Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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inside issue 26
Gooch Heer on how firms may need to look beyond the EU to fill jobs Page 12
Brewdog - Martin Gettings The Angry Boater - Figo - Tatty Devine UPT Fitness - London City Airport SociAbility - Halo Burger - Puzzles National Landlord Investment Show Rockwell - Winter Lights 2020
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Get a FREE drink at The Gun with lunch
how Vashi helps its customers turn their ideas into a glittering reality Canary Wharf - Pages 6-8
made designed and
in Canary Wharf
celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - nonsense
Image by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
read
fortnightly find
this issue’s Tiger Treasure
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-26 where? Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay KIDS | Thames Tunnel Tales This musical storytelling session for ages three and up offers audience members the chance to learn a new song and some local history too. Feb 19-20, times vary, free, museumoflondon.org.uk
feast your eyes on these
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, delight your loved one with a gift that should ensure you spend as large a proportion of your time as possible between the sheets. The message on this delightful and very reasonable priced cushion is one we should all think about in a world full of constant pressure to work longer and harder. Hell, why not buy it for yourself and snuggle up? Cuddly Cushion, £1 Go to uk.flyingtiger.com
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Don’t make my mistake, dine on a Monday and
Why acting together is the best way to tackle the climate emergency
vegan burgers are two for the price of one
where? Jubilee Place Canada Place Crossrail Place Canary Wharf
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READ | Valentine’s Takeover The free short story machines will be serving up lashings of love in honour of the time of year in one, three or five-minute chunks on eco-friendly paper. Feb 10-16, daily, free, canarywharf.com
In praise of Winter Lights 2020 as it raises the bar even higher
where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place
taste test
Beyond Meat Burger, Brewdog, Churchill Place - £11.50 GIG | Gin Trap House Band Expect a whole host of blues and jazz from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s including hits by Ray Charles, Fats Domino and Nina Simone. Feb 19, 9.15pm, from £12.50 (no dinner), boisdale.co.uk
to do before February 12
Celebrate Chinese New Year at Museum Of London Docklands on February 8 from 11am. Activities marking the arrival of the Year Of The Rat are mostly free and will include martial arts and craft workshops museumoflondon.org.uk
“Make me a plant-based burger so butch even the manliest of craft beer swillers won’t baulk when wolfing it down.” Or at least I imagine that’s what Brewdog’s Punk In Chief (or whatever he calls himself ) said to a group of stunned underlings tasked with creating vegan delicacies that might persuade its regular clientele to part with their cash. I order one at the Canary Wharf branch as a celebration. The paper’s out and I’ve still only consumed vegetables in January. What arrives is smartly pitched. The Beyond Meat Burger – named like something Buzz Lightyear might
order if he ever reaches infinity – is 50p more than the other vegan patties on the menu. It’s the king. Presented casually on a tray with a few bits of lettuce blokily chucked around it, its blood red beetroot bun is pierced by a fat, wood-handled steak knife – a serious tool. Pulling this 21st century Excalibur out, I’m struck that it says Utopia on the blade. The implication – eat this and we’ll all get to the good place. I bite. It’s well relished and cheesy (although obviously without real cheese) – I’m hooked. Who needs meat? To Brewdog and beyond... Go to brewdog.com Jon Massey
get in touch
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Editorial email stories@wharf-life.com call 07765 076 300
we want to hear from you
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Why this man wants improved access information for everyone
the joy of six Every fortnight Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 38
need something fixed?
Check out Island Poke’s vegan poke at Crossrail Place for plant-based kicks islandpoke.com
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Our editorial team works hard to ensure all information printed in Wharf Life is truthful and accurate. Should you spot any errors that slip through the net or wish to raise any issues about the content of the publication, please get in touch and we will investigate.
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Canary Wharf
on the radar
doing the deals
get more for less in and around the Wharf
need to know
£1
With the path through Wood Wharf to Coldharbour open, it’s time to get excited about a few hoardings we’ve spotted. The first is for a branch of Peckham-based restaurant Pedler which is likely to offer hip brunches and dinner pedlerpeckhamrye.com
38 There are also boards up for Gail’s Bakery – a branch for all those who don’t fancy the schlep all the way to the Waitrose concession. Expect sublime sourdough made from decades-old starters and a selection of sweet treats gailsbread.co.uk
Head to Boisdale Of Canary Wharf overlooking Cabot Square between 5pm and 7pm and get Pacific oysters for £1 each. They slip down easy boisdale.co.uk
48
Dropping a few names, the Angry Boater gears up for Limehouse
£1 44
We chat to Tatty Devine founders Harriet Vine and Rosie Wolfenden as an exhibition charting their success arrives at the Stephen Lawrence Gallery in Greenwich
Carluccio’s in Reuters Plaza is, until February 11, charging £1 for a main dish when purchased with a full price main. Voucher and sign up required carluccios.com
Capeesh Sky Bar, 4 Pan Peninsula Square, Isle Of Dogs, London, E14 9HN
We find out all about Figo’s fine Italian flavours in Stratford
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
words you didn’t know you need
transxiety
buy me
this fortnight’s must-have item
noun, fictional, from Latin
The feeling of intense panic generated through an inadequate search of emails on one’s phone and failing to find a transcription needed to create an article for a newspaper with a hard deadline only hours away
bucket list
write me
bargle
noun, real, from English A verbal dispute or wrangling argument. These can be caused when a state of transxiety bubbles over into the kind of remedial action akin to a fish flapping about when removed from water. Bystanders beware
Don’t miss out on the Wellness Summit 2020 at East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf ● Buff List It’s not all about getting ripped, of course. The Canary Wharf PA Club and Miss Jones have teamed up to deliver Wellness Summit 2020 at the East Wintergarden on February 29. Kicking off at 8.30am, the event features the likes of Barry’s Bootcamp, Third Space, Sweat By BXR, The Breath Guy, Yoga, Brown’s Florist and Blow Ltd. Tickets start at £10 wellnesssummit2020.sched.com
Leather Biker Jacket, £279 Waitrose, Canada Square ● Beverage List Do your body a favour and grab a Power Punch smoothie from The Pearson Room in Canada Square. Packed with apple, banana, spinach, grapes, matcha and spirulina, this bright green concoction is the kind of thing you know is doing you good as you drink it down thepearsonroom.co.uk
Mint Velvet’s take on this classic is the kind of biker jacket you buy when you’ve grown up and have stopped riding motorcycles. You will look great in it, though
● Body List We applaud The Body Shop, which has teamed up with Bloody Good Period to host donation boxes in its Jubilee Place store. They’re there to collect period products, which will be given to those who cannot afford them thebodyshop.com
Help your loved ones to help you kiddrapinet.co.uk/understandinganlpa
read me
You can’t control what the future holds, but you can control who makes decisions on your behalf.
Download our FREE guide to MAKING A LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) Book a consultation with Gemma Hughes today on 020 7205 2896 or email ghughes@kiddrapinet.co.uk
selecting some serious sci-fi Solaris, £8.99 Waterstones, Cabot Place Written in 1961, Stanislaw Lem’s philosophical sci-fi work deals with human beings’ complete failure to comprehend an alien intelligence depicted as an ocean in a deliberate attempt to avoid personifying it in the readers mind. A team of scientists studying the water-covered planet Solaris from a hovering research station are confronted by their guilty secrets as the alien renders them in material form for each scientist waterstones.com
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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skin deep
Canary Wharf
tester kit
My Wrinkles Midnight Moisture and Extreme Moisturiser What are we testing here? This Works – makers of my favourite lavender pillow spray – have released a pair of products covering the needs of the skin on your face and eyes during overnight snoozing and daytime activities. What are they for? The brand says its products focus on the positive side of wrinkles – that every line tells a story – and deliver ingredients that your skin needs at particular times of day. First impressions? The creams come in satisfyingly clunky transparent cubes. Open them up and the Midnight Moisture exudes the same scent as the pillow spray, while Extreme Moisturiser produces a sharper, invigorating smell. How do they perform? A little goes a long way. Both creams are luxuriously thick but are quickly absorbed into the skin once applied. The night cream’s scent is an unexpected benefit, helping me drop off
Formulated specifically for the daytime, This Works’ Extreme Moisturiser has an uplifting scent and a thick, luxurious consistency
almost as soon as my head hits the pillow. After first use, my skin feels hydrated and, crucially, that I’m looking after it – a welcome benefit for those who like the gym and drinking wine. The verdict? This Works’ brand name allows no room for failure, so how do these creams measure up? After a couple of weeks using My Wrinkles day and night, I definitely noticed an improvement in skin smoothness. I even received compliments on my “glowing” appearance and “brighter skin”. But the definitive assessment came from my Nana who said she thought I was getting more beautiful as I got older, which was nice as she normally tells me my hair is frizzy or that I’d look much better with lipstick.
RRP £50
Imbued with the scent of lavender, Midnight Moisture is all about rest, relaxation and overnight repair. A must for the bedside table RRP £52
Where can I get them? This Works is stocked by Waitrose, Boots and SpaceNK. Go to thisworks.com for more information Mary Tadpole
#RunToTheGun For A Riverside Lunch!
