Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23 by wharf-life

May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

+ Chris Ezekiel on why having a plan for when things go bad is vital Page 8

grow a time to

as Pergola On The Wharf gears up to open, we find out what’s past the plants Page 6

inside issue 42

Imani Ali - Tiny Tigers - Martin Gettings - La Nina Caffe And Mercato Puzzles - Kidd Rapinet Solicitors - Newfoundland - Wilton’s Music Hall Natasha Maddison - Poplar Riverside - The Kiln Works - Cece’s Speakeasy - Expressway Doreen’s Jamaican Homemade Rum Cakes - David Lefevbre Sell - Flow Market The Answer To The Ultimate Question Of Life, The Universe And Everything?

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

20%

OFF ALL COLLECTION ORDERS 7 DAYS A WEEK 5.30PM-10.30PM PLACE ORDERS ONLINE AT ANANDABYTHAMES.CO.UK

65-67 AMSTERDAM ROAD ISLE OF DOGS, LONDON, E14 3UU

WHERE TASTE MATTERS

OFF TOTAL BILL IN JUNE 2021 WHEN YOU PRESENT THIS ADVERT BOOK BY CALLING 020 7538 3008 PARKING AVAILABLE

20%

@anandabythames

@anandabythames.co.uk

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

read

feast your eyes on these

four focus

support your local institutions Where? Montgomery Square Canary Wharf

EAT | The Lunch Market The long-awaited return of regular pop-up street food is here as Canary Wharf teams up with Karnival to deliver a cornucopia of traders. Thursdays, Jun 24-Sept 16, noon-3pm, canarywharf.com

Welcome to the June issue of Wharf Life. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information about events featured, but please check with the organisers as things can change quickly as lockdown comes to an end. Keep supporting local businesses

slide

Pergola On The Wharf germinates at Crossrail Place Roof Garden

Electric Shuffle North Colonnade, Cabot Square

Where? Bank Street Park Canary Wharf

PLAY | Bank Street Basketball British Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori has created a 3x3 basketball court in the park – the centrepiece to a summer of sport and activities. Daily, noon-9pm for public use, canarywharf.com Where? Across the estate Canary Wharf

Very much flying the flag for indoor reopening in Canary Wharf, Electric Shuffle is back up and running for parties of up to six inside and an outdoor terrace area in partnership with The London Essence Co mixers and Tanqueray gin. With freshly greased tables and a new game due out later this year, the venue’s digitised version of shuffleboard is the ideal undercover activity for those keen to remain segregated from other groups thanks to the layout of the tables. Outside, Wharfers who have no interest in shooting pucks can enjoy a range of gin-based cocktails, boozy slushies and sharing platters. Go to electricshuffle.com Jon Massey

SEE | Summer Lights A colourful exhibition celebrating natural light is set to arrive in Canary Wharf, building on the popularity of its Winter Lights Festival. So lit. Jun 21-Aug 21, canarywharf.com

eat this

Celebrating Old Flo with Imani Ali’s vivid and creative story

How Tiny Tigers is providing play and coffee on South Quay

the joy of six Every issue Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 36 Just returned to the office? Keen to show off to all your new colleagues? Then take them to queue outside MamaLan in Reuters Plaza for a hash brown and guac bao bun. At £5.45 this is keenly priced, moreish cuisine mamalan.co.uk Scan this code to find out more about MamaLan, which recently opened its Canary Wharf branch want more? @wharflifelive

get in touch

correct us

Editorial email info@wharf-life.com call 07765 076 300 Advertising email jess.maddison@wharf-life.com call 07944 000 144

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

Go to wharf-life.com for more information

Email info@wharf-life.com

we want to hear from you

need something fixed?

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

on the radar

doing the deals

need to know

get more for less in and around the Wharf

10%

There’s plenty coming to the Wharf in the near future – those who want to be in the know should be googling Judy Joo’s Seoul Bird, set for Jubilee Place, German Doner Kebab, expected in Cabot Place and MMY Wood Wharf, of which more in our next issue canarywharf.com

Barry’s Bootcamp is offering 10% off your first class back with code CWISBACK10 on bookings made on or before May 31 to be used within 14 days barrysbootcamp.com

44 In need of a new steed? LAP Bikes has recently opened a store at Churchill Place stocking a wide range of mounts for those who prefer transport on two wheels. The shop also offers bike servicing from £50 for a basic package lapbikes.com

Discover Expressway stretched beneath a flyover in Silvertown

scan 46

How Stratford chef Jackie Christian is baking sunshine by hand into every single one of Doreen’s Jamaican Homemade Rum Cakes and selling them in Greenwich and Hackney

Gatehouse School Co-educational Independent Day School

Occasional Places

STILL AVAILABLE For September 2021

www.gatehouseschool.co.uk 020 8980 2978 admissions@gatehouseschool.co.uk

Monica Olivieri tells us all about La Nina Caffe And Mercato

Businesses across the Canary Wharf estate are currently running discounts galore – dig in

Find a wide range of offers online at canarywharf.com/exclusiveoffers or wave your phone over this code to view them instantly

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

write me

words you don’t know you need

deslying

verb, fake, from Middle English The act of consciously deceiving oneself when designing something by pretending that one isn’t visually perplexed by the work in creation. A good way of getting over oneself and going beyond tired, comfortable norms

style it

Canary Wharf

Double breasted jacked Zara £59.99 Cut-out midi dress New Look from £19.99

noetic

adjective, real, from Greek Something that is of, requires the use of or is associated with the mind. Not, for example, the current decision making process relating to the placement of temporary traffic lights across east London

Help your loved ones to help you kiddrapinet.co.uk/understandinganlpa

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 Tatiana Zenia today on 020 7925 0303 or email tzenia@kiddrapinet.co.uk

Shoes and jeans River Island £40, £42

as anyone paying any attention when the spring/summer 2021 catwalk shows occurred back in September and October last year? Like many others in the midst of the pandemic, I was more concerned about which pyjamas to wear. However, my interest in fashion trends has been revived as restrictions have eased. Here are my top tips: Harking back to the 1980s, shoulder pads featured in shows by Givenchy and Balmain and can be easily worn in the form of a work blazer, then on to evening drinks. Think Melanie Griffith in Working Girl up top with a pair of slimfit trousers for a modern update. Zara in Cabot Place has a range of bold shoulder styles to choose from. I love its Double Breasted Blazer in camel (£59.99, zara.com) – and there are cropped styles too from £29.99. What says summer more than ice cream colours? Versace and Chanel showed pastel colours on their catwalks. On the high street however, River Island at Surrey Quays Shopping Centre has enough sugary coloured tones to give you toothache. I love its Mint Green High Heeled Court Shoes (£40, riverisland.com) to style up jeans and a shirt, but also have my eye on some Purple High Rise Skinny Jeans (£42), which remind me of Parma Violets. Another wearable look, shown by Fendi and Prada, is cut-outs. Subtle flashes of skin were seen around the hips, neckline and stomach, creating a playful peekaboo look for the warmer weather. New Look, which has stores in Surrey Quays and Greenwich Shopping Park, has translated this style perfectly into something affordable. Its pretty cut-out detail floral midi dresses are ideal for weekend brunches and start from £19.99, newlook.com. I’ve saved my favourite trend for the end – sparkle and shine. Burberry and Valentino lit up the catwalks with glittery styles not usually seen at this time of year and I am all for it. Rewritten is an independent store located at Hackney Wick’s Fish Island, predominantly selling bridesmaids dresses, but also accessories. I am dying to get my hands on its Rosa Bloom Sequin Cape (£48, wearerewritten.com, below). Why wait for a wedding? I’d wear this with jeans and a T-shirt. Natasha Maddison @pazzanatasha on Insta

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Republic A State of Independence for an Independent State of Mind Calling all local retailers! Independent & local operators wanted for final five Retail /Restaurant / Leisure units (800 to 10,000 sq ft).

Office occupiers include Digital Media, International Telecoms, Co-working, Universities & Start-ups.

Contact Steven Stedman: steven.stedman@cbre.com Jake Stace: jake@cfcommercial.co.uk Laurence Jones: Laurence@trilogyproperty.com www.republic.london

Preferred uses include: Bike Shops, Barbers, Hairdressers, Craft Breweries/Distilleries, Florists, Tattoo Shops, Medical, Recording Studios & all others considered.

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

700

Total capacity of Pergola On The Wharf, including a 200-person wrap-around terrace

green into the

how Pergola On The Wharf is set to festoon its roof with greenery to reflect the Roof Garden’s lush paths by Jon Massey

nfortunately it’s a building site at the moment, so we can’t go inside yet,” said Incipio Group’s head of creative development, Rory Graham. It’s less than two weeks before Pergola On The Wharf is set to open and we’ve met to chat about the venue that will see the vast unit at the eastern edge of Crossrail Place Roof Garden transformed following the demise of the company that ran Giant Robot. Rory’s calm exterior belies what must be a feverish level of activity in the run-up to launch, expected on Friday, May 28. “The best way to describe this venue is what we leant on for its design – the roof garden it sits beside,” said Rory. “It’s an incredible pocket of calm in the middle of the metropolis that is Canary Wharf and we wanted to continue that look and feel throughout Pergola. “We’ve created a 12ft by 8ft flower wall planted entrance, a whole foliage ceiling and made a bar out of trees. It all plays into our airy, green, crisp style. “The venue’s 10,000sq ft with two bars, one big open theatre kitchen and private dining space. Then we’ve got a 200-capacity wrap-around terrace looking over the Wharf – we’re incredibly lucky to get this location. In total we have capacity for 700 people.” Pergola started life under railway arches in Goldhawk Road, Shepherd’s Bush, gaining its name from the popularity of bookings to sit under the tiny outdoor structure its founders had built. “We launched in White City in 2016, and on the back of that we opened Pergola Paddington and then we had

