celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - foolishness
Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk
Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk
GIG | Geno Washington + The Ram Jam Band Immortalised by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, the soul singer has been tearing up stages since the 1960s and continues to entertain the crowds. Feb 15, 9pm, from £35, boisdale.co.uk
India Quay
TALK | Beyond The Myths: African Tudor London Join a 45-minute lunchtime talk designed to uncover the hidden legacy of black African people in Tudor London, their lives, talents and skills. Feb 9, 23, 1.30pm, from £10, londonmuseum.org.uk
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place Where?
Ice Rink Canary Wharf Canada Square
PLAY | Canary Wharf Curling Challenge Form a team of between four and six and take to the rink to compete for a rst prize of a £350 bar tab at Oasis Bar And Terrace. Second gets £175. Feb 13, 11am-3pm, £350 per team, canarywharf.com
warm and work your way round the show canarywharf.com Scan this code to nd out more about Stitching Light, delivered by Emergency Exit Arts’ for the festival
Welcome to issue 129 of Wharf Life. Change is in the air across east London as Canary Wharf celebrates the launch of Vertus Edit, Sadler’s Wells East invites its rst audiences to visit East Bank and Arc promises contrast therapy the like of which the UK has never seen, hot, cold and essential...
The Year Of The Snake is nearly upon us and Greenwich Peninsula has a day of events and activities planned to mark its arrival. Find full listings and ways to book within...
the Kidd Rapinet team stand ready to
on the radar
Exciting news from White Rabbit Projects as the hospitality incubator announces the forthcoming arrival of Italian deli and restaurant brand Lina at the former Breakfast Club unit in Crossrail Place. We’ll keep you posted on opening dates linastores.co.uk
Also coming soon is perfume, ornaments and scented skincare brand Diptyque. Founded in Saint Germain, Paris in 1961, the company “extends an invitation to step inside a fragrant, bountiful and timeless universe”. Not bad for Cabot Place... diptyqueparis.com need to know
Take him down the shaft for V-Day at the Brunel Museum 28
How the launch of Sadler’s Wells East ushers in a new era of dance in Stratford with shows like Birdboy, pictured, making up a packed rst season at the venue
TRIED + TESTED
Vegan Masala Chai Chai Guys, Canada Place chaiguys.shop
In some senses I’m desperate to like Chai Guys. There it sits opposite Atis and Blank Street, a plucky little outlet with its four simmering kettles and very little else, a side quest on the way to the Liz Line.
Pam Ban and Fuwa Fuwa didn’t last in this location and I miss both, despite the latter’s glacial service. But the Guys seem altogether di erent. Perhaps they’re refreshed on their own supply, strung out sur ng a wave of spice on the tongue and re in the brain.
While chai lattes aren’t exactly a rarity among the chains, this venue is the
only one specialising in the beverage with Dishoom and Indi-go Rasoi the only other places to grab a pure brew on the Wharf.
For my tastebuds, at £3.90 the vegan masala chai may be cheaper than the £4.20 and £4 charged respectively at the other venues but it’s a wee bit powerful. There’s an unrelenting heat to this drink – something of an argument between the spices – that might be perfect on a cold day, but could equally be too much on another. Dishoom’s also comes with free re lls.
Jon Massey
doing the deals
get more for less on and around the Wharf
Drink Negronis? Get them for £5 a go at 640East in Water Street every Friday from 4pm-11pm. Mix features East London Liquor Company gin 640east.co.uk
£75
All you need to know about paying tolls for tunnels under the Thames 32 subscribe to our Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly
Freedom Clinics is o ering three Reformer Pilates classes for £75 as an introductory o er at its Canada Place branch. Pay-as-you-go sessions are normally £50 freedomclinics.com
write me words you don’t know you need
verb, fake, from German To accidentally, not accidentally make a gesture before the world’s media because you enjoy trying on the trappings of a dictator for size just in case you need to ex that muscle again on your route to Mars, later on in the story
inutile
adjective, real, from Latin Bamboozle those around you by calling them useless via a term from the late 15th century. While it might be archaic, we can really see this one catching on again. It has the modern ring of management nonsense about it
Renée Zellweger returns as Bridget Jones with Leo Woodall as Roxster, her new love interest
FILM
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy Everyman Canary Wharf everymancinema.com
Bridge is back with the fourth instalment of her saga based on Helen Fielding’s 2013 novel. Renée Zellweger returns in the titular role with support from Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson as Daniel Cleaver, Mark Darcy and Dr Rawlings respectively. Viewers can also expect new love interest Leo Woodall as Roxster and a turn from Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mr Wallaker, a teacher at Bridget’s children’s school. Booking on dates from February 13, tickets £17.10
Immigration Solicitors
EVENTS
Winter Lights Across Canary Wharf canarywharf.com
In case you missed it, the Canary Wharf estate will be covered with temporary installations until February 1.
O cially open 5pm-10pm, there are 12 artworks to see in addition to the seven permanent pieces in Canary Wharf Group’s collection. Entry is free and there will be pop-up food stalls at Harbour Quay Gardens and Cabot Square for those seeking refreshment.
Our
DEAL
Valentine’s Day
Humble Grape
humblegrape.co.uk
Indulge in a set menu on February 14 at Humble Grape in Canary Wharf’s Mackenzie Walk. The restaurant and wine bar is o ering ve courses on Valentine’s Day for £50 including dishes such as seared seabass, cauli ower steak and chocolate fondant. Sta will be on hand to suggest wines to go with diners’ choices. These are extra. Pre-booking is strongly recommended.
how the launch of Vertus Edit gives visitors to Canary Wharf a home-fromhome available for those shorter stays
by Jon Massey
Where and how we want to live and work, is a debate that will continue to play a potent part in public discourse for years to come. But one thing is certain. It’s areas that offer the greatest flexibility – real range – that will thrive.
Smart, then that Vertus, Canary Wharf Group’s build-to-rent subsidiary, has unveiled a new product on the east London estate.
Launching in February, Vertus Edit will run as an aparthotel across two newly-finished brickfaced buildings on Wood Wharf.
Quite where hotels stop and aparthotels start is itself a matter for lengthy debate – and not one that’s necessary to explore here. Suffice to say, Vertus Edit’s 378 studios and its extensive guest
facilities offer those seeking brief or medium-term stays on the Wharf a fresh option designed to satisfy a wide range of needs.
“That’s why this isn’t just a hotel,” said Isabel Landaeta, general manager of aparthotels at Vertus.
“Guests get a bit more space and a fully functional kitchen –they can stay a couple of nights or for a longer period.
