GW90

Cinema ● Theatre ● Comedy ● Books ● Arts ● Music ● Food & Drink

WEEKENDER January 23, 2019 www.weekender.co.uk

GREENWICH & LEWISHAM

Inner space Yoga teacher Silvia Sanvito on how she finds a union between body, mind and spirit

Advertorial

Those rippling abs aren’t all about you, you know…

Wanna witness the fitness this January? Here’s how you can get yourself in shape and give back to your local community.

A

s those clichéd echoes of ‘new year new you’ begin to ring in our ears, we’re constantly on the lookout for ways to improve ourselves. It’ll come as no surprise, then, that gym sign-ups jump in January. As our fitness resolutions start to unfold (and hopefully stick) we don our trainers and dig out our cycling shorts.

But here’s the rub. Whether it’s veganism, recycling or going plastic free, it seems we’re all determined to

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do our ethical bit. And with 2019 fast approaching, there’s no sign of that slowing down. Now, you can attach your New Year’s fitness goals to your ethical commitments, thanks to exercise aficionados Better Gyms.

As a social enterprise, Better doesn’t pocket a penny. Yep, you heard us – all of Better’s profits are reinvested into improving facilities and the health of local communities.

So when you join Better, you aren’t just looking after your body, but you’re also looking after your

community’s well-being too, with every rep, pool length or class. (Their name is starting to make sense now, isn’t it).

Want to know the facts? Better has 55 partnerships with local authorities, charities and sporting bodies, as well as 140 libraries, 10 children’s centres and even five adventure playgrounds.

They supported more than 3,000 aspiring athletes in 2018, and over the past three years Better has reinvested an impressive £30million back into the community. That’s not

just pocket change.

And as if that wasn’t enough to convince you to join, Better Gyms charges no joining fee all January.

There are no contracts either and members enjoy special discounts on pools and fitness classes. Besides, with a 285 strong national network of leisure centres, you’re sure to find one close to home.

For more information or to join Better this January, head to better.org.uk/ january-sale

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Pick of the week

Snow Patrol at The O2, time travel at the cinema and test your brain at Blackheath Halls

By Holly O'Mahony

LAST CHANCE TO SEE: RINSE, REPEAT AT NOW GALLERY

Editor: Laura Burgoine

T

he Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender is an independent weekly newspaper, covering the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham.

We publish every Wednesday, covering every postcode sector of the borough, and boasting, by far, the highest weekly circulation in Greenwich. Each week, we deliver to homes in every Greenwich neighbourhood, with further copies stocked at convenient public stands. We are also the highest distribution newspaper in Lewisham.

You can also view each edition online, as well as daily news and events, on our website: www.weekender.co.uk The Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender covers all aspects of life in the boroughs, including music, theatre, comedy, film, events, and food and drink, as well as all your community events and campaigns.

We would love to hear from you, so if you’re holding an event, launching a business, championing the needs of your local community, or just want to tell us about something that’s happening in Greenwich or Lewisham, feel free to get in touch.

WEEKENDER

The Greenwich and Lewisham Weekender is published by Southwark Newspaper Ltd - an independent newspaper publisher, based in Bermondsey, south London.

Weekender Editor: Laura Burgoine Advertising Manager: Tammy Jukes Media Partnerships: Anthony Phillips Advertising team: Nancy Simpson; Katie Boyd; Clarry Frewin; Liz Gold; Lorraine Wood

NOW Gallery’s Rinse, Repeat exhibition is closing this weekend.

Created by fashion designer Richard Malone, who is the gallery’s colaborator this winter, the exhibition is an interactive, multidisciplinary installation made up of three elements, which together create a conversation around fashion, movement and art. NOW Gallery, The Gateway Pavilions, Peninsula Square, SE10 0SQ. Until January 27, from 10am - 7pm weekdays; 10am - 5pm Saturday; 11am 4pm Sunday. Admission: FREE. www.nowgallery.co.uk/

TIME TRAVEL AT DEPTFORD CINEMA As part of its Sci-Fi Sunday series, Deptford Cinema is screening Shane Carruth’s lo-fi film Primer (2004). The plot follows Aaron and Abe, two employees of a faceless tech company who accidently create a time machine in their garage. A short video essay from The Nerdwriter explaining the history of time travel fiction will accompany the screening. Deptford Cinema, 39 Deptford Broadway, London SE8 4PQ. January 27, from 3:30pm - 7pm. Admission: £6/£4.50 concessions. www.deptfordcinema.org/