Book via the website www.thegundocklands.com
27 Coldharbour, London, E14 9NS gun.events@fullers.co.uk 0207 515 5222
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
how Vashi wants its offering in Canary Wharf to be as clear as a freshly cut diamond
20
Years brand founder Vashi Dominguez has been trading diamonds internationally One of Vashi’s jewellers heats up a piece with a blowtorch as she works to finish it off at the Cabot Place store
by Jon Massey
P
robably the most exciting thing about the recently opened branch of Vashi in Canary Wharf is that it promises customers they can walk in with nothing more than an idea and the requisite funds and its staff will do the rest. The jeweller’s retail experience director Simon Silva is even newer to the brand than it is to east London, having arrived from a previous role at Bang & Olufsen just days before this interview. But those talking to him could well be forgiven for thinking he’s an old hand, such is the depth of the knowledge and passion he’s assimilated since joining. “The surprise has been the energy,” he said. “There is a dynamic energy in everyone. We’re growing exponentially as a team and each member wants to do the best they can in their field. That’s something particularly special and it really motivates me.” e’s arrived at a busy time. The brand was founded by CEO Vashi Dominguez – a diamond trader since . Vashi.com appeared in and the brand’s first store opened in ondon in . Another two followed in 2018 and three in November 2019 including Canary Wharf. In contrast to other jewellers, Vashi’s production facilities sit alongside the sales staff on the shop floor, meaning all of its activities essentially take place in one space. Simon, who commutes to the capital from Birmingham on a daily basis, said: “The business is built on a fundamental human truth, that something that you have a hand in making has a deeper value than something you buy. We want to make fine, bespoke jewellery that is accessible to everyone. “We want to address price, ethics and intimidation of that traditional jewellery set-up and we do so by welcoming people to the heart of the design and making process. “You can literally pull up a stool, pull up a seat, sit with our designers and alchemists, and either design a bespoke single piece from scratch, or go through all of the different options avail-
setting Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
Vashi’s team of jewellers make the pieces in its stores and customers are welcome to watch them in production
a perfect
able to you. ou can choose every single element, whether it’s the customisation of the design, the engraving you wish to put in, or whether you want to choose your stone. We can do a loose diamond viewing where you actually have a selection of stones that fit your criteria, and you can personally have a diamond master class with us and review every single one. “Our customers really get in-depth knowledge of diamonds and jewellery as a whole and they
“
You can literally pull up a stool, sit with our designers and alchemists and either design from scratch or go through the different options Simon Silva, Vashi
play an active role. They can go as deep as they want because, once you’ve done the selection, you can go into the making, and that’s when you can sit with an alchemist and you can set the stone yourself. “We’ll even document that process so you actually have a lovely story to share. “Taking photos is a wonderful way to capture it, but we’re looking at interesting ways in which we can tell the full story. “We ask questions and what’s really amazing is people sharing their whole relationship journey with us – we want to bring to light how Vashi fits into that.” While many brands are focusing on the internet, Vashi’s burgeoning retail empire is a function of its approach to the market and its Cabot lace store is no exception. Simon said: “Opening these shops is really about offering
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf Diamonds: Below left, a £4,000 stone and, right, Vashi’s Canary Wharf store team with Simon Silva, centre
Have your say on cycling and walking improvements between Greenwich and Woolwich We have developed proposals for cycling and walking improvements between Greenwich and Woolwich. Our proposals would: • Improve road safety • Make the A206 Woolwich Road more pleasant, with new and improved crossings • Encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport
complete accessibility to fine, bespoke jewellery. “Our aim is friction-free transparency to ship anywhere via online, but we also want to deliver that physical experience because we think it’s a fundamental part of making an emotion. “What’s lovely is that our alchemists – the jewellery-makers – are craftsmen and women and they sit on the shop floor – anyone walking in will see them actively working on projects or practising their skillsets. “All of our production happens on the shop floor – we’re very transparent with that, so that’s what really separates us from other jewellers.” Simon said that a similar level of clarity applied to the brand’s purchase and selection of precious stones. “Vashi’s experience means he has great partnerships with the sources of our raw materials so
there are no middlemen in the sourcing of our diamonds,” said Simon. “Each element is handpicked – all the different stones we have in our production. We have ownership of the quality-control and we can pass that value onto our customers. “We deliver what I feel is a much deeper emotional experience. For example, when a son or daughter makes a friendship bracelet and you proudly put it next to your watch, it has more value and sentiment because it’s been made for you. I think we cover that really, really beautifully.” And Wharfers need not fear they are inadvertently dipping into the murky world of conflict diamonds either. “We deal directly with siteholders, who are authorised purchasers of rough diamonds from the Diamond Trading Company,” said Simon. “We source Continued on Page 8
To have your say and find out more visit tfl.gov.uk/Greenwich-Woolwich Please submit your views by Sunday 16 February 2020
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Canary Wharf
6 from Page 7 those stones directly from the cutters – from Antwerp, Tel-Aviv, New York or Mumbai and that allows us to hand-select only the most beautiful and high-quality stones. “Our diamonds are guaranteed to be conflict-free. We have a ero tolerance policy in that regard and we deal with associated companies who, like us, proudly adhere to and enforce the standards of the Kimberley Process – the international system that polices the trade of diamonds to ensure that they come from sources that are conflict-free. “Customers can expect to pay between 10% and 30% less depending on the stone, its colour and demand. “People can shop from our collection including pendants, earrings and ready-to-wear rings – every piece can be personalised – or they can just come in with an idea. “In Canary Wharf we have a talented, in-house individual store manager – Nash Chandra – who can render your designs on the shop floor with you, so you get a full visualisation of what’s in your mind on the screen or on paper. “Once we have the design, it’s a very fast turnaround, because all production is in-house and it’s all in London, even if it’s something we have to send away. Customers can receive their finished pieces within 72 hours or even less. “There’s a firm belief in the company that everyone is creative. We can provide guidance to help that come out. “We often see our customers grow in confidence, wanting to be more hands on because they realise that it’s good fun to be in the driving seat. There isn’t a standard entry level cost, we’d encourage people to come in with their project and we will tell you what is possible. “We’d also love local businesses to come and find out about us – we really want to connect with the local community in and around Canary Wharf.” Go to vashi.com or find the store opposite Paul Smith and Tiffany in Cabot Place
Vashi stores are currently open in the UK with other sites in Mayfair, Oxford Street, White City, the Royal Exchange and Manchester
Close up: Simon holds a diamond to his eye. Customers can select their preferred stone when designing their piece
Vashi’s Cabot Place store is filled with pieces to inspire customers as well as examples of diamond settings with and without the stones in place
“
We often see customers grow in confidence, wanting to be more hands on because they realise that it’s good fun to be in the driving seat Simon Silva, Vashi Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
CANADA PL ACE, LONDON E14 5ER
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Canary Wharf
2025
Date major reductions in carbon emissions need to be made by to avoid putting stable ecosystems at risk Many people believe the next decade is humanity’s last chance to address the environmental degradation that’s been set in motion
getting greener
by Martin Gettings
T
his is my first column of the decade, and what a decade it’s set to be. The last 10 years saw an unprecedented rise in awareness of environmental and sustainability issues as well as a desire by people and businesses to get involved and make a real difference. But our job is not yet done. Many believe the next decade is our last chance to address the environmental degradation that has been set in motion. Our job now is to capitalise on the momentum we have created and carry this forward to tackle the very serious threats facing us, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Without major reductions in global carbon emissions by 2025, science warns us that we will not be able to keep global temperature rise within acceptable limits – putting at risk the conditions needed for stable ecosystems and ultimately human survival. On World Environment Day 2019, Canary Wharf Group held a public poll to decide which sustainability issue to focus on next. The vote was split evenly between Climate Action, Responsible Purchasing, Beyond Zero Waste and Wellbeing And Biodiversity. So rather than choosing only one, Canary Wharf Group decided to make these our focus areas. Canary Wharf Group’s aim will be to involve and activate our 120,000strong working population here on the estate. To be successful collaboration will be needed, not just between businesses but with everyone who lives,
time now is the
“
To be successful collaboration will be needed, not just between businesses but with everyone who lives, visits or works in Canary Wharf Martin Gettings, Canary Wharf Group
visits or works in Canary Wharf. We’ve reached a tipping point. Legislation is becoming stricter, public expectations are higher than ever and we are starting to see the visible effects of climate change not just around the world, but here in the UK. Natural ecosystems are in desperate need of repair. We want to seize this opportunity to re-think how we approach sustainability and work collectively to solve these challenges together. We’re entering an era where climate action, wellbeing, biodiversity and resource efficiency aren’t just nice things to have, they’re essential, and will be the reason that we are all in business. I look forward to hearing from you and to working with everyone here at Canary Wharf to create a better world in 2020. If you have any suggestions, or you’d like to get in touch, please email me via sustainability@ canarywharf.com
Martin Gettings is group head of sustainability at Canary Wharf Group Go to canarywharf.com or breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WIMBLEDON M O NDAY 2 9 JUNE - SUNDAY 12 J U LY
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Visit www.keithprowse.co.uk/wharf or call +44 (0)20 3925 1486
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
Canary Wharf
26
legal matters
by Gooch Heer
Q
The number of installations that made up Winter Lights Festival 2020 in Canary Wharf
in celebration of Canary Wharf Group’s dazzling, uplifting and colourful festival
Brexit is hampering my recruitment of staff –what should I do if I can’t attract employees from the European Union?
Pages 14-15
The UK is set to leave the EU on January 31
S
ome businesses and the Confederation Of British Industry (CBI) have said that the onset of Brexit could lead to shortages of skilled and semi-skilled staff. For example, CBI chief economist Rain NewtonSmith recently said: “Brexit uncertainty continues to drag on investment plans and concerns over labour shortages have spiked.” Businesses therefore may, increasingly, need to look for nationals outside of the EU to fill potential vacancies if they cannot be filled by employees from the United Kingdom. Semi-skilled or skilled workers have for sometime been able to plug this gap through the Tier Two worker route, which enables companies to employ overseas nationals. To do this an employer must apply for and hold a sponsorship licence from the Home Office. The business will need to show they have a genuine vacancy Businesses may that they have been increasingly need unable to fill from the UK labour market and to look for nationals that the role is at a requisite skilled level or outside the EU to fill is an occupation that potential vacancies as has been declared as having a shortage of Brexit goes through skilled labour available Gooch Heer, Kidd Rapinet Solicitors in the UK. It is also necessary for the employer to pay an appropriate salary. Companies need to plan in advance for this as the process for obtaining a sponsorship licence can take between two and eight weeks at least and a visa application can take several more weeks to process. The Tier Two Scheme is governed by comprehensive guidance on the duties and obligations placed on employers who are granted the licence, which is valid for four years initially. At Kidd Rapinet we have extensive experience in assisting employers with all matters to do with obtaining and maintaining a sponsorship licence and obtaining Tier Two visas for their employees. Planning ahead is really important as the onboarding process for an overseas employee can take time, however, with the correct advice time need not be lost.
