+ The Ivy In The Park gets its winter party face on Page 4
Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
bend benefits of the
why Clare Walters believes Yoga is the ideal complement to a balanced fitness programme Canary Wharf – Page 6
inside issue 20
Martin Gettings - PKF Littlejohn - L&Q GenieShares - Puzzles - Leon Rothera Vertus - EFG London Jazz Festival Dick Whittington - Reginald Beer King Of Punjab - The Sausage
celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - nonsense
Image by Holly Cant – find more of her work at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
read
fortnightly find
this issue’s Tiger Treasure
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? Museum Of London Docklands West India Quay
feast your eyes on these
This little chap is bright, colourful and capable of sharpening your pencils. Quite what a desire to thrust a pointed object into the innocent nose of a cartoon bear sculpture says about its buyer is up to readers to decide. It certainly shouldn’t be taken as evidence of a lust for performing similar actions on real ursine creatures and is probably nothing much to worry about Pencil Sharpener, £4 Go to uk.flyingtiger.com
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EVENT | Victorian Santa’s Grotto It’s reasonable to assume (even with Halloween a recent memory) that this is a charming event for kids rather than an exhumation of an old man. Nov 29-Dec 23, 2pm-5pm, £10, museumoflondon.org.uk
Why PKF Littlejohn is putting people first with its office move
where? Canary Wharf estate wide
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SHOP | Winter Fashion Weekend Get discounts of up to 30% at Canary Wharf’s shopping event over Black Friday, featuring brands such as Ted Baker, The Kooples, Maje and Reiss. Nov 29-Dec 1, daily, free to visit, canarywharf.com where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place
Ben Brabyn on giving away 1% of companies as a social good
Find Mama’s Jerk on the lowest level of Jubilee Place
taste test
GIG | Rebecca Ferguson The Boisdale favourite returns to Canary Wharf for a one-off intimate evening of soul classics and original material including Shoulder To Shoulder. Nov 26, 9.15pm, from £25 (no dinner), boisdale.co.uk
to do on November 20
Book into HerStories at the Museum Of London Docklands on November 9 for a symposium aimed at “disrupting the narrative on black women in London”. The event runs from noon-3pm, tickets are £3 museumoflondon.org.uk
Jerk Spiced Saltfish Cakes, Mama’s Jerk, Wharf Kitchen, £8.95 In a world where burgers seem to be getting bigger, stuffed with the maximium number of ingredients gravity will allow, I was expecting this offering from Mama’s Jerk in Jubilee Place to be somewhat larger. However, this compact sandwich doesn’t need to show off when it is packed with this much flavour. The street food chain’s menu, based on the recipe of the owner’s late Nan, boasts that it focuses on fresh, good quality ingredients
paired with Caribbean flavours, a claim borne out by this burger. The flesh of the fish inside the bun is perfectly yielding in the mouth – tangy with a hint of salt. The main event contrasts perfectly with the crunch of the lettuce and shredded vegetable garnish, making for a satisfying, varied bite. Pairing it with extra jerk BBQ sauce (30p) made it especially fabulous. Go to mamasjerk.com Mary Tadpole
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14
Martin Gettings on the promise political will might deliver
the joy of six Every fortnight Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 44
need something fixed?
Sup on an immense waffle burger at Bird in Wharf Kitchen birdrestaurants.com
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf
on the radar
doing the deals
get more for less in and around the Wharf
need to know
gift
Ok, we’re really early with this one, but we’re already getting excited. Canary Wharf’s spectacular Winter Lights festival is set to return from January 16-25 across the estate. Free to visit, it’s a bright beacon in an often cold and dark month canarywharf.com
44 Vapers and fans of heated tobacco alternatives to cigarettes can look forward to the forthcoming launch of Iqos in Jubilee Place. There’s no proof the latter is any better for your health, of course uk.iqos.com
Spend £250 at Winser London in Jubilee Place and receive a reversible hat and scarf worth £169. Available while stocks last and terms, naturally, apply winserlondon.com
46
How the donation of an album solved Reginald’s mystery
Learn the recipe for Matt Colk’s spiced pumpkin pie
£15 48
Meet Surrey Quays resident and chef Leon Rothera as he talks cooking for stars and creating dishes for fitness enthusiasts through his Fyte Food brand
Buys you bottomless bubbles, red or white when ordering at least one main course per person before 3pm at Humble Grape off Cabot Square. Lasts 90mins humblegrape.co.uk
FREE ROUND OF ESPRESSO MARTINIS WITH EVERY EVENING PRIVATE DINING ROOM HIRE THIS DECEMBER AT THE GUN!
Come and join Sipsmith at The Gun to try some hot ginny tipples inspired by the Thames Frost Fairs of London's past. Here you'll be able to enjoy some classic winter warmers in the comfort of our traditional riverside 17th century marquee. We look forward to seeing you soon, and please get in touch for any enquiries about booking this space for your festive parties.
Christmas is Espres-So Good!
Book you Christmas party now! www.thegundocklands.com
27 Coldharbour, London, E14 9NS gun.events@fullers.co.uk 0207 519 0075
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
buy me
words you didn’t know you need
this fortnight’s must-have items
graipse
verb, fictional, from French The process of dragging oneself around an area of London in search of a decent wine bar, rejecting each with no more than a cursory glance and a judgement that it’s either too loud, too expensive or too full of graipsers
bucket list
write me
Off Piste offers mountainous views and a clutch of snuggly log cabins in Canada Square ● Bar List With news that Ice Rink Canary Wharf will be taking a break for 2019-2020, Wharfers craving something chilled need not fear. Off Piste has opened its wooden doors in Canada Square – a reimagined Grandstand Bar, promising “an alpine escape” in partnership with pizzeria Radio Alice and Czech beer brand Pravha. We’re most excited about the log cabins, though offpiste.bar
effulgent adjective, real, from Latin
Tara Teal Fedora Hat, £29 Monsoon, Canada Place
To shine forth brilliantly, to be radiant. Cosy up to your boss and impress them with your vocab, by commenting that their recent presentation was exceptionally effulgent. Warning – frequently misheard as effluent
● Burn List Those looking to incinerate some calories should head down to Awakn in Jubilee Place – the latest boutique fitness studio to open on the estate. Single classes are £22, introductory offers are available canarywharf.com
There’s no headgear cooler than a fedora and, with the temperature dropping and the nights drawing in, this is the hat you need to improve your moody silhouette
● Book List Required reading for all, Orwell’s 1984 is a bleak, dark exploration of totalitarian regimes and their potential impact on the individual. In a world where more information than ever exists about us, with increasingly fragile and limited protections from those who might use it against us it speaks as loudly in 2019 as in 1949 waterstones.com
Meet Santa!
Every weekend in December & Thursday 19, Friday 20 & Christmas Eve.£5 per child. In Aid of Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice.
pen ket o pm r a M till 8 late nesdays Wedin Decehm&be1r8th) (4th,
Sandra Millar, Greenwich Printmakers
Coco Barclay
eat me
11t
to get you through the day New Yorker Toastie, £6.50 Ole And Steen, Crossrail Place
R & R Chown Jewellery
ARTS& CRAFTS ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES
Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Weekends
Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
Nearest Station DLR Cutty Sark #greenwichmarket www.greenwichmarket.london
Sinking one’s teeth into Ole And Steen’s crispy, unctuous sandwich is confirmation that the decision to purchase was correct. At every possible level, this gherkin-rich, pastrami-filled creation is a triumph from its punchy mustard to its “Russian” salad. Do yourself a favour, put on your best accent and amuse the staff by demanding cauwfee loudly on the side oleandsteen.co.uk
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf
taste test
the Ivy ‘winterises’ its terrace and unveils its festive bites
BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PART Y The Ivy In The Park is located in Canada Square
by Jon Massey
I
t’s been just over a year since The Ivy In The Park started trading in Canary Wharf’s Canada Square. Despite being part of a chain of 36, excluding its namesake in Covent Garden, it’s been well received by Wharfers – charming workers and visitors to the estate to look beyond its blocky grey exterior with a blend of reasonable prices and tastefully chaotic vegetation. While the food in the restaurant itself may not be especially remarkable, there are still reasons to visit. Attending an event to mark its first 12 months and the “winterisation” of its ground floor terrace to protect against the elements, I was impressed by two things. The first was the exacting attention to detail from the staff. The man tasked with serving the assembled
guests copious quantities of fizz was almost obsessive in his desire to avoid drips. As soon as condensation on a chilled glass he was serving threatened to touch the hand of the receiver, there was his cloth to wipe away the moisture. It was the same story with any overspill from the bottle he wielded with expert skill. But he was simply the poster-child for the team, all of whom conveyed a sense of confidence in their eagleeyed approach to proceedings, softly massaging the event to success. Better still though were the canapes – a show of force from the kitchen far eclipsing its standard output. The cones of lobster, miniature arancini and smoked salmon bites were spot on. But it was the lumps of rare steak with truffle mayonnaise that stole the show. It’s almost worth booking an event just for them. Go to theivycanarywharf.com
Lumps of steak with watercress and truffle mayo
BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PART Y FOR THE ULTIMATE BASH AREA BOOKINGS FROM 10 PEOPLE UP TO EXCLUSIVE VENUE HIRE FOR 700 PEOPLE
EMAIL US AT: GIANTROBOT@LONDONUNION.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION TELEPHONE: 020 7719 1325 CROSSRAIL PL ACE | E14 5AR
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
yoga the power of
how classes at Third Space can be the perfect complementary addition to a programme of balanced exercise
by Jon Massey
T
aking 45 minutes or an hour to sit down and focus on something that isn’t your work can be invaluable to your mental state, because it takes you out of your workspace and away from your home life, both of which involve lots of pressures, lots of responsibility,” said Clare Walters. I’ve asked the Third Space mind and body
master trainer what benefit Yoga might be to busy Wharfers – having recently started to practise myself as an antidote to the stresses of everyday life. “ I say in my classes that the only responsibility you have is to yourself. You have time to just focus on your breath, to focus on something very tangible – you’re not worrying about the future or over-thinking what’s happened in the past. “You can just focus on what you’re doing in that present moment and giving your mind that break to slow
down is essential. I know a lot of people find meditation quite hard, but essentially that’s what you’re doing with it – slowing down the brain and you can do that within a Yoga class. It doesn’t have to be all about doing crazy, bendy shapes and becoming a human pretzel – you can just focus on the fundamentals, on finding the right stretch and strengthening aspects of the practice.” A former professional dancer, Clare knows all about the benefits Yoga can deliver as part of a health and fitness regime. “It’s been a part of my complementary training for a long time to keep me supple, to keep me strong. “I actually started when I was about 14 – I had a Yoga DVD, which I used to do in my bedroom at home. When I was 18 I went to Bird College – a music and dance college in Sidcup – and then to Trinity Laban Conservatoire Of Music And Dance in Greenwich. “There they offered Yoga as part of our extra-curricular activities. I worked as a professional dancer for a while and, in between auditions, I was working at a gym on reception. “Then I went into teaching fitness classes as well, became