FINGER ON THE BUZZER Blackheath Halls is hosting its annual quiz night this Friday, in support of the Royal Greenwich and Blackheath Halls Youth Choir. Grab a team of up to eight players (or buy an individual ticket and join a team on the night), suss out your areas of expertise, and enjoy an evening of light-hearted competitiveness and live music. Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, SE3 9RQ. January 25, at 7pm. Admission: £10pp. www.blackheathhalls.com

SNOW PATROL AT THE O2

Editorial: Michael Holland; Holly O'Mahony News reporters: Katherine Johnston; Josh Salisbury Design Manager: Dan Martin Design team: Ann Gravesen Finance: Em Zeki Managing & Commercial Director: Chris Mullany Managing & Editorial Director: Kevin Quinn

Snow Patrol are performing their latest album Wilderness along with many of their most popular hits at the O2 Arena on Saturday. Wilderness is the alternative rock band’s first album in seven years and, in the words of lead singer and songwriter Gary Lightbody, taps into something “primal, alive and beautiful”. The O2 Arena, Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX. January 26, at 6:30pm. Admission: £53.75 - £87.50. www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/snow-patrol

Offices at: Unit A302, The Biscuit Factory, Drummond Road, SE16 4DG. Printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge Ltd – www.iliffeprint.co.uk News: 020 7231 5258 / news@weekender.co.uk Ads: 020 7232 1639 / ads@weekender.co.uk Web: www.weekender.co.uk Twitter: @weeknder_life Facebook: @weeknderSL Instagram: therealweeknder Issue: GW90

BALLET INSPIRED BY WWI

Impermanence’s film The Ballet of the Nations is showing at Trinity Laban this Friday. The 50-minute film, narrated by Billy Zane, was inspired by the 1915 pacifist satire of the same name, written by Vernon Lee and illustrated by Maxwell Armfield as a response to the First World War. Incorporating dialogue and a narrative of stylised dance pieces, the film imagines war as a diabolical dance choreographed by Satan and Death. The film will be followed by a Q&A with the company and collaborators. Laban Theatre, Laban Building, 30 Creekside, London SE8 3DZ. January 25, at 7:30pm.

Admission: £8/£6 concessions. www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/

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January 23 2019 3

Spotlight

Space for yoga in Woolwich

Y

oga is a discipline known for its many health benefits. In a physical sense, practising regularly can tone your muscles, improve your posture and help you lose excess weight, writes Holly O’Mahony...

While mentally, many find yoga helps to reduce stress and anxiety, and silence a busy mind.

One yogi helping others in the community to find the discipline for themselves is Silvia Sanvito, a yoga teacher based at The Yoga Space in Woolwich.

It wasn’t until Silvia went to her first yoga class seven years ago that she realised she’d been misusing her body for the first 30 years of her life. She was instantly attracted to the practice, going to classes several times a week and practicing at home, too, before training to be a yoga teacher herself. Now a qualified instructor, Silvia teaches group classes in hatha flow yoga (a sequence of yoga postures linked together in a flow) and chakra yoga (an practice for experienced yogis that explores the flow of energy in your body), as well as offering specialist classes including pregnancy and postnatal yoga, one-to-one sessions and corporate classes.

The Greenwich Weekender speaks to Silvia to find out more about her journey into yoga and how the practice can benefit us all.

Holly O’Mahony: How did you come to discover yoga yourself?

Silvia Sanvito: Yoga has been a presence in my life since childhood as I have relatives who have been practicing it for over 40 years, however it was only in my early thirties that I was ready to really dive into it.

In 2007, I came to London from Italy. The fast-paced and exciting atmosphere here pushed me to take more care of myself and learn how to stay grounded.

When I went to my first full yoga class in Hammersmith, I remember leaving the venue feeling light, expanded and mysteriously at peace. I knew I had found a life-changing practice and I committed to it immediately. I started attending two or three classes a week and exploring my home practice daily.

I could see, sense and feel myself transforming, and so the journey began.

HOM: Why do you think yoga is such an important practice for so many people across the world?

SS: The contemporary world is an ego and mind-focused system that tends to disconnect us from our own natural power. We live in the technical age, which means we can achieve lots at once, but

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what we need more of for our mental wellbeing is balance.

In Sanskrit [the language of ancient India, where yoga originates from], yoga means ‘to yoke’. It is a practice that brings union and connection between the different layers of ourselves: the body, the mind and the spirit. When this union happens, we become aware of our own specific needs – physical, mental and emotional – as well as our path and life purpose. We

get to know ourselves better.