“
Gooch Heer is head of Immigration at Kidd Rapinet LLP based at Harbour Exchange and covers a wide range of topics in the field Go to kiddrapinet.co.uk or follow @KiddRapinetLLP on Twitter or @kiddrapinet on Instagram
lights the
fantastic
Image by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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Street food stalls were specially brought in to help serve the Winter Lights crowds
Constellations North Dock
People take selfies beside Pools Of Light in Jubilee Park
festival review
Winter Lights 2020 across the Canary Wharf estate
W
Desire Crossrail Place
LactoLight Westferry Circus
hile the bright flashes and strips of neon may have departed, the effect of the latest iteration of Canary Wharf’s annual Winter Lights festival leaves a blazing, bright afterimage in the mind. Building on a five-year history, the 2020 event proved the best yet with blockbuster installations and a firm emphasis on interaction. Taking a step back, however, its success was written not in thrilling colours, energetic dancing fountains and stellar projections, but in the unseen dark footsteps of the hordes of visitors attracted to the glow. With precious little happening in January and pockets depleted by the excesses of the festive season, it’s perhaps small wonder that a free, brightly lit event turned the heads of so many. But the 2020 event offered more than that. The installations felt grander and the organisation slicker, with the crowds intelligently marshalled by an upbeat and friendly team of stewards. Even the buildings appeared to be joining in with Citi’s tower and Newfoundland lit from within and without respectively and One Canada Square and the East Wintergarden both pulsing with light.
It all came together to foster an atmosphere of good-natured curiosity and fun. Whether scooping handfuls of foam from a captive storm at Sky On Earth by Uaii Studio in Columbus Courtyard, playing with balls in Pools Of Light in Jubilee Park or simply toasting marshmallows on open firepits in Montgomery Square, the smiles were everywhere. More than any other event, Winter Lights should be applauded for driving people to explore Canary Wharf, whether they’re entirely new to the area or established Wharfers who perhaps just hadn’t taken a stroll to the new park at Bank Street yet. Its legacy is that thousands of visitors from the capital and beyond will have left the estate after viewing the lights, eating the street food and discovering its shops and bars with an entirely positive appreciation of what this dramatic part of east London has to offer and that it is demonstrably open to all. The magic of 2020 was that the festival made the Wharf as full of life on its weekend dates as it is during a normal week. The challenge, and it is no minor undertaking, will be to top this effort for 2021. Go to canarywharf.com to leave Winter Lights feedback
Affinity Montgomery Square
Marshmallow toasting
Liquid Sound Cabot Square
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf
Mountains Of Light Wren Landing
Squiggle Jubilee Park
Ditto Wren Landing Images by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta
Published and promoted by Mike Dixon on behalf of the Liberal Democrats, 8-10 Great George Street, London, SW1P 3AE. Printed by Massey Maddison Limited, 29 Harbour Exchange Square, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9GE.
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
Innovation
P
eople with disabilities can often find their world shrinks because they are restricted to going to places they know they can access,” said Matt ierri, himself a wheelchair user. is app, SociAbility, aims to empower people with access needs to spend more time with friends and family in social spaces such as cafes, bars and restaurants, by providing useful information about them. The idea is disabled people will know the accessibility of a venue in advance, making it easier for them to make decisions about getting out and about.
“This is really important, especially in social occasions” said att. “It’s really hard to find this sort of information and, when you do, it’s often poor quality. “ ainly, people don’t think about it, or they don’t think of it as important information – but if you think about dietary requirements, such information has become widespread.” If people considered access matters in the same way they do dietary needs, then it will make the world a better place for everyone – and businesses will benefit from more custom as a result, according to att. e said a key issue is that information about accessibility wasn’t standardised. What’s out there can be very subjective. For example, a blind person’s feedback on whether a venue is accessible or not will likely be framed around people with visual impairments. What SociAbility aims to do is give people a clear and consistent framework for the information, so they can look at the venue and see the same sorts of details. So, how does he ensure the accuracy of the information That’s down to the power of the crowd. With enough users, the community will be able to correct or address
Image by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
by James Drury
providing a source of real
clarity
how SociAbility aims to empower people by giving them accurate, practical access information
500
Times the app has been downloaded at this early stage in its creation
A wheelchair user himself, Matt came up with the idea for SociAbility when considering which Oxford College to live at
Bring your 2020 customer engagement strategy into focus with our expert team and innovative chatbot, virtual agent and live chat solutions. info@creativevirtual.com 020 7719 8332
www.creativevirtual.com
inaccurate information. ltimately, att said, the users were invested in having correct details, otherwise the app won’t be useful. e said the inspiration for the app came from his own daily experience. “This is something I go through every day,” he said. “I got fed up with not having any other solutions out there.” The idea came to him after he moved from his native elbourne in Australia, to study at the niversity Of Oxford. “I had to pick a college to live at, but there was no information about accessibility, so I found it really hard to choose where to live in what is a very old city. “That sparked in me the idea to collect that information for all the colleges. And then it expanded to include other places such as cafes, bars and restaurants.”
“
It’s really hard to find this sort of information. Mainly people don’t think about it or they don’t think of it as important Matt Pierri, SociAbility
e realised the best platform to have all this information on was an app. From a student project, the idea took off, and att has now raised money through funds such as the niversity Of Oxford’s Skoll Venture Awards as well as angel investors. The company moved Continued on Page 37
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Innovation
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Venues with access information already uploaded to SociAbility
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Companies that share their accessibility information will be able to benefit from more disabled customers and their friends and families Matt Pierri, SociAbility
The app allows users to find venues and add info
Matt says access information is as important as dietary requirements for those who are restricted when they are choosing places to visit Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
from Page 16 from Oxford in October, attracted by east London’s tech scene, finding a place at Stratford’s lexal hub, where it was selected to be part of social inclusion accelerator Open Door. “It’s been great for us,” said att. “There’s a great community here to be part of.” The app is still in its early stages, but has had more than 500 downloads and includes information on an ever-growing collection of venues – at the time of writing. An important part of his strategy is engaging with companies
– asking them to complete the information about their branches, so they can inform disabled customers about their accessibility. With accurate data, disabled people are able to make informed decisions about where to go. “Disabled people want to socialise and know where they can go for a meal or coffee, or a drink with their friends,” said att. “ ut if they don’t feel comfortable or just don’t know about a place, it means they might miss out – and that applies to their family or friends too. “ uch like people won’t go to places with no vegetarian options if one of their party doesn’t eat
meat, it’s the same with access. If a venue has a flight of stairs, a disabled person will figure it out when they get there, but it’s better if they find out while they’re at home – because then they can plan accordingly. For example, if there’s a couple of stairs and I’m with friends, I can go there. ut if I’m alone then I can’t – and it’s not good to get a nasty surprise.” is plan for involves solidifying the company’s position as a fully-fledged operation, including building a development team and expanding its community of users. att is interested in hearing from companies who want to help populate the app with
information – especially firms with multiple outlets and stores, such as coffee chains, restaurants and supermarkets. “It’s had a great reception so far,” said att. “Sponsorship would be good, but we’re particularly keen to listen to corporates wanting to tell the disabled community about their physical stores. For them, uploading information on all their outlets to the app will be invaluable. “Companies that share their accessibility information will be able to benefit from more disabled customers and their friends and families.” Go to sociability.app for more
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why life on a narrowboat still appeals to Joel Sanders as he sets sail for gigs in Limehouse
anger
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The age Joel started performing comedy as a stand-up
afloat
by Laura Enfield
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decade ago Joel Sanders was touring America, performing stand-up in Las Vegas alongside the likes of Robin Williams. But when “things went wrong” one night in the deep south he found himself back home in Hertfordshire searching for a new life. “A lot of the work dried up,” said the east London born comedian who turned the incident into 2011 Edinburgh show Jokes That Got Me Kicked Out Of Tennessee. “I came back suddenly needing to reinvent myself. I bought a bike, went along the canal and stumbled along this marina in Apsley. “I got chatting to these boaters who were a bit weird, but I was a bit weird and we just clicked. “Within a week I had bought a boat and moved in. It was a moment of madness.” Fast forward 10 years and Joel, who grew up in Ruislip and started performing comedy at 18, is still living full time on the water and has transformed his experiences into a show – The Angry Boater – which he will be performing as part of a new monthly residency in Limehouse from April 30. The 52-year-old will share the trials and tribulations of living on a boat and the joys of moving to a new location every 14 days as per canal rules. “A boat is the only home I have ever had an emotional connection to – I love it,” said Joel, who owns a 60ft narrowboat named Herbie Two. “I’m at one with it. It is part of me and I am a part of it. It’s really weird. “But it’s really not for everyone. A lot of people fall in love with the idyllic image of what it is and it ends up being their worst nightmare. “I know so many people who have bought a boat and three weeks later have got rid of it for half the price. You have got to manage your toilet, electric, water, gas all the things we take for granted in our lives as literally being on tap. “I’ve just taken apart a dinette and on my roof now have a ton of wood. Yesterday, I bought a jigsaw
Joel will perform at The Cruising Association first with John Ellis of The Stranglers on February 12 and then at a monthly residency from April Images by Holly Cant – find more of her work at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta
and after I finish talking to you I’m going out to use it for the first time in my life so I can chop up the wood and chuck it in my fire. Hopefully I’ll still have two hands by the end of it. “But that’s what I like about boating, I’m constantly having to learn new skills to deal with whatever minor or major challenge life throws at me.” He has overcome his dad’s warning that “Jews don’t live on boats” as well as frozen pipes, a broken toilet, and the crime wave on London’s waterways, driven on by the freedom his aquatic life delivers. “I ended up in Aylesbury for the first time last year and loved it,” said Joel, who is currently moored in arefield, near family. “I also went to Southall, Tring, Alperton, Greenford, Harlesden and West Drayton. I didn’t like the last one though as someone jumped on my boat at 4am in the morning on December 30. “I thought: ‘I’m not staying here’. That was really unsettling. The only other two times that’s happened it’s been tourists wanting a photo. “Crime on boats is rife in London because a lot of people leave them unattended. It makes me paranoid so, if my boat is on the water, I’m on it.” Ahead of his residency he’ll be stopping off in imehouse on February 20 for a performance of his new show The Star And The Stalker. “I love that almost Gotham Cityesque skyline and the view of the basin,” said oel, who first visited the area nine years ago. “It’s the old world meets new world thing – with history that goes back to Dickens and combines with ridiculously futuristic buildings. “I love the beautiful walk along the Thames and having quick access to Brick Lane with the best bagels in the world.” He will be on stage with musician John Ellis to explore the relationship between famous names and their fans. The rockstar who was a key member of The Stranglers, founding member of The Vibrators and toured extensively with Peter Hammill and Peter Gabriel, will
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Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell
play songs from his 40-year career. Self-confessed “stalker” Joel will then share his encounters with his heroes including Green Day, Billy Connolly and, controversially, Jim Davidson. The pair met when Joel was running the Comedy Bunker in Ruislip, a venue he founded while also working as an English teacher and touring America in the school holidays. “Through working in comedy I got to meet and spend time with most of my heroes,” said Joel. “Last year at Edinburgh I did a show about it – Hero Worship. Now I’m writing a book about it with each chapter a different encounter with someone I had on a pedestal. “I was very wary it could be seen as name dropping or a bit like showing off, but people were fascinated. There are great stories that give you a real insight into these people and me as well and my capacity to infatuate. “A lot of people are ashamed and don’t want people to see that side of them because it’s uncool to be a fan but I decided to embrace it.”