The Third Space mind and body master trainer was a professional dancer before turning her talents to the fitness world
Images by Holly Cant – find more of her images at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta
“
It doesn’t have to be all about doing crazy, bendy shapes and becoming a human pretzel, you can focus on fundamentals Clare Walters, Third Space
a studio manager, and amongst all that I did my Yoga teacher training. “A foundation course is 200 hours long, which can be broken up in a variety of different ways, so a lot of London-based studios do it at weekends over a year. “I trained with Yoga Haven, who have studios in London, Birmingham and Brighton. “The training consists of immersion, where you’re doing a set sequence, breaking down the postures, focusing on the safe alignment of the body within those postures and different variations of them. You also learn how to assist people and to correct their postures with your hands. “You also learn all about the philosophy that underpins Yoga. The practice as we know it today is very different to where Yoga originated. “All the different names can be really confusing but it has its roots with the rishis – young boys who were sent off into the wilderness to find enlightenment and who practised Yoga postures or asanas to find their meditation seat. “It was a means to an end, so they could sit and meditate for hours and hours on end. “Modern Yoga is rooted in Ashtanga, the eight-limbed path to enlightenment, which was depicted by Patanjali, an ancient Indian scholar. “It includes moral codes, social observances as well as asanas – the physical postures that most people practise today, but it’s only one of the eight limbs. “In training, you have to learn all about the context – where modern Yoga has come from– so you can bring in parts of the spirituality and philosophy when teaching. “Different people will teach Yoga in different
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf
200
Hours a foundation course to become a Yoga teacher typically lasts
Clare says Yoga kept her sane when she was in a stressful role at a previous gym and can be of great benefit to busy Wharfers
ways – some people are very philosophical, some are very meditative and others more anatomical. “That’s the beauty of it – who you are as a teacher and as a person will in uence what you bring to your classes, and different people will respond to different aspects of the practice. “ find that most people will say: ‘I like Yoga with this person’, because they get drawn to one style or one type of teacher. “Because of my dance background, I’m very anatomical in my approach, and I like to make the postures work for everybody. These postures were originally designed for teenage boys. “Their bodies are very different from those of men or women. It appeals to a wide range of our members, whether they’re training with weights, into crossfit, iit classes, just Yoga. It’s a case of finding what s right for you. There’s no doing it right or wrong, but getting the best stretch you need. “What drew me to teach Yoga was a way of combating stress. I was head of creative projects at my previous gym and it was quite a stressful job. What kept me sane was Yoga and having that time to be still, to breathe, to meditate essentially, without having to sit down.”
Clare, who is responsible for looking after Pilates and Dance-based classes as well as Yoga at Third Space’s branches, believes people who are new to the practice should experiment with a few classes. “If somone’s never done Yoga before and they just want to have a stretch, I would recommend Yin, because it is about working the connective tissues. “The postures are held for a lot longer – four to six minute holds – but they are predominantly passive. “You’ve got the time to work out where you want to be, you’ve done a deep stretch and you don’t have to listen out for any Sanskrit words or positions. There’s no risk of getting lost when owing through a sequence. “If you’re looking for more of a strengthening session, then I’d recommend Hatha because those classes are a little bit slower than Vinyasa, which is more intense, and focus on strength and finding new alignment in the postures. “Try different teachers, because different teachers offer different things. y approach, for example, is more anatomical and scientific in its base, with aspects of meditation and mindfulness, whereas there are some teachers who are more Continued on Page 8
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Vertus gears up to unveil its extensive residential rental portfolio right across the Canary Wharf estate
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Canary Wharf
from Page 7 philosophical. If you go to one class and it feels a bit too ‘Yogi’, you can always try somebody else’s. In terms of impact, I have a friend who is an ex-rugby player, really into crossfit. ow he s a Yoga teacher. He can see the tangible improvements in his lifting. “ f you can find more range, and loosen the connective tissue in the muscles surrounding the joints, then you’ll have a deeper squat, and you can lift heavier and with a better technique. “If you’re a runner or a cyclist, then you’re going to be working either your hamstrings or your quads and hip e ors respectively. “Yoga offers you a more well-rounded approach in terms of strengthening. It’s complementary to everything you do, you don’t have to be an all or nothing person. “You could do one session a week and that will help you with your recovery and with your technique.” Clare, along with colleague Jess Bailey, is about to launch three workshops for the club’s members aimed at demystifying Yoga for beginners and sharpening up the skills of more advanced practitioners. “We didn’t want to level our classes at Third Space, because we wanted to be as inclusive as possible,” said Clare. “We know our members are super busy, so, if you can only go to Yoga on a Wednesday lunchtime and there’s only an advanced class when you’re a beginner, that is going to limit you. We’re very much aware we have a very wide ability level within the room. “You’ve got people who are brand new, who’ve been told by the physio to go and stretch because they feel a bit tight from running, and you’ve got people who are very dedicated yogis, capable of throwing out
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Distinct types of Yoga offered at Third Space in Canary Wharf – Yin, Hatha and Vinyasa
Third Space is about to start offering workshops for more experienced members to work on arm balances and inversions
“
Images by Holly Cant – find more of her images at hollycant.com or via @hollycantphoto on Insta
all the different inversions, arm balances and crazy transitions. “We’ll be running the workshops to cater for both ends of the spectrum. In Yoga Fundamentals, we will deal with basic technique and the main postures – sun salutation A, sun salutation B and the postures that come into that, going through warrior poses, working out where things
Clare will also be running beginners’ workshops
should be, what you should be feeling, how to transition between postures, just so people can feel comfortable that they know Chair Pose, for example. It will be on a deeper level than we’re able to get into with the classes. “For the more experienced members, the sessions will look at the more advanced poses – working on arm balances and inversions with two separate workshops. “Most arm balances and inversions have similar strength aspects and similar technique and principles so, once you know that, it applies to all of them and makes it a lot easier. Sometimes in classes there isn’t the time to break things down. You’ll quite often hear: ‘I’m going to do a tripod headstand, join me if it’s in your vocabulary,’ and a lot of people will look puzzled, so we wanted to address that. “Personally, arm balances
Personally, arm balances are my favourite bit of Yoga – I like feeling like a bit of a ninja Clare Walters, Third Space
are my favourite bit of Yoga – I like feeling like a bit of a ninja. “As a dancer I had no upper body strength, and Yoga has given me shoulders, so I can now balance on one elbow or one hand. It just feels really cool.” Individual membership at Third Space in Canary Wharf costs £170 per month and includes all classes. Go to thirdspace.london or follow Clare on Insta @clare_walters
breathe in
a top tip on Yoga practice “The most common mistake people make is not breathing,” said Clare. “When you’re in a class, focus on keeping the breath steady and keeping it as slow as possible – through the nose if possible to keep it deeper. “Quite often you see that because there is so much to think about, people start to hold their breath and it becomes a very shallow chest breath. That stimulates our sympathetic nervous system, which leads to a fight-or-flight response. “It’s what gets us out of bed in the morning - that spike of cortisol. We want to be in a para-sympathetic, relaxed state so our muscles don’t tense.”
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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YO U R ESCAPE M O T I VAT I O N RECOVERY PERFORMANCE
S PAC E WO R L D C L A S S FAC I L I T I E S , E X P E R T I S E A N D C L A S S E S AT L O N D O N ’ S L U X U R Y H E A LT H C L U B . E N Q U I R E T O D AY AT T H I R D S P A C E . L O N D O N
CANADA PL ACE, LONDON E14 5ER | 0207 970 0900 T E R M S A P P LY
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
how PKF Littlejohn hopes to capture fresh talent and retain valued staff with an office move and an evolution by Jon Massey
I
’ve come down with a terrible case of o ce envy. ollowing a tour of and a chat about ittle ohn s base at estferry ircus, days later, m getting ashbacks to elegantly manicured breakout spaces and imagining myself taking calls on its rooftop terrace. erhaps these are ust pangs of desire felt by those who ve stepped out from under the corporate umbrella – the lust for free tea and coffee and a chinwag with one s colleagues but it s also e actly the reaction the accountancy firm s new home is intended to provoke. t s a space designed to seduce people clients, naturally but, more crucially, prospective and current employees a clear state ment on how the financial services sector has changed and continues to evolve. The business was way ahead of the curve, the only firm to have signed a deal for o ces in a scheme that pre dated the anary harf pro ect, sat ust off what was to become estferry ircus as the regeneration rose around it. “ e moved to Docklands in December , said former managing partner armine apa. “That was before the anary harf development itself actually came on the scene. The original idea for this area was a develop ment of small, low level units as a business park. “Then a property developer came in and cancelled all the contracts. e had signed ours a month before he turned up, so we were the only signed contract. “The rest of the businesses due to come here did not have signed contracts, and so they were not carried through. e ended up on the anary harf site, but our little area was carved out as not being part of the main site. “That area is now part of the
“
We looked all around the City and Canary Wharf for our latest move and found what we were looking for here Dominic Roberts, PKF Littlejohn
estate and is behind our current building at estferry ircus. “ ewfoundland, the residential building they re putting up behind us on the estate, is on the site of our first building and we moved from there in . The firm had moved to take advantage of ta breaks that meant the cost of construction was effectively funded by the ta man and with the e pectation it would be surrounded by businesses of a similar size to itself – at the time its target market. t was to prove a lonely few years with no transport infrastructure until the D began running in and an increasing uantity of rubble as demolition work took place to make way for the construction of anary harf. ut the firm stayed the course, growing and developing as the estate rose around it. “ t s totally different today, said armine. “ e went from a stage when there was one bus which came on and off the island, to having pretty good transport links now, which will get even better with the li abeth line coming. “Since we arrived we’d become bigger and the transport links and services had improved so, years ago we made the decision to stay on the estate and move across to estferry in .
