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

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