Pergola On The Roof, which was the original concept – this is the fourth venue within that brand,” said Rory. “It’s informal, good fun, accessible and there for everyone, whether a large group or a couple coming for dinner and drinks. It might be the after-work crowd, which we’re obviously keen to engage with in Canary Wharf. “People can expect relaxed DJs, good music and good food. In terms of the food, our executive chef Nick Wyborn, who trained at the Langham Hotel, and recently came over from Mac And Wild, has used land, sea and earth as the narrative for the menu. “All the dishes relate to that, as does our drinks menu, which has fresh beers, cocktails and coffees during the day and there’s a low and no alcohol section as well. “On weekdays we’re open from noon-11pm and earlier for brunch at the weekends as well as later into the night. “We’ll be serving everything from really good burgers to Continued on Page 8 An artist’s impression of how Pergola On The Wharf will look when complete

Incipio Group’s Rory Graham said the opportunity to open beside Crossrail Place Roof Garden was something the company couldn’t turn down

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

● A FREE BUSINESS BASE FOR 10 YEARS WITH FANTASTIC FACILITIES ● A COMPLIMENTARY PARTY FOR TEN PERSONS EVERY YEAR FOR 10 YEARS WORTH £5,000 EACH 50 ENTREPRENEURS ARE BEING OFFERED A 10-YEAR COMPLIMENTARY MEMBERSHIP OF THE YACHT CLUB LONDON AT WEST INDIA QUAY, CANARY WHARF. THE 100FT YACHT WILL BE PERMANENTLY MOORED NEXT TO THE 5-STAR MARRIOT HOTEL AND SEVEN FASHIONABLE BARS AND RESTAURANTS. CANARY WHARF’S FABULOUS BARS, RESTAURANTS AND SHOPPING CENTRES, ARE RIGHT OPPOSITE THE YACHT, WHICH IS SET TO ARRIVE FROM GREECE ON AUGUST 2, 2021.

West India Quay Canary Wharf www.yachtclublondon.com

THE GOVERNOR MEMBERS, AS THEY ARE REFERRED TO, WILL HAVE FREE USE OF THE BUSINESS CENTRE ON BOARD, FROM 10AM UNTIL 7PM, (MON TO FRI). THEY WILL BE ABLE TO INVITE UP TO THREE GUESTS FOR BUSINESS MEETINGS OR LUNCH, FROM A CHOICE OVER 20 INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANTS IN WEST INDIA QUAY AND CANARY WHARF, AT COST PRICE, SERVED BY THE YACHT’S CREW. ALCOHOL WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT COST PRICE AND OTHER BEVERAGES WILL BE FREE.

THEY WILL ALSO BE ENTITLED TO A COMPLIMENTARY PARTY WORTH £5,000 EACH, EVERY YEAR FOR 10 YEARS. THEY CAN INVITE 10 GUESTS FOR A FOUR-COURSE DINNER, WITH UNLIMITED CHAMPAGNE, SPIRITS, WINES, BEERS AND BEVERAGES FROM 8PM UNTIL 1AM. THE MEMBER AND THEIR GUESTS CAN THEN SPEND THE NIGHT ON BOARD THE YACHT AND WILL BE SERVED WITH A FULL ENGLISH CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST THE NEXT MORNING.

THE YACHT CLUB

LONDON

The Yacht Club London

OPENING 20TH AUGUST 2021

● WHY IS THE YACHT CLUB LONDON OFFERING THE ABOVE TOTAL BUSINESS PACKAGE? Kindly look at our website www.yachtclublondon.com. You will see the names of the 21 shareholders under THE TEAM. They consist of Party and Event planners, Estate agents, Property developers, a Russian heiress, ex-business Club owners, Bankers, a British solicitor and a British accountant. They hope that the Governor members will indirectly become part of their team.

“

The Yacht’s shareholders can help to market their businesses, if required. If they choose to do so, the Governors can help to promote the Yacht and bring business to the onboard estate agency, the website is www.londonluxurypropertyestates.com.

NO-ONE REFUSES AN INVITATION FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH OR A PARTY ONBOARD A 100ft YACHT

All that is required is a REFUNDABLE deposit of £5,000 to establish an applicant’s financial status. The deposit will be fully refunded unconditionally, if a Governor member cancels their membership after one year, even if they have used the business base all year and have had their complimentary annual party.

They will be paid 25% of the commission that the agency will earn from landlords they introduce and a £1,500 commission for any parties they introduce, at the rate of £5,750. The Yacht can cater for 50 guests at a time, for parties and events. A first class business centre in London, would cost at least £300 a month, £3,600pa, which is £36,000 over a 10-year period. However, no business centre in London, or the UK for that matter, can offer the facilities that the Yacht does. With the 10 FREE parties, worth £5,000 each – which equals £50,000 over the 10-year complimentary membership period – the total FREE package for each Governor member is worth £86,000. Email: info@yachtclublondon.com For more information kindly call Julian on 07775 944 697

● FREE CLUB MEMBERSHIPS ARE ALSO AVAILBLE FOR 1,200 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN (AGED 18-35 YEARS)

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

virtual viewpoint by Chris Ezekiel

Artist’s impressions showing

Chris says running a company is similar to a group of musicians playing in unison

recently had the privilege of listening to a string quartet recital by Salix Quartet at Christ Church on the Isle of Dogs. It was amazing to watch their movements, each musician playing in their own style, yet everything coming together to produce an incredible sound. As I listened and watched in awe – I have no musical talent – I started to think about how companies are run. The CEO is, of course, the conductor, and the senior management team are the string quartet. Each individual is very different in style and presentation, but all are working together towards a common goal. In a string quartet In a string quartet there’s absolutely no room for somebody to there’s absolutely no get out of sync, even room for somebody for a single second. The same is true in to get out of sync. business. It’s important that each person The same is true brings their qualities in business and quirkiness. They Chris Ezekiel, Creative Virtual can have disagreements, but must play from the same musical score if the organisation is to flourish. I had a personal experience recently that reminded me of how important this is. Just like the string quartet, or the orchestra of the wider company, long-term relationships based on mutual respect, trust and confidence are key. These attributes take a long time to build but can be destroyed in an instant. That’s why strong organisations have resilience built in at every level. As the CEO of Creative Virtual I am constantly thinking about our resilience, ensuring we have well prepared plans for the unexpected. The pandemic has certainly tested many organisations. Human frailties are always a risk, and that’s why organisations must have a resilience plan that’s regularly reviewed. Just like the string quartet – practice makes perfect.

“

Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at West India Quay’s Cannon Workshops Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on Twitter

the kitchen area, entrance and private dining space at Pergola

from Page 6 brilliant sharers, small plates and dishes that are great for quick lunches.” Opening in Canary Wharf was an easy decision for Incipio, with a healthy local market and the prospect of Crossrail trains starting to arrive into the building in the not too distant future. Rory said: “First and foremost, you only have to look at the other operators here to realise how serious an area this is now. “You’ve got The Alchemist, The Ivy In The Park, an Everyman Cinema and Darwin And Wallace’s No 35 Mackenzie Walk, so it was a very attractive place to come to. “Not only that, but it’s starting to see a lot of weekend traffic as well, which we’re keen to tap into. Alongside that, the venue and the location are incredible. “If you marry all that up together, it really was an opportunity we couldn’t turn down. We’re very fortunate to get this unit and very excited to be here. “As restrictions have eased, the response from the public has been incredible across the group. In our first four weeks we’ve had more than half a million bookings for the summer at our venues, which is really exciting. “We’ve had great success in west London and we know a lot of our customers live in east London so this is us bringing one of our sites to them.” Go to pergolacanarywharf.co.uk Scan this code for more info about Pergola On The Wharf

On The Wharf

“

First and foremost, you only have to look at the other operators here to realise how serious an area this is now Rory Graham, Incipio Group

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

Minutes – the length of Imani’s story, which can be printed off at Canary Wharf’s Short Story Stations across the estate

how Old Flo inspired hundreds of young writers to enter Canary Wharf’s short story competition by Jon Massey

enry Moore’s Draped Seated Woman has been many things over the years. Known locally as Old Flo, the sculpture – which currently sits in Cabot Square – has been on the minds of Tower Hamlets school pupils. Canary Wharf Group challenged students to write a fictional story inspired by the artwork, with the winner taking home £1,000 for their school and an Apple iPad Air for themselves. Having received more than 450 entries, the panel of judges gave first place to Imani Ali’s story, praising it for its vivid depiction of the sculpture. Imani, who is in Year 10 at Mulberry School For Girls in Whitechapel, said: “The first idea that came into my head was to write a story about a human that became a statue and I felt it was a really good starting point. “I actually don’t know where the idea came from – I’d been reading information about the sculpture and it just popped into my mind. “As the story went on, I decided to add another character. I knew Old Flo was a public artwork so I had the idea of having someone coming near her overflowing with emotion, and turning her into a human again. “Mr Creed emailed us to tell us about the opportunity – I’d never written a story about a statue before and I thought it would be a good idea to take part. “I really like writing stories. You can link them to real life or not to real life at all. I mostly write adventure stories or ones about murder – I don’t know why. Writing is really cool. “I’d definitely like to be a

Old Flo in Cabot Square writer. When I found out I’d won this competition I was ecstatic, just so glad. “I didn’t think I’d win – I’d read some of my friends’ stories and they were really, really good and then I found out and my whole family were so happy. “The sculpture is unique – I’d never seen anything like it before we came on a trip from school to get inspiration. “I’m going to use the iPad to do more writing. Maybe I’ll ﬁnd some more competitions and enter them. “This contest was such a great opportunity, I really hope Canary Wharf does more in the future.” One of the competition judges, arts and events manager at Tower Hamlets Council Catherine Boyd, said: “What an amazingly talented group of young writers this was that entered. I am completely blown away.” Imani’s ﬁve-minute work will be available at all the Short Story Stations in Canary Wharf, which are located in Canada Place, Crossrail Place Roof Garden and Jubilee Place, until May 31. Stories from runners-up Leila in Year 7 at Canary Wharf College Crossharbour and Treina in Year 8 at George Green’s School are available via the three-minute and one-minute options on the machines respectively. In celebration of her win, and for those unable to get their own print-out in time, Wharf Life has printed Imani’s story in full. Turn to Pages 10-11

story

Left, Imani with a print-out of her winning story and, above, sister Ameerah has a read in Canary Wharf’s Canada Place Mall