“We’ve got a co-working space, lounges, a gym, meeting rooms and outdoor roof terraces – there’s a lot of space for people to explore across the two buildings outside of their studios.
“You have all the amenities you need including a 24-hour reception service and weekly housekeeping.
“Vertus has already made a name for itself in the neighbourhood with a reputation for service, so for Vertus Edit, it was about adapting that for people with
delivering
+ relaxation
different needs – those wanting a shorter stay or more flexibility.
“For example, someone might not want to sign a lease on a rental apartment, but they might want to live here for six months.”
Vertus Edit offers four studio sizes for guests, the Little, Cosy, Comfy and Roomy, ranging from 200sq ft to 301sq ft in size. All come fully furnished with an en-suite bathroom, towels, toiletries, a kitchen equipped with cookware, utensils, crockery, glassware and cutlery, a TV and
super fast Wi-fi. While no room service is available, there is a 24-hour self-service pantry for guests to access as well as Canary Wharf’s myriad hospitality and shopping options a few minutes’ walk from West Lane via Union Square.
Vertus Edit will obviously cater for people visiting the area for business, perhaps on secondment at a London office from overseas or in town to seal a deal, but it’s been structured as more than that. continued on Page 8
Studios feature handmade works by East London Printmakers
Celebrating the Year of the Snake
Dragon Dance
Lion Dance DJs
The Eternal Market: East & Southeast Asian food, art, crafts, and culture
Splendours of Henan: A Cultural Tapestry
Traditional Workshops
from Page 6
“We’re aiming to appeal to people who might not have considered staying in Canary Wharf before,” said Isabel.
“Of course we’ll be accommodating corporate clients and offering discounts for longer stays, but we will also be there for people visiting for conferences at Excel, gigs at The O2, those coming to see ABBA Voyage or Mamma Mia The Party and even people running the London Marathon.
“This isn’t just about Mondayto-Friday. We think we’ll appeal to people taking a longer period of time to visit London as tourists because of our transport links.”
To that end, Vertus Edit reflects the current reality of Canary Wharf – an estate that each day taps deeper into east London and the areas that surround it, increasingly blending its existing aesthetic with local flavours.
Each room features artwork from East London Printmakers – about 1,200 handmade prints in total by 10 artists. Guests can even purchase works from the collective if they wish.
Key toiletries in the studios have been sourced locally too, from Kankan, a business founded by women in Hackney that’s laser-focused on sustainability and minimising its negative impact on the environment.
“That’s something we’re really serious about,’ said Isabel. “For our towel service, we’re using Oxwash, established by Dr Kyle Grant-Talbot.
“He’s a former NASA and SpaceX engineer who has created a laundry process that saves water and carbon and prevents almost all microplastics entering the environment.”
In edition to its green credentials, Vertus Edit’s spaces are intended for broad appeal. Much use is made of texture, colour and luxuriant wallpapers in the communal areas, with lush furnishings and vibrant art adorning the spaces.
Meeting rooms will be available for hire to both guests and other individuals and organisations, with a truly open and flexible approach to the facilities on offer. It’s all part of creating a malleable, functional addition to the estate.
“The evolution of why people live and stay in Canary Wharf started with private residential homes and Vertus’ rental offerings,” said Isabel. “Vertus Edit is the logical next step – if you’re looking for greater flexibility, then this would be the product for you.
“We expect there to be some
£50
Cost of a Puppy Pack at Vertus Edit which is dog friendly. The add-on includes a cleaning fee plus treats for the dog as well as a bed and bowl for them to use
Left, Vertus Edit general manager Isabel Landaeter
Right, ahead of opening, 3 West Lane waits to welcome its first guests, one of two buildings housing Vertus Edit studios at Wood Wharf
Vertus Edit studios come with fully equipped kitchens so guests can easily cook during their stay
The evolution of why people live and stay in Canary Wharf started with private homes and rentals. Vertus Edit is the logical next step
Isabel Landaeter, Vertus Edit
overlap, naturally, as people come for a couple of months and then decide to rent an apartment.
“It works the other way too. For people living in Canary Wharf’s towers, this acts as an extension of their homes when, for example, a relative wants to stay locally for a couple of weeks or longer.
“If you’re renting a studio flat, for instance, this provides the space to accommodate them and residents know they can trust the service because it’s from Vertus.
“We also have plans to run events for guests who are staying here and we’ll be on hand to tell them all about Canary Wharf and east London.
“Those staying for a few months may well become friends with the team and other inhabitants, but we want the feel to be about the neighbourhood rather than forced community.
“Personally I’m most excited about people on the estate getting to understand what an aparthotel is and what it feels like.
“In addition to what we’re offering, we also have 12 commercial spaces on the ground floor between our two buildings and I think the businesses that take these will add so much to the neighbourhood along with what’s coming on the ground floor of 8 Harbord Square.
“Since Union Square opened, I’ve been really surprised by how many people are already walking past us.
“I’ve also been lucky enough to see some of the plans for what’s going to open here and it’s going to be really exciting.”
key details
Vertus Edit is open from February with prices starting at £117.14 per night for a Little studio accommodating up to two people.
The largest Roomy apartments start at £160.12 per night, also for up to two guests.
Go to thisisvertus.com for more information and bookings
Scan this code to nd out more about Vertus Edit
How Arc is set to open the largest sauna in the UK at Crossrail Place on January 31
A range of room sizes are available to meet guests’ needs
Cost of the intro pack at Arc in Canary Wharf, which includes three classes to be taken in 14 days
An artist’s impression of the 60-person sauna at Arc in Canary Wharf, thought to be the largest facility of its kind in the UK
how Arc promises to guide people through ground-breaking sauna and ice bath sessions
by Jon Massey
Arc is very much a work in progress when I visit. But the dark chocolate paint that’s being layered on its walls, the sweet earthy smell from the planks of alder that line its vast sauna and the toasty sienna of the tiles in its lounge already speak of the richness of the experiences to come.
Neighbouring Everyman and Barry’s in Crossrail Place, the facility is something new, not only for Canary Wharf, but for the whole of the UK.
Contrast therapy – taking one’s body from one extreme in temperature to another – is having a bit of a moment.
Businesses have sprung up in Royal Docks, Stratford and Hackney, with participants indulging in wood-fired heat before dunking themselves in baths, barrels or miniature swimming pools of chilled water. Rinse and repeat, then sink into the rush of happy brain chemicals. Arc, which is set to open on
January 31, is different. Firstly there’s scale. Its sauna is thought to be the largest in the country with a capacity of 60. Secondly there’s tech. Its stainless steel ice baths feature UV purified water, chilled and filtered by a wall of powerful machines.