Allowing ourselves simply to be and accepting ourselves as we are means building up a world based on tolerance, kindness, self-expression, creativity and love. That’s why it’s universally popular.

HOM: Have you had any struggles along the way with your own practice?

SS: Yes, of course I have!

Who hasn’t? We are beings

in constant transformation and it is sometimes difficult to acknowledge where we are and adjust to it. When I went through pregnancy and motherhood, my life, body and needs changed considerably and I had to modify my own practice completely.

This took time and kindness, and made me realise how practicing yoga goes so much further than practicing on a mat.

HOM: As well as teaching group

classes at The Yoga Space in Woolwich, you also lead corporate classes. How do they work?

SS: Corporate classes are built following the client’s needs. They are mostly held in the working space, or in specific venues that the corporate clients consider appropriate for their employees.

Often they are held during lunch breaks or after work and they last no more than an hour.

I’ve held special wellbeing

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Fo r m o re st o r ie s g o t o w w w.w e e ke nde r.c o .uk They’re also popular with advanced students wanting to dive deeper into the practice.

Essentially, private classes are about understanding the client’s expectations and needs, so as to be able to teach them the skills and practice they’re looking for.

events for the NHS in the past, where I offered one-to-one practices as well as short tutorials tailored to the specific workers and working environment.

HOM: You offer one-to-one and private classes, too. Is there much uptake for these?

SS: One-to-one classes can be requested for different reasons, such as recovery after injuries, pregnancy, or simply to fit in around a busy life schedule.

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HOM: Finally, what do you love most about teaching yoga?

SS: When teaching, I enter a form of meditation by being fully present in the space and time. This experience relaxes and recharges me. I am there for my students and able to connect with them. I love empowering people by sharing what I know and learning from them as they share with me.

Silvia Sanvito teaches yoga at The Yoga Space, 9-11 Gunnery Terrace, Woolwich, London SE18 6SW. www.theyogaspacelondon.co.uk/

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January 23 2019 5

Arts Burns Night is being celebrated at Cutty Sark this Friday, January 25, with an evening of ceilidh dancing, poetry, scotch whisky and haggis, in honour of Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns, writes Holly O'Mahony...

The evening’s entertainment includes a special performance of Burns’ poem Tam O'Shanter. It’s after a key character in the poem, Cutty Sark, that Greenwich’s iconic tea clipper gets her name.

Robert or ‘Rabbie’ Burns (1759 – 1796) is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland. Today, Burns Night suppers and ceilidhs are held across the UK on what was Burns’ birthday. The tradition dates back to 1801, five years after Burns passed away, when friends gathered at the poet’s first home, Burns Cottage, to celebrate his life. Burns Night celebrations at Cutty Sark begin at 7pm, when guests are invited to explore the 150-year-old ship after dark and enjoy a complimentary dram of scotch whisky at the bar.

London ceilidh band Licence to Ceilidh will then kick off the evening’s entertainment at 8pm. A hot meal of haggis, neeps and tatties; stovies; or vegan haggis is included in the ticket price, and will be available to enjoy in the ship’s café during the interval.

Poetry readings and a Highland bagpipe performance will entertain guests while they dine. The second half of the ceilidh then commences at 10pm. Tickets include access to Cutty Sark, a hearty meal of traditional Scottish fare, a welcome drink (redeemable any time before 11pm) and the chance to dance underneath the gleaming hull of Greenwich’s historic tea clipper.

Celebrate Burns Night at The Cutty Sark

Burns Night ceilidh at Cutty Sark, King William Walk, SE10 9HT. January 25, from 7pm - 11pm. Admission: £35. www.rmg.co.uk/see-do/exhibitionsevents/burns-night-ceilidh

Steam Down to Deptford Deptford-based artist collective Steam Down are hosting a very special night at The Albany this Saturday. The group are recording their new audio-visual album live, inviting audiences to come along and be a part of the experience. The immersive event will also feature performances from musicians across the wider UK jazz community, writes Holly O'Mahony...

Steam Down are known locally for their soulful melodies, west African rhythms, spiritual jazz and bass music.

Doing away with the more typical practice of recording an album in a private studio, the group from south-east London are looking to bring the audience into the creative process behind their music. ‘ There is no audience, we are all the music, everyone’s participation matters’, says

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the group in a post on The Albany website. Steam Down’s sessions are often a cocreative experience between the audience and musicians. In their own words, it’s: ‘a mutual exchange of energy and vibes between the groovers and movers, the band and the crowd.’