T
he firm s most recent move, in eptember this year, has seen it re commit to anary harf but also to re ect the changing nature of the financial services sector. one are private o ces and segregated client areas in favour of soft furnishings and slickly kitted out meeting rooms. said it had put people at the heart of the process. urrent managing partner Dominic oberts said “The firm is probably five times the si e it was when it moved to Docklands and the client base has changed. “As we got bigger, the clients we were targetting got bigger, so nowadays we fi on listed busi nesses, financial services and we do a lot of work for the . “ e looked all around the ity and anary harf for our latest move and found what we were looking for here. “We had some ideas in mind when we were searching we wanted daylight, some outdoor space, an area for well being basically a nice place for clients and staff.
1986
The year accountancy and financial services firm PKF Littlejohn relocated to the Docklands
PKF’s office in 1988
talent Managing partners Carmine Papa (former) and Dominic Roberts (current) in PKF’s new office
securing the
Staff wanted to be able
to see daylight from their desks
Images by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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“ f you go back years ago, or even before, you were always basing your o ce on what it would cost and what it would look like to clients, but now we re a people business and it s all about what it would look like to our staff, or potential employees we want to bring in. armine added “ t s not ust us, it s across the market if you look around a modern development, they tend to be more focused on staff than they do on clients. “ hen we moved years ago, our o ces were over five oors, and we wanted to go to one oor, but our previous layout was all about the impression given to clients with separate entrances for them and staff. All that has changed. t s now all about well being and attracting the right people to the firm. “n , when we moved, the only issue we had with staff, was whether we would retain them if we went to a different location. “ ut, with the layout of the o ce, don t think we involved the staff to any great e tent at all. “ f you look at the constraints on our growth today, it s really the people we employ. “ e can get business in, but it s the people to service that business who are key. n the last five or years, it s become more important to attract and retain good people. “ t s become much more common for people to have a portfolio type career so, once you ve got a good person, you try and keep them. “That s why this time round moving was a totally different process. e had people come and look at this building before we signed up for it. Dominic said the decision to remain in anary harf was in part due to feedback from staff as well as the e pectation that it would prove attractive to future recruits. “ think it s probably an element of the illennials having a different e pectation, as there are generational changes in leadership, he said. “ was offered partnership in , and it took me about si months to decide. “ was living in imbledon at the time and now live in psom, and anary harf always seemed out there, a bit sterile. “ ollowing years of rede velopment in the east, what were fashionable areas once are now less so and others that were less attractive have now become more so. t was interesting how many of our staff wanted to stay here. They en oy working in the area with all the green space and everything else. “ n terms of the building itself, we asked staff what they liked, what they appreciated here and there was that chance to give a bit
of variety in the day job and the environment they were in. “ e had o ce champions from each department who came to help choose the decor. After all, we are a people business. “ e sell people s brains and time, so it s vital that we look after our staff and get the best people out there.
B
ut the move involved more than creating pleasant spaces, it represented a fundamental shift in terms of the infrastructure of its everyday operations. “ t was uite a large change, said Dominic. “There had been a hierarchy of people and a hier archy of o ces, but we ve changed to having a very at structure, so everyone s out together. “ ecause our new space is open plan, we have to have more of those nice areas where people can get away for a change of scene. “ t was the result of us realising that our business is all about the uality of the people we have. “ f you ve got good staff, your business can look after itself. e ve moved to full hot desking but we didn t reduce the number of desks, so we have not had that issue of some people not having anywhere to sit. “ f course, there s the issue of remembering to tidy up after yourself, but think it s gone uite smoothly. armine said “ d had my own o ce since , so while wasn t nervous because knew things had to change, actually think it s fantastic. “ t s so much more en oyable being with the management and the staff, who you talk with on a regular basis rather than being stuck in your o ce. don t miss it at all. “ any people don t, added Dominic. “ t s much more e cient, ve found it hugely e citing and the staff have been very positive. “ eople have been actively coming up in the first few weeks and saying how pleased they are with the new environment, how well it s going. “ e ve still got snags that we have to sort out, but the fact that they are actively coming up to speak to us is really positive. “The new arrangements offer complete variety of where you might want to sit. e ve got the library if you want complete uiet and an area at the front that we ve made available to all our staff. “ ome days it s really bu ing, with si or seven different meet ings going on. “ t s not ust for clients, but for everybody. lients may choose to sit out there and have a coffee and a meeting, but it s not overly
Above, the area at the front of the office for all staff and clients to use Left, breakout spaces in the main office area
confidential we have bookable meeting rooms for that. n addition to changing its structure, is also taking steps to invest in training to develop e isting staff and as a further attraction to incomers. Dominic said “ e re putting out this deliberate offering of the soft skills that we re really telling people is in their interest to develop to ensure they ma imise their potential. ltimately, that leads to happier clients and a happier life for them. armine added “ or e ample, we ve got a training week, and in one of the sessions we re asking some of our unior staff to lecture. “ f you re going to be successful in business or in the city, you re going to have to lecture sometime or give a presentation to a group of people. “ one of them have done that, but we tell them that it doesn t matter because they re in a group of friends and we know them, but it s a start and it improves their skills. ith a genuine desire to develop its staff, perhaps it s not ust the breakout spaces m envious of. Go to pkf-littlejohn.com for more information about the firm and careers with PKF
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
why Ben Brabyn wants businesses to give away 1% of their value to help heal a rift in society
£300k
Value of the equity set to be distributed by GenieShares “So, for all these reasons, ambitious new companies and entrepreneurs need the support of society, but over the last few years I believe many people, not just in the UK, but in most of the developed world, have fallen out of touch with business, particularly in the tech sector. “Fewer people own shares in businesses now than has been the case in the modern era. Fewer people have a stake in the upside of these amazing businesses. “Consequently, we shouldn’t be surprised if some people don’t particularly support the premises and the assumptions on which they operate. “We should seek ways of mitigating that, indeed we should seek ways of including people more in the great social value and purpose that business, innovation and entrepreneurship bring. “When 50% of the population of the UK have seen no increase in their income since 2000, we can’t be surprised if we lose the support of the public. On top of that, when technology businesses are increasingly associated in people’s minds with fake news, manifestations of bias and the automation of industries which have given people not only employment and incomes, but also dignity and purpose, we shouldn’t be shocked that tech is no longer quite as loved as maybe it was five or years ago. “Rather than making arguments about trickle-down economics and the value of business in terms of the generation of tax revenues, we should respond to that ambitiously, purposefully and effectively. enie hares is an attempt to do that.”
by Jon Massey
W
here were you when the tap on the shoulder became a reality? It’s quite possible that those in the years to come will look back on these months as a turning point in society’s relationship with business. Ben Brabyn is holding a spark in his head – an idea that’s already seen one woman unexpectedly receive a share worth £32,000 in lymouth based firm mployable. The head of Canary Wharf’s tech accelerator, Level39, is never short on enthusiasm. But when talking about GenieShares he’s especially exercised. In an era where fewer UK citizens than ever own shares in companies, business ownership is often opaque and mysterious and tech firms are increasingly seen as potentially contributing to the problems of society, its solution is devastatingly simple. Why not ask companies to give away 1% of their equity in such a way that it confers benefit on an individual, but that also inspires support for businesses and entrepreneurs by creating a climate of possibility? So, in addition to the goodwill generated with the recipient and their network, GenieShares hopes, through sharing the stories of such windfalls, to generate a wider feeling that anyone may similarly benefit, specifically that they might get a tap on the shoulder and an unexpected gift. Ben, who is coordinating the campaign, said: “This is really an opportunity to seek to reconcile society’s need for brilliant, ambitious, dynamic companies that can make our industries globally competitive with the need for business to continue to earn a social licence to operate. “Businesses, particularly elite companies like the ones we host at Level 39, rely on the support of the public. They depend on taxpayer-funded regulators, infrastructure and education as well as, in many cases, taxpayer-funded investment vehicles to enable them to raise capital and take risks to achieve the amazing things they are setting out to do.
Ben Brabyn is head of Level39 and is responsible for coordinating the
genie GenieShares campaign
Images by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
releasing the
T
here may be a avour of wealth redistribution in Ben’s idea, but he’s clear it’s not intended to solve inequality. Its concern is the public’s relationship with business and moreover, it s designed to benefit the companies and entrepreneurs participating as much as those receiving the equity. “ would invite firms to consider good old fashioned business when looking at this proposition,” said Ben. “They should ask themselves is this going to reduce our cost of customer acquisition? Is it going to reduce our cost of capital? Is it going to make it easier for us to recruit and retain the best people? “Early evidence from working with Imployable (see panel right) is that it does on all these fronts. “If you’re seeking to solve the problem of inequality in society, then I don’t think this is the whole answer. “This is more of a voluntary campaign which we invite brilliant people to be involved in, whether they’re entrepreneurs, corporates,
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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Innovation
the media or politicians. It’s encouraging people to think differently about the role of business in society, but that’s not the same as achieving full-scale economic redistribution – that’s a political issue and it’s not for me to declare what’s right for that. “However, a really good question is: ‘What achieves the greatest impact in improving the relationship between business and the public at large?’. “Yes, people tend to be moved more if the receiving of that gift is more transformational. But we’ve got to balance that – everyone’s life has got its challenges and we only ever see a trace on the surface of their real, lived experience.”