H
is first obsession, aged five, was with The Wombles but, as he matured, punk replaced novelty pop and he fell in love with The Stranglers. Years later he used his showbusiness connections to bring his musical heroes to Ruislip. “I had a Sex Pistols event with Glen Matlock and managed to get my hero – The Stranglers’ singer – Hugh Cornwell down to perform an acoustic set, which was one of the greatest days of my life,” said Joel. “Through that I got to know John Ellis.”
20%
Wharf Life readers making a booking between Jan 29 and Feb 11 for Joel’s residency or The Star And The Stalker can get 20% off with code WHARFLIFE20
Joel prepares to burn something or other in the stove on his boat
Despite tagging himself a “stalker” Joel said he has never been reduced to a gibbering wreck when meeting famous names. “When you work in the arts you can’t just be a fan,” he said. “You learn how to talk to people. I must have booked 1,000 comedians over the years and have a relationship with most of the ones you see on TV. Some have become friends. “One of my closest friends sells out Wembley Arena now but we still talk three times a week and it’s a normal friendship because I have known him for 20 years and he’s not on a pedestal. “In John’s case I got to know him after he left the band. He was doing guitar lessons so I went along and had some and we got on very well and a friendship grew out of a professional relationship.” A year ago they started talking about doing a show together exploring their mutual fascination with stardom and fandom. The third section of The Star And The Stalker will see them on stage together discussing the “strange relationship”. “It’s very similar to the courting process,” said Joel. “Often you get one person interested and the other person not interested. Your natural reaction is to keep them at arm’s length. It strokes your ego but you don’t want them around too much.” One of his more heart-warming stories about celebrities (which I won’t spoil the surprise by telling) involves Billy Connolly and a homeless man, which Joel said epitomises the idea of class. His most controversial tale is about Jim Davidson. “ e has become a hate figure for comedy but I like him,” said Joel. “I like him a lot. I had a series
a while ago where I interviewed comedians on stage and he was the one I wanted to get most – a controversial figure. “I wanted to hear about his relationship with Margaret Thatcher and refusing to do a show because of disabled people being on the front row and all these stories of homophobia and racism. He came along and was amazing and I tell that story in the show. It divides people. One night in Edinburgh a woman was absolutely outraged and walked out.” Joel said both stories demonstrate how “nobody is just one thing”. “We are all good and bad,” he said. “You have got to see the whole person. We all have those traits within us whether we happen to have a face that is recognisable or not.” Joel, who has interviewed the likes of Harry Hill, Matt Lucas and Barry Cryer on stage as part of his Namedroppers series, said his aim is always to reveal what makes people tick. “I want to know what drives them at a deep human level?” he said. “I think everyone is interested in that and when you are up there you feel the physiology change in the room and everyone gravitates towards it because they are seeing something real and authentic and deep that resonates with their own lives. “That’s what makes people come alive and I’m really mindful of taking people on that journey when I’m on stage whether I’m talking about myself or someone else. “These are definitely the most personal shows I have ever done and are the two sides of me and really both about infatuation in a strange way – my tendency to go all in.”
J
oel, who quit teaching to work on cruise ships for a year aged 35 and sold the Comedy Bunker so he could roam more freely on his boat believes “you should never go back” and has no regrets about his decision to live on the water. “It was almost born out of a midlife crisis,” he said. “I was definitely unhappy and looking for a major life change and for something to nurture me. From it I have rebuilt my comedy career.” Joel and John will perform The Star And The Stalker at The Cruising Association in Limehouse on February 20 at 7.30pm. Standard tickets cost £10. Joel’s residency as The Angry Boater runs at The Cruising Association on the last Thursday of the month from April 30. Tickets are priced at £12. Go to angryboater.com or heroworshipping.com to book
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-26 where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping
MAGIC | Ben Hart: Wonder See the tricks and sleights of the Britain’s Got Talent 2019 finalist as he conjures a magical show using simple props and the minds of his audience. Feb 18-19, 7.30pm, £18, wiltons.org.uk where? Troxy Limehouse
TALK | The Darwin Day Lecture 2020 Naturalist and TV presenter Chirs Packham gives this annual address exploring humanism and humanist thought in relation to science. Feb 12, 6.30pm £24.75, troxy.co.uk where? Jamboree Limehouse
GIG | Stanlæy Musician Bethany Stenning brings her musical project to Three Colt Street for its All The Wild Folk evening. Support from Urban Meadows. Feb 21, 7pm, from £6, jamboreevenue.co.uk
to do before February 12
Jamboree in Limehouse welcomes Rum Buffalo frontman Jake Alexander Stevens and singer-songwriter Niki Stevens to The Blue Bottle Club on February 3. The show starts at 7pm with tickets costing £5 jamboreevenue.co.uk
spot check worth a visit Send the kids to Knight School at the Tower Of London, Feb 15-23 hrp.org/toweroflondon want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
riverside recipes by Matt Colk
P
rawns come all different ways – raw, cooked fresh, frozen, peeled or un-peeled and in a wide range of sizes. My advice is to get the raw, peeled and de-veined variety, preferably as fresh as possible. The key is not to overcook them and to put them with something that’s packed with flavour. In this case it’s nduja – a spicy Italian sausage from Calabria. Made from every part of the pig you can think of, the meat is packed with chilli peppers and produces a soft filling. You can spread it on toast or use it to thicken sauces, stews and ragu. Adding nduja to fish is a favourite of mine so this little prawn dish works perfectly.
Something spicy for the cold, try making Matt’s pan fried prawns with nduja, tomato and chilli Ingredients (for one portion) 150g Prawns (ideally fresh) ½ a red onion chopped 1 fresh chilli, chopped 100g nduja 1 plum tomato 1 lemon 1 clove garlic 5g salt 2g cracked black pepper 5g chopped parsley 100ml dry white wine 50ml vegetable oil
why UPT Fitness wants to create a real sense of community with its holistic approach to health and exercise by Jon Massey
I
believe that anyone can benefit – there are not restrictions,” said Jay Challiss, founder and owner of recently opened studio UPT Fitness on the Isle Of Dogs. “As long as you’ve got a willingness to come and try it, then you can get there. Seeing people change is fantastic. “I’ve had people come who are disabled or think they can’t do anything and are amazed at what they can do when they leave – they arrive with a walking stick and leave without it.” That’s basically the ethos of UPT, which stands for Urban Physique Transformation. Jay isn’t bothered what level of fitness his clients have – he’s only interested in providing a friendly, welcoming environment so they can get moving and improve it. “UPT really started in 2012 when I qualified as a T,” said ay. “I used to do one-to-one personal training and I got my first studio in at Skylines Village. “Then I realised I was alienating quite a large number of people, so I started doing fitness classes in a small 500sq ft unit and it evolved from there, getting a real community base in rather than just one-to-one sessions. “That allowed more people to have access to fitness without them feeling afraid or judged when going into a gym. From there I went to work with One Love Community in Pepper Street, which has now closed down. “I was looking for somewhere else and found this place at Tara House in
Deptford Ferry Road and thought it had the potential to become a proper community base.” While the core of T is its fitness classes – currently running three times a day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – key to ay’s latest venture is the inclusion of facilities for massage therapists David Holgate and Jane Belshaw and Yoga teacher Sudhir Golwalkar to practise their skills. While each element can be accessed on its own, the idea is to present people with a holistic health and fitness offering so clients who train with Jay can work in consultation with the therapists and also get the benefits of oga sessions. David said: “What we’re trying to do is to have a complete wellness package for people that come here. “It’s designed to be as cheap and as sociable as possible and to give people as many benefits as possible outside of just physically training.” While fitness classes at T cost per month – covering three sessions a week – ay and his colleagues are looking at offering a package from March that would cost around and cover two massages a month plus Yoga classes. Jane, who has worked with patients at Island Health on the Isle Of Dogs for 22 years, said: “What we’re hoping to do is, if Jay’s working with somebody, for example, and he says that actually their shoulders are really tight, then that information will come to me or to David and that’s how we’ll work with them during their massage. “Then that information might go on to Sudhir, who might work with them in the Yoga so that they feel it’s a wraparound package. “We’re all local and we’ve got a lot of experience. When doctors refer their patients to me for massage, I feed back to them, so I particularly wanted to work in a setting where I was working with people in that way.” T’s core offering is very much aimed at those who would prefer an alternative to standard gyms. Jay said: “It’s aimed at people who want to get fit but are intimidated
Massage therapists Jane Belshaw and David Holgate are on hand at UPT offering sessions and advice to those training
Method First thing is to do is to make sure you have all your ingredients prepared as cooking this dish does not take long at all and you don’t want to overcook the prawns. Heat up the vegetable oil until it’s smoking, add the chopped onion, chilli, garlic, nduja and prawns, stirring or moving the pan constantly. Next add the white wine, seasoning and chopped tomato and simmer for one minute before adding the lemon juice. Finish with the chopped parsley, then serve immediately. A slice of focaccia or decent, lightly toasted sourdough always goes well with this dish. Matt Colk is head chef at The Gun in Coldharbour, Blackwall. Owned and operated by Fuller’s, it offers dining, drinking and relaxation by the Thames Go to thegundocklands.com or follow the @thegundocklands on Instagram and Twitter
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Exercise classes per week covered by UPT Fitness’ £100 monthly fee
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The classes are never the same twice. It’s about getting everything working – we’ll do 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest Jay Challiss, UPT Fitness