However, Saturday’s performance marks the first time the group will record an album live, featuring the audience dancing and singing alongside the performers.

Founded by Ahnanse in May 2017, Steam Down was initially a one-off event created to connect London-based musicians and producers.

An appetite for more was evident and since then, it’s evolved into a weekly meet-up where artists from what is now the Steam Down collective, plus their extended musical family, creative improvised sonic soundscapes reflecting their lives in the city.

After the live recording of their new audio-visual album, Steam Down are embarking on a European tour which will see

them play in Antwerp, Oslo, Berlin, Paris and Amsterdam.

Steam Down: The Album is taking

place at The Albany, Douglas Way, SE8 4AG. January 26, from 7:30pm - 11pm. www.thealbany.org.uk/

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January 23 2019 7

FA Albin & Sons Family Run Funeral Directors

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Theatre

Pack your bags and leave tonight... for Club Tropicana Residents of Bromley and beyond are invited to the Club Tropicana Hotel for a celebration of 80s smash-hit classics. Club Tropicana the Musical is a new all-singing, all-dancing show, brought to the stage by the producers of the UK tour of Hairspray.

It’s exciting news for local residents, too, as the show is getting its world premiere at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre this week, writes Holly O'Mahony...

Led by a star-studded cast including 2009 X Factor winner Joe McElderry, EastEnders’ Neil McDermott, and 80s actress, comedian and singer-songwriter Kate Robbins, Club Tropicana follows a bride and groom who get cold feet before their wedding day. They each decide to escape to the sun for a holiday, unaware they’ll both be checking into the sizzling Club Tropicana Hotel in Spain. With the drinks flowing and tans glowing, will the young lovers decide to go through with their wedding after all?

Meanwhile, in the background, the hotel staff are desperately looking to save the resort from mean-spirited hotel inspectors hoping to close it down.

Regardless of whether or not the plot is gripping enough to thrill, the soundtrack is sure to lure in the crowds. Laced with numbers

by ABC, Cyndi Lauper, Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Dolly Parton, Club Tropicana promises to bring audiences some of the best-loved anthems of the 80s.

From ‘Girls Just Wanna Have

Fun’ to ‘Islands in the Stream’ and ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’, the auditorium will no doubt be pumping with nostalgia.

“The 1980s was the most important decade of my life,” said Kate Robbins in a press interview for the musical. The decade saw the actress and singer – who plays the grumpy Spanish hotel maid Consuela in Club Tropicana – shoot to fame.

Robbins represented the UK with pop group Prima Donna at the Eurovision Song Contest (coming third), scored her own

top 10 single and landed a role in the 80s soap Crossroads. She went on to star in her own TV series The Kate Robbins Show (which later became Kate and Ted’s Show then Saturday Gang), before providing many of the voices for ITV’s satirical puppet show, Spitting Image.

“I don’t really like to step into somebody else’s boots; I like to do my own thing,” said Robbins, who says she’s thrilled to have been given an amount of ‘free reign’ to create the role of Consuela in the show.

Born in 1991, cast member Joe McElderry missed out on the 80s.

Nevertheless, the X Factor star, whose chart-topping rendition of Miley Cyrus’s The Climb took the nation by storm in 2009, believes the decade’s music made an impression on him. “When we first had a read through of the show, I found I knew the tunes [and] lyrics to nearly all of [the songs],” said the singer-turnedactor in a press interview. “That’s the impact 80s music has had on me.”

McElderry, whose recent stage

credits include playing the title role in the 2015 production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, plays club rep Garry in Club Tropicana. “He’s camp, he’s witty, very flamboyant and quite sassy,” he laughs. “I’ve never played a comedy role before but it’s been really fun…

Club Tropicana has a great story line. It’s a family-friendly show that you can come and sing along to.” The Club Tropicana cast also features EastEnders bad boy Neil McDermott, who played Ryan Malloy for four years in the long-running soap. For McDermott, who was born in 1980, playing the likeable hotel manager Robert is a step away from his typical ‘bad guy’ role.

“Apart from Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, which I toured last year, I've played a lot of baddies,” he said. “Robert is a good guy who runs the hotel with Serena, Amelle Berrabah’s [of the Sugababes] character.”

To say more would be giving away the show’s surprises. But, if Club Tropicana sounds like your kind of getaway, backcomb your hair, insert your shoulder pads and head to Churchill Theatre for a night of ‘brushing shoulders with the stars’.