Thirdly there’s community. It’s apt, perhaps, that as I’m walking in to meet co-founders Chris Miller and Alanna Kit, I hear a radio report on the discovery of a Roman bathing complex in Pompeii. A couple of thousand years ago, people would meet, connect, socialise and talk business in the tepidarium after a wash – not dissimilar to Arc’s lounge or, indeed, the founders’ ambition for the facility.
“Canary Wharf has some of the most high-performing individuals in the world and the most successful companies, all in one place,” said Chris. “They are going through levels of stress that most people don’t have to deal with every day – so we hope a lot of people will use this for respite
“It’s accelerated therapy. You get 50 minutes when you’re in the heat and the ice and you can’t
Above, how Arc’s lounge area will look, complete with places to relax and rehydrate
be thinking about day-to-day distractions or the disasters that are going on in the world. You have to be focussed, present.”
Chris knows Canary Wharf. Having worked in finance and private equity, he swapped the City for hospitality, spending three years as commercial director of Soho
House before setting up White Rabbit Projects. This “incubator” helps create and scale hospitality businesses with Wharf stalwart Island Poke and more recent arrivals Kricket and Soma in its portfolio.
The company is also working with Italian food store, deli and bar Lina, which is set to take the unit at Crossrail Place recently continued on Page 12
Scan this code to nd out more about Arc
from Page 10
vacated by The Breakfast Club. Arc is itself a collaboration inspired by a trip overseas.
“I was in New York, and a friend of mine asked me to try something called Remedy Place –a new, high-end wellness centre,” said Chris. “That’s where I tried a six-minute ice bath, having historically been someone who couldn’t even do cold showers. I hated the idea and it was intense, but it felt pretty amazing.
“Then we went to a place called Bathhouse, a new, modern bathing house with a spa setup. There I saw groups of friends using it as a place to hang out and relax. There were different cold pools, different types of saunas and I started to see that this was a growing trend.
“In Toronto, I had a communal experience where saunas and ice baths were combined with meditation sessions. It was clear a number of places were emerging that offered contrast therapy.
“The practice, of course,is nothing new if you look at Mexico or Ancient Rome. But in the UK, it doesn’t really exist in the way it’s started to proliferate elsewhere.
“I fell in love with it. I was talking to some friends and they suggested I meet Alanna – I told her I was fascinated by this world, got to hear her story and we connected on a lot of ideas and what we wanted to bring to the world with Arc. Now here we are a few days away from launching the largest sauna in the UK.”
Alanna is integral to Arc’s offering. On the one hand, she’s spent eight years teaching meditation and Yoga, including contrast therapy classes at a facility in her native Canada with a 50-capacity sauna and ice bath.
But she’s also a neuroscientist with a profound curiosity about the effect of such activities on the brain and body.
Incidentally, she’s also researching psychedelic therapy with magic mushrooms in relation to mental health for her PhD.
“It’s been a bit of a personal journey in an effort to understand the world, the universe and people,” said Alanna.
“I’ve studied consciousness, spirituality, psychology and cognitive neuroscience – the past world and the present and found a lot of crossovers.
“What I like to do is bridge these two different languages with offerings, retreats, one-on-one therapy and through education.
“Humans desire connection and community. Before teaching at wellness retreats, I’d never experienced belonging like that
Capacity of Arc’s sauna, which is intended to be a welcoming, social space
Co-founder Chris
Miller swapped finance for hospitality and now runs White Rabbit Projects
Arc features
filled with ice baths for clients to cool off in
Merging the sauna, ice bath and other practices into a specific programme hits not only people’s hearts but also their desires, wants and needs
Alanna
Kit, Arc
with strangers or the ability to do that in a safe, open environment.
“It was so beautiful to build that community, to see people come back and change and transform themselves. Here, merging the sauna, ice bath and other practices into a specific programme hits not only people’s hearts, but also their desires, wants and needs.”
In a nutshell, that’s what Arc does. There will be 50-minute classes as well as longer freeflow options for people to go at their own pace when using the facilities. The programme includes sessions designed to energise participants in the morning with others aimed at calming the nerves later in the day.
While these might seem like personal goals, part of the point of Arc is that it should be a communal experience – harking back to the days, perhaps, when Romans came together in the pleasure of shared experience.
“What happened to me with contrast therapy was that, despite turning up in a very stand-offish, British way, I’d come out having met lots of lovely, friendly people continued on Page 25
a room
from Page 12
that I still chat to,” said Chris. “You’re going through this intense experience together and that’s quite incredible.”
Alanna added: “It’s one thing to experience the hot and cold on your own, which is beautiful, but seeking discomfort in a safe space with a group creates real camaraderie and connection.
“When you plunge into an ice bath, your dopamine levels can increase by as much as 250% and that may last up to 24 hours. If you have an alcoholic drink, that might last 15 minutes.”
So how does the process work – what am I signing up for when I go to a session at Arc?
“Everyone is in bathing costumes and the process begins in the lounge,” said Alanna. “In this busy world, we’re very much in our minds – what we’re trying to do is bring people into their bodies and increasing their awareness of that.
“Then we move into the sauna which includes various elements like aromatherapy, lighting and steam. By experiencing extreme heat and cold we’re actually maximising the physiological benefits.
“When you’re hot, your body goes through stress and, with a guide supporting you through that discomfort, you are able to let go of the mind, surrender and move into the body.
“Your heart rate and blood pressure increase and your body enters fight or flight mode – something we’ve been conditioned to do through evolution.
“When that happens, we want to get out, but there’s that little bit just after which you can hold for a minute or two – the part where you can push yourself through that discomfort. This is where you get many of the physiological benefits.
Minutes is the typical length of a
“From there, we guide people through an ice bath. Again, your heart rate is high for the first 30 seconds and you want to get out, but if you’re able to surrender the mind to the body and control your breathing that controls the physiological responses.
“You slow it down, your heart-rate lowers, your mind slows down and that’s when the euphoria begins.
“Your dopamine, serotonin and endorphins increase – all these positive neurotransmitters – and you’re training your body to have that response.”
Afterwards, there’s an opportunity to relax in the lounge and rehydrate with water and tea.
Arc says the benefits its contrast therapy delivers are “amplified in community” and as such hopes its facility will be a place for people
to meet, socialise and even do business.
“One of the most exciting ways to experience it could be with friends,” said Chris. “You won’t have a hangover the next day, either. It could even be a place to have meetings with co-workers or potential clients.