by gyms. I’ve branded it as for those over-30 who might not want to go to a big health club, so nobody has to worry about 18-year-olds with six-packs throwing weights around. “This is creating a community - you come in, do your classes and we’ve got sofas in the canteen, so you can sit down, have a coffee and a chat before or after. “It’s not about cutting this or that out, it’s about enjoying yourself – you can still have your wine, beer and the food you like, but we monitor it and make sure you don’t go over the top, so you’ll still get results. “You can expect to come into a friendly environment that’s not judgemental – one where you’re guaranteed to get results. You’ll lose weight, but we don’t restrict you in terms of diet. “What happens on that path with loads of rules is that someone loses weight really quickly, stops following the plan and goes back to what they were doing before. Then the weight piles back on. “Obviously, the more you’re into eating good food, the better results you’ll get but we want it to be sustainable. The classes are never the same twice. It’s about getting everything working – some functional stuff using medicine balls, using the tyre, using the equipment, body-weight exercises and cardio. “We’ll do 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest. If you only last for 20 seconds, then you rest for the remainder. It’s based on the interval principle. “I don’t believe in shouting at people and telling them that they’ve got to do this or that. “If you say to someone that they’ve got to do 10 reps, they do it fast. If you say to them: ‘Do as many reps as you physically can in 45 seconds’, and they only get four, then that’s fantastic. “The person next to them might have got 40, but next time that will be 41. I’ll ask the person who got four to get five – you’re only ever going against yourself. “Everything is adaptable – if you’re unable to use your left hand, for example, then I’ll create a routine for you. And because it’s a group, everyone will encourage you. “It’s a community – the important thing is not to take it too seriously. In the classes there’s talking, laughing and banter going round. “We try to keep everyone happy so
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Jay Challiss has brought massage, Yoga and fitness classes together at UPT Fitness’ new studio
shape
Images by Holly Cant – find more of her work at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta
Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-29 where? Arebyte Gallery London City Island
SEE | Trickle Down: A New Vertical Sovereignty Artist Helen Knowles has placed four screens showing scenes of auctions. Drop a coin in and micro payments are made to all those involved. Until Feb 26, noon-6pm, £1, arebyte.com where? Trinity Buoy Wharf Leamouth
getting in
APPLY | Artist In Residence 2020 Opportunity TBW is seeking an artist to work on a site specific project from April to September for an exhibition. Workspace and some expenses funded. Until Feb 28, free to apply, trinitybuoywharf.com where? Poplar Union Poplar
STAGE | Rosie Wilby: The Breakup Monologues Comedian, author and broadcaster records an episode of her podcast with guests Diana Spencer, pictured, Chris Neill, Faye Treacy and Lee Peart. Feb 13, 7.30pm, £9, poplarunion.com
to do before February 12
Jay believes anyone can benefit from fitness classes
they’re doing the workout without realising it. “We could make it so people feel exhausted at the end, but no. You’re definitely going to sweat and you’re going to get fitter but you’re going to walk out of here happy, rather than saying: ‘Oh my God, I can’t move’.” And complementing the activity on the studio floor is the massage team. David said: “In terms of massage therapy we’ve come a long way from no-pain, no-gain. I’m qualified in sports massage and tissue massage, but I like to refer to it as remedial massage. “A few things we do might be uncomfortable, but they’re there to relax you, relax the muscles and help you recover from injury, but also to keep you injury-free.
“Remedial massage is a system to help the body recover - to warm the muscles up, to get them more oxygenated and to rejuvenate them. “When you start training, or if you’re out of condition, then muscle soreness kicks in a lot quicker and it can be very painful. “Massage is a very good way of gently breaking down the tissues and lesions that are there and stretching muscles back into where they should be.” Drop in fitness classes at T cost £10 and single Yoga sessions cost . ay also offers personal training sessions on a one-to-one basis or in small groups. Call ason on or find him on aceboo and nsta uptfitness or more in ormation or to boo
Check out The Space’s Two Fest programmes – 13 short plays commissioned especially for this new duologue festival. Performances are from February 11-22, mostly at 7.30pm and cost £15 for several works space.org.uk
spot check worth a visit F45 is the place to get fit and ripped – find it at Republic in Blackwall f45training.co.uk/blackwall want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
how a former Tesla employee wants to change the world with Halo Burger’s ‘bleeding’ patties by Laura Enfield
R
oss Forder may have cut his teeth at Tesla but the entrepreneur quit his high-flying job to convince the world to sink their gnashers into his “bleeding” vegan burgers. A former meat eater, his dream is to make plant-based food mainstream and deliver an eco-friendly impact on the scale of Elon Musk’s electric vehicles. Ross’ company, Halo Burger, launched in November 2018 and serves up a fast-food style menu complete with five burgers, chicken-style nuggets and fries topped with vegan cheese. The patties are made from pea and rice protein infused with beetroot juice, designed to mimic the experience of eating beef. “I realised if I wanted to have the most impact and help people who are used to meat consumption, the way to do that is not to feed them raw carrots and bean burgers,” said Ross, who became a vegan two years ago. “I needed to serve them what they already love – a delicious juicy burger. If you do that the vast majority of people will make the jump because they know it is better for the planet and their health. “If there is no compromise on flavour, why would you not make that choice?” With sites in Brixton and Shoreditch opened in the last 14 months, Ross is currently collaborating with Butlers Wharf Chop House in Bermondsey to tempt its meat-loving customers. His Smoky Carolina BBQ Burger (£9.50) will be on the menu at the Tower Bridge venue until February 24. Designed to win over even
“
The sauce and the balance had to be right. It had to hit that spot where a carnivore would eat it and feel they didn’t need meat the next day Ross Forder, Halo Burger
the “staunchest of carnivores” it contains a quarter pounder patty made by pioneering American company Beyond Meat. It comes topped with rich vegan Gouda, crunchy panko breadcrumb-covered fried onions, creamy veganaise and tangy BBQ sauce. uests can add jalape os for an extra kick. “We stripped out all of the salad and veg, which is usually synonymous with veganism and put the full focus on the other elements, “ said Ross. “So many people have eaten it and can’t believe it is all plant-based.” Born and raised in Poole, he has a degree in acting from the University Of Central Lancashire but after backpacking for 18 months had his first eureka moment. “I was living the hippy lifestyle and didn’t see myself settling down,” said the Tottenham Hale resident. “But then in 2012 on a trip to California, I saw Tesla when it was still in its early days and the car blew my mind. I had an absolute lightbulb moment of ‘this is it’, a complete 180-degree paradigm shift. I knew I had to go to London and help launch it there.” After “hassling” the recruitment team he landed an entry-level sales position in March 2014 and in four years rose from product specialist to sales advisor, store manager, regional coach and finally senior regional sales and delivery coach for central Europe. He had a hand in opening various sites (including the Canary Wharf branch which closed in 2019) and sat shoulder to shoulder with CEO Elon Musk. Ross said: “He really inspired me to do my best work. You can’t use the word impossible around him unless it actually breaks the laws of physics. It can’t be in your vocabulary. “He kind of rearranges the paradigms of what’s possible and you start to believe that anything is. One of the proudest moments of my life was pitching him an idea he liked and wanted to roll out. “You can’t buy that kind of experience and I learnt so much from him. What impressed me most was his ability to hear an employee explain something he has never worked on, listen, deconstruct and analyse this complex process in a millisecond and then challenge them on improvements that need to be made. He had that immediate, super-smart understanding and response. I remember sitting there thinking: ‘How have you done that ’ and then just being amazed by it.” Tesla has just displaced Volkswagen as the world’s secondmost valuable carmaker, after its market value rose to more than $100billion (£76.1billion). Ross said the firm’s mission to electrify transport for environmental reasons used to be what “got him
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Branches of Halo Burger currently trading in London. The brand is also currently in residence at Butlers Wharf Chop House in Bermondsey
beet eater becoming a
Image by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
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Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey
Halo Burger is aimed at meat eaters who want to make the switch to a vegan diet
Ross Forder swapped electric cars for grills and double-meat Subways for a plant-based diet as
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-26
he launched his own
where? The Albany Deptford
vegan fast food business
Butlers Wharf Chop House will be serving Halo Burgers until February 24
out of bed in the morning”. But he decided he wanted to do more after discovering Beyond Meat during another chance encounter in California and realising the potential environmental impact of veganism. “I used to be an utterly devoted carnivore and one of these guys who used to love going to the gym and then would polish off two double-meat Subways after a session,” said Ross. “If you asked my friends they would say I was the last person they would expect to go vegan. “But even when I was eating meat I was disappointed by the quality of fast food burgers in this country. When I went vegetarian seven years ago the options were even more limited and I was frustrated. I was inspired to research and quickly came across some companies in California that were already doing these plant-based products. I came to the realisation that animal agriculture creates more greenhouse gases than all transport combined. “I had been pouring my soul into Tesla but realised this was a bigger issue. When I bit into Beyond Meat’s patty I had that same feeling of my mind being blown and knew it was the future.” Ross returned to the UK and spent months researching and travelling to California for tastetesting to create his perfect vegan burger blueprint. “I knew all the other elements needed to be plant-based,” said the entrepreneur whose vegan top tip is e Fauxmagerie off rick ane. “The cheese had to be utterly spot on to convince 95% of carnivores they could eat it. “They couldn’t sink their teeth in and it taste overtly vegan. The sauce and the balance had to be right. It had to hit that spot where a carnivore would eat it and feel they didn’t need to go to a meatbased fast food place the next day. A kale or quinoa burger doesn’t satisfy that desire. “I wanted people to feel there was no difference and literally replace the fast-food burger experience. The business name is intended to reflect the “halo” moment when people sink their teeth into the burgers and Ross purposely mimicked a well-known fast-food chain by using red and yellow decor and packaging.”