Club Tropicana the Musical is on at the Churchill Theatre, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA. January 24 February 2, performance times vary. Admission: £12.50 - £39. www.churchilltheatre.co.uk/Online/ default.asp

Film

Cinema puts on first screening with Blackheath Halls This Thursday, January 24, The Village Cinema is putting on its first screening in collaboration with Blackheath Halls. The film? Alexander Payne’s Pinot Noir-praising, Merlot-pounding comedy, Sideways (2005). Those staving off the alcohol this month might want to turn the page now… the copious glasses of wine consumed are described so sensually they’ll leave you craving a glass yourself, writes Holly O'Mahony...

The Golden Globe-winning movie follows depressed and struggling writer Miles and his friend Jack, who go on a vineyard romp together in the Napa Valley, as a final blow-out before Jack gets married. They attend wine tastings, talk at length about their personal lives and ultimately meet two single, attractive, and intelligent women – Maya and Terra – who could prove game-changers for

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the pair.

The Village Cinema has been set up as a small, not-for-profit charity by four local residents, who run the organisation on a voluntary basis. “Our aspiration is to bring films to a wide range of audiences in Blackheath,” says Lucy Chaple, a trustee of The Village Cinema.

The idea was partly inspired by a chance conversation Lucy had with an elderly Blackheath resident, who loved film but had to take the bus in order to get to Greenwich Picturehouse. This, coupled with the notable surge in community cinemas popping up across the country, gave the team the idea to set up a community cinema in Blackheath. By partnering with Blackheath Halls, The Village Cinema team have not only been able to leverage the Halls’ technical equipment, but also their staff, turning the project into a truly community-run affair.

“Sideways is a fun film, which will bring a bit of summer sunshine

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to what is a rather drab time of the year,” says Lucy. How will a screening of Sideways go down in the month that has, for many people, become known as boozefree ‘Dry January’? “Obviously, we wouldn’t want to tempt anyone away from any New Year’s resolutions they have made,” she says. “It will nearly be the end of

the month, though…” she adds, grinning.

If you can’t make the screening this Thursday, there are several more opportunities to catch a screening at Blackheath Halls. The Village Cinema is holding evening screenings once a month until April 2019. “These screenings will test the local interest and financial

viability,” explains Lucy, adding that prices have been kept low (£6-£8 per screening) in order to encourage the community to come along. “If the screenings prove successful, we hope very much to continue the evening films, while also introducing daytime screenings,” she adds.

The April screening at Blackheath Halls will be a choice of four films, all of which were selected by Sight & Sound magazine as among the best films of 2018. The community are invited to vote for which of the four films they want to see, either via The Village Cinema Facebook page or specially-designed postcards which will soon be available. It doesn’t get much more democratic than that now, does it?

Sideways is showing at Blackheath Halls, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, SE3 9RQ. January 24, at 7:30pm.

Admission: £8/£6 concessions. www.blackheathhalls.com

January 23 2019 9

Family

WHAT DOES THE SEA MEAN TO YOU? At the National Maritime Museum this Sunday, little ones of all ages are invited to take part in a range of hands-on activities centred around one big theme: the sea. Discover Sundays is a chance to explore the museum’s exciting collections and learn more about what the sea means to each of us. This activity is accessible for children or adult carers who are blind or partially sighted. National Maritime Museum, Park Row, London SE10 9NF. January 27, from 11:30am - 1:30pm, or 2pm - 4pm.

Admission: FREE. www.rmg.co.uk/

SLOW AND STEADY AND WINS THE RACE Once upon a time there was a hare who never stopped talking about how fast he could run. Then one day, his friend the tortoise challenged him to a race. See the age-old Aesop's Fable The Tortoise and the Hare in ballet form on the big screen at Greenwich Picturehouse. With playful characters and toe-tapping music, this bite-sized ballet is sure to have your tots dancing with excitement.

Northern Ballet’s Tortoise & the Hare is narrated by Anita Rani.

Greenwich Picturehouse, 180 Greenwich High Road, London SE10 8NN. January 27, at 10:30am.

Admission: £10/£5 for children. www.picturehouses.com/cinema/ Greenwich_Picturehouse

ENTER THE GAMING CHAMPIONSHIPS Keen gamers have the chance to show off their skills at the Greenwich Centre Library this Saturday. The Gaming Tournament is a chance to conquer your companions (aka competitors) on the PS4, Xbox One or Wii U. From Fifa 15 to Mario Kart 8, there’s a host of household favourite games to get stuck into. Participants must have a library card. Greenwich Centre Library, 12 Lambarde Square, London SE10 9HB. January 26, from 2:30pm - 3:30pm.