H
aving successfully completed its first giveaway with Imployable, GenieShares has a further six companies signed up to gift equity worth more than £300,000 and Ben is currently working with them on the best way to hand it out to the public. “It would be too simplistic, for example, to say: ‘We should means test this’. Then it loses authenticity and it becomes my biases or your biases,” he said. “After all, the entrepreneurs, who are doing this, are the ones who are making the sacrifice, if sacrifice it is they are the ones who are sharing, so they should certainly have a say in how the equity is given away. “I’ve been very struck by studying both the way in which cryptographic tokens can be distributed, and it was while studying that and research about the peculiarities of people’s response to premium bonds – to prize-linked savings released after the Second World War – done largely by a man called Peter Tufano, who was then an academic at Harvard Business School and is now the Dean of the Said Business School in Oxford. I may have misinterpreted his work, and he may wish to disown this, but I was very much inspired by it. “With the bonds, the UK’s national debt was funded by the public buying them and, rather than simply borrowing money from the public and paying interest
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What is at stake is ensuring that our most ambitious, brilliant, resourceful people are able to take risks with the support of society Ben Brabyn, GenieShares
back, the overnment gameified this fund. They said: ‘We’ll give you a small chance of a really big payout, or a much bigger chance of getting no interest at all’. “ ffectively, you might get tapped on the shoulder and be given a life-changing amount of money. And that was immensely popular. “I would invite businesses participating in GenieShares to consider how to achieve what the researchers who analysed the impact of those bonds described as the alo ffect. This is the public good created even with people who don’t actually receive the gift – the leftover faith and hope in addition to the exchange or value of the equity itself. “The question is: ‘How do you maximise that?’. That could involve an element of theatre – more people need to know about it and they need to believe that there’s a possibility of some good coming their way. “Even if it doesn’t come to them this time, they need to believe businesses like Imployable and the ones based at Level 39 are a real asset to society and we should support them, whether we own a percentage of them or not. That’s the real prize. “Yes, it’s great if someone really relatable and compelling wins, but we want to be authentic about this. “The person who received 1% of Imployable was chosen truly randomly, within the job centre, at the time and place they were in. “I know that because I was there – it’s exactly how it appears in the film. “That’s really important – people have got to believe that this isn’t just an expression of ‘who you know’. Many people would criticise our current system on the basis that such connections are important. But business has got to work for a whole society, not just for those who are lucky enough to be inside the loop. “ e re still trying to figure out the best possible way to make the gifts. Is there a best way to do this? “ aving gifts from different businesses might mean different mechanisms for distribution. “We’re talking to some really big tech companies at the moment about the possibility of doing this on a nationwide, and, in due course, even on a global scale, and technology may have a part to play in that. “Imagine, for example, if you were a technology company increasingly challenged by the effect of fake news and bias in AI, and the economic inequality driven by networks “What if you could actually reclaim a more human role in society, what if it were your algorithm that sets out quite deliberately to maximise the public sense
case study
Imployable gifts 1% of its equity to Jodie The first company to participate in GenieShares’ campaign is Plymouth-based Imployable. Former Royal Marines Peter Kelly and Kieron Yeoman decided to give away 1% of their business – an app designed to make job searches simpler and help people find their perfect career. They decided to pick a time out of a hat and gift the equity to whoever was sat in a particular chair at the Job Centre Peter used to attend during a period of unemployment after he finished serving in the Marines. A video on GenieShares website tells the story of the company’s gift to Jodie, the woman who was sat in that chair and received the gift worth £32,000. “What we’re hoping is that this lucky break inspires that person to be something more than their circumstances dictate,” said Peter. “There’s very rarely a time in people’s lives where they can make a fundamental change in someone’s life.” In the video, Jodie said she intended to hang on to her share and that she’d been inspired by the gift. She said: “I’d love to own my own business. When I was little I always wanted my own creche. Spending time with Peter and Kieron has actually shown me that it is possible.” “One good thing is she has a bit more self belief and understanding about what she can achieve,” added Peter. “I think that’s the big key here – making business accessible to everybody.” See Jodie receiving her 1% share at genieshares.com
of engagement with businesses and creates the greatest possible effect for the stories of people like Peter and Kieron and the person they gave 1% of Imployable to. “There’s many ways to do it and we’re going to be given the privilege of finding out what works best.” Ben is on the lookout for more companies to consider making a gift of equity. “I am delighted with just the one. I admire Imployable very much and it’s been a real privilege to be a part of what they have done. “I hope that others have been inspired by their example, and my duty, as I see it, is to try to help those who are. “What is at stake, if we’re successful in this, is to ensure that businesses enjoy a social licence to operate in this country, ensuring that our most ambitious, brilliant, resourceful people, who are willing and able to take risks, are able to do so with the support of society behind them.” GenieShares is also looking for corporate sponsorship to help broadcast its stories to as wide an audience as possible. Go to genieshares.com for more information
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
Canary Wharf
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Air quality monitors have been installed in Canary Wharf to monitor pollution
bill a
getting greener
by Martin Gettings
I
of intent
Canary Wharf Group has initiated a plan to improve air quality on the estate
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n the Queen’s Speech last month, the Government introduced a new Environment Bill, looking to tackle the biggest environmental issues facing all of us and setting out national targets in biodiversity, air quality, water, resource and waste efficiency. I’m very excited about what this represents – a commitment that this generation will be the first to leave the environment in a better state than they found it. Whatever the outcome of the general election, it’s a clear sign there is political will on all sides to deal with these issues. One of the key areas to be addressed in the new bill is air quality, which is a particular concern in London. Canary Wharf Group has joined the UK’s first business coalition dedicated to tackling air pollution – namely the Business Clean Air Taskforce. We will be working closely with other major businesses and the Government to help achieve air quality improvement targets across the UK. In 2018 we installed 17 air quality monitors throughout Canary Wharf and have been closely monitoring pollution levels to see how we’re doing and, more importantly, where we can improve. We’ve established “no idling zones” across the estate, reducing pollution from vehicles to improve air quality closer to roads, where air pollution is at its worst. Another area of focus in the bill is restoration and enhancement of nature through biodiversity net gain. Canary Wharf Group has set a target to achieve biodiversity net gain by 2030. Detailed targets are set out in our 10-year Biodiversity Action Plan, which outlines our strategy for integrating biodiversity into all of our developments. We are currently undergoing an estatewide biodiversity survey, which will help us better understand all of our plant and animal life and how we can continue to increase the range of both at Canary Wharf. This new bill comes in addition to the Climate Change Act, which now states that the UK will be carbon net zero by 2050.
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We’ve established ‘no idling zones’ across the estate, reducing pollution from vehicles to improve air quality Martin Gettings, CWG
Canary Wharf Group has also set ambitious targets. To achieve them, we operate an ISO50001-certified energy management system in order to drive efficiency, and we are currently reviewing energy usage across all our operations in order to identify areas for improvement. We still face challenges, including the fact that many of our tenants have 24/7 operations and require lighting at all times. We’re actively working with our tenants to find ways to reduce their energy use and work collaboratively on solutions, including LED lighting and renewable electricity. The Environment Bill, should it come to fruition, presents an opportunity to tackle the climate and ecological crisis in a tangible way. We are working together with our tenants, visitors and the community to ensure we are leading the way. If you have questions, suggestions, or want to get involved, please get in touch with us at sustainability@ canarywharf.com
Martin Gettings is group head of sustainability at Canary Wharf Group Go to canarywharf.com or breakingtheplastichabit.co.uk
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
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Creative Space
this space is yours
invent your own inspirational quote and share it with @wharflifelive or #keepittoyourself – we might event print it if we’re suitably moved
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
how a donation to The Fusiliers Museum solved the riddle of a First World War bayonet wound by Jon Massey
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hile it may be true that to give is better than to receive, if the reciprocal present is an unexpected nugget of knowledge, then so much the better. This was the experience of Reginald Beer, owner of antique map, print and ephemera dealer Frontispiece, following his decision to make a donation to The Fusilier Museum at the Tower Of London. acquisition “I’d gone to an Etcetera Fair – where dealers sell ephemera, books, prints and maps in Bloomsbury, run by the son of a man I’ve been buying things from since the 1960s,” said Reginald. “On this particular occasion I turned up and there was nothing – I was quite disappointed. On my way out, I noticed that there was a postcard fair attached, so I thought that I might as well go and have a look and while I was walking around I saw this photo album. “It had belonged to Colonel William Reid Glover, the commanding o cer of the irst Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, which was my dad’s regiment when he served in the First World War. I had a look at it and asked how much it was – I thought it was quite a lot, so I told the dealer I’d think about it. “Driving home, I thought: ‘Oh my God, someone’s going to buy it and they’ll break it up, and it shouldn’t be, because it’s part of the regiment’s history and part of the history of families, many from the East End’. I stopped my van, phoned him up and said” ‘Please don’t sell it – will you give me a trade discount?’ He said that he’d give me off, so went to the next fair, he brought it along, and I bought it. That’s how it came into my possession. exploration “The images in the album start in Malta, because the Royal Fusiliers were the garrison there,” said Reginald, whose business is based in Cannon Workshops on West India Quay near Canary Wharf. “Malta was a very important,
strategic location in relation to the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, and it was British. “There are pictures of the soldiers on the ri e range, drilling, doing bayonet practice and images of them getting on the boat to go to mainland Europe after the First World War had started and then through the war, right to the victory and the dance at Mons. “It’s just an amazing record of this particular battalion, full of pictures, many of them containing images of men who at this stage you can’t identify. “One that I love, which has writing at the bottom, which says: ‘Good old D Company, Royal Fusiliers’, and whoever wrote that – possibly Glover himself – had an attachment to those soldiers.” connection “My dad – William Cornelius Beer, although everyone knew him as Con – was in C Company,” said Reginald “When I bought the album, one of my hopes was that I would find a picture of my father. e was 16 when he joined the British Army, and he was legally entitled to be fighting two weeks after the Armistice. He spent two years as a boy soldier on the western front. “I didn’t know anything about his war record at all. He died, aged 79, in 1979 – a Victorian, born in 1899. I can’t recall him saying anything about the war whatsoever. “Shortly before he died, he was walking around just in a vest top, so all of his legs were showing, and I noticed this enormous scar on his inside leg, which came out the other side, and I asked him what it was. “He said, very casually, ‘That’s my bayonet wound’. I asked him where he got it, and he said: ‘I got it at Arras, I was in the Fusiliers’. “Then he told me a bit about it: he was in the 56th Division of the First Battalion and from that I knew he’d been injured but I didn’t know how he’d got the wound. “I did know why he’d joined up. In 1916, my aunt Molly led a strike for equal pay for girls at a timber importers at what is now called London City Island and they won it fairly easily. “ hen the first ship came in full of timber, all the lads were down in the hold lugging great bits of timber around, and Moll and her colleagues were on the quayside watching. “At this point some of the boys said to my dad: ‘Look at that! That’s your bleedin’ sister up there just watching us do all the work, and she gets the same pay as us. That’s not right’. So the boys went out on strike and my dad was their spokesman. “After three days the mayor
Image by James Grimshaw – find his work at jamesgrimshaw.co.uk or @j.grimshaw on Insta
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The age William Cornelius (Con) Beer joined the First Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers at the Tower Of London
Reginald Beer acquired the photo album of his father’s commanding officer in the First World War by chance before donating it to The Fusiliers Museum
past uncovering the
Reginald presents the photo album of Colonel William Reid Glover to The Fusilier Museum’s regimental area secretary and curator Major Michael McCarthy
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Wapping - Limehouse - Shadwell
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I eventually decided I shouldn’t have the album, that it belonged with the Fusiliers. I made up my mind I would donate it to them Reginald Beer, Frontispiece
turned up and read them the Defence of the Realm Act. Basically it said that wood was a strategic material, so, if they didn’t go back to work, they would be under arrest. The strike collapsed and my dad got the sack, so he walked down to the Tower Of London and joined up. “So my father and my aunt were on opposite sides of the strike, but they always got on very well. By the time I knew my Aunt Moll, all of this was ancient history.”