Scan this code for more events taking place at Canary Wharf

inspiration for a

Aesthetics & Wellness www.thebloomclinic.co.uk

078 1556 7432

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

legal matters

by Kirsty Tufrey

Kirsty says international students can remain in the UK after their studies via the Graduate Route

n July 1, the new Graduate Route will open opportunities to international students who wish to remain in the UK after their studies. There will be no need for qualifying graduates to have secured a job to extend their stay in the UK. However, depending on their level of study, successful applicants will be given permission for up to two or three years, to start a business, work or look for work in the UK. Under this new route, graduates will not require sponsorship from a UK employer and switching between jobs will be permitted without Home Office approval. Employers are not restricted to offering work in roles of a particular skill level. Nor will there be any minimum salary thresholds for UK businesses seeking to employ graduates who The Graduate Route are in the UK on this route. will not lead to

IMANI’S STORY Old Flo slouches restfully on a slab of fat, smooth concrete in the same position she has been in for approximately 35 years. She’s as still and as silent as can be, as still and silent as a statue. Her rock-solid, rotten old brain contains jolly, calm thoughts that are battling with the corrupt, evil schemes hidden in the very core of her brain. She may look calm and restful, but inside she is lost in thought. Her brain is swarming with evil plans, schemes and revenge. Many people think she’s an innocent, harmless statue enjoying the gentle, warm sun that seems to be showering her with happiness. Although she is just pretending to be absolutely ﬁne It’s just another day for Old Flo. The truth is that Old Flo wasn’t always a statue, in fact she is not one, she merely appears to be one Inside, she is a curious old lady. The day she decided to take a seat on the bench in the park and battle with her thoughts was the last time she would ever move. Old Flo was too lost

“

settlement – it can ● Will this lead to settlement in the UK? however act as a The Graduate Route will not lead to settlestepping-stone to other ment. It can, however, immigration categories act as a stepping-stone Kirsty Tufrey, Kidd Rapinet into other immigration categories, which may allow those on it to settle in the UK. ● Who can apply for the Graduate Route visa? International students seeking to remain in the UK post-study who meet all of the following: ● Hold a valid Tier 4/student visa expiring on or after July 1, 2021. ● Have successfully completed an eligible course. ● Studied at a UK higher education provider with a track record of compliance. ● Remain in the UK. Those who qualify won’t be granted an automatic extension – a formal immigration application must be made. This has a fee of £700 plus £19.20 for biometric enrolment. The Immigration Health Surcharge will also be payable at £624 per year. Kirsty Tufrey is an immigration solicitor at Kidd Rapinet Solicitors, based at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs. She’s available on 020 7205 4191 Scan this code to find out how Kidd Rapinet can advise those looking to remain in the UK via the Graduate Route visa

Imani, seen here with the inspitation for her tale, created her winning story by writing a paragraph each day

in thought. “Oh what to do , oh what to do,” she would mutter until her lips could mutter no more. Old Flo sat there thinking and thinking, completely ignoring everything surrounding her. The park, the city, the people. Minutes drained into hours, hours slipped into days and days cried into years In a matter of time she became frozen, stuck, physically and emotionally. Old Flo’s body is no longer warm, just a harsh bitter feeling, her body, coated with nothing but rock. So now you know the tale of Old Flo. You may think she is and will always be frozen and stuck, but the truth is she won’t. A day into the future, everyone in the city was enjoying themselves in the warm, comforting sun. There were little children playing with water guns, splattering each other, adults lounging on the wooden benches sipping on smoothies and cans of ﬁ y drink ven ld lo felt comforted by this joyful day In fact, summer was her favourite time of year because everyone is outside enjoying the sun. She felt her heart beating and she couldn’t remember the last time she ever had this feeling. Her heart, concealed with rock, was breaking free. She felt like she could breathe again. She could feel the warmth, the sweat on her palms, she could feel the warmth on her body. It felt so real that she didn’t want to let this feeling go. As time went by, people came and left. Soon there was no-one left but Old Flo and a peculiar little girl leaning on her. Old Flo could feel the little girl’s fear, she knew that the girl was unsure and confused. Old Flo had been staring at this girl for quite some time, but the girl didn’t budge. She sat there leaning on the tips of Old Flo’s feet for hours. She must have lost track of time. This was the same feeling Old Flo had 35 years ago when she became a statue... As a little girl, Old Flo had always been interested in fairy tales, myths and stories – reading in her bedroom or in the story telling club in the library where she could just sit on a bean bag, close her eyes and drown in the story. One day, Old Flo was browsing a newspaper for some juicy news when she came across an article called The Human Statues. This was a strange name but, of course, Old Flo was interested in anything as long as it was writing of some sort. It said in the article: “The human statues are rarely seen but they do happen at least once a year.

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

These humans have so much to think about and they forget absolutely everything surrounding them. They one day turn into rock and there is only one way to break free from this curse. “You must be happy with what you have and understand that you cannot undo your past actions. Whatever is done, is done, so you must go on to live your life. You must forget about all this and create a new life that you won’t regret. A life where you will be happy. The time you lose being a statue is the time you’ll have left to live when you become human again unless you don’t. “Some people say that this is a bad thing, but more people think it’s a good thing. You get to spend a long time thinking about what you did. “Then, one day, if you’re lucky, you will break free and all your troubles from the past will be long gone. You’ll have another life so you must cherish it for what you’re worth.” Old Flo didn’t believe in this myth – after all myths aren’t true – but she had fallen in love with the writing, so she ripped it out of the newspaper and pinned it to her bedroom wall. She would read it aloud to herself every night but she still didn’t believe in it. As she grew into a teenager, she made some grave mistakes and, as she grew into adulthood, she soon became her rock solid self. Old Flo could feel that the little girl was in the same situation she had been in 35 years ago. Old Flo regretted everything bad that she’d done and this time she was not going to keep thinking about the past and let her life ﬂy before her eyes So what’s done is done and it cannot be undone. So she wished upon a star (which she soon realised was actually a plane!) that – just like the article had said – she could break free and, at that very moment the concrete started to crumble onto the little girl who was startled and jumped away from the statue. She peered at where Old Flo had been, but it was no longer there. There was just a wrinkled, harmless, old lady. “W-w-where did you come from” she stuttered, “and where’s that statue?” “ Don’t be afraid dear” said the old lady as she hushed the girl. “I don’t want to freak you out, but truth is I came from that statue right over there.” “Old Flo? Are you Old Flo? But how? That doesn’t make sense,” the little girl answered, her head exploding with questions. “I will explain everything, but you cannot tell anyone, ok?” said the old lady, holding out her hand for the little girl Imani says to shake. she will “Ok, Old Flo” answered continue the little girl. writing “Old Flo is just what they regularly call me – my real name is Florence,” said the old lady. “Ok, Florence” replied the little girl. “So what’s your name?” asked Florence. “Sophie,” the little girl answered, politely. “Now shall we go on with your explanation about how you turned from stone to human, because I don’t quite believe it.” “You are a clever one aren’t you?” Florence replied. ”And yes, we shall begin”. “The Human Statues,” she read aloud... THE END

450

The number of entries submitted to Canary Wharf’s Old Flo Short Story Competition by Tower Hamlets pupils Competition winner Imani Ali, centre, celebrates with friend Zainab Ahmed, left, and her younger sister, Ameerah, in front of Old Flo

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

Searching for an Agent Assist solution your contact centre will love?

Contact the Conversational AI experts for a consultation today!

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

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

minutes – the length of each session, which allows time for swapping over and thoroughly disinfecting the equipment Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

by Laura Enfield

n indoor play area ﬁlled with things to climb, slide down and play with sounds like every little kid’s fantasy. And three-year-old Nico Reckers-Ng is lucky enough to have parents who have made that dream come true by opening Tiny Tigers Cafe. Set in South Quay Plaza, the soft play fun zone is inspired by their son’s favourite things and the principles of Montessori, which encourage less noisy gadgets and more open-ended play. The bright, spacious unit is ﬁlled with padded structures to climb and slide down, but also a host of mostly wooden toys and puzzles chosen to foster independent and imaginative play. “There might be the occasional electronic toy but most of what we put in is supposed to try to create this environment where we switch o from electronics and move towards this organic, natural heuristic play that children learn and develop from,” said mum Elaine Ng. “There is a sensory mirror and balls, trains, instruments, some books and I play piano for the children, so we have impromptu sing-a-longs.” Nico gets to run amok in the play area when it is not in use and joins his mum for sessions, which has helped her stick to limited screen time during the pandemic. Following Montessori ideals, TV is a rare treat and even during lockdown she avoided working in front of him, instead logging on after he went to bed and working until 1am to catch up on various tasks and cafe logistics. “If I’m on my computer he just wants to climb on my lap and see what I’m doing,” said the former coder, who now works in wealth management for an American bank “I try not to show him stu on my phone either, so he doesn’t think it’s this amazing YouTube box. “It’s tough because sometimes you would love to just throw them in front of the TV but, what I have found is, it’s quite addictive and they will ask for more and, if you try to engage with them, they are not interested. “Whereas, when I’m playing with my son, he’s making things up and there’s a much more natural type of development that happens. “I completely understand why people use TV and there’s no judgement at all, but we didn’t have TV for thousands of years and now when I’m on the tube and everyone is on their screens, I wonder what that means for social interaction and behaviour.