“There’s something quite interesting in sauna culture where nobody is wearing an expensive suit or a flashy watch. The average price will be about £28 a session so it will also be super accessible – the price of two drinks in a bar.”
Arc is also planning to host two-hour evening sessions for those who really want to immerse themselves in the scene.
“These will be very social,” said Alanna. “There will be towel waving, aromatherapy and snowballs laced with essential oils as well as one-on-one guidance.
“We’ll have instruments to
enhance the experience and there will be DJs and music to enjoy. We might even look into bringing in some non alcoholic mixology too.”
key details
Arc is set to open its doors offering a range of guided sessions and opportunities to access its facilities from January 31. It’s located on Level -2 in Crossrail Place. As an introductory offer, Wharfers can get three classes for £45 to be used within 14 days.
The Arc Founding Membership offers three classes per month for £84 (£28 each).
Go to arc-community.com for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about Arc
Neuroscientist Alanna Kit says contrast therapy can have far-reaching bene ts for the whole body as well as the mind
how Zahira Razaq puts her passion into practice in Kidd Rapinet Solicitors’ immigration team
by Jon Massey
I’d always been attracted to the law because of my parents’ belief in equality and justice,” said Zahira Razaq. “I absorbed their ad i e about finding a areer in so ething ike finan e aw or medicine – one of the professions. t s ery hard to get a ob in the aw when you re starting out and it ust so happened y first ob was as a para ega working in i igration. didn t think there was u h to this particular area before that, but when got into it ou d see the i pa t the work has. t s about he ping to hange peop e s i es for the better.”
t was those first e perien es that set ahira on her path progressing in the profession to become a trainee so i itor after si onths and then a solicitor.
This year wi be her eighth in the ega wor d ha ing oined the i igration tea at idd apinet Solicitors’ Canary Wharf branch at arbour hange in August. ou don t ha e to sit with her for ong to understand that her passion for the work burns fier e y.
“I’m old-school when it comes to hard work o e in first thing to do my research because I never want to be the person gi ing bad ad i e a ways go abo e and beyond for my clients,” said Zahira.
“It’s my responsibility to prepare for e erything and to be honest.
Years Zahira has spent working in the eld of
Zahira Razaq is an immigration solicitor at Kidd Rapinet’s Canary Wharf branch
“I’m always upfront to the point that if I don’t see any merit in a client’s case then I won’t pursue it and waste their funds. I understand money is hard to earn and, if someone is in a position where they are struggling to pay for legal representation, it’s essential they get the very best service possible.
“Often my job is about changing a judge’s mind after the Home e has turned down an app i cation by showing how a client meets the criteria on compassionate grounds. I think it was really seeing the effe t on ients that drew e deeper into this area of the law.
“There was one man who had fi e kids and was the so e bread winner for his family.
“He was doing every kind of job available just to support them. I referred him to the British Red Cross and food banks just to help him survive.
“We went back and forth with the o e e for ages but e entu ally I managed to get him leave to remain. Seeing the gratitude on the faces of his family was amazing.
“It gave him a lot of security and was a whole new start for them. I’m not sure what would have happend to them had we not succeeded.
One
of the things I’m especially keen to do here is to reach out to businesses and universities
“The satisfaction of doing things like that is what makes the job so worthwhile – you can’t really easure it. t s about fighting for justice and equality. I hate things that are unfair with a passion.
Zahira Razaq, Kidd Rapinet Solicitors
– not all organisations understand things ike work isas and right to work he ks but there an be substantial penalties for those in breach of the rules.
“One of the things I’m especially keen to do here is to reach out to businesses and universities –students wi ha e the ua ifi ations to become skilled workers, but they need the work experience to go with that.
“Businesses often hire students be ause they are ost effe ti e and an be ou ded to spe ifi ro es but a fai ure to do the right to work he ks ou d see fir s iab e for fines for anyone e p oyed illegally.”
T“What I want for myself is what I want for everybody else – situations where someone’s liberty has been taken from them or they’ve been denied justice without a fair hearing really get to me.”
Kidd apinet offers a comprehensive selection of immigration services for individuals and businesses from its base on the Isle Of Dogs, apt perhaps given the area’s history as a locus of international trade.
e re a one stop shop for people or companies who want to talk about immigration in any context,” said Zahira.
“A very hot topic is compliance
he law is crucial when it comes to immigration. It establishes whether those who come to this country through both legal and illegal routes can legitimately stay here, for how long and what they are allowed to do while resident.
“It’s always going to be a hot political topic,” said Zahira. “Governments tighten rules for businesses and edu ationa organ isations to bring legal migration down.
ghting for
to them about how to remain after completing their studies and advise businesses and individuals on compliance when it comes to being employed and employing those from overseas.
“You want a solicitor who knows the law and who will be willing to fight your ase if that be o es necessary.
“It’s very important because migrants contribute a lot to the UK economy. Many of my clients have really well paid jobs – that’s true of students who want to remain here after studying too. igration is an e er hanging fie d within the aw and one that s not just about what’s in the rules and regulations, but an area that’s based on arguments from other cases that apply to individual situations.”
The team at Canary Wharf has more than 25 years of experience helping people and businsses with immigration issues.
These include those who wish to visit or stay in the UK as a partner or child, a student, an investor, an innovator or to work at or start a company.
The fir an a so he p with per anent residen e indefinite leave to remain, British citizenship and UK Passport applications.
“Whatever issue it is, regarding immigration, then come and talk to us,” said Zahira. “We’ll be able to tell you whether we can help with your case.”
key details
idd apinet o i itors offers a wide range of legal services through its Canary Wharf branch based at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs.
“I would advise any migrant coming to the UK, either as a student or on a work visa, to try to obtain ega ad i e first. e an ta k
The fir s e pertise in ude immigration, conveyancing, wills and probate, employment law, commercial property, family law and an extensive list of services for businesses of all sizes.
Scan this code to nd out more about Kidd Rapinet’s services
idd apinet offers free no obligation phone consultations with lawyers on immigration matters. Call 020 7205 2115.
For more information about any of Kidd Rapinets legal services go to kiddrapinet.co.uk
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
KIDS | Belongings
Where?
Half Moon Theatre Limehouse
This production, for ages 7-12, follows three young people as they search for answers and explore what it means to belong in an unsettled world. Feb 14-15, times vary, £8, halfmoon.org.uk
Where?
