun

The National Theatre associate and Connections Dramaturg is interviewed by Nicholas Holden for the next in the venue’s Creative Futures series.

by Jon Massey

Mama G is set to lead ve storytime sessions at Greenwich libraries in February

Cost of a winter swim session in the dock during January and February £6.50

Swimmers can enter the waters of Royal Victoria Dock under supervision

braving the

January and February regularly see the gyms ll up, exercise classes oversubscribed and the pavements ll with early morning joggers, all trying to make good on New Year’s resolutions.

If yours is to try something completely new or you just want to reinvigorate your love of the wet stu , Love Open Water is currently o ering swimming sessions

in Royal Victoria Dock for £6.50 until the end of February.

Participants must be NOWCA members – a safety organisation that helps keep track of who’s in the water –and wetsuits are advised for the colder winter temperatures on o er in the dock.

Swimmers are overseen by life guards in kayaks and introductory sessions are available for those new to outdoor and cold water swimming.

Water quality is regularly

checked and more advanced instruction is also available. Full details are available online and bookings can be made digitally via an app. What fresher way to start 2023?

Go to loveopenwater.co.uk for more information or to make a booking

Scan this code for more on Love Open Water

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

Where? Fold Canning Town

CLUB | Transmissions: The Ghost All Night

Born as a covert record shop in a white van, this DJ duo are set to take over Fold for an evening of house music all the way from Germany. Cosmic. Feb 10, 10pm-6am, £27.50, ra.co

Where? UEL Royal Albert Dock

SEE | UEL After Dark

Expect a community lantern parade, a ery dance, drumming performances, installations and sports on an illuminated waterfront for one night only. Feb 8, 6pm-8.30pm, free, uel.ac.uk

Where? Royal Victoria Dock Royal Docks

FITNESS | Parkrun

Looking for some cost-free motivation? Why not join this free, weekly 5k community event aimed at runners, joggers or walkers of all ages and abilities. Saturdays, 9am, free, parkrun.org.uk

ash back

This is Jon Wong, founder of Royal Docksbased bakery Breadmeister which operates out of The Factory Project. He bakes bread and sweet and savoury pastries daily, selling them online to locals breadmeister.business.site

Scan this code to read our interview with Jon about the challenges of running his foodie business

want more? @whar ifelive

Royal Docks - Canning Town

how visitors to Royal Victoria Dock are able to take the plunge thanks to Love Open Water’s chilly o er

by Jon Massey

Wharf Life Jan 25-Feb 8, 2023 wharf-life.com

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PUBLIC NOTICES

LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS LICENSING ACT 2003

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE

Notice is hereby given that: Simmer Huang Restaurant has applied to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Licensing Authority for a Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003

Premises: 30 Limeharbour Road, E14 9RH

Licensable activities and timings are: The sale of alcohol by retail for consumption on the premises. Play recorded music. Late night refreshments. 10:00hrs-23:30hrs - Monday-Thursday and Sunday 10:00hrs-00:00hrs - Saturday

Anyone who wishes to make representations regarding this application must give notice in writing to: The Licensing Section, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London E14 2BG or email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Tel: 020 7364 5008.

Representations must be received no later than 23/02/2023

The Application Record and Register may be viewed between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday during normal o ce hours at the above address.

It is an o ence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum ne for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the o ence is up to level 5 on the standard scale (unlimited ne)

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Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited and printed by Ili e 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, nor endorses products or services alluded to by such material

writing a countryside

by Jon Massey

Iwas a fencing contractor and I wanted to be a playwright, so I wrote a play about being a fencing contractor,” said Samson Hawkins, author of Village Idiot. “I hope this play captures rural life in a way that will be recognisable to people from that background and enlightening to those who are not.

“It’s a message from the country people to the townies, a defence of who we are, and maybe even a challenge for the future.”

His comic play centres on Syresham and its inhabitants who are confronted with the

prospect of a new, high speed railway being built though their village.

The play is the rst new work to be staged by Ramps On The Moon a consortium of theatres that puts deaf and disabled artists at the heart of its work.

Village Idiot is a joint production between Theatre Royal Stratford East, Nottingham Playhouse and Ramps, and will arrive at the east London venue on April 13, with performances running until May 6.

“I’d never read anything quite like Village Idiot – it’s audacious, made me laugh out loud and gave me a window into country life that those of us from towns

and cities just don’t get to see,” said Nadia Fall, artistic director at Stratford East and director of the joint production.

“What’s particularly exciting to me is that this is the rst Ramps show that is a new play, written by a neurodivergent writer.”

Tickets start at £10 with socially distanced and masked performances available. There will also be BSL and audio described shows. Go to stratfordeast.com

Scan this code to nd out more about Village Idiot

RUN | Chase the Moon

Where?

Take on either a 5k or a 10k after dark through the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, complete with chip timing and plenty of marshals to guide you.

Feb 8, 7pm, from £25, runthrough.co.uk

Where? The Yard Theatre Hackney Wick

PARTY | Mind Ur Head

This platform and party promises a celebration of queer dance in all its forms, co-curated by Fraserfab and Pierre. Expect a welcoming, inclusive vibe. Feb 11, 10pm-3am, from £8, theyardtheatre.co.uk

Where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

STAGE | How Not To Drown

This painful, yet uplifting play tells the story of an 11-year-old unaccompanied asylum seeker as he uses his wit and charm to make it to the UK.

Jan 26-Feb 11, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com

ash back

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

have created a book about a quest. Rainbow Snake: Adventures In Love follows a brightly coloured creature on a journey of discovery and is available now, priced £22.11 loverainbowsnake.com

Christabelle Lomas and

Scan this code to read our interview with the author and artist online at wharf-life.com

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

Samuel Miller

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stratford

Village Idiot is set for a run at Theatre Royal Stratford East starting in April

Starting price for tickets to the London run of Village Idiot

how Village Idiot at Stratford East promises townies a view of rural life rarely glimpsed by folk in big cities

Keep a coat in the inn? (7)

Confused brilliant person knows the way (6)

Come in and write it in the book (5)

Sudoku Take a break from that phone

How to play

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

More to play

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

Notes

Cryptic Solution