Admission: FREE. www.better.org.uk/library/ london/greenwich/greenwichcentre-library

SHOP ARTISAN FOOD Head to the Royal Arsenal Riverside this Saturday for a chance to buy quality, locallysourced food from its Farmers' Market, located on Artillery Square. Traders include bakers, greengrocers, cheesemongers, florists and more.

No.1 Street, Royal Arsenal Riverside, Woolwich, London, SE18 6FB. January 26, from 10am 3pm. Admission: FREE. www.rare.london/ farmers-market

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sunday lunch made easy If the dramas of cooking Christmas dinner still feel a little too recent to repeat, leave roast dinner-making for another weekend and enjoy a lazy Sunday at Guard House instead. With a menu offering child specials and catering for dietary requirements, Guard House makes dining out easy.

Whether you’re in the market for a Bloody Mary or a roast, the restaurant’s atmosphere will help you relax, unwind, and finally find space to enjoy the Sunday papers. Guard House, No 1 Street, Woolwich Arsenal, London, SE18 6GH. January 27, from 12pm-5pm. www.rare.london/perfect-sunday-at-the-guard-house

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Food & Drink Panda Panda

My whole dinner was under £10

They say you should never judge a book by its cover, writes Holly O’Mahony…

It’s an idiom which can often be applied to restaurants too, and Panda Panda, a café selling Vietnamese street food in Deptford, is one such example of this. Passers-by could easily be put off by the garish bubble writing splaying its name above the door, or the somewhat shabby interior with creamcoloured tiles and plain walls, save for a few faded pictures of pandas eating bamboo shoots and framed photos of the restaurant’s dishes.

The orange tables and logo, meanwhile, make Panda Panda look like a wholly owned subsidiary of EasyJet, specialising in Vietnamese food. (Not such a far-fetched thought to anyone who has spotted a branch of easyCoffee, the airline’s bizarre attempt to break into London’s coffee shop scene). I digress, but the point is, Panda Panda could easily be overlooked in favour of smarter cafés in the neighbourhood, when in fact it’s a Deptford gem.

The main portion of the menu is divided into banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes), salads (which come with or without

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noodles) and Vietnamese pho (soups). The same staple ingredients – grilled pork, char siu (pork marinated in Chinese BBQ sauce), satay chicken and prawns – appear on the menu across all three specialities.

Its soft beverages only here, with Vietnamese takes on teas and coffees, smoothies and a variety of Taiwanese bubble teas making up the drinks portion of the menu.

With the help of the very friendly staff, I settled upon the ‘Triple Pork Special’ noodle salad, keen to sample all three pork options on the menu.

What arrived was a bowl filled

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with several separate elements – shredded lettuce, carrot, cucumber, noodles and the three-way pork – which didn’t immediately gel together. Even when I added the dipping sauce and tried to mix it in, there was too much going on at first for it to work. Fear not, though, it does all come together once you’re several mouthfuls in.

Don’t make the same mistake I did of going to town with the other sauces on the table (fish, soy and Sriracha); you’ll end up with a salty swamp of your own creation at the bottom of your bowl.

Of the pork, the grilled

8 Deptford Broad way SE8 4PA Phone: 020 8616 69 22

pieces, which were marinated in lemongrass, were the most delectable, but the char siu and steamed pork – both with their sweet stickiness and orange hue – were intriguing, succulent and moreish, leaving me glad I ordered the trio. Be warned: portions here are huge.

You, like, I, might find yourself wondering which ingredients to prioritise by the end, and regretting ordering a portion of summer rolls on the side.

In fact, I didn’t end up with a portion of summer rolls. I was told the portion size was three rolls cut in half, making six. I restrained, but was kindly given one vegetable roll on the house.

Good thing, too; I couldn’t even finish the complimentary bulging wrap of lettuce, shredded carrot and fresh coriander. Something unidentifiable in the wrap lent it an overly fragrant note, but the creamy, peanut-sprinkled dipping sauce it came with was a treat.

Despite it being past 5pm on my visit, I decided to wash my meal down with a Vietnamese iced coffee: slow-drip coffee, condensed milk and watery shards of ice. The verdict? A tasty blend with an unexpected (and imagined) aftertaste of liquor to it.