“

Every time we do something I think ‘Would I be comfortable doing this with my son?’ If the answer is no, then I don’t want it in my unit Elaine Ng, Tiny Tigers founder

Finance workers Elaine Ng and Thomas Reckers were inspired by son Nico to create the soft play space but want it to benefit families across the area “Social media will have a lot of responsibility for the mental health of our children, things like ﬁlters and how quickly they grow up, scare me.”

laine wants Tiny Tigers to help children become interested in the world around them. Classes in baby massage, baby sensory and Frog Prince music sessions have just launched and she is planning special events to celebrate the area’s multiculturalism, such as marking Eid and Black History Month. Elaine is Malaysian Chinese, her husband, Thomas Reckers, is Czech German and the couple would love to bring their cultures to the cafe through language classes. “I love London because it is so multicultural,” said Elaine, who grew up between the capital and Malaysia. “If you move to France you become French whereas in the UK you grow up being British but being aware of your own culture because we celebrate Ramadan, Eid, Diwali, Chinese New Year all these things. When I’m in London it doesn’t matter that I’m not white and I think that’s important for my son. I don’t want him to feel like an outsider.” She and Thomas both work full time in ﬁnance and run the cafe in their spare time. And there have been more than the usual fun-ﬁlled ups and downs at the play

area. The business was two years in the planning and ﬁnally opened last ctober, only to close again for ﬁve months when the second lockdown arrived. It reopened again on May 17 with sessions limited to eight children and 45 minutes so sta are able to clean the play equipment thoroughly between each use. “Nothing ever happens overnight is my long lesson after this,” said Elaine. “It’s been a huge learning curve and very hands-on, which we can do because we only wanted to open one place. If we were a big chain we would have just thrown money at it.” The couple are running the cafe as a passion project rather than a money maker and Elaine said: “We would like it to break

What is Montessori? Developed by Dr Maria Montessori in the early 1900s the education method is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play. Elaine said:” I like Montessori because it’s about treating your children like adults in terms of respecting their opinions and giving them choices and making them responsible for consequences.

even at least, because we have put a lot of money and time into it. But, for us, it was more something that ﬁtted into our philosophy of how we would like to bring up our son.” Elaine said they wanted to keep costs down to make it as accessible as possible and help address the lack of facilities for the growing number of families on the Isle Of Dogs. “Pre-maternity leave, I thought I would travel all over London with the baby, because that’s what I did before,” she said. “ ctually, about minutes from the ﬂat was my maximum journey time. I was really disappointed by the lack of options on the island. “In Canary Wharf the businesses

“If a session is full, I don’t bend the rules for my son, I tell him we have to share with other children and we talk about why sharing is nice. Of course there are tantrums but it’s creating boundaries that are consistent and giving them room to make decisions. “I find it makes them more empathetic children and, because of that focus on organic play, rather than constant stimulation, they tend to be calmer.”

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Innovation

play make

time to

how toddler Nico inspired his parents to create soft play cafe Tiny Tigers for Canary Wharf families, all while juggling their jobs and the pandemic

Elaine bakes cakes for Tiny Tigers herself while pastries come from Paul Rhodes Bakery

are geared towards o ce workers and there’s not much space for prams, which I understand because they have to make their rent I think people underestimate the number of families that are in the area and the infrastructure for them isn’t as strong here inding a suitable unit was a big challenge as the couple wanted to open something locally “ rior to ovid, I used to take ico to central ondon for the oyal pera ouse ballet class and its opera class and we would go to museums, art appreciation sessions and they were brilliant but just so much work, said laine “It was three hours of planning for a -minute session We just wanted something more local “We wanted it to be ﬁnancially viable, but also for the uality not to be compromised that’s very important to me “ very time we do something I think: Would I be comfortable doing this with my son ’ If the answer is no, then I don’t want it in my unit laine spent two years visiting play areas with ico Tiny Tigers encompasses all the elements he enjoys but also thoughtful facilities for adults imed at kids aged up to ﬁve, it includes dedicated buggy parking, adult and toddler toilets and a separate changing room with a waist-level counter that has walls on three sides so babies can’t roll o dult and child tickets cost , with non-crawling siblings allowed in for free If children are old enough to play independently, parents are encouraged to sit in the cafe area and have a drink and rela It serves onmouth co ee, pastries

from aul hodes akery in reenwich and food cooked fresh daily by the venue’s chef laine bakes the cakes including a sugar-free option for kids and o ers a toddler lunchbo for The volunteer with island-based charity ommunity arents remembers struggling to play with her son when he was a baby and hopes the cafe can o er new parents the support she lacked “I didn’t know how much interaction to give him, she said “I went to ymboree and just repeated what they did and I used to push him in the pram, talking to him about the weather I felt like that cra y mum “I’m lucky to have a lot of support now, so that does take the pressure o me but I think it’s great when you can really interact with your children and I hope that’s what this place can o er She also hopes it will fulﬁll their initial dream to give ico a place to ﬂourish “It’s a whole balancing act, she said “I don’t want my son to grow up thinking his parents were distracted by this “We built this for him and we go there as much as we can because we love to be involved and I really enjoy talking to the parents It’s so important to me that he feels loved and knows I’m there for him Go to tinytigers.club for more information or to make a booking

For those not hiding their phones from their kids, scan this code to go to Tiny Tigers’ site

Nico tries out some of the equipment which includes soft play, wooden toys such as a toddler-sized kitchen, puzzles, musical instruments and books

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

100%

Proportion of electricity that Canary Wharf Group buys which comes from renewable sources

getting greener

by Martin Gettings

arlier this year, we put out a survey to ask people what they think are the most important sustainability issues of today. We want to thank everyone who took the time to complete that survey, and, especially, the people who took extra time to provide suggestions and comments. It all helps us continue to shape our sustainability strategy as it evolves. I also want to take this opportunity to share some of the feedback we received. There were four areas that were overwhelmingly selected as the most important sustainability issues – climate change, health and wellbeing, nature and waste. We were pleased to see these matched the four focus areas of the Canary Wharf Group sustainability strategy, meaning our priorities are aligned with those of our local residents, tenants, and staff. Climate change was the most selected option and it’s easy to see why – it’s difficult to imagine a more pressing challenge than the current crisis. Last year, CWG published its Net Zero Carbon Pathway, detailing our plans for reaching net zero carbon by continuing to procure 100% renewable electricity while reducing energy usage and working with our tenants and suppliers to do the same. If you’re interested in reading more about our journey to net zero, you can read our full Net Zero Carbon Pathway on our website Health and wellbeing and nature were also identified as being extremely important to our community. These are areas we’ve been passionate about since the very first buildings went up at Canary Wharf. We were one of the first developers in the UK to publish a biodiversity action plan and we have since updated that plan as we continue to produce more green space and support more species of wildlife at Canary Wharf than ever before. And finally, we come to waste. We have sent zero waste to landfill from our managed areas since 2009, but we want to go even further than that. We recently updated our waste management strategy, taking all operations in-house, so giving us greater control over what happens to the waste produced at Canary Wharf. We’ve designed our new strategy to reduce the emissions associated with waste management and continue our journey to creating a fully circular economy at Canary Wharf, where materials stay in circulation and nothing is wasted. These are just some of the initiatives we have in place to reduce our impacts as we start to build back from the Covid pandemic. We are also working on some new initiatives, which I’ll be excited to

views

Canary Wharf Group continues to develop its sustainability strategy with the help of participants in its recent survey

taking your

share with you in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions or want to get in touch with us, please email sustainability@ canarywharf.com.

on board

“

These are just some of the initiatives we have in place to reduce our impacts as we start to build back from the Covid pandemic Martin Gettings, Canary Wharf Group

Martin Gettings is director – sustainability at Canary Wharf Group Go to canarywharf.com or breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk Scan this code for more on sustainability in Canary Wharf

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Creative Space

this space is yours

draw whatever you'd like in it or, if you need a theme, why not pen your own Eurovision song for 2022 – share it with @wharflifelive we'd love to see it

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Months since Wilton’s Music Hall last welcomed a live audience through its doors

by Jon Massey

he doors of Wilton’s usic all in Wapping, shut to the public for more than a year, are set to reopen on May 28 and the team cannot wait to welcome people back to its forthcoming programme of shows and to its bars ead of development and communications at the venue, arry ickmore said: “We closed the building to the public as instructed on arch , The memory of that day is uite vivid because, like all arts organisations, we’re not used to closing our doors especially not for an uncertain period of time “We haven’t been completely uiet over the past months we’ve had a lot of e citing things going on in the building, which was often used as a set for film or T productions “We’ve had the recording in here, as well as ma on rime and new isney and etfli films “So we’ve been using the building creatively there have also been rehearsals in the building for streamed performances, but in terms of having real human beings enjoying culture together, ay will see us return to live performances With restrictions constantly changing and une pected lockdowns, the reopening means shows that have long been planned can finally go ahead “It’s been really rough for the artists, said arry “ veryone who works in theatre, music or anything to do with industries that work with freelance creatives, knows it’s been really rocky, because people have not known when they’d be able to perform again or all artists, it’s more than a job, it’s their livelihood, their lifestyle and their life “We’ve got so many who were meant to be performing in arch

Wilton’s Music Hall will reopen its doors to the public on May 28 for comedy EastEndless or April last year that we moved to September or October in the first instance and, when that didn’t happen, rescheduled for anuary or ebruary “ ow we can actually say to artists with complete confidence that, in terms of being able to do socially-distanced shows initially, they will be performing to audiences who cannot wait to hear them We’ve got a lot of frustrated performers and now they’re thrilled “We’re delighted that audiences and artists are coming back together in our venue that’s what makes these buildings really sing it’s very e citing t first Wilton’s capacity will be cut from to to ensure audi-

“

Nothing can beat the bustle before 7.30pm, where loads of people who don’t know each other are about to share an intimate experience Harry Hickmore, Wilton’s Music Hall

Harry says people from all over gathering together for a show without interruption is the thing he’s missed most during Wilton’s closure Images by Matt Grayson – find more of his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Waiting for the public – Wilton’s foyer stands ready for visitors