Top, Good Old D Company Above, patroling in the mud on the front Below, Fusiliers leaving Malta for mainland Europe after war broke out Bottom, Glover on the Butts in Malta
donation “I eventually decided I shouldn’t have the album, that it belonged with the Fusiliers,” said Reginald. “I made up my mind that I would donate it to the First Battalion, placing it in The Fusiliers Museum at the Tower of London. So that’s why it ended up there. “When I showed it to them, they were quite excited. I told them the story about my dad, and Stephanie Killingbeck-Turner, the archivist at the Tower, said: ‘Let’s see what we can find out . Then forgot about it, but a few months later, an email arrived.” revelation “They’d done a little bit of research,” said Reginald, who holds more than 1million items in his Frontispiece archive, predominantly related to east London and Docklands. “They’d found out my dad was in a night raid into the German trenches, and six ‘other ranks’ received wounds. A number of Germans were killed, but the Fusiliers didn’t succeed in their mission, which was to take a live German back to the British trenches for interrogation. “They needed to know who they were facing – the trench opposite could have been filled with top Prussian infantry or they could have been old men from Hamburg. “That was important for military intelligence to know where to attack and where not to attack. “My dad was also at the Battle of Arras, and there they were cut to pieces, with the death toll amongst the Allied Forces about 120,000. “Stephanie sent me information that he’d been in this raid and then a field hospital report and there were the names of the men.
know it was definitely him Beer – so the mystery of his wound had been solved by The Fusiliers Museum, for which I’m very grateful, because I would never have discovered that for myself. “It’s heartening, in a way. In the album, there are pictures of men who had got a little stripe on their lower sleeve and I never knew what that was. “The museum staff told me it was someone who’d been injured in action, so my dad would have had one of those. exhibition “I’m 74 now and I’m not going to live forever,” said Reginald. “I could have put it in my will, to say that I wanted it to go to the museum, but there may be people of my age out there trying to find out something about their parents or grandparents. “So I thought that the quicker the museum got their hands on it, the more likely it would be for them to be able to get in touch with Fusiliers’ families who would want the information it contains. “The album will now go on display along with some of the things contained in it. “For example, there’s a dance card belonging to the commanding o cer, which shows that for the first seven dances, he doesn t participate and then the next seven dances, the names of the mademoiselles he danced with. “There’s also the menu for the last meal they had when they were leaving Malta and the menu they had at the victory dinner. “There are lots of other nice bits and pieces contained in there, not just photographs, but memorabilia of men who have long since gone, but none of them forgotten.” collection Reginald has been running Frontispiece since 1989, moving from Tobacco Dock after its demise as a shopping centre to become the first shop trading on what is now the Mall Level beneath One anada uare. In addition to dealing in a wide range of antique maps and prints, it operates a framing service from its premises at annon orkshops. Reginald said: “Initially I only bought things of east London interest but my collection has kept on growing often as I bought larger collections for a specific piece. That’s what became the business.” Entry to The Fusiliers Museum is free with entry to the Tower Of London. Members of Tower Hamlets Libraries who are resident in the borough can visit for £1, when attending with proof of address. Go to fusiliermuseumlondon.org, mapsandantiqueprints.com or hrp.org.uk for more information
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping
STAGE | Christmas Carol - A Fairy Tale This year’s festive show takes a different path to Dickens’ original, imagining Scrooge’s sister haunted by three ghosts. But will she change? Nov 29-Jan 4, times vary, from £12.50, wiltons.org.uk where? Troxy Limehouse
GIG | Amon Tobin The electronic giant heads up an evening of music that also includes sets by Actress and Luke Vibert. And with a 3am curfew there’s plenty to bop to. Nov 23, 9pm, from £24.75, troxy.co.uk where? Jamboree Three Colt Street
GIG | Psycho-Acoustic Goat Expect swirling Celtic sounds filled with wild rhythms, introspective lyrics, gentle violin and the occasional multi-coloured goat. Watch out. Nov 20, 7pm, £5, jamboreevenue.co.uk
to do before November 20
Join The Colt Street Four for an evening of jazz, blues and dancing at Jamboree in Three Colt Street on November 14. Part of the London Swing Carousel, the gig will start at 8pm. Entry is £5, strictly no dress code jamboreevenue.co.uk
spot check worth a visit Check out Half Moon Theatre for productions to delight your kids moocanoes.com want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
riverside recipes by Matt Colk
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s we are coming up to Thanksgiving, I thought this would be a good time to share my pumpkin pie recipe, which has a bit of a crème brulee influence. It’s not baked like a traditional version and I have finished the dish with Italian meringue. As always, take your time with each step for a worthwhile result.
Ingredients (four pies) for the sweet pastry 100g unsalted butter 70g icing sugar 40g egg yolk 200g flour a pinch of salt
1tbsp nutmeg 1tbsp cinnamon 1/2 tbsp ground ginger 150g pumpkin puree (roast, blitzed, chilled) 70g egg yolk 60g butter
for the filling 100g double cream 100ml full fat milk half a vanilla pod 50g sugar
for the Italian meringue 200g sugar 50ml water 100g egg whites
Method First make the pastry by mixing all the ingredients together. Do not mix too much as this will make the dough overly soft. Once everything is combined, roll out between two pieces of greaseproof paper until the pastry is about 5mm thick, then let it rest in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Then, grease four tart rings around 6cm in diameter and place on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Pre-heat your oven to 180ºC. Lay the chilled pastry over the greased tart rings, making sure to get it tight to the corners and slicing off any excess so you have nice neat cases. Cover with baking parchment and baking beans and blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for a further four minutes, then lightly brush the case with egg yolk and bake for another four minutes. This will seal the tart case and help prevent the mixture from leaking. Now it’s time to make the pumpkin mix. Bring the milk, cream, pumpkin puree and spices to a gentle simmer in a non-stick pan. In a separate bowl whisk the sugar and egg together until light and pale. Then add a small amount of the heated mixture to the egg mix and stir to loosen. Then combine everything together and put it back on the stove, bringing the temperature up to 80ºC while stirring constantly. Once you have reached this temperature, stir in the butter, let it cool for five minutes and then fill the tart cases and chill for at least two hours. When the tarts are ready and lightly set, make the meringue by bringing the sugar and water up to 121ºC in a pan. While this is happening, slowly start to whisk the egg whites in a mixer until frothy. Then, slowly and in a continuous stream, add the sugar as close to the side of the mixing bowl as possible so it does not spray up the sides. Turn the mixer on full briefly and then leave to cool. The mixture will double, if not triple in size. Once the mix is cool and glossy, scoop it into a piping bag and pipe onto your tarts. You can lightly colour the sides of your meringue, if you have a blowtorch.