Panda Panda was nearly empty on my visit but almost all others diners who came and went spoke to the staff in what I assume was Vietnamese – always a sign of authenticity when you’re eating foreign cuisine. The café is also the kind of place you don’t feel awkward eating on your own and so I stayed a while beyond my meal, enjoying watching the comings and goings. With fresh, tasty flavours and extremely reasonable prices (my whole dinner was under £10), Panda Panda is a cheap eat worth having on your radar.

the damage Triple pork special noodle salad

£7

Vietnamese iced coffee

£2.69

TOTAL

£9.69

Food (1-5) 0 0 0 0 Ambience (1-5) 0 0 Value (1-5) 0 0 0 0 0 Disabled access YES Disabled toilet YES Booking No

January 23 2019 13

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Property

BERKELEY UNVEIL BRAND NEW SHOWHOME IN PRIME BLACKHEATH LOCATION

O

n 2nd February, Berkeley will launch a new four-bedroom showhome at Forbury.

The home offers prospective buyers the latest opportunity to view a superb new-build in the prime location of Blackheath.

Forbury introduces 14 apartments and 10 houses in a broad range of styles and layouts, from one to threebedroom apartments through to fourstorey, four-bedroom townhouses.

Located on Lee Terrace, within the Blackheath Conservation Area, Forbury is just moments from the area’s charming high street, as well as Blackheath Common, one of the largest areas of common land in Greater London.

Designed by interior designer Nick Auston, the four-bedroom showhome is thoughtfully planned for modern living with a spacious layout spread across four floors. The open-plan kitchen, family and dining area spans the garden level, with high quality design and Miele kitchen appliances.

Bi-fold doors lead from the dining area into the patio, encouraging residents to enjoy outside living. The

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ground floor features a generously sized living room, a perfect space for relaxing and entertaining for family and guests. The first and second floor boast four generously sized bedrooms combined, with the master hosting a luxury en-suite, a feature replicated in the second-floor guestroom. The showhome portrays a perfect family home with flexible living space for everyone.

The interiors of the showhome feature a contemporary design with an elegant palette of soft neutral shades including accents of greens and a combination of rich wood furniture to create a warm, homely design.

Blackheath is a swift 13-minute train journey to London Bridge, making it an increasingly popular choice for buyers looking for a village location with easy access into the Capital. Additionally, in the heart of Blackheath, residents at Forbury benefit from outstanding local amenities including high-end brands, independent boutiques, the weekly farmer market and gourmet restaurants. Families can also be attracted to the first-class education

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nearby, from excellent secondary schools to higher education opportunities.

Prices start at £500,000 for a onebedroom apartment and £1,850,000 for a 4-bedroom house, for further

information please call 020 394 42215, or visit www.forbury-blackheath.co.uk.

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P U BL I C N OT I C ES Royal Borough of Greenwich Town & Country Planning Act 1990 (AS AMENDED) Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure)(England) Order 2015 Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (AS AMENDED) Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 (AS AMENDED) Notice is hereby given that application(s) have been made to The Royal Borough of Greenwich in respect of the under mentioned premises/sites.You can see the submissions and any plans at http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/planning.

If development proposals affect Conservation Areas and/or Statutorily Listed Buildings under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Area) Act 1990 (As Amended) this will be shown within the item below.

Publicity for Planning Applications.

Applicant:

Mr Briah

18/4396/HD

Site Address: 261B BURRAGE ROAD, PLUMSTEAD,

LONDON, SE18 7JW Development: Installation of 3 rooflights to the front

roof slope, 9 rooflights to the rear roof

slope, installation of rear gable end

window and removal of chimney stack.

(Resubmission) Conservation Area: PLUMSTEAD COMMON

Applicant: SD Property Investments Ltd 18/4515/F

Site Address: PETER DE WIT'S CAFE, 21 GREENWICH

CHURCH STREET, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 9BJ Development: Removal of existing single glazed shop

front and installation of a new double

glazed, partially sliding door shop front.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH Applicant:

Mr Peng Liu

19/0004/HD

Applicant:

Ms Aubeelack

19/0007/HD

Site Address: 34 APPLETON ROAD, ELTHAM, LONDON, SE9 6NS Development: Use of existing outbuilding in rear garden

as an annexe.

Conservation Area: adjacent to Progress Estate Site Address: 26 PELTON ROAD, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 9PQ Development: Demolition of existing lean-to and

construction of a single storey rear extension.

Conservation Area: EAST GREENWICH

Cinema ● Theatre ● Comedy ● Books ● Arts ● Music ● Food & Drink

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Keep up to date with what's happening:

Anyone who wishes to comment on these applications should be made in writing to Development Planning within 21 days of the date of this notice.

Please quote the appropriate reference number.