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell

forward looking

four focus

support your local institutions Where? Troxy Limehouse

why Wilton’s Music Hall is eagerly awaiting the return of live audiences – a key ingredient in the magic of the shows it hosts ence members can remain socially distanced and Harry said the venue could adapt its operation at short notice should government guidance change. “Something very strange would have to happen for shows not to go ahead,” he said. “The only thing that would stop us is a full lockdown. If needs be, we can have a socially distanced auditorium for a bit longer in June. “The other thing is that audiences will be returning to a venue that’s really comfy and sounds great. “Wilton’s was built to have more than 1,000 people in the hall for performances in the 19th century so it could be a bit boomy. We’ve just completed a £500,000 project to install acoustic pannelling on the walls of the balcony to enable a range of shows from one person speaking on stage to a full opera. “We’ve also had new seats put in, which will be an extra bonus for audiences. We have a lot of generous donors who support us and we’ve relied on them this year when ticket sales and other income have fallen by the wayside.” Harry, who oversees fundraising e orts for the venue, is also looking forward to the return of weddings at Wilton’s. “By the time this article comes out we’ll have just done our ﬁrst wedding since lockdown,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people approach us in 2020 who are planning to get married and really want to do it here so I hope there will be more in July and August when people can have a full ceremony and celebration. “We’ll also be reopening the Mahogany Bar and we have a lot of regulars and locals who just visit us for a drink.” Harry, who is a trained musician and previously worked as a fundraiser for English National Opera, said he was especially looking forward to Scaramouche Jones Or The Seven White Masks later in June. “It’s going to be brilliant – starring Justin Butcher in the lead role, it’s 20 years since it was made famous by the late Pete Postlethwaite,” he said. “In general though, the thing I’ve really missed over the last 14 months is that feeling that people are coming from all di erent areas,

The auditorium has received acoustic upgrades during lockdown

SEE | The Specials It might be far in the future and this is the iteration without Jerry Dammers, but Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter are set to play Encore. Sept 25, 7pm, £51.80, troxy.co.uk Where? The Star Of The East Limehouse

COMEDY | Cutting Room Floor East Comedy returns to The Star Of The East with sets from Robin Ince, Rich Wilson, Alison Spittle, Pope Londergan and host Vix Leyton, pictured. Jun 16, doors 6.30pm, £11.37, eventbrite.co.uk Where? The Grapes Limehouse

top picks

what’s on at Wilton’s EastEndless May 28-29 £19-£22 An obsessed EastEnders fan lands a bit part on the show in this blackly comic look at the soap Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope Jun 1 £19-£22 Mark Farrelly takes on the part of the naked civil servant in this resurrection Scaramouche Jones Jun 15-26 £22.50-£25 A centenarian clown breaks 50 years of silence on Millennium Eve to tell the story of his life

di erent day-jobs, into one space, to enjoy one thing together – an experience of about 90 minutes without any interruption from the outside world. “There’s the brilliant magic where there are two or three artists on stage with an audience and they’re all enjoying it together. “There’s a reason why, since humans lived in the caves, we’ve been taking part in live performance. “We love being in a group – it’s something really simple – and we haven’t always been able to do that during the pandemic. “There have been great things that have come from the proliferation of live streaming, which will really improve the whole theatre sector, but nothing can beat that bustle before 7.30pm, where loads of people who don’t know each other are about to share quite an intimate experience, side by side. “It’s a really beautiful thing and it’s something we do brilliantly well in London.” With strong demand for tickets reported, don’t delay booking if you’re planning an evening out at Wilton’s or another venue in the coming months.

Scan this code for more shows at Wilton’s or to make a booking

BOOK | A Table Inside Thanks to restrictions relaxing, it’s now possible to get back inside The Grapes and put some of their juice (or beer if you prefer) inside yourself. Daily from noon, thegrapes.co.uk

spicy location

There’s something wonderful about Natak in Limehouse – a thorough and brilliant smashing together of brunch classics and Indian flavours to deliver something sublime and, more importantly, filling nataklondon.com Scan this code to find out more about Natak in Narrow Street or to make a booking inside or out want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Regions of Italy that La Nina will celebrate with its rolling monthly programme

by Jon Massey

t would be amazing – if we could have the right support from Tower Hamlets Council, we could make the Isle Of Dogs a real food district,” said Monica Olivieri. The exuberant owner and creator of La ina a e ercato is abu with ideas, when we meet to talk about its recent opening. Located in Pepper Street on the western side of Glengall Bridge, Monica’s shop and cafe is decked out in white furniture and natural wood, completely packed with Italian produce, ready-to-cook meals and savoury and sweet treats to consume on the premises or take elsewhere. Like the cheery looking sausage dog-shaped draft excluder that holds open La Nina’s door, it’s playful – with art on the walls and an ebullience that matches its owner. “It was born during the ﬁrst lockdown, said Monica. “I’m a marketing and events expert, mainly working in food but with the pandemic I was completely closed. I couldn’t do anything, because I usually work with chefs and restaurants, and they were shut and events were banned. “So I said: ‘Let’s do something’. I moved to the Isle Of Dogs four years ago and, at home, I have art, good food and good music and I just wanted to take it out and put it along the street for the community. “I grew up in my grandmother’s shop in the province of Lecce in Italy and I’d always had these feelings to create something similar here on the Island – something authentic, familiar but with my spirit in it.” With branding drawn from an old family photo of Monica on her grandmother’s hip, the celebration of family is clear, but the logo is also an expression of deeper roots. “My grandmother Joanna opened her ﬁrst shop in my home town a very tiny village in Lecce – just after the Second World War, so I consider her an entrepreneur,” said Monica. “In Italy you have Joanna, then Joannina and the nickname is Nina, so that’s where the name of my shop comes from. “My grandmother was a business-

La Nina’s owner, Monica Olivieri developed the branding for her cafe and market from a photo of her grandmother

how La Nina Caffe & Mercato is bringing the flavours, sights and sounds of Italy to Pepper Street as its owner looks to the Island’s future

mission monica’s

We want people to try gourmet food and to understand that it is not always expensive – for customers to take advice from us

La Nina stocks

Monica Olivieri, La Nina Caffe & Mercato

a wide range of produce from all over Italy

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

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

woman She started selling paper and pencils, because she was living in front of a school and understood the demand “Then, after that, she started to sell pasta, vegetables, clothes, everything I grew up inside that shop and for me it was like a funfair because I could eat everything “ y grandma was probably the ﬁrst to have a T in the village and, every time we were watching, there was advertising going on often for biscuits or chocolate or whatever “She’d ask me and my sisters which we wanted to eat and then she’d buy them so we could try and decide whether to stock them I think that’s where my interest in marketing came from

onica’s career has seen her working with numerous chefs and restaurants as well as for big brands such as Hard Rock afe, Starbucks and ucati Islanders may also be familiar with arbonara ay In ondon carbonaradayin london co uk , which saw more than , people come to udchute ark nd arm to enjoy the classic Italian dish in and is set for a second physical edition this year or now, however, her focus is on establishing a ina with an energetic programme of events and a monthly roving spotlight on di erent Italian regions “In the shop, customers will ﬁnd cheese, salami, pasta, tomatoes and olive oil, said onica “We pick some products where we know the producers, have visited them, and stock others recommended by friends of friends “We want people to try gourmet food and to understand that it is not always e pensive for customers to take advice from us because, for e ample, you can buy good uality olive oil without spending a fortune “ ventually we want people to visit the farms and companies that produce these products so we can say to people: If you like this, here’s a business card, go and stay there and eat there This is how people gain a proper knowledge of food

diary dates

Music at La Nina ● June 4 E&E Acoustic Duo Guitar and piano ● June 11 Mackerel Skies Guitar and percussion ● June 18 Mariska Martina Guitar and piano ● June 25 Cinelli Brothers Guitar and percussion Go to laninacaffemercato.co.uk

Tasting events are set to take place at La Nina in June

four focus

support your local institutions Where? Poplar Union Poplar

Monica furnished La Nina by recycling unwanted pieces found locally “Italian food is, of course, some thing that comes naturally to me because I eat it every day When I speak with nglish people they often say they love Italian cuisine, but this doesn’t mean anything because our food is so varied “Italy has regions, so it’s wrong to say the food is just pasta and pi a We are rich in vegetables and there are so many varieties of ﬁsh and di erent ways of eating meat “ s a cuisine, it’s very diverse and very di erent, so my goal is to tell our customers about food from di erent parts of Italy, changing the focus each month “We’ve already looked at uglia, Sardinia and ampana and in une we ll have Tuscany, with olive oil, wines and some special dishes available at the shop and online “We’ll also be launching our ran o on pera a set lunch menu available to pre-book on Saturdays and Sundays with a performer from the Trinity aban onservatoire f usic nd ance “In uly we’ll move on to eneto with a selection of products as well as launching peritivo ene iano, serving sprit cocktails urnished in part with unwanted chairs and tables found on ondon’s streets by onica, the space’s other key function is as a cafe, having opened for outdoor guests in pril as lockdown restrictions eased

“Mercato, of course means market and ca e, because a ina is a co ee shop, said onica “We serve Italian co ee and only one si e with no syrups or anything like that “If people want to make their co ee sweeter, they can use sugar It’s been going fantastically we’ve had ueues outside and we really love to invite people in

a ina has also become a venue for live music, as onica works to attract more people to a part of epper Street that has su ered mi ed fortunes in recent years, with a busy programme of events “It should be more active, she said “I want it to be vivid an honest food district like rick ane or orough I want it to come alive “In ngland attention has completely shifted onto food eople really know about the uality and authenticity of Italian food and I’m very happy about that “To complement that we have a very rich calendar in une including wine tastings on and and olive oil tastings on and “The space also acts as an art gallery and we have artist Stefano allara ernissage introducing his e hibition on une We’re also set to have a jewellery making workshop with glasses of wine for participants, hosted by Isle f ogs-based designer ago on une s well as working on the second edition of arbonara ay In ondon, onica’s ambition is to open a second venue Tavola, which will have a kitchen to serve Italian food ntil then, watch this space, there’s bound to be something going on a ina also operates as an online shop with free delivery on the Isle f ogs for orders over Ticket in uiries should be made in person at the shop or via its website

Scan this code to visit La Nina’s website and for online shopping

MOVE | Butoh With Matie-Gabrielle Rotie Join Marie-Gabrielle for a three-day course in Japanese dance theatre featuring intensive body training and structured improvisations. Jul 2-4, 11.45am-3.45pm, £150, poplarunion.com Where? London City Island Leamouth

CELEBRATE | The Islander Festival Set to mark the further easing of lockdown restrictions, this programme of events includes musical performances, markets and film screenings. Jun 27-Jul 18, times and prices vary, londoncityisland.com Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Foreword Festival These four new plays – Labyrinth Diet, Look Who’s All Grown Up, Refuge and Misfits – are drawn from the theatre’s ScriptSpace development programme. Jun 8-Jul 3, times vary, £15, space.org.uk

taking bookings

NHS GP Dr Rita Nandi has launched The Bloom Clinic on the Isle Of Dogs, offering beauty and medical aesthetic treatments and a host of wellness partnerships aimed at providing a holistic approach for her clients thebloomclinic.co.uk Visit The Bloom Clinic’s website to find out more about the treatments Dr Nandi offers want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Advertising Directory - Classified

find our advertisers’ messages here Ananda By Thames print Page 1 online anandabythames.co.uk

Ivy House Residential print Page 19 online ivyhouseresidential.com

Gatehouse School print Page 3 online gatehouseschool.co.uk

Alex Neil print Page 22 online alexneil.com

Kidd Rapinet print Pages 4, 24 online kiddrapinet.co.uk

Tailor & Forge print Page 23 online tailorandforge.com

Republic print Page 5 online republic.london

Legal & General print Pages 25 online landgah.com/sqp

The Yacht Club London print Page 7 online yachtclublondon.com

Madison Brook print Pages 26, 27 online madisonbrook.com

SPECIAL TREATMENT LICENCES

The Bloom Clinic print Page 9 online thebloomclinic.co.uk

Galliard Homes print Page 34 online galliardhomes.com

Has applied to the London Borough of Tower Hamlet for: SPORTS MASSAGE, SAUNA, STEAMROOM.