Matt Colk is head chef at The Gun in Coldharbour, Blackwall. Owned and operated by Fuller’s, it offers dining, drinking and relaxation by the Thames Go to thegundocklands.com or follow the @thegundocklands on Instagram and Twitter
how the King Of Punjab offers diners a true taste of India’s bread basket on the Isle Of Dogs by Jon Massey
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ony Chahal is on a mission. The King Of Punjab’s head chef and owner is driven by a desire to cook and serve authentic north Indian avours to east ondoners the food he grew up with. “While I was born in Canning Town, my family come from Chhajjawal, a village in the Punjab,” he said. “You can trace my ancestors back 250 years in the Indian Army. o the in uence is from there, because I watched my grandmother cook, my mum, my dad and my uncles grew up standing round the stove all the time, watching what they were cooking it and how they were making it.” Tucked away on the upper oor of The erry ouse the oldest pub on the Isle Of Dogs, which has been plying its trade since Tony opened his restaurant in in a bid to offer diners something different to restaurants serving food from Pakistan and Bangladesh locally. “The Punjab is the bread basket of India,” he said. “I’ve got farmland in India, and I know what I grow out there organically spinach, sugar cane, potatoes and wheat. “Punjabi food is probably the healthiest of all the places all over India. We don’t put sugar or raisins in our curries or sugar in the naan bread or the chapatis. The only sugar guests are going to get is in our desserts. “ e use fresh ingredients we buy spinach whole, for example, and simmer it down. That’s a six or seven-hour process and you can’t get any more authentic than that. “That s the difference in the food we go the e tra mile. t s the same with the fenugreek leaves people will use the dried version, whereas I’ll buy them fresh. You have to buy a carrier bag just to get a small bowl and you have to simmer them, boil them, simmer them and so on. “But you only get that explosion of taste in your mouth if they are fresh. It’s all about going to that bit of e tra effort and doing things how they’re supposed to be done. “My favourite dish on the menu
The King Of Punjab is located in a room above The Ferry House Pub on the Isle Of Dogs. Diners are free to bring beverages upstairs is probably aag amb . , because of the way we make the spinach, and cook the meat. “Even though it’s boneless when I serve it, I cook the lamb with the bone in, so the avour s in the gravy. “ prep it like any other curry with onions, garlic, ginger, spices and fry that off. Then add the meat in and fry it off for about minutes to extract the fat from the meat into the sauce. “I always cook on a high heat, then add a couple of pints of water, simmer it down, then add the water again. It’s not a stew, it’s not a casserole. “Once it’s done and has cooled down, I take the bones out and the sauce has got all of the avour of a whole leg. “It’s like a stock, so when you have the lamb curry, people taste that and think, ‘Wow’. The food is clean, precise and authentic. It makes you feel good when you do receive compliments it gives you that extra spring in your step.” Curries at the King Of Punjab are split more or less equally into options with chicken, lamb and vegetables as well as a selection of biryanis. ess familiar dishes include the likes of Muttar Keema . , a curry of minced lamb with peas and spices, Methi hicken . , cooked with
“
We use fresh ingredients – we buy spinach whole, for example, and simmer it down. That’s a six or seven-hour process Tony Chahal, King Of Punjab
fenugreek leaves and King Of un ab pecial amb hops . cooked with spices. “People who know about food enjoy the experience of coming here,” said Tony. “I’ve had people come here, who sit down, open the menu up, and then ask if we have a Chicken Bhuna because that’s all they know. “I want to open people’s eyes to new avours so they can taste what proper northern Indian food is all about. My food is not halal, and I’m quite proud to be different. As a Sikh, Tony said hospitality was part of his community’s culture. “The Golden Temple in Amritsar has four open doors, so that anyone from north, south, east or west can enter, whatever they believe in and I think that’s quite powerful,” he said. “They feed 100,000 people a day from it and it’s all free, because millions of Sikhs around the world donate to it. “That’s so people who are less fortunate and haven’t got money can get something to eat or even stay a couple of nights if they need to. Not many religions do that. “In fact, you can go to Sikh temples all over the world anywhere you see that orange ag go in there and, as long as you re head’s covered, you wash your hands, take your shoes off and go into where the seating area is with the kitchen and diner, you can sit down and have a vegetarian meal. It’s part of our culture to help people.” The King Of Punjab is available for private hire and for Christmas bookings. Its menu is also available via online takeaway services Uber Eats and Just Eat. For bookings or more information call 020 7537 7813
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
47
Tony Chahal has run the King Of Punjab at The Ferry House pub on the Island since 2017
Images by James Perrin – find more of his work at jamesperrin.com or via @millerjamesperrin on Insta
Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? Parkour Generations Trinity Buoy Wharf
MOVE | Level Up Whether an absolute beginner or a kid with experience, this is a chance to focus in a little more depth. Suitable for ages 6-15. Wear loose clothes. Nov 30, 10am, £40, parkourgenerationslondon.com where? Craft Central Isle Of Dogs
TRY | Steam Bending This workshop, run by Charlie Whinney Studio offers participants a comprehensive overview of this technique and the chance to make a bowl or vase. Nov 23, 10am-5pm, £150, craftcentral.org.uk where? The Space Isle Of Dogs
STAGE | There’s A Man In The Woods This bone-chilling transfer from the London Horror Festival is Somna Theatre’s debut and promises suspense, intrigue and darkness. Nov 26-30, 7.30pm, £12.50, space.org.uk
to do before November 20
king the
curry
5
Stars King Of Punjab was awarded for its last hygiene inspection, the maximum available
Set aside the evening of November 16 from 7pm for a performance by the Peter Edwards Trio. The Psychedelic Soul Sessions promise music inspired by Miles Davis’ electric period and Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters poplarunion.com
spot check Try fresh sushi or oriental dishes from Island stalwart Lemongrass Kitchen lemongrasskitchen.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
by Elisabeth Newfield
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? The Albany Deptford
GIG | Sonic Transmissions x Inua Ellams Sit down for three hours of conversation, live performance and collective listening with the poet, playwright and performer plus special guests. Nov 21, 7.30pm, £12, thealbany.org.uk where? The Albany Deptford
GIG | The Spaces In Between Expect an all-star improv session celebrating short-lived south London venue Ghost Notes and featuring Maisha, Vels Trio and Dem1ns. Nov 22, 7.30pm, from £10, thealbany.org.uk where? Sands Films Studio Rotherhithe
GIG | Gabriela Kozyra The London-based Brazilian singer (not to mention her Polish heritage) delivers a performance of Samba, Valsa, Choro and Marcha Rancho. Nov 27, 7.15pm, £14, tunedin.london
to do on November 20
Sit right down in The Albany and listen to vocalist Randolph Matthews and his ensemble present Tull In B Major, a composition centred on the first Britishborn black army officer. Doors 7.30pm, £10 thealbany.org.uk
spot check worth a visit Check out Matchstick Piehouse in Deptford for theatre, music, cabaret matchsticktheatre.com want more? @wharflifelive
T
attooed chef and model Leon Rothera may look like a bona fide London hipster and spend his days cooking for famous actors. But he was actually raised by hippy parents in a remote hilltop cottage with no electricity and learned to cook on a wood burning stove. “I used to take a candle to bed,” said the 38-year-old who was raised in Northumberland but now lives in Surrey Quays. “And I was cooking omelettes for my dad in bed aged five. t s mad when you think about it now. I have always been able to cook cakes by eye and I always remember baking and just being surrounded by food. “ e lived off the land. y dad had this amazing vegetable garden and my mum made bread every day. We had goats and made our own cheese and it was all jams and preserves and butter from the local farm. Those are my earliest memories.” These days he runs two catering businesses from a kitchen in Shoreditch – both inspired by his enduring love of fresh ingredients and home-cooked meals and claims to be a “human encyclopaedia” with thousands of recipes in his archive. Honest Foods London has provided on-set sustenance for up to 300 people at a time on The Crown, Fleabag, Broadchurch, The Tunnel, Black Mirror and the new ames ond film while edgling business yte ood is a dietician-led meal delivery service. “All my businesses have always been health oriented,” said Yoga-mad, rock climber Leon. “Food is not about restricting yourself or cra y diets, it s about balance. This thing about no carbs before arbs is absolute crap. “ don t even have a cheat day, I just listen to my body. Have a burger and then your body will probably tell you to have some vegetables.” In his free time, Leon, who has a tattoo of an artichoke on his inner arm inspired by the ones his dad grew, loves nothing more than heading out to e plore ondon s culinary scene with “mini me” daughter Elise.
“
It was always in my mind to do something for people who want to eat certain macros or just proper balanced meals. It’s a passion project Leon Rothera, Fyte Food
“She has an incredible palette for a 12-year-old and loves oysters,” he said proudly. And we re both obsessed with sushi and Asian cooking. “ t s ama ing to have a little buddy who shares your favourite hobby. On the weekend she just wants to go to orough arket and taste everything.” Surrey Quays might not seem the most obvious choice for a foodie family but Leon said it was perfect for them. “It was kind of by accident but now we love it,” he said. “You think it s a no mans land but then realise its a real sweet spot for getting around. “Our favourite restaurant that we go to at least once a week – afe ast is five minutes from here. It is the best pho outside ietnam and it s incredible. t s a family-run restaurant and rammed six days a week. I take all my chef and foodie friends and they are all blown away by it. “Then there s The ay ower, one of the oldest pubs in London and they do a pretty decent unday lunch and they ve also opened Leadbellys in Canada ater. Then there s the anada Water Cafe.”
I
ncredibly, the half-French foodie, who grew up without a television, had never been to a restaurant until he went to catering college. “I had quite sparse foodie upbringing in some ways,” said Leon. “We never went to restaurants when was a child, it wasn t done because it was all about eating off the land. o much of our time was spent in the kitchen and I didn t realise until later years how fortunate I was.” Home schooled until his family moved to Newcastle when he was 11, Leon said he went through a typical teenage rebellion. “I went through a stage of thinking the way we lived was crap and moaning that everyone else got takeaways but now I realise it s why appreciate food and sitting around a table eating and I have a love of cooking from scratch,” he said. “Even now my dad lives in the middle of France and has a pizza oven in the garden and a cellar full of preserves. “Sometimes I really miss living like that. Whenever I feel myself getting annoyed with work I feel like I want to go and live in a log cabin in the woods.” When it comes to his job, Leon said he always wanted to be a chef and was inspired in part by his great grandfather who owned a bakery in rance. e s also named after him. “I left school at 16 and went straight into a catering apprenticeship but it was a really crap college in Newcastle and everybody on
my course was doing really low level catering,” said Leon. “Even though I had never eaten in restaurants with my family I knew there was something better. “They kept putting me in placements and I kept asking to be shifted. In the end the head of year, Jean Claude a pastry chef, said ight, ll send you to this restaurant but I warn you nobody ever makes it past a month . “It was the Blackgate restaurant which had been open 100 years and had a really amazing history. “The head chef Douglas Jordan took me under his wing and was my mentor and then sent me off to ondon and that s how it started. “He always used to say you should never compromise your standards and what you should always be in the kitchen is honest about what you cook and produce. “So Honest Foods was born through what he told me as a young chef.” But it would be another decade before Leon founded the company inspired by his mentor. He arrived at The Lanesborough in London in 1999 and, still in his teens, trained under Paul Gayler at the Conservatory restaurant, back then the highest graded hotel restaurant in Europe. “That was a really amazing opportunity,” he said. “We attended competitions all the time, salon culinaires where we were very successful and won awards. “Paul was really progressive and had vegetarian cookbooks out back then in the 1990s and was on the old school Masterchef. It was the beginning of the whole fusion thing which was great to be part of and I learnt an incredible amount.” The next few years were a whirlwind as Leon moved to ichelin star restaurant o Lombard Street working under Herbert Berger but quit after two years to launch his own business, aged 23. “I was probably a bit stubborn and maybe I should have stayed in restaurants a bit longer,” he said. “But I was really lucky because I met Joudie Kalla, who wrote Palestine On A Plate, and we set up a business doing dinner parties for celebrities like Bill Nighy, uby a , arry nfield, Tim Burton and some very wealthy Arab people in the West End. You could cook what you wanted with unlimited budget. “By the time I was 24 someone had offered to invest and opened a deli in Brixton. It was seasonal and became a 25-seat cafe and was very trendy. But it was a bit too soon for ri ton, it wasn t uite happening yet. It was a bit of a struggle.” Leon got his lucky break when he was offered work catering a commercial. ut it wasn t all high-glamour.