Date: 23/01/2019 Victoria Geoghegan Assistant Director Planning and Building Control Applicant: London and Quadrant Housing 19/0034/F Association

Site Address: 30 CHARLTON ROAD, CHARLTON, SE3 8TY Development: Replacement of timber front doors and

timber windows on a like for like basis.

(Resubmission) Conservation Area: adjacent to Rectory Field Applicant:

Mr & Mrs Lore

Publicity for Listed Building Consent.

Applicant:

SD Property Investments Ltd 18/4516/L

Site Address: PETER DE WIT'S CAFE, 21 GREENWICH

CHURCH STREET, GREENWICH, LONDON, SE10 9BJ Development: Removal of existing single glazed shop

front and installation of a new double

glazed, partially sliding door shop front.

Conservation Area: WEST GREENWICH Listed Building: Grade 2

PUBLIC NOTICE Royal Borough of Greenwich WOOLWICH TOWN CENTRE: NOTICE OF CONSULTATION ON A NEW CONSERVATION AREA AND ADDITIONS TO THE LOCAL HERITAGE LIST Royal Borough of Greenwich is inviting public representations on a proposal to create a new conservation area and make additions to the borough’s Local Heritage List in Woolwich Town Centre. Local authorities have a legal duty to designate conservation areas.

The Royal Borough is inviting views on the proposed conservation area boundary, the architectural and historic interest of the area and proposed local heritage listings.

The consultation is open from 18 January to 15 February 2019 and is available at www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/haveyoursay.

Representations can be sent by email to planning.policy@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or by post to The Royal Borough of Greenwich, Planning Policy Team, 5th Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, Woolwich, SE18 6HQ by 5pm on 15 February 2019.

All relevant representations will be considered. The consultation responses, with any resulting changes to the proposed boundary, will be reported back to Cabinet when a final decision will be made.

Greenwich & Lewisham Weekender

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19/0141/F

Site Address: 42 MEREWORTH DRIVE, PLUMSTEAD,

LONDON, SE18 3EE Development: Construction of a single storey rear/side

extension, new garage door, installation

of replacement windows and doors and

installation of 'crazy paving' to front garden (Resubmission).

Conservation Area: SHREWSBURY PARK ESTATE

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ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) GALLIONS ROAD PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER) 1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to makes this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by EPL&R who need to carry out a gas connection.

2. The Order will come into operation on 6th February 2019 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 3 days. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading. in Gallions Road at the junctions of Woolwich Road.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic will be diverted via North Bound Woolwich Road – Anchor and Hope Lane – Bugsby’s Way South Bound Bugsby’s Way and Anchor and Hope Lane.

Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Strategic Transportation The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ Dated 17/01/2019 (INTERNAL REF: PL/094/LA55342)OLD

ROYAL BOROUGH of GREENWICH ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 – SECTION 14(1) RBG RESURFACING PROGRAMME SOUTH 2018/19 PLANNED ROAD CLOSURE (ORDER) 1. The Royal Borough of Greenwich intends to makes this Order in exercise of powers under section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. This is to facilitate works by The Royal Borough of Greenwich order 2018/19 who need to carry out the second part of their annual resurfacing works programme.

2. The Order will come into operation on 31st January 2019 and would continue to be valid for 18 months. However the works are expected to take 2 months. The duration of the Order can be extended with the approval of the Secretary of State for Transport.

3. The effect of the Order would be to temporarily prohibit vehicles from entering, exiting, proceeding or waiting (including waiting for the purposes of loading or unloading), and banning of turning movements. In 1. Green Lane from Footscray Road to A20.

2. Green Lane from William Barefoot Drive to Montbelle Road. 3.

Rochester Way from Granby Road to Westmount Road. 4.

Rochester Way at the junction with Westbrook Road.

4. Whilst the Order is in operation traffic diversion will be set out by the placing of the appropriate signage with advance notice. Prohibitions remain in force, pedestrians are not affected and vehicle access will be maintained wherever possible.

5. Nothing in this Notice will apply to anything done with the permission or at the direction of a police constable in uniform or traffic warden, to emergency service vehicles, or to vehicles being used in connection with the works.

6. The restrictions described above will apply only during such times and to such extent as shall be indicated by traffic signs as prescribed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

7. Queries concerning these works should be directed to the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Directorate of Regeneration, Enterprise & Skills on 020 8921 6340.

Assistant Director, Strategic Transportation The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, SE18 6HQ Dated 16/01/2019 (INTERNAL REF: PL/060/LAVARIOUS)

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