Troxy Limehouse
GIG | Kranium
Sink into the sounds of the Jamaican singer whose dancehall hit Nobody Has To Know in 2013 catapulted him to the top of the scene. Feb 16, 7pm, from £44.39, troxy.co.uk
Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping
STAGE | The Mumford And Sons Story
Tweed waistcoats, skinny jeans and bushy beards, this tale of the mainstream ditty creators has it all as the folk-rock origin story is re-created. Feb 4-8, 7.30pm, from £18, wiltons.org.uk
be quick
Catch The Tale Of Nobody Nose at Half Moon Theatre in Limehouse as three clowns help a puppet claim his own red conk. There are performances scheduled for 11am and 2pm on February 1. Tickets £8, ages 5+ halfmoon.org.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the show or to book tickets for the performances
£3.6m
Limehouse - Wapping - Whitechapel - Tower Hill
Funding target for the restoration of St Anne’s Limehouse, which would then be matched by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
securing the
mark these diary dates as plans for St Anne’s gather pace
by Jon Massey
St Anne’s Limehouse is set to host a panel discussion on the life work and legacy of architect Nicholas Hawksmoor next month in the only one of his churches yet to be fully restored.
Photographer Hélène Binet, architectural historian Owen Hopkins and writer Iain Sinclair will each explore their perspectives on his achievements at the free event on February 20.
The evening is part of Care For St Anne’s Hawksmoor300 project to restore the church and open its crypt for more extensive public use. The bar will be open from
6.30pm, with the opportunity to browse the Hawksmoor6 exhibition, featuring work by Hélène before the discussion at 7pm. For those interested in the Hawksmoor300 project itself, Care or t Anne s is offering an open invitation for an event on March 11. The aim is to raise £3.6million. The event will start at 7pm and be led by Dr Christopher Turner, a Newell Street resident and keeper of art, architecture, photography and design at the V&A, alongside rector Richard Bray.
Scan this code for more about the February event
“I would like to invite you to learn more about our exciting plans to not only restore and open up access to the church interiors, but also to transform the dramatic crypt space, always imagined by Hawksmoor as a meeting place, into a vibrant arts and community centre,” said Christopher.
key details Nicolas Hawksmoor: Three Perspectives will run from 6.30pm on February 20 at the church. Entry is free, but booking via Eventbrite is advised. The Hawksmoor300 event will start at 7pm on March 11. Both are being held at St Anne’s Limehouse.
Go to careforstannes.org for more information
Detail from one of Hélène Binet’s images of St Anne’s from her Hawksmoor6 exhibition
discovering the of love
how lovers of people and engineering can embark on a pair of special tours at the Brunel Museum this V-Day
by Jon Massey
What could be more romantic than the opportunity to discover the love story behind one of London’s engineering marvels?
The Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe is set to host two special tours in honour of Valentine’s Day and is inviting couples and lovers of subterranean excavation alike to throw caution to the wind (metaphorically) and experience the thrill of a trip into its shaft – formerly the southern
entry point to the Thames Tunnel.
Inspired by the relationship between Sophia Kingdom and her husband, Marc Brunel– the latter being the engineer behind the ground-breaking link beneath the river – Valentine’s Day Tours: A Thames Tunnel Love Story will take place on February 14. The sessions promise ticket holders the chance to “walk in their footsteps and explore a union that prompted an obviously smitten Marc to write “Without you, my dear Sophie, no Tunnel”, presumably consumed with half-Gallic passion.
The tours may also be an
opportunity to re ect on the fact that without both of them the world would never have had Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the many engineering feats he accomplished during his lifetime. Tickets include a glass of Prosecco in the shaft, which can be upgraded to a bottle should the engineering be insu ciently intoxicating.
key details
Valentine’s Day Tours: A Thames Tunnel Love Story will start at 5pm and 6.15pm on February 14. Tickets start at £20 per person or £35 for a pair. Go to thebrunelmuseum.com for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about the tours
Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
Shakespeare’s less famous royal Rick is played by Jonathan Bailey in this “subtle, caustic and powerful play”. Expect the divine to clash with the pragmatic. Feb 10-May 10, times vary, from £49.50, bridgetheatre.co.uk
KIDS | The Mystery Of The Albany Join super sleuth Danyah Miller on an interactive adventure as she takes her audience through a board game-style theatre show. Ages 7-11. Feb 18, 3pm, £9.50, thealbany.org.uk
Chanteur and raconteur Frank
delivers classic cabaret sleaze for V-Day using the music of Jacques Brel. Wicked delights and pedigree pups. Feb 14, 7.30pm, £7.21, thepentheatre.com
The ght is on in Deptford to save independent live venue The Piehouse, with former sta banding together to raise funds. Expect details of events to help the cause to be made available online soon piehousecoop.co.uk
Scan this code to nd out more about the project to reopen The Piehouse and how to get involved
COMEDY | Top Dog
Bertoletti
Tours on February 14 include the opportunity to descend into the Thames Tunnel Shaft
how Greenwich Peninsula is set to celebrate Lunar New Year with a host of spectacles, activities and events
by Jon Massey
Greenwich Peninsula is set for a day of events to mark the arrival of the Year Of The Snake on February 1. Celebrations for Lunar New Year will run from noon-4pm with a host of free and paid-for activities scheduled.
Those attending can expect workshops, cultural performances, a paper lantern installation and dishes from Asian street food vendors in addition to offerings fro anteen ood a And Bar.
“We’re excited to see Greenwich Peninsula once again transform into a hub of celebration for Lunar New Year,” said Greewnich Peninsula director, Laura Flanagan.
“Our riverside neighbourhood is the perfect destination to experience art and creativity, and this year’s programme has something for everyone.
“With themes of connection, prosperity and renewal, we’re delighted to collaborate with so many talented performers, artists and experts to bring these experiences to life.”
igh ights on the progra e include the return of the traditional dragon that will once again weave its way through the area as well as lion dance performances – new for 2025. Through acrobatics, puppetry and rhythmic drumming, these spectacles aim to chase away bad fortune and welcome good luck for the year ahead.
“Greenwich Peninsula boasts an unri a ed offer for anyone looking for a London less ordinary,” said Visit Greenwich chief executive, Barrie Kelly.
“Its Lunar New Year festival is just one of the brilliant cultural offerings en oyab e year round bringing community together through creativity.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with them and can’t wait to get involved with all the amazing e ents on offer.
The area’s Lunar New Year programme is part-funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by the Greenwich Council and the Mayor Of London and in partnership with Visit Greenwich.
Activities will include workshops fro i rafts offering visitors the opportunity to try bamboo weaving, Chinese knot-
Greenwich Peninsula boasts and unrivalled o er for anyone looking for a London less ordinary. Its Lunar New Year festival is brilliant Barrie Kelly, Visit Greenwich
making, woodblock printing and paper cutting.
