Welcome to Love London’s , summer 2026 issue, packed with ideas for places to visit and things to do
That might be visiting top restaurants, immersing yourself in culture at Excel or simply enjoying a drink...
FLOAT AWAY
Indulge in some of east London’s best food at Barge East in Hackney Wick Pages 32-33
DREAM ON Immerse LDN’s latest attraction is House Of Dreamers, with visitors invited to explore and play amid 16 colourful installations Pages 12-13
REALLY GRAPE
Hidden gem Sad Meli in Royal Docks offers Georgian dishes alongside wine made in the home country of the owner Pages 08-11
Love London is produced by east London journalists from Wharf Life newspaper, working in partnership with Excel London to help visitors discover the many attractions that can be found in this amazing part of the capital...
Driven forward
Excel London CEO Jeremy Rees talks sports, fitness and the venue’s ongoing programme of investment and improvement as it builds on expansion and success Pages 04-07
Dipping in
Skuna offers a wealth of ways to get out on the water at West India Quay with floating hot tubs, saunas and barbecues to hire for unforgettable cruises Pages 16-21
Top deals
Discover the unbeatable offers at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf this summer, including Ultimate Surf And Turf and the chance to really cool off with frozen cocktails Pages 26-31
How sport and fitness are playing a significant part in Excel London’s success as it sets ambitious goals
by Jon Massey
Following the successful completion of a mammoth project to extend Excel London by 25%, the venue is enjoying something of a purple patch as it attracts new shows and ever-increasing numbers of visitors.
But, if anything, the appetite to forge on and drive things to the next level among the team operating the exhibition, conference and immersive experience hub is greater now than ever.
Everything we do needs to be looked at through the lens of how we
get to be the best event destination in the world,” said Jeremy Rees, who joined Excel in 2010 as sales director and took over as CEO in 2017.
“That comes from standards and values, but also from investment. It’s something we will strive to achieve every single time we improve something.
“For example: ‘Is our Wi-fi and 5G technology equal to what the best event destination in the world would offer?’
“I would say today the answer is no, it needs to improve. We’ve assessed what it should be and have invested many millions of pounds, which means in a few months our new system
will be up and running. When that happens, we will be the world’s most technologically-enabled event destination.
“We’re taking this approach across Excel. Our extension is world class and we’ve invested a lot in Immerse LDN, but we’ve also addressed a wide range of things in areas visitors don’t always see.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to have as good an experience as they can, so we’ve been improving the wider infrastructure behind the scenes and the visitor facilities to help achieve that. Every week we fixate on how we can continued on Page 6
Page 4
make marginal changes to the inside and the outside of our buildings to make them as good as they can be. It’s also about being open to feedback and, in the events business, we’re lucky because we constantly get that from visitors and organisers.
“Then we have a framework in place for our teams to think about how we can respond to an issue and in what time scale. It might be something we need to plan ahead for, perhaps one, two or three years in the future, but what we have is a constant programme of change and development that asks how we can do things better.
“Expectations are constantly rising and we need to always be thinking about how we rise to meet them.”
This process of consistent, iterative improvement – never standing still – is perhaps why the venue is busier than ever, recently attracting 250,000 visitors over just seven days from April 19-26.
Despite much of the capital slowed by a Tube strike, the east London venue hosted 10 events in the period, with the Elizabeth Line unaffected and playing a solid part in helping the exhibition centre record one of its busiest weeks since the 2012 Olympics.
Around 40,000 of those visitors travelled to Excel to collect their registrations for the 2026 London Marathon, with the venue noting that sport and fitness are playing an increasing role in its success.
It’s an important part of what we do – it’s a sector that’s passion-led, tribal and one that reflects society,” said Jeremy.
“People are thinking more carefully about what they eat and how they look after their bodies and their minds.
“Two or three years ago brands like Hyrox were on their journey to growth.
Now it’s gobsmackingly astonishing that last year more than 40,000 people took part in Hyrox London at Excel and this year more people will be doing it here than running the marathon.
“It’s a triumph, an event where people at any level can take part and compete for themselves while improving their fitness.”
Hyrox, which sees participants take on a succession of exercise challenges interspersed with 1k runs, held its first event at Excel in 2021 with 650 contestants.
Now hosting events across the globe, the brand has achieved enormous success and its 2026 edition – scheduled for December 5 and 6 in east London – will also feature Youngstars, its contest for those aged eight to 15.
That’s been one extreme, but sports and fitness in a broader sense have long been important for us,” said Jeremy.
“We’ve been hosting the London T100 Triathlon in various forms for 25 years and last year that saw around 6,000 athletes taking part and 25,000 fans attending the event.