“It’s pretty cheeky,” he said. “I have been as strategic as possible about it. You have to be in the restaurant industry at the moment to survive. I partly chose it because if I want to get this in front of 95% of the market I can’t treat them like vegans. “I didn’t want overly vegan decor with green and huge vegan signs everywhere because meateaters wouldn’t feel comfortable. “I wanted an environment people were used to. So even though it is a new company and concept there is a familiarity to it.” He poured £70,000 into opening his first restaurant in a sq ft shipping container at Pop Brixton in November 2018. “That’s a lot of money and it can be done for less,” said Ross. “But the idea was that I wanted, even in a small environment, to show what the future of the company might look like.” He opened a second £200,000 site in Shoreditch on January 22 this year and now has a team of 13 people. So far investment has involved him selling his beloved, limited edition Tesla car, Tesla stock, draining his life savings and then “begging” from friends and family. “A lot of our investors are former colleagues from Tesla and are very supportive,” said Ross. “It’s great because they saw what I did at Tesla and believed in me. “I want to prove the model in Shoreditch and then take what I have here to another funding round so I can expand across the UK and internationally. “The mission is to create a business that takes plant-based eating mainstream and to do that you need to have multiple sites and prove your model.” He said the collaboration with Butlers Wharf Chop House was a “no-brainer” “For our burger to be on the menu at a reputable establishment such as Chop House, which generally has meat-focused customers, is awesome,” he said. “I want to get in front of customers exactly like that and for us to be able to share our knowledge about meat substitutes with Chop House is phenomenal. Hopefully I will have some impact.” Go to haloburger.co.uk or chophouse-restaurant.co.uk for more indormation
STAGE | Cabaret Playroom Tricity Vogue hosts complete with her miniature guitars and other stringed sidekicks. Expect a blend of artists and genres, mon cher. Feb 25, 8pm, pay-as-thou-wilt, thealbany.org.uk where? Brunel Museum Rotherhithe
SUP | Valentine’s Day Food, cocktails and marshmallow toasting as Midnight Apothecary drinks to all things lovely. Includes live music from the Nathan Osgood Trio. Feb 14, 6pm, from £12, themidnightapothecary.co.uk where? Canada Water Theatre Canada Water
GIG | Nihilism This quintet is a blend of energetic jazz and funk featuring the sounds of the soprano sax, violin, synths, bass, drums, electronics and voice. Feb 14, 7.30pm, £10, thealbany.org.uk
to do before February 12
Sink into a seat at Deptford Theatre on February 9 for Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk which follows a young couple as they fall in love amid the racial tensions of the 1970s. Doors 2.30pm, tickets £6 deptfordcinema.org
spot check worth a visit Throw some shapes in The Yoga Room in Deptford or just sink into some Yin theyogaroom.london want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
how Rosie and Harriet created Tatty Devine and why putting together a retrospective has been overwhelming
20
Years since Tatty Devine started selling products at Camden Market
by Laura Enfield
Y
in and yang springs to mind when I first meet osie Wolfenden and Harriet Vine. The concept sticks as they tell the 20-year story of jewellery brand Tatty Devine – from London market stall to global success. osie is the organiser who responds to the interview request personally and suggests it takes place at her Stoke Newington home. She’s invited me over to chat about Misshapes: The Making Of Tatty Devine, a special Crafts Council exhibition, featuring more than 100 pieces from the brand’s archive that’s set to arrive in Greenwich on February 27 for five weeks. The mother of two young boys answers the door with bare feet wearing a flowing rainbow skirt and a warm smile beneath her statement Brushstroke Drop Earrings. Her home is sprinkled with pieces of Tatty jewellery including a pastel parakeet and a Snoopy necklace, which she wears daily. aised in a hotel on the Isle Of Wight she learned how to play the hostess from a young age and is now Tatty’s managing director, handling the logistics, finances and sales of the Brick Lane brand which sells its products across the globe. “The thing I really love in life is making things happen and joining up all the dots,” said osie. “Now, when I look back I remember I did have a market stall at 11 and helped my gran in her shop when I was 12. My parents were real hosts and always made sure everything ran well. I guess I bring that all to Tatty – making sure we don’t do things for no reason and are talking to the right people.” In the kitchen candyfloss-haired arriet unfolds her long limbs to reveal pink tights and hotpants below a neon yellow jumper. She is the maker who spends hours poring over imagery and scribbling in notepads to transform everything from lobsters to rainbows, telephones and pot plants into pieces of jewellery. Today she sports the statement Price Ticket Link Necklace from Tatty’s supersized birthday collection. Surprisingly she admits she rarely wears the brand as she’s constantly trying on paper prototypes and samples. aised in ochester, Tatty’s creative director went to car boot sales as a child to find interesting objects to make into accessories. Her passion for making things stand out from the crowd hasn’t waned. “As a designer you have a responsibility
Tatty Devine founders Harriet Vine, left, and Rosie Wolfenden will see their work celebrated in an exhibition at the Stephen Lawrence Gallery in Greenwich
devine inspiration
not to put crap into the world essentially,” said the mother-of-one, who lives in ethnal reen. “ ust churning out stuff for the sake of it is unbearable but people do it all the time. ou have to make stuff that people really love otherwise it is just going to go to the tip.” As the co-founders, who are both 42 years old, sit side by side, it is clear the foundation of Tatty’s success is their relationship. “We’ve known each other for 20 years and so finish each other’s sentences,” said arriet who met osie at Chelsea
College of Arts in 1996. “I’ll just speak for both of us and assume osie agrees. We have this work ethic and skillset that are complementary.” According to the ancient Chinese concept, yin and yang are contrary forces that are interdependent of but give rise to each other. osie said when the pair first met on a fine art course she was in the quieter, conceptual group and Harriet in the louder painting gang. When osie’s roof fell down she moved into Harriet’s spare room and quickly realised they were two sides of the same coin.
“She was a nice girl who had lovely long hair and she let me cut it all off with kitchen scissors into a oxton fin over the bath,” said Harriet. “We have just been unstoppable ever since.” The story goes they stumbled on a pile of leather sample books by some bins and turned them into cuffs to sell at Camden Market in the summer of 1999. The receipt for the £8 they paid for their pitch on July 13, 2008, is in the exhibition, which will be at the Stephen Lawrence Gallery in Stockwell Street. By December they had orders from Whistles and Harvey Nichols and pieces featured in Vogue. Harriet said: “Looking back through old sketchbooks and notes for this exhibition there was a real sense over and over again of how important creativity was to us – being able to make whatever we wanted. That freedom was ultimately the most incredible thing.” They started out using “any weird bit of plastic kicking around”, such as cracker prizes, key rings, tape measures and plectrums nicked from arriet’s flatmates. Next came photocopies stuck on wooden shapes but they felt “confined”. Then, a trip to New York in 2001 showed them the future. osie said “We came across Canal lastics who did signage and plastic supplies. It was the most exciting shop we had ever seen. In it were all these little shapes cut out of acrylic. We had never seen anything like it. There were poodles and cocktail glasses and we bought a whole load. “We brought them back to London, stuck brooch backs on and stuck them onto necklaces and rocked up at London Fashion Week. They were so popular we needed more and were looking in the Yellow Pages for the code to ring America, faxing New York to try to order them and figure out how to pay with an English cheque in dollars. “Brick Lane back then had one acrylic supplier, Hamar, and we went in and asked: ‘How do we do this?’. They gave us a contact for an architectural model maker who was also just around the corner.” Five years later Tatty launched its first fully acrylic collection after buying a laser cutter, which is still in use. Harriet, who taught herself how to design on a computer, said: “We want to let it be known that technology and craft is O .” She describes their jewellery as “wearing drawings that have been brought to life”. “We start by talking about ideas and then I annotate the conversation with pictures,” said Harriet. “Then I go away and go to all of the places, watch all of the films, listen to all of the music and follow strange pathways and find new things. “I draw in my sketchbook and those drawings become a big blur and then, using the computer, I print it out and make a piece out of paper. “I try it on to make sure it fits, scan it back in and make edits and then make a rough one in acrylic to check it works.” osie added “ arriet is a mistress of acrylic and thinks and dreams in it and understands the material so well. She can always see the finished product because it is like using this Tatty Devine language.
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich
“I don’t get that involved in the actual making but am there at concept stage and we both instantly know when something will work. We can envisage it and have this foresight for finished products that need to exist.” In the beginning the pair didn’t realise they had to complement, not replicate each others’ talents. arriet said “I would go to finance meetings and do spreadsheets and Rosie would sit and draw on the computer and then I would redraw it while she would redo the spreadsheets. “At some point we realised we needed to split it up. But really our roles are the same as they always were because in my bedroom I had a cutting mat and bits of crap and Rosie’s bedroom had a computer and a fax machine.” Preparing the exhibition took them a year and meant going through two decades of paperwork, sketchbooks memorabilia and samples to try and summarise the evolution of the brand.