There will also be an opportunity to learn or master Mahjong, guided by experts from Dear Asia language school. Its free sessions at Bureau in Design District will also cover the game’s history and explore various strategies available to players.
Greenwich Peninsula is easily accessed from across east and south-east London thanks to North Greenwich Tube station, the London Cable Car and the Uber Boat By Thames Clippers river bus service.
The area boasts a wealth of attractions including the diverse architecture and creative businesses of Design District, the restaurants, shops and venues in The O2 and plentiful parks. isitors wi find p enty of places for refreshment and entertainment including the independent street food traders at Canteen, Firepit Art Gallery And Studios and Oxygen Active Play and o ywood ow at The for kids.
There’s even the opportunity to try indoor skydiving with iFly’s 170mph vertical wind tunnel, for those seeking a thrill on their trip to the area.
key details
Lunar New Year celebrations at Greenwich Peninsula are set to take place on February 1 from noon-4pm.
While much of the festival is free to attend, some activities require pre-booking, while others are paid.
Go to greenwichpeninsula.co.uk for full listings, to make a booking or for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about Lunar New Year
Scheduled activities are set to be held on Greenwich Peninsula in celebration of Lunar New Year on February 1
Visitors will enjoy a dragon dance as part of the festivities
welcoming the
A series of workshops and activities will be hosted locally during the four-hour event
Visitors to Greenwich Peninsula will have the chance to learn how to play Mahjong and the history of this
on February 1 plan ahead activities for Lunar New Year
As Lunar New Year approaches, here’s a run down of Greenwich Peninsula’s activities and attractions on February 1 so you can plan your visit and avoid missing out...
>> when?
Noon
Brut Tea Tasting - £5
Join Brut Tea founders Joyce and Raphael for an intimate teatasting session showcasing four blends from the company. Book online for this session at Design District’s Salon
>> when?
Noon, 12.30pm, 1pm, 1.30pm Chinese Knot-Making - £6
Yi Crafts will welcome visitor’s to Design District’s D4 building for a series of 30-minute interactive workshops exploring this intricate art form. Participants will create decorative ornaments. Pre-book online.
>> when?
12.30pm, 2.45pm
Play Mahjong - FREE (book)
Dear Asia will lead two 90-minute sessions where participants will play and learn about this ancient game. Ideal for beginners. Book a spot in advance for a game at Design District’s Bureau restaurant.
>> when?
1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm
Paper Cutting - FREE (book) Take half an hour to immerse yourself in the delicate and festive art of paper cutting with Yi Crafts workshops. Participants will create decorative pieces during the sessions. Book ahead.
>> when?
1.30pm, 2.15pm, 3pm
Lion Dance - FREE
Perhaps the heart of the celebrations will be a pair of dances performed one after the other in Peninsula Square. First up, a dynamic lion dance will chase away bad fortune with vibrant costumes and powerful drumbeats.
>> when?
1.45pm, 2.15pm, 3.15pm
Dragon Dance - FREE
After the three lion dances, a traditional dragon dance will follow with the creature winding its way through the crowds under the careful guidance of the performers. The dragon is said to bring luck, prosperity and renewal for the year ahead.
>> when?
2pm, 3pm
Bamboo Coaster Weaving - £10
These two workshops by Yi Crafts will see participants discover the techniques behind this traditional practice. Participants will use sustainably sourced bamboo strips to make their own coaster. The hour-long workshops, at Design District building D4, should be booked in advance.
>> when?
2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm
Woodblock Printing - FREE (book)
Also run by Yi Crafts at D4, these half-hour sessions are intended for those seeking “a creative and meaningful” Lunar New Year experience with those taking part learning traditional techniques to create their own printed works.
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Cyndi Lauper
The songstress brings her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour to Greenwich Peninsula. Expect her to bop time after time, all through the night. Feb 11, 6.30pm, from £51, theo2.co.uk
EVENT | The Magic Bookmark Panto dame Mama G unleashes the power of the Magic Bookmark as she works to thwart Book Worm’s plot to steal her precious tomes. Feb 19-20, 10.30am, 1.30pm, £11, greenwichtheatre.org.uk
EVENT | Valentine’s Karaoke Kicking o a run of participatory evenings, lovers are encouraged to take the mic under the guidance of self-proclaimed scene legends, Binkie and Maud. Feb 14, 7.30pm, free, woolwich.works
darkness falls
There’s still just time to catch In The Dark at Trinity Buoy Wharf and two Burns Night shows at Cutty Sark. The performances last an hour and take place in total darkness so audiences can focus on listening in-the-dark.com
Scan this code to read our interview with In The Dark creator Andrea Cockerton online at wharf-life.com
ancient game
£1.50
Base rate o peak charge for using the Silvertown or Blackwall tunnels from April 7. At peak times, cars and small vans will pay £4 each way
EVENT | Beatriz Santos + Ula Moroz
Excel
Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | MCM London Motorcycle Show
Embrace all things two-wheeled as the Excel lls with bikes and those who love them. Expect a wealth of exhibitors and attractions including Charley Boorman. Feb 14-16, times vary, from £26.50, excel.london Where? RAW Labs
Check out the latest in a series of artist residencies in the Royal Docks as the multimedia creative and lmmaker take over the space at Royal Albert Wharf. Feb 3-16, times vary, free, bowarts.org
Royal Albert Dock Where? Fold Canning Town Where?
CLUB | Celebrating Three Years Of Makaan
The record label is marking its third birthday with an all-star line up of acts including 2Maj, Taha One, Tafkanik, Anhita Shamsaei, Sita Shah and Melati. Feb 15, 11pm-10am, from £11.50, fold.london
funding focus
As Newham All Star Sports Academy turns 20, the charity is exploring new ways to bring people together and generate funds as it continues to battle knife crime and gang culture through the discipline of sport nassasports.org.uk
Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with founder and CEO Natasha Hart online at wharf-life.com
Work on the
is nearing completion, with an opening date of April 7 expected
Silvertown Tunnel
the
arrival of the Silvertown Tunnel will see a series of changes to cross river travel, including free options
by Jon Massey
what’s going on?
The Silvertown Tunnel is set to open on April 7, assuming Riverlinx and TfL’s carefully laid plans come to fruition.
what’s that?
It’s a new road crossing under the Thames between Royal Docks and Greenwich Peninsula, named for the neighbourhood in the former where its twin bores pop up.
isn’t that the route of the Blackwall Tunnel?
Not quite. That one runs between the Peninsula and, well, Blackwall.
but there’s quite an impact on both isn’t there?