Creative Virtual print Page 11 online creativevirtual.com

Handyman Services London print Page 40 online handyman-services-london.co.uk

My London Home print Pages 15, 28, 29 online mylondonhome.com

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT: JOE LADDS

Licence(s) for the Premises: NUFFIELD HEALTH CANARY WHARF Anyone wishing to oppose the application must give notice in writing to David Tolley, Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards, John Onslow House, 1 Ewart Place, London E3 5EQ WITHIN THREE WEEKS specifying the grounds of opposition. Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person at a hearing before a Committee of the Council.

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

IMPROVE YOUR HOME

LEAFLET DISTRIBUTION

this is the Urban Fox and he always delivers... the Urban Fox hand distributes thousands of copies of Wharf Life to private homes all around Docklands and he’s ready to help your business reach new customers located close to you leafleting and publication distribution quotes via urbanfox@wharf-life.com

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

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

why Cece’s Speakeasy is the perfect place to sip on a hot chocolate or an Espresso Martini and think about the world

four focus

support your local institutions Cece’s Speakeasy turns the spotlight on climate change and how it threatens the world we’ve grown used to

Where? St Mary’s Rotherhithe Rotherhithe

STAGE | The Rotherhithe Gospels See a powerful staging of these Medieval passion plays adapted from The Medieval Mystery Plays by Phil Willmott and The Rotherhithe Players. Jun 24-Jul 18, 7pm, pay what you can, freetheatreuk.com Where? The Master Shipwright’s House Deptford

indulge with a little guilt

by Jon Massey

e felt, in celebration of a return to live performances in venues across the capital, that this blend of beans, live music and poetry at The Albany in Deptford, deserved a signiﬁcant plug Cece’s Speakeasy is set in 2031 against a backdrop of global temperature rises and the resulting degradation of co ee and chocolate crops threatening the whole future of both indulgences Imagine no chocolate by Into that world, audience members attending the “immersive poetic experience” – which runs from June 30-July 3 – can expect an evening of entertainment from storytellers, poets and musicians as they share new work exploring hope and action during the climate emergency Billed as a place for truthseekers, chocolate lovers and co ee drinkers, Cece’s promises the ideal

Imagine a world without chocolate conditions for those with a story to tell and who want to listen while sampling the forbidden delights of Espresso Martini and hot chocolate while kicking back and rela ing The shows, which start at pm, feature performers an Blake, Anthony Joseph, The Repeat

eat oet, Saﬁya amaria inshasa and Amyra Leon as well as music from Eric Appapoulay, Isobella Burnham, Renato Paris, Jermaine missah and Westley oseph The production has been commissioned as part of Season For Change, a nationwide programme of artistic and cultural events celebrating the environment and aimed at inspiring urgent climate action The cheapest tickets available are for tables of four at Tables of three as well as groups of two and three seats and singles are also on o er Book before the end of May with code I and get o a limited number of seats at each performance Go to thealbany.org.uk for more information or to make a booking

You are also welcome to scan this code to go to the site

GIG | Seckou Keita The Nest Collective hosts an outdoor concert with arguably the most influential Kora player of his generation. Expect charisma, tradition and heritage. Jul 2, 7pm, £18, ents24.com Where? Canada Water Theatre Rotherhithe

STAGE | Words By The Water Poet Tyrone Lewis takes his audience on a journey providing an introduction to spoken word via eight artists. Also available to stream live. Jun 10, 8pm, pay what you like, thealbany.org.uk

drink in

Make a pilgrimage to The Ship in Rotherhithe, now taking bookings for parties of up to six indoors and plenty of space outdoors. It’s everything you could want in a local, an oasis just off the beaten track rampubcompany.co.uk Wave your phone over this code to visit The Ship’s website, make a booking or just have a browse want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

take a breath

by David Lefebvre Sell

brought what the tide

to the Thames

David suggests writing down your worries

ave you ever noticed that the word “worry” is both a noun and a verb? It can be something one has and also something one does. Worry and anxiety are closely related – the feeling of anxiety can drive the behaviour of worrying because when we are worrying it may feel like we are actually doing something productive. It can be a profound shift for people when they realise their worrying is not problem solving and isn’t doing them any good. There can be many reasons why someone has deeply entrenched anxiety and worry, and I’m not suggesting that there is necessarily an easy fix. But if a feeling of anxiety is driving the behaviour of worry, which is then amplifying the feeling of anxiety, that’s a behaviour loop that is feeding itself. We can begin to break that loop with simple curiosity. When there is a feeling of anxiety, just be curious If you’re worried about it. What does about something you it actually feel like? What is happening in cannot control, then your body or to your breathing? all you can do is deal Most importantly, with the symptoms what does that feeling make you want to of that anxiety do? Eat, drink alcohol, David Lefebvre Sell smoke, over-plan things? If your anxiety is possibly related to personal trauma, you may want to go through this process with a professional – we all need a little help sometimes. Keeping a journal is also very useful. If you are worried about something specific, write it down. Ask yourself what you’re doing about that problem because, if you can do something but you’re not actually doing it, that’s why you’re worried. If you’re worried about something you cannot control, then all you can do is deal with the symptoms of that anxiety. Spend time in nature, breathe well for 10 minutes (there are plenty of resources for that – Google ’em), exercise, visit someone who makes you laugh. In the words of Mark Twain: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”

David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf Follow @davetheyogi on Twitter and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB Scan this code for more on David’s work as a psychotherapist and details of his online Vinyasa and Hatha Yoga classes

how Flow Market is bringing fresh produce to the Peninsula by Jon Massey

clutch of food traders are plying their wares on the banks of the Thames as Greenwich Peninsula hosts Flow Market every other Sunday. With the next one set to take place on May 30 – and with dates running throughout the summer until September 19 – we caught up with the organiser and stallholders to discover what residents and visitors can ﬁnd on the strip of land between the end of The Tide and the river. “We really wanted to expand the artisan food element that is part of our

urban design market Sample to create a regular farmers’ market,” said Kaia Charles, cultural projects manager for Greenwich Peninsula at property developer Knight Dragon. “So we worked with creative food ﬁrm ompass nd arr to develop an idea about what that could be for the Peninsula – to bring a range of fresh produce, organic meats and cheeses here. Flow is inspired by the river itself, its location and, as it grows we really want to feature local producers. “We want it very much to be for the residents here so it’s about what they want and need – that’s what will drive what we have here. The idea is the selection of traders we have at the moment goes really

well together with organic bread, cheeses, olives and meats. “It’s gone down really well with residents so far and the stalls are also near two of our retail tenants – Choy ouse and rdoa so people can visit them too. We want to enliven the river and celebrate the resilience of our community after the pandemic.” Flow Market takes place every other Sunday from 10am-3pm. Here we talk to some of the traders taking part.

Scan this code to find out more about Flow Market at The Tide

OLIVETO BAR @oliveto.bar on Insat olives - garlic - sundried tomatoes

OH MY SUGAR ohmysugar.co.uk cookies - brownies - sweets Oh My Sugar owner Aysar Kalkanel said: “I started the business in 2020. I’d been travelling and I wanted to come home and open a brunch bar, but I arrived back just as we went into the first lockdown, so I had to think of an alternative. “I’d never baked before, but it blew up completely. Originally it was going to be more about sweets, but everyone kept ordering the brownies and cookies. We started doing just online and then a couple of people suggested markets and it’s been the best thing I’ve done. “We mainly sell cookies, brownies and blondies which is a version of a brownie made with white chocolate – they’re very sweet, but people love them. We basically offer a variety of chocolate-smothered goodness.”

Oliveto’s Samaneh Khazaei said: “The business has been established for almost 12 years now. We marinade everything ourselves and source our olives from Italy, Greece and Spain. “All of our products are homemade and sold freshly at markets, whether it’s the olives or the hummus. “Our flavours include olives flavoured with mixed fresh herbs and chilli. We are also selling Persian garlic and artichokes. We don’t use vinegar or salt in our marinades, just extra virgin olive oil. We also do vegetarian stuffed vine leaves. “Personally I love our olives stuffed with almonds and anchovies – they’re really tasty. I also have to mention our hummus, which is delicious.”