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
49
Rotherhithe - Bermondsey - Deptford
23
Age Leon Rothera was when he started his own business Chef Leon has found a pho favourite in Cafe East since moving to Surrey Quays and also enjoys The Mayflower, Leadbelly’s and Canada Water Cafe
spot finding a sweet
Image by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta
how Surrey Quays resident Leon Rothera has built his businesses on the back of his hippy roots, word of mouth and a love of Thai boxing
recipe corner
Leon’s stock and Asian broth Ingredients for the stock 1 carcass of chicken 1 carrot 1 celery 1 leek Half a brown onion Bulb of garlic Handful of rosemary Handful of thyme for Asian broth Dash of soy sauce 320g of macaroni Chicken (picked off the carcass) Handful of coriander
“I remember pulling up in a van in a KFC car park in a gale force, howling wind and I was trying to boil kettles,” he said. ut he uickly moved into films and word of his fresh, healthy food spread through the industry. “We were quite innovative at the time, said eon. “A lot of film catering firms were pie, mash and stodge and we had come from a very trendy, wholefood background. We had more work than we could handle.” Today his menus contain dishes like slow-roasted pork belly, lamb kofta and banana, chocolate and peanut butter cake and have been eaten by the likes of Olivia Colman, Idris Elba and Nick Frost. Leon said: “We regularly have massive lists of special dietary requirements for actors who are bulking up or cutting weight for a role so there is a lot of chicken and brown rice. And we have to cater for people who are coeliacs or have Crohn’s disease so you have to be really clued up.” He began working with dietitian Bridgette Wilson and somehow found time to become a professional Thai boxer bringing the two together in Fyte Food. “All the other boxing guys would be having their sweet potato and chicken breast every night and I used to think I should come up with something because I would be calorie counting but still having ama ing stuff, said eon. “So it was always in my mind to do something for people who want to eat certain macros or just proper balanced meals.” Leon launched Fyte Food nine months ago and sells up to 30 meals a day through Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Options include miso mung bean patty with home made kimchi and maple soy dressing and creole Ginger Pig chicken breast or Clean Bean tofu with chickpea and okra stew. “It’s a passion project at the moment,” said Leon. “It’s doing
Leon said: “Shop-bought stocks can be monotonous and boring, and before you know it, all your meals taste identical. But making your own stock is incredibly time consuming, and slow cooking a chicken for four hours doesn’t fit naturally into a busy schedule. “There is no need do either – this process can be streamlined easily and can be made from the scraps around your kitchen. This chicken stock is the base of an Asian broth recipe I learnt in Singapore, using the leftover carcass from a Sunday roast.” Method Taking the carcass of leftover roast chicken, pick off any excess meat and place in a bowl.
really well but making money from that alone is uite a di cult business model. As it runs off the back of an existing business, it’s fine. “We are trying to move into doing o ce lunches and we are working on some smoothies, which will be the first truly healthy drinks of their kind on the market. “It’s about building the brand at the moment and getting the product out in the right way and testing the market. It’s the ideal way to build it as I’m not desperately trying to make money.” During his time off eon loves to pass down his legacy to daughter Elise who he shares an Instagram food review account with (@dad_elise_and_food). “I have had her eating sushi since she could walk and I always fed her things like olives, capers, and gherkins,” he said. “I used to do scrambled eggs with parmesan, rocket, olives and some marinated artichokes. She always ate what I ate.” Her favourite place to eat is Roka in Canary Wharf while he rates arrafina in oho, t ohn read And ine in pitalfields, orito on ackney oad, y eighbours The Dumplings in Clapton and Sushi Tetsu in Farringdon. Of course, he still cooks at home, with his go-to healthy ingredient, broccoli, always found in his fridge but never in a saucepan. “I’ll stir-fry it, pickle it, shred it raw in salads but never boil it, “ said Leon. “Elise is a harsh critic probably one of the scariest people to cook for. ut if do her raw fish and seaweed salad with sticky rice she’s happy because that’s her favourite thing. “When I became a dad I was excited to do what my parents did for me – exposure to as many raw ingredients as possible and being in the kitchen. And she’s an amazing cook. I’m very proud.” Go to honestfoodslondon.com or fytefood.co.uk for more information
Place the carcass in a saucepan on the boil with two litres of water. Roughly chop carrot, celery, and leek and add into the saucepan. Peel and roughly chop half a brown onion and add into the saucepan. Add a peeled bulb of garlic into the saucepan, alongside a handful of rosemary and thyme. Leave to simmer for two hours. Boil and cook the macaroni for the broth. Ladle the stock into separate bowls, adding a dash of soy sauce into each. Add in the cooked macaroni and the excess chicken that was taken off the carcass. Season with aromatic coriander and serve. Freeze the remainder of the stock in ice cube trays for later use.
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Advertising Directory - Acknowledgements
find our advertisers’ messages here Chase Evans print Pages 1, 38-39 online chaseevans.co.uk
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Greenwich Hospital print Page 4 online greenwichmarket.london
Notting Hill Genesis print Page 28 online nhgsales.com
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Higgins Homes print Page 29 online higginshomes.co.uk
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Harley Street Fertility Clinic print Page 11 online hsfc.org.uk
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Creative Virtual print Page 13 online creativevirtual.com
Landmark Estates print Pages 40-41 online lmlondon.com
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Galliard Homes print Page 42 online galliardhomes.com
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be part of the Canary Wharf conversation To advertise in Wharf Life call 07944 000 144 or email advertising@wharf-life.com
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Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited, printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge and distributed by Willis News Distribution. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2019
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51
Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich
£7
The cost of a Footlonger at The Sausage in Greenwich Market The Sausage in Greenwich Market serves up a selection of Polish imports
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? The O2 Arena Peninsula
COMEDY | Jack Whitehall Two years after his last arena tour, the awardwinning comic is back, bringing his Stood Up tour to Greenwich Peninsula. His dad may play a role. Nov 23-25 and Dec 15, 6pm, from £39, theo2.co.uk where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich
PANTO | Sleeping Beauty Andrew Pollard pours time travel, unlikely characters and gravity-defying treats into this year’s festive show marking 50 years of the theatre. Nov 22-Jan 12, times vary, £30, greenwichtheatre.org.uk where? Greenwich Market Greenwich
SHOP | Greenwich Market Lates In a bid to sate the demands of Greenwich’s festive shoppers, the market will be opening late on Wednesdays in December. Mulled wine it is... Dec 4, 11, 18, until 8pm, free, greenwichmarket.london
to do before November 20
Head to The O2 on November 19 to hear and see Icelandic songstress Bjork’s Cornucopia – a piece of digital theatre based on her most recent album Utopia. Doors open at 6.30pm and tickets start at £43. theo2.co.uk
spot check one to try Slab fudge? There’s only one place – The Fudge Patch in Greenwich Market rmg.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive
how The Sausage serves up lengthy snacks that are certain to satisfy any lover of meaty dogs by Jon Massey
P
rocessed meat is bad. We all know it. But to carnivores, there are few things more beguiling than the simple pleasure of a warm frankfurter in a bun. It’s the smell, the saltiness, the faint juicy resistance of the skin on the first bite. Where better to indulge, then, than The Sausage in Greenwich Market. Not only is this Polish stand the only street food stall to be importing its particular pork and chicken dogs, it’s keen to perpetuate a rumour that they’re the longest in London. Whether you’d get your money back if you found a snack of greater length is a moot point. At more than 12 inches long, they are more than enough meat for the typical punter. My Footlonger (£7 or £10 with cheese and wedges that everybody should have) looks ridiculous. A lengthy pipe of pork, over-extended well beyond its bun, the bread a mere handhold for the main event. Coated in ketchup and seasoned with extra pickles – yes, I’m one of those people – it’s a hefty proposition for a quick lunch. Carbs, protein and lashings of luscious fat. Eating one is more an exercise in paranoia than it is pleasure. Each bite is a circus act, balancing an increasingly unstable sausage, its character changing as consumption modifies its shape and centre of gravity. While the taste is not quite the explosion I’d hoped for, when taken as a package with the gherkins, cheese and relish, it’s a satisfying experience of warmth and comfort. Ideal for a chilly, late-autumn day after a long stretch of bargain hunting through the stalls. Follow @thesausageby11 on Insta
No prizes for guessing where the Footlonger got its name – best enjoyed with ketchup and chilli sauce
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
SUDOKU
Crossword - Sudoku
1
Previous solution - Easy
6 3 8 5 4 9 7 1 2 Sudoku 4 a1break 5 from 3 7 that 2 phone 9 6 8 Take 7 9 2 1 6 8 3 5 4 How 8 to6 play 7 9 3 1 4 2 5 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 3 such 6 that 2 7each 8 row, 9 1column and 3x3 box one5to4nine contains every number uniquely. 1 2 9 8 5 4 6 7 3 5 find 1 strategies, 7 8 3 hints 2 4and6tips online You9can at sudokuwiki.org 3 7 4 2 1 6 5 8 9 2 to 8 play 6 4 9 5 1 3 7 More
4
2
8 9 5
4 3
4 6 6
4
9
2 7
3 5
6 1 5 3
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
2 8
that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. Notes
7 1
© 2019 Syndicated Puzzles
8 9
Medium
For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com
crossword Down
1.