Correct. From April 7, tolls will apply for drivers in both tunnels. This is to fund the construction of the new link and ongoing maintenance of the two crossings. It also avoids pushing drivers towards one tunnel.
go on, how much?
Charges will apply between 6am and 10pm. At peak times (6am-10am and 4pm-7pm on weekdays) cars and small vans will pay £4 for each crossing, large vans will pay £5.50 and lorries £6.50.
At weekends and from 10am-4pm and 7pm-10pm on weekdays, the charge is £1.50 per journey. There is no charge between 10pm and 6am for any vehicle.
In contrast to the Congestion Charge and the fee for the Dartford Crossing, motorcyclists and moped riders are not exempt with peak journeys charged at £2.50 and o -peak at £1.50.
how do I pay?
The best option is to sign up for TfL Auto Pay, which also administers the Congestion Charge and LEZ and ULEZ levies in the capital.
Users register their details online and can choose to pay by Direct Debit or card. Those not using this system pay peak charges via phone or online at all times when using the tunnel.
are there any discounts?
There are. Drivers on low incomes can get 50% o if they
live in the boroughs of Barking And Dagenham, Bexley, Bromley, City of London, Greenwich, Hackney, Havering, Lewisham, Newham, Redbridge, Southwark, Tower Hamlets or Waltham Forest. This will be available for at least the rst three years.
what about businesses?
Small businesses and charities based in Greenwich, Newham, or Tower Hamlets can register up to three vehicles for a £1 discount per o -peak journey for at least the rst year of the tunnel’s operation. This discount applies to Auto Pay only.
Vehicles with a disabled tax class, taxis licensed by TfL, Blue Badge holders and certain other exempt vehicles will be able to use the crossing for free.
what are the bene ts?
TfL says the tunnel should help reduce congestion, delays and queues, help tackle pollution and improve the resilience of the road network by providing alternatives for drivers when either tunnel needs to close.
In addition to boosting road capacity, the opening of Silvertown Tunnel will provide new public transport routes.
so more buses?
Yes, at peak times, the crossings will see the number of buses rise from six to 21 per hour thanks to the introduction of Superloop SL4 between Grove Park and Canary Wharf and an extension to the 129 from Lewisham to London City Airport and Great Eastern Quay. These join existing services on the 108 through Blackwall Tunnel.
TfL says cross river services will be free for the rst year to encourage people to use public transport through the new links. wait, free?
Yes, there’s more too. For the rst 12 months, those making journeys between Island Gardens and Cutty Sark or Woolwich Arsenal and King George V on the DLR will also nd their journeys refunded as TfL works to tempt people to swap their cars for alternatives.
The discounts only apply to pay-as-you-go journeys between the stations listed, not longer trips.
anything else?
There’s good news for cyclists
>> A puzzle. At the time of going to press, it looked like drivers under the age of 18 –moped riders aged 16+ and car drivers aged 17 – might have to pay the maximum peak toll for crossing through either tunnel at all times. That’s because o -peak discounts on the charges are only available when using TfL Auto Pay, a service that says it’s only available to those aged 18 or over. No discounts apply for payments made by phone or online, which are the only other options to make payment. At o -peak times, that would mean mopeds and motorcyclists would pay an extra £1 per journey and car drivers an extra £2.50.
A TfL spokesperson told Wharf Life: “We are currently looking at how we can ensure that those aged 16 and 17 with a registered vehicle can access TfL Auto Pay to bene t from o -peak user charges for the Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels and will provide an update in due course.”
It said vehicles registered with TfL Auto Pay under a parent or guardian’s account would bene t from the discounts. Fine for those with access to a willing adult...
a dedicated bus lane, handy with services set to rise from six to 21 buses per hour
too. The Silvertown Tunnel will have a Cycle Shuttle Service, free for the rst year and operating for at least three years, running between Seagull Lane in Royal Docks and Millennium Way on the Peninsula. This will run every 12 minutes every day from 6.30am to 9.30pm.
key details
More updates and information on the Silvertown Tunnel, which is set to open on April 7, as well as all the services that are due to come into e ect once it does can be found on TfL’s website. Go to t .gov.uk for more
Scan this code to nd out more about the Silvertown Tunnel
1.86m
Tonnes of material removed and transported by river during the construction of the new Silvertown Tunnel
120
Apprenticeships created across the supply chain during the project. More than 90 jobs were created over its lifespan
1.4km
Length of the Silvertown Tunnel, which e ectively doubles road capacity running under the Thames to Greenwich
The Silvertown Tunnel includes
Starting price for tickets to see Birdboy at Sadler’s Wells East during the venue’s rst season
as Sadler’s Wells East’s rst season gets going, choreographer Emma Martin explains why she’s created Birdboy for ages 7+
by Jon Massey
It’s an important year in the ongoing story of east London.
The launch of Sadler’s Wells East will be the rst truly publicfacing slice of East Bank to open on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, marking the advent of the 2012 Games’ most signi cant cultural legacy. Its rst season will kick o with Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s Our Mighty Groove from February 6-9 – the rst show to attract audiences to a building designed to pull people in with a bright neon welcome sign. Its ground oor bar and cafe have the feel of the Southbank centre and, thanks to a free programme of performances on its foyer dance oor, will doubtless soon attract a troop of regulars.
The listings for the main auditorium, which has a seated capacity of up to 550, are packed with transformations of the space for shows planned to include immersive nightclubs and a skatepark.
Also coming up is Birdboy, the London debut of Irish choreographer Emma Martin, which will arrive on Stratford’s newest stage for six performances over
February 20-22. Suitable for ages seven and up, the solo 40-minute show features a highly physical turn from dancer Kévin Coquelard and a beaten up Volkswagen.
“I created Birdboy for my daughter,” said Emma, who makes work from her base in Carlow, a little over an hour outside Dublin.
“I’ve always admired people who create work for kids but before this I never had. As an audience they’re not polite, they’re honest.
“I’d seen one or two beautiful pieces of work made for children and I had them up on a pedestal, so it always felt like it was something I had to work my way up to.
“It took me a few years to take the plunge. I had ideas for working around themes like loneliness and getting to grips with yourself as a person in the world. My daughter was eight at the time – it’s the age when children start to see themselves in relation to others.
“I started to see how she related to people and to the world, guring out who she was. I went into a room with Kévin, a dancer I hadn’t worked with before, but had often seen performing.