T
oday, Tatty Devine has a £2million annual turnover, a studio and shop in Brick Lane, a second shop in Monmouth Street and a development and fulfilment studio in ent. osie said: “The exhibition has allowed us to show the breadth of what we do. It is about jewellery and expression but so many other things. Our archive has over 6,000 pieces of jewellery and there’s boxes and boxes of paper because I just find it impossible to throw anything away. So it was quite a challenge to do. “It definitely gave the idea that the process is as important as the final product. That is what gives Tatty integrity because the references and reasoning are all there and you can follow it back.” arriet said of the exhibition – the first solo show the Crafts Council has put on in 17 years – was “a journey of how we learned to make things”. She said: “I thought we were always good but then I looked at the stuff from the beginning and thought: ‘Oh my lord what were we doing?’. “But we just weren’t frightened. We didn’t think at any point that it wasn’t good enough to take the plastic sheep and a badge with a bit of ribbon to Fashion Week. “Doing the exhibition was a bit overwhelming – realising the privilege of being able to do what we wanted for the last 20 years and cunningly make a living out of making stuff. “We didn’t realise that when we were doing it because we didn’t have anything and didn’t need anything. Young people are now so under pressure to have a lifestyle. We just ate chips and pasta, went out and got drunk.” A turning point for Tatty was the
“
The audacity of subject matter that people say can’t possibly be jewellery. I like those ones Harriet Vine, Tatty Devine
Above and below, some of the pieces Tatty Devine has produced over the years will feature at the exhibition in Greenwich
internet boom which Harriet said enabled them to find people who wanted their “weird, niche” jewellery shaped like volcanoes and magician’s hats. Rosie said: “Up until 2007 we had a fashion label selling to boutiques but then with the birth of Twitter, suddenly this community built around us and the brand started to take shape. With all of these social media channels we could talk to our audience.” In recent years they have focused on using their jewellery to send a message out into the world. They’ve done collections for Macmillan Cancer and Battersea Dogs And Cats Home and teamed up with cultural institutions such as English Heritage, the Barbican and the National Maritime Museum. Since 2018 they have become more socially and politically minded with collections championing female empowerment, crafters and makers and the European Union. Rosie said: “It’s made us realise we have always made campaign jewellery because we were making ridiculous things when everything else was so homogenised but now we are actually putting words to it and campaigning for equality and creativity and all these things really matter. “It’s a big deal to us that people are using our jewellery to say how they feel, like former Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson wearing our European necklace.” Plastic isn’t exactly the material de jour but Rosie said Tatty’s designs were made to last a lifetime. Harriet’s favourite piece from the exhibition is the pink architectural column necklace. “People don’t think you can make jewellery out of a landscape but you can,” she said. “The audacity of subject matter that people say can’t possibly be jewellery, I like those ones.” She promised they would continue to make “new and innovative stuff” to keep ahead of the copycats and competition. She said: “It must be hard starting out now and I think we would struggle as Rosie and I had this fantastic naivety and innocence in what we were doing and who we were when we started. “Today you have to be so out there: ‘This is me, this is my brand and this is my tone of voice’. It took us years to develop all that stuff because we were too busy having fun. “But that stands us in really good stead because it gives us an authenticity. It’s a funny old time so, if we can manage to stick where we are now, we will be doing quite well.” Rosie’s favourite piece from the exhibition is the glasses necklaces from their first acrylic collection as worn by Bubbles in Absolutely Fabulous. She said: “We both have mortgages and children and all these responsibilities we didn’t have 20 years ago. We’re in a place where we feel like we have a really good balance, so long may it last.” Misshapes: The Making Of Tatty Devine runs at the University Of Greenwich’s Stephen Lawrence Gallery from February 27 until April 3. Entry is free. A lecture about the exhibition will take place on February 29. For more information go to tattydevine.com or craftscouncil.org.uk
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-26 where? The O2 Arena Peninsula
GIG | The 1975 Hot off the success of A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, the Manchester four-piece pitch up at the world’s most successful venue for two dates. Feb 21-22, 6.30pm, from £38, theo2.co.uk where? Royal Observatory Greenwich
SHOW | Astronomy And Islam Join an astronomer for a special presentation on the new crescent moon, the history of its study and Arabic scholars’ role in creating the discipline. Feb 22, 10am, £13, rmg.co.uk where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich
STAGE | The Silence Of Snow Actor Mark Farrelly presents a kinetic show examining the dazzling success and chaos of playwright Patrick Hamilton’s life as his world collapses. Feb 21, 7.45pm, £16, greenwichtheatre.org.uk
to do before February 12
Confused and fascinated by the world, the female protagonist of The Duck makes sense of her misunderstandings following a diagnosis of autism. The show runs February 4-5 at Greenwich Theatre. Doors 7.30pm, £13 greenwichtheatre.org
spot check worth a visit Stop by Ruby’s Of London for vegan sweet treats in the market, weekends rubysoflondon.com want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
how London City Airport’s fund is set to award cash to local charities and not-for-profit organisations
£75k
The size of the fund that London City Airport will distribute as grants over the course of 2020
Giving back: Corporate responsibility and community engagement executive Nazmin Begum runs the airport’s Community Fund
by Jon Massey
L
ondon City Airport has committed to awarding £75,000 in grants to charities and not-for-profit organisations in and around the east of the capital. 2020 has seen an overhaul of the Royal Docks transport hub’s Community Fund, with awards set to be made four times a year in contrast to the two tranches in 2019. As the airport gears up to announce the first successful group of organisations on February 24, we sat down with corporate responsibility and community engagement executive a min egum to find out more. what is the Community Fund? It’s a £75,000 fund that launched in May last year for local charities – essentially grass-roots organisations – who might not be able to apply for larger grants. We had lots of great applications, more than 200, come through in 2019 when we did it in two rounds – one in September where we made 16 grants and one in November where we awarded 14. We have an independent chair and trustees who choose the applications at the end. On the board, we’ve got representatives from Tower Hamlets, Barking And Dagenham, a local community centre in Newham and we have a couple of trustees from the airport. The independent chair makes the final decision. The grants range from £300 to £3,000 – the majority of the ones we have had made so far have been at the higher end. how did the fund come about? The fund was a spin-off from our 30th anniversary in 2017, where we gave out grants totalling £30,000 to a number of charities. From that experience we wanted to continue that to see how we could support the local community much more. The idea was to create something that allows a greater number of organisations to be able to ask us for support, rather than feel like they can’t approach us. We wanted to make it easier for them. It’s about how we can give back to the community and make it easier for charities and not-for-profits to access the money. who can apply? We’re open to 13 boroughs, mostly
support delivering funding and
Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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Royal Docks - Canning Town
in east London, but also places like Southwark, Lambeth and Lewisham. We are open to any charities and not-for-profit organisations in those boroughs and that includes any groups that might not be based locally but those that work there. There are four funding criteria building a stronger, safer and healthier community creating a more sustainable and greener community raising the aspirations of east ondoners and creating pathways into employment. Applicants have to satisfy at least one of them, but some may satisfy more than one – obviously, the greater number they satisfy, the better. The first application deadline has just passed, but there are three more left in 2020. what sorts of charities have won grants? In the first round we had the likes of the Poplar Partnership and the Cannon Project from Tower Hamlets receive support from the fund. The Poplar Partnership works with local disadvantaged children, operating a Saturday school to help those aged eight- with numeracy and literacy. The Cannon Project works with local disadvantaged girls – aiming to raise aspirations and help them flourish by doing a variety of activities to broaden their horizons. In the second round we had prising – a programme aimed at getting local young people into employment and helping them stay there. Then there’s the oung Stars Elite – a programme to get young people off the streets by providing activities such as football and DJ lessons. It also works with adults, delivering a safe place where they can enjoy themselves, make friends and stay away from things like crime and anti-social behaviour. what’s the fund’s biggest challenge? We had so many great applications last year and it was very di cult for the trustees to choose – who do we say yes to and how do we say no to others? We’re very keen to communicate to organisations that perhaps weren’t successful that we’d encourage them to apply again. how do you see the fund developing? We want to see how it goes this year for a full months. As this is the first time we’re doing it four times a year, we don’t know if we’re going to get a huge amount of applications, or whether they will be spread out among the deadlines. We may want to change that or possibly look at increasing the maximum award of £3,000. We certainly want to develop what we’re doing going forward and we do want to contribute more, but the community fund is not the only thing we’re doing. There are lots of other initiatives we’re doing as well, things like
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The idea behind the Community Fund was to create something that allows a greater number of organisations to ask us for support Nazmin Begum, London City Airport
Volunteering Fortnight in une, where all our employees can get involved with working in the local community. We held it in June last year and we had staff volunteering for about 660 hours. what else is the airport doing? In November we hosted our latest STE in Aviation Challenge, which has been running for four years now. We had 470 students from the local area attend that with a number of local businesses taking part – showcasing STE skills, inspiring young people to look into those careers and do subjects that are going to help them to get into that. It’s very important for the airport to engage with the local community, we need that two-way connection to try to give back in a way that is going to be meaningful to people who live in the area we’re based. how did you become involved? I’m from Tower Hamlets and I’ve always been interested in working
getting access
the criteria for applying Applications to London City Airport’s Community Fund are open to charities and not-for-profit organisations that do one or more of the following: ● Build stronger, safer and healthier communities ● Create more sustainable and greener communities ● Raise the aspirations of east Londoners ● Create pathways into employment Entrants must either be based in or work in the following boroughs: ● Barking And Dagenham ● Bexley ● Epping Forest ● Greenwich ● Hackney ● Havering ● Tower Hamlets ● Newham ● Lambeth ● Lewisham ● Redbridge ● Southwark ● Waltham Forest