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

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

Traders – the size organisers want Flow Market to grow to as it continues to develop

PICK’S ORGANIC FARM picksorganic.co.uk vegetables - meat - bacon rolls Pick’s Organic Farm’s Hannah Patterson said: “The farm is based near Leicester in Barkby Thorpe and we come down every Saturday and Sunday to trade at farmers’ markets in London. “We do a range of hot food – cooking sausages and bacon at our stall – as well as selling meat, fresh eggs from our chickens and fruit and vegetables too, although not at every market. “All the meat we sell is produced from our own animals. We have a variety of sausages including Welsh Dragon, flavoured with chilli, a good selection of beef, lamb and chicken as well as burgers – a bit of everything you could want, really. We sell burgers, hot dogs, bacon rolls and egg rolls or any combination customers want.”

four focus

support your local institutions Where? Greenwich Greenwich and Peninsula

THE BIG WHEEL bigwheelcheese.co.uk cheese - crackers - condiments The Big Wheel’s Hazel Cross said: “We specialise in artisan British cheeses, which come from up and down the UK. For example we stock Lancashire Bomber, Colston Basset Stilton and Keens and Montgomery’s cheddars plus Lincolnshire Poachers and Cornish Yarg. “We also have an international classics section because there are certain things that no cheese board should be without. Our customers come and they want a Parmesan or a Langres, which comes from the Champagne region of France and has a lovely orange colour. My personal favourite is the Ribblesdale Goatesan, a hard cheese from Yorkshire. “The Big Wheel exists only at markets in London and that allows us to keep our prices competitive.”

TRAVEL | Uber Boat By Thames Clippers While not exclusive to Greenwich, the network’s local piers offer multiple attractions and make for a great day out with a family river roamer pass for five. Open daily, £36.70, thamesclippers.com Where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | Bad Nights And Odd Days Paul McGann stars in three short plays by Caryl Churchill – Abortive, Seagulls and Three More Sleepless Nights. Socially distanced seats. Jun 23-Jul 10, times vary, £26, greenwichtheatre.org.uk Where? The Royal Observatory Greenwich

TALK | Storms From The Sun Pretend you’re still in lockdown with this online lecture by the University of Reading’s Prof. Chris Scott on space weather and how it affects Earth. Jun 18, 6pm, £5 per device, rmg.co.uk

open for business RODGIS rodgis.com sourdough - sausage rolls - pastries Rodgis’ Kudciea Khan said: “We offer a range of sourdough bread with loaves for £4 or, if someone wants two, it’s £6. “There’s rosemary, olive bread, rye and multiseed on offer. The products are all freshly made at a central kitchen and and we have savoury food and pastries as well, including chocolate cheesecake and pasteis de nata. “We’ve been really busy at Flow, with people queuing despite the rain and we hope to add even more products to our stall here. “Rodgis is a family business which operates at various farmers’ markets around London and via its website.” The business also produces a range of charcuterie, pastas and olives available to purchase online, shipped from its base near Peckham

Flow Market is operated by Urban Food Fest on behalf of Greenwich Peninsula on alternate Sundays

while you’re there

visit Now Gallery on the Peninsula

VIEW | Return To Slygo See this immersive exhibition by fashion designer Nicholas Daley that invites visitors to slow down and dwell. Ticketed slots. Until Jul 4, times vary, free, nowgallery.co.uk

With restrictions receding, Icon Outlet At The O2 is welcoming back shoppers alongside those keen to eat in its range of restaurants and bars – expect up to 70% off in stores and some new openings to check out iconattheo2.co.uk Scan this code to find out all about Icon Outlet At The O2 and its selection of shops and attractions want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

flyover refreshing the

four focus

support your local institutions Where? Online Richard House Children’s Hospice

DONATE | Webinars Consider donating £200 or more and get access to one or more mental health webinars created by Beckton charity Richard House Children’s Hospice. Ongoing, email corporates@richardhouse.org.uk Where? RAW Studios Royal Albert Wharf

how Expressway aims to give its tenants exactly what they need – no more, no less – at a price they are able to afford by Jon Massey

ART | Inaugural Event Art In The Docks is set to open its doors for its very first public show celebrating work created and allowing people to get to know the artists. Jun 3-27, times vary, free, artinthedocks.com Where? Beckton Globe Library Beckton

KIDS | Hannah Lee: My Hair Author Hannah Lee reads from her illustrated picture book My Hair about how a young girl chooses to style her hair for her birthday. Jun 26, 11am, free (ticketed), royaldocks.london

industrial inspiration

Michael Stuart-Daly and Calvin Mlilo have created all-inclusive photography space Silverspace Studios at The Silver Building in Silvertown by snappers, for snappers and they’re justly proud of it silverspacestudios.com Scan this code to find out more about Silverspace Studios at The Silver Building or to book a slot want more? @wharflifelive

There’s plenty going on

or drivers cruising down into the southern slice of Royal Docks via the long, graceful curve of the Silvertown Way ﬂyover it would be entirely possible to miss something extraordinary taking place beneath the smooth asphalt caressed by the rubber of their tyres. But, turn right at the bottom onto the switchback of North Woolwich Road, and the hive of activity beneath the arc of the carriageways becomes increasingly apparent, a crescendo as the height of the units rises, culminating in a main entrance. This is Expressway, a comprehensive revitalisation of the old Waterfront Studios Business Centre. General Projects, the company that bought the space in 2018, hasn’t so much updated the existing real estate as reinvented it, punching a fresh entrance through the wall to Royal Victoria Dock and installing a co ee shop serving Perky Blenders’ products to open it up to the public and fuel occupants of its studios and industrial units. Outside, dark grey paint has refreshed the structure, while indoors, whites, greens and stencilled lettering alongside a profusion of plywood and real plants lend its communal spaces and corridors a light, airy feel. There’s no plastic foliage nonsense here, just a friendly welcoming atmosphere replete with community notice board and plenty of puns around the word ‘way’. It’s a visual expression of the light-touch authenticity that’s at the core of General Projects’ scheme. Expressway principal Jacob Sandelson said: “When the company was founded, the serviced o ce market was popping up all over central London, but what became

under the Silvertown Way flyover

apparent to us was that when you got further out, to areas such as Acton in the west, Croydon in the south, Haringey in the north and Royal Docks in the east, there wasn’t that same provision of space. “There were lots of blue carpet, white light o ces but not much in the way of amenities or service for what we call steady growth innovators – hard working small businesses such as craft brewers, accountants, recruitment consultants and fashion designers. “These aren’t the kinds of companies that are looking to raise £50million from venture capitalists. They’re looking to hire a couple of people who they trust, who will feel ownership of that business and will like going to work. Hypertalented one-man-bands growing to five person firms “So when we were looking for locations as a company, we were hunting an incumbent sense of community. “I’m not the figurehead of Expressway – it’s made up of the people who have worked here

Spaces can be leased furnished or unfurnished to a tenant’s specification

Expressway’s coffee shop faces out onto Royal Victoria Dock

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Royal Docks - Canning Town

7,000

Square footage of the largest serviced industrial units available at Expressway

The co-working space is located in the main communal area the longest. As a company, we’re just here to provide nice space for people and exactly the things that they want and not more than that because we know value is the most important part of our product.” In addition to private o ce studios, typically 350sq ft, the facility boasts communal showers, cycle spaces, meeting rooms and a co-working space as well as industrial units of between 1,000sq ft and 7,000sq ft. “We think this is ondon’s ﬁrst truly serviced industrial space,” said Jacob. “We can provide spaces fully furnished or ﬁtted at a basic level with services connected and wireless and wired internet connections included. It’s really up to the business. It’s also about supporting local people – around 50% of the people who work here live within 15 minutes’ walk.”

ey to pressway’s o er is the importance it places on developing its community of businesses, whether that’s assisting ﬁrms in navigating through the choppy economic waters of Covid-19 or helping support the next generation of entrepreneurs. “I’m incredibly proud of how we acted through the pandemic,” said Jacob. “It was a time when there was fear in every email. “As soon as it was clear Covid-19 was becoming a problem we set up the Expressway Genius ar for our tenants, sta ed fulltime by a colleague of mine. “His job was to understand and be the guy to go to on everything from VAT deferment to furlough, the Coronavirus Interruption Business Loan Scheme, grant funding and the bounce back loans. “The aim was to communicate with all of our tenants and stand between them and the complexity of accessing assistance and money. “We helped more than 60 businesses get more than £600,000 of grant funding and that really helped. We’re currently at 92% occupancy and I hope people here

would talk about us favourably as an owner-operator.” General Projects is also working to create a circular model where Expressway, in partnership with the council-run Newham Workplace and the Royal Docks Team, hosts the Youth Incubator programme. “Fostering small and local businesses is at the core of everything we do,” said Jacob. “We have a number of initiatives but this programme in particular o ers 17 people aged 18-30 free membership of Expressway. Newham has very high levels of youth unemployment but, when you have that, you can also have very high levels of entrepreneurship. “Our incubees get skills seminars, development support, social media marketing advice, guidance on accounting for small businesses and on how to raise funds. “They also get free, relevant mentoring – we’re not experts in any of those areas but we have an on-site network of 162 small and medium-size businesses that have all been down those roads, have trodden those paths and completely understand and empathise with the challenges. “Expressway acts as a social brokerage to match businesses with young people on the programme and we welcomed our second cohort at the end of March. “What I would really like to see is someone go round the full circle, coming to the incubator, growing from a single person business and taking space from us and then in turn becoming a mentor. “I want as large a number as possible of our existing tenants to remain with us and for Expressway to be a place that feels lived in as well as worked in, for it to continue to be a space where genuine experiences happen.”