“We started with a few images and it started growing – a true collaboration between us. Birdboy grew out of that process.
for
I created Birdboy for my daughter. I had ideas for working around themes of loneliness and getting to grips with yourself as a person in the world
Emma Martin, United Fall
“It’s a story, told in a non-linear way about a character who has an interior and exterior world. There’s bullying happening and he feels a lot of negative emotions, but he has all these di erent devices to distract himself.
the he and
“He eventually nds a way to relieve himself of his worries and confront them.”
Emma began her career as a ballet dancer before stepping away after getting “a bit of a wake-up call and taking a break before I hated it”. She studied drama, theatre and Russian at university with a plan to be “a one-woman show, lighting, directing and making my own work” as a choreographer. It’s which is more or less what she’s done since 2012.
“I have my own company now, United Fall, which since 2018 has been the production machine behind what I make,” she said.
“I create a show roughly
Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick
Dancers Kévin Coquelard stars in Emma Martin’s Birdboy, which is coming
every two years, depending on the rhythm of the piece.
“It is a long time and I tend to do it in stages. There might be two weeks and then another meeting two months later. It gives me time to test ideas – I nd I like my work better if I have had time to have a love a air with it, to sit with it.
“It’s important that it doesn’t feel like a transient idea, but something I’ll always believe in.
“We’re funded by Arts Council Ireland so that’s easier. We don’t have tons of money but it’s a luxury and somehow we make it happen. It used to be that you’d do four weeks and then you’d have an audience – I don’t feel that serves the work. I prefer things to be slower so there’s more time to realise the technical side too.”
For Birdboy, that includes ensuring the automobile that accompanies Kévin on stage is suitably reinforced and able to play its part in the production, which has now been touring for 18 months.
“The car comes from an idea I had for the show of one human left in the world, completely alone, surrounded by debris from human beings,” said Emma.
“We were talking about doing it in a junk yard environment, but I decided in the end to do it in an empty space. Then the car came back, because I was thinking about being inside the character’s head in contrast to the outside world.
“I rang the designer one day and we put a car onstage, and that’s how it came about. It looks like a car and functions like a car in some ways but it’s a metaphor for our interior worlds.
“The idea of Birdboy taps into the bird imagery that is so ubiquitous in children’s literature.
“You have this idea of being human and not being able to get up and y away – so, if you could have one superpower, would it be to y away and see the world from a great height?
“A lot of superheroes can y, so it’s what the character is wishing for. When he experiences diculties, he wishes that he could just y away.
“My daughter was also quite involved in the
process. We were making it in Carlow, so I would bring her and her pal to see it. There are a lot of nods to her world, like SpongeBob and YouTube – cartoony references, so I was constantly testing her, to see what she thought.
“She liked it, but I don’t think she necessarily saw herself in it. A lot of people have read the character as neuro-divergent. My kid is not, but has plenty of friends who are, so she felt an empathy there.
“That’s really what I want audiences to feel – that it’s OK to be di erent because everyone has something to o er.
“It’s a very high-energy performance, using really raw physicality in combination with lots of emotion, that hopefully should give young people an understanding of the character. We’re using hardcore dancing, so the car has many places where it needs to be reinforced.
“I think it speaks to both adults and children and I’d love to see people of all ages there. We’re all children really – while I was making it, I was thinking about everyone’s inner child.”
key details
Birdboy comes to Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford for six shows over February 20-22. Times vary depending on the day. Tickets start at £15. Ideal for ages 7+. Go to sadlerswells.com for more information
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
classic comes to the east London stage to mark its 80th anniversary. All dramas are equal, but some are more equal than others. Essential viewing. Feb 7-Mar 8, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com
GIG | Tempest Saint Formed in 2023, this leather-clad heavy metal out t draw their in uences from Maiden, Primal Fear and Judas Priest. Support from Sypha and Lost Asylum. Feb 9, 7pm, from £8, cartandhorses.london
ATTRACTION | Zip World London Reopened under new management the curly wurly steel tower and its record-breaking tube slide are back in action. Expect to reach 15mph over 178m. From Feb 14, times vary, from £14, zipworld.co.uk
Audiences can expect a “razor-sharp examination of class, death and who gets to tell their story” as My Mother’s Funeral: The Show arrives at The Yard Theatre. Book now for dates from January 29-February 15. Tickets from £10 theyardtheatre.co.uk
STAGE | Animal Farm
to Sadler’s Wells East in February
Scan this code to nd out more about Birdboy at Sadler’s Wells East
Choreographer Emma Martin takes about two years to make a piece Image: Ferdia Mooney
Sadler’s Wells East is ready to welcome audiences in Stratford as East Bank’s rst public-facing venue
Sudoku
Take a break from that phone
How to play
To complete Sudoku, ll the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
More to play
You can nd more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca
Notes
crossword
Cryptic
Across 1. Mixed up aide has plan (4)
8. Do likewise by chasing three-piece (6,4) 9. Tested program is agreed (8) 10. Went back and made Dutch cheese (4) 12. Explosive old car? (6)
Battle fought by sane confused civil warriors (6)
15. About profit? Take it back (6)
17. Get angry with a bee and a rat! It’s a mix-up! (6)
18. Bit of Thames where you can hear ice-cream sellers? (4)
19. Use seared fossil fuel to make drawings (8) 21. Enthusiastic departure? (3,2,3,2)
22. Sounds like the pavement edge may be stopped (4)
Down
2. Criticise game participants? They put stuff on show (10)
3. Where the Magi came from? (4)
4. Being in this plant could make you happy (6)
5. A timber marriage lair? (6)
6. Sounds like an examiner of flying donkeys (8)
7. Just the thing for a couple to be (4)
11. Someone to judge download speeds, we hear? (10)
13. Half of this makes people optimistic (8)
16. The Cretan makes a heavenly drink! (6)
17. Burning logos? (6)
20. What to do with restaurant account books? (4)
beating the whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy
Quick
Musical rhythm (4)
By chance (10)
Fearfulness (8)
Of this month (4)
Save (6)
Pasta (6)
Doctors (inf.) (6)
English diarist (6)
Volcano (4)
Further agenda item (8)
Emphasise (10)
Vermin (4)
Exhilaration (10)
Cab (4)
Writer (6)
An acknowledged expert (1,5)
Poison relief (8)
Conspiracy (4)
Bath Buns (5,5)
Countries’ weather systems (8)
Begins (6)
Charm (6)
Scottish turnip (4)
Plot;
Climates;
Across: 1 Idea; 8 Follow Suit; 9 Approved; 10 Edam; 12 Banger; 14 Naseby; 15 Regain; 17 Berate; 18 Isis; 19 Charcoal; 21 Get Up And Go; 22 Kerb.