somewhere where I am involved in giving back to an area I come from. I’d done bits here and there, not knowing what I wanted to do – I worked in a school, thinking I might want to be a teacher, but decided that wasn’t for me. Then I did a programme with a charity which was designed to get young people into corporates and corporate social responsibility roles. I did my placement at Credit Suisse, and it was a great opportunity for me to understand that kind of work. After a year there, I moved from one job to another, eventually landing at the airport months ago. what else is in the pipeline? One of the other programmes that we’re working on at the moment is Women And Aviation, to encourage young people to get into roles in the industry – working with the airlines and breaking down barriers. This is the first time I’m working on this programme and I want to show girls that there are lots of careers for women in the sector, especially within STEM. I want to get across to them that everything is possible. The launch of the programme will be at the end of February, when we invite students from different schools to come into the airport, do a workshop with our delivery partner which is illion and for them to understand what the challenges are. We’ve already got nine out of schools signed up. The girls participating will be in ear and they’re going to come in, compete in a challenge and one school will be crowned the winner. There will be around kids coming in for the first round. They get told what the challenge is and they go back to their school and work on it in groups of four or five. We’re looking at having a representative from the airport and from illion go to each school and judge their presentations and choose a winner from each school. Then they will go to the final, which will take place in April. There we’ll have senior people from the airport and local stakeholders judging these presentations and selecting a winner from one school. The glass wall and glass ceiling have been there for many years and corporates are now trying to break them down. We want to work as hard as possible so young people can see how they might get into things like work experience and internships in the future. The deadline for applications for the next tranche of Community Fund grants is April . Awards will be announced on June 2. The two subsequent deadlines are July 24 and October 23 with awards announced on September 7 and November 27 respectively. Go to londoncityairport.com to apply
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-26 where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | MCN London Motorcycle Show If it’s got an engine and two wheels, the chances are it’s covered by this giant show. It even has a TT-themed Michelin Thunderdome, so there. Feb 14-16, 10am, from £18, excel.london where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | FanFest London 2020 Don your cosplay (or don’t) and head over to Excel to celebrate whatever it is that you’re a fan of with like-minded people and a host of celebs. Feb 22-23, 10.30am, from £25, excel.london where? Rathbone Square Market Canning Town
EVENT | Chinese New Year The Newham Chinese Association will take over the square with a lion dance, tai chi demonstrations and workshops on calligraphy and origami. Feb 23, 1pm-4pm, free, royaldocks.london
to do before February 12
Head to Excel on February 5 for Intelligent Health – an event designed to advance discussions on how to apply AI to healthcare to improve patient outcomes. Tickets for the day, which starts at 7.30am, are from £129 excel.london
spot check worth a visit Shape up with classes at Royal Docks CrossFit at Royal Victoria Dock royaldockscrossfit.com want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
£7.90
The price for a pizza or pasta at Figo on weekdays from 11.30am-4pm
how Tony Manconi is delivering fresh food, a relaxed atmosphere and a dose of cool to Stratford by Jon Massey
A Tony Manconi has opened Figo in Stratford’s International Quarter London
Images by Holly Cant – find more of her work at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta
bstinence can be cruel. aving sworn off boo e, meat and fish for anuary in a bid to preserve the health of my liver and the planet, Tony anconi’s unexpected offer of food and wine was kind, generous and something of a blow. “ ou have to try the food to understand,” he said. “ y personal favourite is spaghetti vongole – it’s lovely. I could eat it all day.” Except the owner of Figo, a recently opened Italian restaurant at International uarter ondon I in Stratford, cannot indulge either. Something of a masochist, perhaps, he’s off the carbs and equally dry for the first month of the year. So while my eyes skip longingly up and down a menu filled with meatballs, calamari and wild boar, it’s arancini, burrata, bruschetta, foccaccia al formaggio and spaghetti al pomodoro that we order. And true to his word, Tony watches as my photographer and me try the dishes – perhaps living vicariously through our obvious enjoyment. This is hardly hardship, after all. Assuming the animal-based dishes on the menu are even half as good as the vegetarian options, the environment’s gain, while certainly my loss, is no burden to bear. And that’s crucial for Tony, because, while the slick greens, rich planting and white marble tables of Figo’s interior combine to dress an impressive space directly on the route from Westfield Stratford City to the ueen Eli abeth Olympic ark, it’s clearly the food that’s at the heart of his establishment. “I’ve been in the restaurant business for more than years,” he said. “I hope every diner that comes here talks about the food – I want to see them smiling – then the service and then the relaxed atmosphere. We’ve been open for about two months. Figo in Italian means something cool and that’s what we have – a family-run business with all the food made fresh. It’s casual dining for everyone – business people and families.” aving worked as a chef himself, Tony is acutely aware that the quality of the food is paramount in the restaurant trade and Figo aims to capture a variety of different markets with its offer – whether it’s the workers
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
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Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey
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Figo in Italian means something cool and that’s what we have – a familyrun business with all the food made fresh. It’s casual dining for everyone
14 days later
plan your life from Feb 12-26 where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford
Tony Manconi, Figo
dients are proudly displayed in lit chambers – the tiled bar is bright and filled with activity and the open kitchen is there for guests to watch as Diners can see the chefs hard at work in their open kitchen chefs work relentlessly to satisfy the orders flooding in. As our interview drew to a close, group after group of diners arrived to take up position in the tall, welcoming room – tables quickly filling up with smartly-suited individuals. ut make no mistake, Figo is not a rarefied restaurant aimed at only those with wallets fat from investment banking. It is an honest, high-quality trattoria – as cleanly delicious as the spaghetti and tomatoes it serves. Excellent ingredients Bruschetta presented at their best at a reasonable price. Its ethos is clearly to welcome all comers, something Tony is keen to promote. “On match days, we’re West am supporters,” he said. “We get some lovely people who come in both The restaurant serves before and after the breakfast lunch and dinner game. “I lived Burrata in Stratford Ingredients five years ago at I , shoppers from Westfield or and have recently local residents as the regeneration of on display moved back. There Stratford continues apace. was nothing here “We open for breakfast at am and before, so I know we have Italian and ritish options what is missing including a full English, poached and what the eggs with avocado and quinoa and area needs. Carbonara Eggs enedict,” said Tony, “It has who also owns ella Italia in ackney. changed a lot “ eople can come in before they go since and we want to the o ce and have a nice coffee and to be a neighboursomething to eat. hood restaurant “We also have a special offer at the Spaghetti for this area. We have moment – a pi a or pasta for . al pomodoro lots of people coming in for lunch on weekdays.” the evening, from outside the area The man responsible for delivering as well – from Canary Wharf and the food at the -cover venue is ackney – also people after the o ces business manager. Studying in the head chef Fabio oschino are closed.” evenings for three years, he went on “When you eat my food it is me,” While Figo is a one-off at present, to open his own restaurant in Italy said Fabio. “It is my story. It is who I Tony said he would be keen to open after graduating. am and how I grew and what you eat more branches. With more and more e added “ y grandma taught me is what my grandma gave me.” people drawn to Stratford as the everything, and she taught me to put aving made his first pasta aged Olympic legacy comes to fruition, it’s my heart into everything too.” five under the watchful eye of his in fertile ground for success. Figo, as a venue, feels like the grandmother, Fabio enrolled in Go to fi orestaurant.co.u or more embodiment of that passion. Ingrecookery school while working as a
first the food comes
STAGE | I Think We Are Alone Frantic Assembly celebrate their 25th anniversary with a delicate, bitter sweet play about our fragility, resilience and the need for love and forgiveness. Feb 25-Mar 21, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com where? Stratford Circus Stratford
PRIDE | LGBT+ History Month Takeover ParaPride invites everyone for a gender-bending spectacular showcasing disabled, queer performers in a revue hosted by Son Of A Tutu. Feb 21, 7pm, from £13, stratford-circus.com where? The Nunnery Bow
TOUR | Behind The Scenes At Aldgate Press Join artist and exhibition curator Lucy Harrison on a trip round nearby printing firm Aldgate Press to learn about its political history. Feb 12, 2.30pm, free (ticketed), bowarts.org
to do before February 12
Watch 12 teams battle it out as the Call Of Duty League comes to the Copper Box – home turf for the Royal Ravens – for the only UK leg of the esports competition. Runs February 8-9, tickets from £58.07 queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk
spot check worth a visit Find pretty food and a great terrace at Allegra in Stratford allegra-restaurant.com want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
Creative Space
this space is yours
inspired by Vashi? here’s a space to design your own jewellery whether for production or just for fun – share it with @wharflifelive or #keepittoyourself
working title
Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
51
Advertising Directory - Acknowledgements
find our advertisers’ messages here Third Space print Wrap, Pages 9, 13 online thirdspace.london
Creative Virtual print Page 16 online creativevirtual.com
Chase Evans print Pages 1, 26, 27 online chaseevans.co.uk
My London Home print Pages 17, 30, 31 online mylondonhome.com
Capeesh print Page 3 online capeesh.co.uk
Higgins Homes print Page 23 online higginshomes.co.uk
Kidd Rapinet print Pages 4, 33 online kiddrapinet.co.uk
Berkeley Homes print Pages 24, 25 online berkeleygroup.co.uk
The Gun print Page 5 online thegundocklands.com
Vantage Properties And Management print Page 28 online vantage-uk.com
TfL print Page 7 online tfl.gov.uk
JG Chatham print Page 29 online kitchenerbarracks.com
Keith Prowse print Page 11 online keithprowse.co.uk/wharf
Galliard Homes print Page 36 online galliardhomes.com
Liberal Democrats print Page 15 online libdems.org.uk
Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited, printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge and distributed by Willis News Distribution. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2020
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Wharf Life Jan 29-Feb 12, 2020 wharf-life.com
SUDOKU
Crossword - Sudoku
Very Hard
Previous solution - Tough
2 9 8 5 6 7 1 3 4 Sudoku 5 a1break 7 from 3 2 that 4 phone 8 6 9 Take 4 3 6 8 9 1 7 2 5 How 9 to8 play 5 7 1 3 6 4 2 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 2 such 6 4 5 row, 8 3column and 3x3 box one1 to7nine that9each contains every number uniquely. 6 4 3 2 8 5 9 1 7 6 find 9 strategies, 4 7 8 hints 2 and 5 1tips online You3can at sudokuwiki.org 7 2 4 1 5 6 3 9 8 8 to 5 play 1 9 3 2 4 7 6 More
7 2
6 7 3 4
2 9 5 1 1
8
8 3 4 4 3 2 7 8 1 4 3
5
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
that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. Notes
© 2019 Syndicated Puzzles
9 4
For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com
crossword 1 &15Dn. Even now oceans are di cult to fathom, we’re told , , , . es, it’s the first person we hear . To banish a coster is dreadful . Shoots, maybe, and recoils . Supervise some of the riotin’ spectators . Those who have resown in a different way . Air force . Isn’t able to be in the reserves – has second thoughts . ing a district round the north . Sees lions moving around without a sound . ind of caddy needed for golf equipment we hear . Deals with the woodworm and has no more nonsense , ,
Notes
Down . . . . .
.
. . . . .
In the event I exercised a certain restraint Sacks many taking nothing in See Down oods in this are neither here nor there One-time speakers don’t do this – i.e. retreat in disorder Describing the soldier returning to battle area the wrong way round , , Dn. What the criminal who takes the loot with impunity is doing , , , e is forced to serve in a private capacity See Across Agree to a rise, one hears ridal path Almost captured as well
Quick Across . .
. . . . . . . . . .
armful Employ Anomaly Dwarf Alleviate ubber Against Whet Claw Thorough ubricate esound
- -
Down . . . . . . .
. . . . .
Sheep Foe Accompany omentum World-wide Concealment nceasingly Warranty Cost ury Teacher Choose
Across: 1 Deleterious; 9 Use; 10 Exception; 11 Pygmy; 13 Relieve; 14 Eraser; 16 Versus; 18 Sharpen; 19 Talon; 20 Out-and-out; 21 Oil; 22 Reverberate. Down: 2 Ewe; 3 Enemy; 4 Escort; 5 Impulse; 6 Universal; 7 Suppression; 8 Incessantly; 12 Guarantee; 15 Expense; 17 Entomb; 19 Tutor; 21 Opt.
Across
whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy
Cryptic Solution
Cryptic
beating the
Across: 1 Still waters; 9 Aye; 10 Ostracise; 11 Kicks; 13 Inspect; 14 Owners; 16 Strain; 18 Recants; 19 Arena; 20 Noiseless; 21 Tea; 22 Stops the rot. Down: 2 Tie; 3 Loots; 4 With it; 5 Transit; 6 Reiterate; 7 Back to front; 8 Getting away; 12 Conscript; 15 Run deep; 17 Assent; 19 Aisle; 21 Too.
The solutions will be published here in the next issue.
Quick Solution
No. 838