Scan this code for more info about Expressway

Jacob joined General Projects after a career in the residential property market and believes Expressway offers the first ‘truly serviced’ industrial units in London

Fostering small and local businesses is at the core of everything we do. I want Expressway to continue to be a space where genuine experiences happen Jacob Sandelson, General Projects

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

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

how Jackie Christian went from chef to entrepreneur with the help of her family

Jackie’s age when she first embarked on a career as a chef, working for Gordon Ramsay

Jackie has spent decades working in the food industry and has now moved into a commercial kitchen in Woolwich to grow her rum cake business

by Jon Massey

t would probably take something the length of a novel to do justice to Jackie Christian’s story. The Stratford resident, working with her sister Natalie Walker, is the driving force behind Doreen’s Jamaican Homemade Rum Cakes, which have been delivering sweetness and generous levels of Wray And Nephew overproof spirit to the mouths of Londoners for the past six years. “Our mum, Doreen, always cooked these amazing dinners for family and friends,” said Jackie. “She’d also make rum cake and banana bread and, because I was the second eldest, she’d get me to help out doing bits and pieces around the kitchen when I was a teenager. “Because of that, I wanted to become a chef so I went on a catering course – you did six months in college and six months working in the industry. “So when I was , my first job was working at the Mayfair Hotel with Gordon Ramsay – he was my boss and that was the start of my career. After my training, I was called into the o ce I was wondering what I’d done because Gordon was in there. But they said: ‘We love the way you work and we’re going to save you a job here’. “I was amazed, so I went back to college, finished my course and started at the Mayfair, working as an a la carte chef. From there I went to L’Escargot in Soho – I loved it so much – and then to Fred’s Club, which was on three floors and for the rich and famous We had Boy George, Neneh Cherry – all the celebrities.” After years working long hours at the top of the London restaurant scene, Jackie and her husband decided to start a family and she stepped away from the industry. “I have to be proud of myself because I’ve had a tough time,” said Jackie. “I lost my husband to a heart attack out of the blue when my son was five We lost our mum and, just recently, our sister but I know that they’re watching – they are our angels.” It was inspiration while thinking about her mother that led Jackie’s life to change direction again.

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

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23, 2021 wharf-life.com

Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick

Having forged a successful career in contract catering, Jackie had hit an impasse. She was happy to be cooking, but bored by the repetitive nature of the work. “Someone asked to buy a cake from me and I was looking at Ma’s picture. That was the time I decided to continue her work. She used to make rum cakes with me and then give them away to neighbours and friends. If you got one it meant you were a bit special because of the love that goes into baking one. So I resigned from my job and decided to go for it, just working from my home in Stratford.”

proof

support your local institutions where? London Stadium Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

in the pudding

orn in London after her mother emigrated from Jamaica, Jackie uses a recipe passed down through at least three generations for her signature product, soaking fruit in overproof 63% ABV Wray And Nephew white rum before partially blending it and adding more rum as the other ingredients are folded in by hand. “By using this spirit I’m preserving the theme as well as sticking to the original recipe,” said Jackie. “Before the pandemic, I would go to Jamaica once a year, buy the rum and bring back the sunshine to England to bake into the cakes. “It’s about telling the story of our mother to our customers and letting them try the cake. I had no idea if this would work as a business in the beginning but it has. It’s not a cheap cake to make. “You need to soak the fruit for ever in the rum – I have a big barrel for that. Mummy didn’t like it whole so we blend it until it’s like a chunky puree, add the other ingredients and bake the cake. “Each one takes about three or four hours in the oven and then we put more rum on it and leave it to soak and infuse.” Having started with a regular stall at Greenwich Market, oreen’s has built up a signiﬁcant following in the borough allowing Jackie and Natalie to expand the business to Bohemia Place Market in Hackney. Lockdown saw online sales start up too and Jackie got the keys to a commercial kitchen in Woolwich, which will allow her to grow production and take on sta to assist. “We got the unit at Thames-Side Studios in October last year,” said Jackie. “Now I can get a team in because it’s just been Natalie and me. I’ve always had management roles when working in contract catering, so I know how to lead a team. You have to treat people with so much respect. No job deﬁnes a person “When I employ someone to wash up, I wash up with them. If

four focus

Secret process: Jackie’s rum cakes are made by hand using her mother’s recipe and generous quantities of spirit

they’re the last one to leave, I’ll stop whatever I’m doing and help – we’ll grab the brooms and mops and clean together. “Lots of people have asked me to take on work in the past and now I can accept more. People need to know what real rum cake tastes like – hand crafted as a labour of love. “What feels good is when a customer tells me that my cake reminds me of their mother’s – it makes me cry and then they cry too. “It’s happiness – because that means I’ve smashed it with my mother’s generation and now we’re starting to capture the younger people too. “They say they’ve never had it, then after a sample, they’re hooked. It is tough – we get so busy that I don’t get a rest. Sometimes it’s an eight-day-aweek business. “But when you see reactions and responses from the customers you feel so good. That’s when I know I’m doing this right. That love feels amazing. “My mum gave me the inspiration to become a chef and to start this business, and this is giving that love back to our customers.”

A My mum gave me the inspiration to become a chef and to start this business and this is giving that love back to our customers Jackie Christian, Doreen’s

s well as o ering Doreen’s classic rum cake in a variety of sizes and shapes – all of which should last a long time on the shelf thanks to the high levels of rum within, the business also sells a vegan version. Also available are Jamaican rum tru e brownies, stem ginger and chocolate brownies, lemon and coconut mu ns and ppleton Estate rum sponge cakes made with a darker, spiced spirit. Orders can be placed online at doreensjamaicanhomemade rumcakes.co.uk or the various products can be found and (frequently) tasted at Greenwich and Bohemia Place markets.

Scan this code to visit Doreen’s website for more information

EXERCISE | Chase The Sun 5k And 10k Possibly a rather optimistic title, given recent weather, this running event offers different distances to appeal to a range of athletes. Jun 9, £22, 7pm, runthrough.co.uk where? Adagio Stratford

OPENING | Aparthotel Adagio London Stratford Whether you’re looking for somewhere socially distanced to put up employees, visitors or family, there’s a new hotel in the centre of Stratford. Daily, from about £80 per night, adagio-city.com where? Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

STAGE | Extinct April De Angelis takes on the climate emergency in this tapestry of testimonials from environmental activists – discover their stories, their rebellion. Jun 30-Jul 17, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com

bites for all

Suitable for humans and dogs, check out the delicious treats available from Hackney Wick-based Lick&Mix, made using entirely plant-based ingredients and finding a home for spent grain from beer brewing lickandmix.com Scan this code to order online or find out more about Mareli Pelzer’s nutritious brand want more? @wharflifelive

Wharf Life May 26-Jun23, 2021 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Medium

4 2 3 7 9 6 6 1 9 3 2 8 5

8 9 4 2 7 3 1 5 6 Sudoku 1 a5break 2 from 6 8 that 4 phone 9 3 7 Take 7 6 3 5 1 9 4 2 8 How 6 to2 play 9 1 3 7 8 4 5 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 5 such 4 6 7 row, 9 1column and 3x3 box one3 to8nine that2each contains every number uniquely. 4 1 7 9 5 8 3 6 2 3 find 6 strategies, 8 4 1 hints 5 and 7 9tips online You2can at sudokuwiki.org 5 7 1 3 9 6 2 8 4 9 to 4 play 8 7 2 5 6 1 3 More

7 2 9 1 6 4 8 1 9 7 1

SUDOKU

You can find more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection ofTo others available in apps and books at str8ts.com. This complete Sudoku, fill the board Sudoku is supplied by Syndicated Puzzles. by entering numbers 1 to 9 such

No. 940 that each row, column and 3x3 box

contains every number uniquely. Notes

Medium

11. 12. 13. 15. 18. 20. 22. 23. 24.

Teachers after a job they allow no slacking (11) Provided with a drink when given medical attention (7) n organ badly a ected by gas (5) If it’s ready made, this will get me down! (5) Period of recuperation I have is disturbed (7) Covering an inclusion in material for printing (6) Coming just before Christmas (6) He’s named as one upset about coal supply (7) Connected musical works for three-piece combination? (5) In the War a daring means of communication (5) Make another distribution of genuine quantity (7) Takes the part of Feste, maybe (4,3,4)

Notes

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 14. 16.

19.

21.

The ring is concealed by Karen Andrews (5) Sauce boat raised (7) As poisonous creatures presumably they don’t multiply! (6) Rents and rates modiﬁed Music when the carnival takes place (7) A middling position to be in when there’s a cyclone around (5,6) Sieges that are likely to attract some interest (11) Describing unsettled tribes (7) Spinning device I’d returned to the employees (7) Try to ﬁnd a kind of warrant (6) Usual standards shown by Royal Marines in small numbers (5) A place to live in the Far North where one gets endless darkness (5)

7 8 1 3 6 5 4 9 2

3 4 9 7 2 8 1 6 5

1 9 4 8 7 3 5 2 6

5 3 2 4 9 6 7 8 1

6 7 8 5 1 2 9 4 3

Quick Across 1. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 15. 18. 20. 22. 23. 24.

Headlong (11) In name (7) Unaccompanied (5) Coach (5) Quiver (7) Eatable (6) Value (6) Playhouse (7) Assume (5) Utter (5) Famous (7) Discerning (11)

Down 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 14. 16. 17. 19. 21.

Send (5) Command (7) Courteous (6) Commerce (5) Bother (7) Unwatchful (11) Compel (11) Spanish (7) Climbing (7) Annul (6) Topic (5) High sea (5)

Across: 1 Precipitate; 9 Nominal; 10 Alone; 11 Tutor; 12 Tremble; 13 Edible; 15 Assess; 18 Theatre; 20 Adopt; 22 Voice; 23 Eminent; 24 Intelligent. Down: 2 Remit; 3 Control; 4 Polite; 5 Trade; 6 Trouble; 7 Inattentive; 8 Necessitate; 14 Iberian; 16 Scaling; 17 Repeal; 19 Theme; 21 Ocean.

2 6 5 1 4 9 8 3 7

Cryptic Solution

Down

4 2 3 9 5 7 6 1 8

Across: 1 Taskmasters; 9 Treated; 10 Argon; 11 Reach; 12 Restive; 13 Canopy; 15 Advent; 18 Nominee; 20 Suite; 22 Radar; 23 Reallot; 24 Acts the fool. Down: 2 Arena; 3 Ketchup; 4 Adders; 5 Tears; 6 Ragtime; 7 Storm centre; 8 Investments; 14 Nomadic; 16 Distaff; 17 Search; 19 Norms; 21 Igloo.

Across

9 5 6 2 8 1 3 7 4

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

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Cryptic

8 1 7 6 3 4 2 5 9

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

last issue’s solution

Previous solution - Easy Mar 31-Apr 14

Previous solution - Easy

Quick Solution

No. 940

Wharf Life May 26-Jun 23

Articles inside

How Tiny Tigers is providing play and co ee on South Quay

Celebrating Old Flo with Imani Ali’s vivid and creative story

Pergola On The Wharf germinates at Crossrail Place Roof Garden