1.
3. 8. 9. 11. 13. 14. 17. 20. 21. 22. 23.
Half of the record team (4) A conveyance or what one pays for it (8) Keep going -or don’t! (4) Idleness seen at work (8) Work for those too careless for regular employment? (6,6) It will help one to count (6) Accelerate promotion (4,2) Turn a blind eye when an employee wants to leave? (4,2,6) Feelings shown by people put into some distress (8) A case for a sempstress (4) Dress overall a tuneful ship (8) Deliver without charge (4)
Notes
2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. 12. 15. 16. 18. 19.
It helps if you require a frame-up! (4-4) Stops and prepares a plan (5,2) Cancels an article from the yearbooks (6) Lowest sort of price one may pay for a piece of the sea-bed? (4,6) What one says when taking French leave? (5) A bird watcher never hides it (4) Incredible doctrine of a bygone age (4,6) A quiet little craving for food (8) There are all types in his trade (7) Rather sore, perhaps, on entering (6) A grain or a fruit (5) He has a piano for collection (4)
Quick Across 1. 3. 8. 9. 11. 13. 14. 17. 20. 21. 22. 23.
Ill (4) Obvious (8) Part (4) Talk (8) Characteristic (12) Anchorite (6) Crib (6) Loyalty (12) Over-learned (8) Stupefy (4) Reduced (8) Kind (4)
Down 1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 10. 12. 15. 16. 18. 19.
Unswerving (8) Miner (7) Quantity (6) Uniform (10) East wind (5) Afterwards (4) Aid (10) Dignity (8) Immensely (7) Station (6) Sum (3,2) Hurried (4)
Across: 1 Sick; 3 Manifest; 8 Role; 9 Converse; 11 Idiosyncrasy; 13 Hermit; 14 Manger; 17 Faithfulness; 20 Pedantic; 21 Stun; 22 Depleted; 23 Type. Down: 1 Straight; 2 Collier; 4 Amount; 5 Invariable; 6 Eurus; 7 Then; 10 Assistance; 12 Presence; 15 Greatly; 16 Office; 18 Add up; 19 Sped.
Across
whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy
Cryptic Solution
Cryptic
beating the
Across: 1 Side; 3 Carriage; 8 Stay; 9 Inaction; 11 Casual labour; 13 Repute; 14 Step up; 17 Take no notice; 20 Emotions; 21 Etui; 22 Pinafore; 23 Free. Down: 1 Sash-cord; 2 Draws up; 4 Annuls; 5 Rock bottom; 6 Adieu; 7 Erne; 10 Past belief; 12 Appetite; 15 Printer; 16 Sooner; 18 Acorn; 19 Heap.
The solutions will be published here in the next issue.
Quick Solution
No. 832
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
53
Canning Town - Royal Docks
£19.50
Ticket price to see Steam Down play Royal Albert Dock
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | Fintech Connect Bringing together more than 6,000 delegates, this show says it mixes major financial institutions with startups and fintech players to mutual benefit. Dec 3-4, 10am, from free, excel.london where? Excel Royal Victoria Dock
EVENT | The Business Show Attracting more than 20,000 visitors from all over the world, this is the place to find new and innovative products to help companies grow. Nov 27-28, 10am, free (ticketed), excel.london where? RA Fold Canning Town
Steam Down are set to play London Compressor House near Royal Albert DLR on November 23
where to find fresh sounds in Royal Docks as the EFG London Jazz Festival extends its reach to the east by Jon Massey
A
weekend of music for all ages is set to arrive in Royal Docks as the EFG London Jazz Festival extends its tendrils to the east of the capital on November 23 and 24. Chief among the attractions will be a performance from Steam Down, a collective of musicians and artists founded in 2017 and based around weekly Wednesday sessions at Matchstick Piehouse in Deptford. Created by multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Ahnansé, the group is built around core members including Alex Rita, Brother Portrait, SawaManga, Theon Cross, Nadeem, Benjamin Appiah, Dominic Canning and Nache. The group, which are set to perform at London Compressor House near Royal Albert DLR at 8pm on the Saturday, promise a fusion of grime, future soul and
jazz, bounced off the springboard of Afrofuturism. If that weren’t enough, audiences can also expect the band to strive “to create an immersive experience, complemented by the exuberant energy of the extended family who regularly attend to bring vibes and support”. The show, which costs £19.50 to attend, is billed as “an aural exploration of past-present-future – a co-creative piece of magic where everyone’s participation matters”. A succession of special guests is also expected to perform on the night. Also taking place on the Saturday, Good Hotel in Royal Victoria Dock will host a free gig from DJ and presenter Erica McKoy from 2pm – entry is free. The following day, the same venue will see the arrival of Collage Club Workshop – a free event for all ages to create colourful artworks inspired by Matisse’s 1947 compositions published in Jazz. Also on the Sunday, for those
who prefer their music aural rather than visual, Luna Cohen And Thomas Seminar Ford will perform classic Samba and Bossa Nova songs at Good Hotel from 1pm. Entry is free. Keen to inspire the younger generation, London Jazz Festival has arranged a couple of free events for toddlers and babies. On November 24, The Crystal at the head of Royal Victoria Dock will host Jazz For Toddlers from 10am-11am aimed at introducing kids aged two-five to the sounds and techniques of jazz and also Baby Boogie from 1pm allowing youngsters and their parents to throw some shapes. Now in its 25th year, the London Jazz Festival runs from November 15-24 and features gigs across the capital, in many cases highlighting the existing year-round music scene in the city. Go to efglondonjazzfestival.org.uk for more information, full gig and event listings or to book tickets to see Steam Down
CLUB | Gabber Eleganza Expect a new audiovisual show from the headliners with Gray For Days, SONS, Minimal Violence and Tom Unlikely also on the bill. Raucous beats. Nov 30, 11pm-6am, £15, residentadvisor.net
to do before November 20
More than just a cup of joe, the black stuff is big business and Coffee Shop Innovation Expo is the place to find out about the future of brown drinks. Beans to biofuel is a winner. Runs November 19-20, free entry excel.london
spot check worth a visit For events, workshops and exhibitions visit RAW Labs by Bow Arts in Royal Docks bowarts.org/raw-labs want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
£10
Starting price to see Dick Whittington this Christmas at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Top cat: Harry Jardine is set to play Nathaniel, in Theatre Royal Stratford East’s panto
“
The tradition of staging a panto at Christmas at this theatre goes as far back as the 19th century and it remains an essential part of our history Nadia Fall, Theatre Royal Stratford East
Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com
cat letting the
out of the bag
Theatre Royal Stratford East opts for the tale of Dick Whittington in a bid to delight the masses over Christmas by Jon Massey
Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick
14 days later
plan your life from Nov 20-Dec 4 where? Cody Dock Bow
EVENT | Frost Fair Whether visitor or prospective stall holder, Cody Dock is keen to welcome a festive crowd for fire, mulled wine, cider, live music, crafts and a market . Nov 30, noon-5pm, free to visit, codydock.org.uk where? Stratford Circus Stratford
STAGE | Messiah This production from Bear Trap Theatre explores the forgotten legacy of Fred Hampton and the revolutionary power of young people. Nov 27-30, 7pm, from £13, stratford-circus.com
Sèverine Howell-Meri will play the role of Dick Whittington
T
heatre Square in Stratford is set to be paved with festive gold following the announcement of this year’s pantomime. Theatre Royal Stratford East is set to stage a production of Dick Whittington from November 23 until January 11. With words and music by David Watson and Robert Hyman respectively, the panto refreshes the tale of the boy who travelled to London in search of fame and fortune as he battles the villainous King Rat who has taken control of the city. Sèverine Howell-Meri takes on the plucky titular lead, topping a bill that includes Harry Jardine as Nathaniel, Vedi Roy as Lady Lush, Bree Smith as Grandma, Lizzie Winkler as Mayor and Francesca Zoutewelle as Alice. The show, which also stars Tom Giles as King Rat, promises a mix of original songs, comedy and even a sprinkling of snow suitable for all ages. Theatre Royal Stratford East artistic director Nadia Fall, said: “The tradition of staging a panto at Christmas here goes as far back as the 19th century, and it remains an essential part of our history.
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where? Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stratford EVENT | Community Sleep Out With Work Homeless charity Centrepoint invites teams from companies across London to sleep outside and raise money to support its work. Nov 21-22, 7pm-7.30am, £30, sleepout.org.uk
to do before November 20
“We’re so excited for this cast and creative team to bring their own festive magic to our theatre this Christmas and continue this much-loved tradition.” The show’s director, John Haidar, said: “I’m delighted to be directing at Theatre Royal Stratford East for the first time and to be working on its legendary pantomime. It’s an integral part of the city’s cultural identity and to be there telling this story, which places London at its centre, is a treat.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with our fantastic cast and creative team to reimagine this timeless folk tale of a city in crisis, and its brilliantly eclectic cast of characters, for Stratford audiences this Christmas.” Tickets start at £10 for the show, which has a running time of around 135 minutes including an interval. Prices increase as the theatre fills up, so early booking is advised. Go to stratfordeast.com or call 020 8534 0310 for more details
See I Ride In Colour And Soft Focus, No Longer Anywhere on November 8 at Stratford Circus. Jamila Johnson-Small creates a landscape of dance, trance and digital queerness. Doors 7pm, from £13 stratford-circus.com
spot check worth a visit Sip exquisite drinks on a boat in Hackney Wick – the buoyant Alfred Le Roy alfredleroy.com want more? @wharflifelive
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Wharf Life Nov 6-20, 2019 wharf-life.com