“Formula-E has also been astonishing and will return this August. Technically it’s a great show and it’s been amazing to have cars
Sports and fitness in a broader sense have long been important for us
Jeremy Rees, Excel London
Hyrox London has grown from an event with a few hundred competitors to one with more than 40,000
break the indoor land speed record while racing through our building.”
On a wider point, Jeremy said it was Excel’s flexibility – the ability to become a race track while also having the likes of Gym Race, Turf Games, ATHX, Nike’s After Dark Tour and the London International Horse Show on its calendar – that was most attractive to organisers.
This place is a global trade hub, a centre for ideas – somewhere people want to come to listen and learn,” he said. “Then they take those ideas away with them all around the world.
“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much of an impact our extension has had – building a space organisers were asking for has seen them vote with their feet in the corporate market it was designed to serve.
A Formula E car broke the indoor land speed record at Excel
31k
Athletes and supporters who attended the London T100 Triathlon at Excel last year
250k
Visitors to Excel London between April 19 and 26 this year, driven by attendance at a range of sporting events
“Large-scale technology events that once booked one year in advance are now booking three or even five years ahead because they know that our space fulfils their requirements.
“They’ve seen the results and they know there’s going to be even greater demand for it in the future.
“There’s also a real benefit for shows when they become associated with a venue – events such as the World Travel Market, for example.
“For those top tier brands, Excel offers an established ecosystem and the Elizabeth Line enables visitors to access that.
“Take Canary Wharf, for example, which is now three minutes away and has such an amazing selection of bars, restaurants and facilities. It’s that quality that is helping us attract these events to London.” excel.london
Miles Per Hour - the speed Formula E driver Jake Hughes achieved in his car to set the world indoor record
135.58 25%
Increase in overall space provided by Excel London’s extension, a facility that’s now up and running
Excel has continued to build on its legacy as a venue for sports following its role in hosting the 2012 Olympic Games
by Jon Massey
Beka Kereselidze’s story is one of obsession and literal drive. The Royal Docks resident, along with his wife, Tatia Bichashvili, opened Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines close to Gallions Reach DLR a little over a year ago and it’s been quite the journey.
Born in Tbilisi, Beka initially came to the UK to visit friends in 2007 and decided to stay.
At 23, I saw opportunities here for work and I wanted some fun in my life, but I was also going back to Georgia quite often,” he said. “My family has a summer place in a small village called Sadmeli in the Racha region – it’s where my grandfather used to make wine.
“Georgia is the homeland of wine – we’ve been making it for 8,000 years. Georgian culture and wine come together.
“We have it in our blood, with the forest and the vineyards. It’s normal to have a family tradition of making it and everyone compares theirs with everyone else’s.”
While Beka’s father had continued to make some wine on the site for family consumption, his son had bigger dreams.
After getting married in 2016 – as is customary – the couple made a wine together using the traditional qvevri, massive clay pots buried in the ground as vessels for fermentation and ageing.
Beka Kereselidze, the owner of Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines in Royal Docks
How Sad Meli delivers on authentic Georgian flavour
Buoyed by its reception at a wine festival, Beka was further enthused and began studying production in earnest.
While I was studying, I was building a cellar and starting to make wine. By 2019, I was importing it
He spent a decade working as a long-distance lorry driver for Sainsbury’s in the UK, raising money to build the Sadmeli property in Georgia into a proper winery with a terrace restaurant and a guesthouse.
My parents thought I was crazy at first, but when you want something,
you do it,” said Beka. “I was taking online courses on natural wine making.
“On the road I would listen to lessons and other drivers would make fun of me for reading about wine all the time. But I was really interested – it was quite an obsession. While I was studying, I was building a cellar and starting to make wine. By 2019 I was importing it to the UK, selling it in restaurants and now wine shops and, by 2022, we finished building Sadmeli, ready to welcome guests.”
Supported by his family and funded through long hours on the road and a loan from Lloyds bank, the business has since flourished. However, having relocated to east London, Beka saw further opportunity.
I’d noticed these mostly empty units close to where I lived, found out who owned them and made the offer,” he said. continued on Page 10
“At first, they said no, but then they agreed. I was happy, but also a little bit scared because I didn’t have the money at that time.”
With cash from the Sadmeli operation, more support from Lloyds, contributions from family and help from friends, he overcame that hurdle and began fitting out what was initially supposed to be a wine shop and subsequently morphed into a restaurant and bar.
Somehow we did it,” said Beka. “We opened on October 11, 2024 – a Friday and my god it was scary. I wasn’t really ready but we’d announced it and then we got a booking.
“A few minutes later we got another one. I don’t think I slept for the three or four days beforehand.
“Then, from that day, I haven’t had a day off. But people really like it. They enjoy the wine and we’ve made lots of friends. It’s very rewarding.”
Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines serves up a selection of traditional dishes from Georgia such as Pkhali, Adjaruli Khachapuri and Kharcho soup alongside sides and imported soft drinks. Providing the backbone of the menu, however, are Khinkali dumplings, filled with meat, cheese or mushrooms.
I’m cooking and I have all my mum’s recipes,” said Beka. “It’s what we wanted for this place, that the experience comes directly from Georgia.
“There’s a large eastern European community here and they like Georgian food and wine.
“I try to make everything fresh, which takes time, but we have an open kitchen and people see me cooking and they love this kind of process.
“Guests might have to wait sometimes, but then they drink more wine, which is good for business. Our
biggest seller is the Khinkali dumplings – they will always be on the menu – but other things I like to change to keep it fresh.
“We are very proud that we have customers who have never tried Georgian food before. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s the country, the culture and the wine as well.”
Having studied wine extensively at leading global centre of excellence, the Wine And Spirit Education Trust in Southwark, Beka is delighted to curate a wide range of bottles alongside the wines he’s produced at Sadmeli.
We make six or seven types of wine ourselves including our signature Saparevi, a full-bodied red made with the most common grape in Georgia,” he said.
“It’s been popular and this year’s has now sold out. All the work at the winery is done by hand and we don’t use chemicals on the vines or in production.
“The vineyards we get our grapes from are small. We make good quality wine in small quantities.
Humble Grape Canary Wharf
This wine bar, restaurant and shop is located right on the water in Canary Wharf’s Mackenzie Walk, a few minutes from Excel via the Elizabeth Line.
Well known for working with independent producers, Humble Grape also boasts regular offers for those looking to enjoy a glass for less. On weekdays from 5pm-6pm and on Saturdays from noon-4.30pm, this venue serves organic wines at £6 per glass.
On the food front, expect a wide range of sharing dishes, plus small plates. humblegrape.co.uk
Above, Sad Meli stocks a wide range of wines and boasts a warm welcoming atmosphere
Left, Beka’s speciality are Khinkali, dumplings filled with meat or cheese and held in the hand to eat
“Since we opened Sad Meli in Royal Docks, once I’ve poured my wine for customers, no-one asks for anything else or says they don’t like it. That’s a source of pride for me. People love it and it feels almost unreal.
“It’s hard work, but its that feedback from the customers that gives us the motivation to continue. Mine and my wife’s lives have completely changed.
Below, the venue’s open
Below, the venue’s open kitchen and counter
“We had an aim together and we’ve achieved it. For me, I wanted to do something here instead of driving and now I do.”
Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines is located on the eastern edge of Gallions Roundabout. It’s within easy walking distance of Gallions Reach DLR station and is open from 3pm on weekdays and from noon at weekends. Booking ahead is advised. sadmeli.square.site
Billed as the UK’s largest urban winery, this venue both produces English wines and serves an enormous range of bottles from all around the world.
Vagabond is a by-theglass specialist and features self-pour machines alongside a food menu geared towards exploration. Tours of the facility can also be booked on selected Saturdays for £29 per person including a tasting of four wines.
The brand is set to open a new wine bar in Canary Wharf over the summer as well. Check online for details. vagabondwines.co.uk
by Jon Massey
Immerse LDN is set to welcome its latest exhibition, House Of Dreamers, in June.
Created by designers Elena and Giulia Sella, the attraction invites visitors to explore a series of 16 immersive installations, spread across 27,000sq ft of space.
The exhibition comes to London with an AI-based update, after being seen by more than 2million people in four European cities. Guests of all ages are promised “an emotional journey into the world of dreams” via a blend of design, colour and technology.
New for London, visitors are invited to interact with “AI-powered moments” throughout the exhibition using House Of Dreamers’ DreamBand wearable devices, designed to personalise each experience in real time, meaning no two trips to the attraction are alike.
London represents a strategic milestone for House Of Dreamers and a key step in its international expansion,” said Andrea Cecchi, CEO of Postology, the exhibition’s producer.
“After Milan, Rome, Madrid and Paris, we chose London because it is one of the world’s leading creative capitals, where innovation, entertainment and international business converge and shape the future of immersive experiences.
“To bring this vision to life, we chose Immerse LDN at Excel London – the capital’s newest immersive entertainment district and the UK’s largest destination dedicated to such entertainment.
“Its international positioning made it the ideal partner to host House Of Dreamers on a global stage.”
Immerse LDN is the UK’s largest immersive entertainment district and occupies space along Excel London’s extensive waterfront overlooking the Royal Docks.
Extending to some 160,000sq ft, it features
multiple venue spaces that have welcomed more than 1.7million visitors since launch.
Previous attractions have included Jurassic World: The Exhibition, The Friends Experience: The One In London, Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition and The Formula 1 Exhibition.
We’re thrilled to welcome another internationally acclaimed experience to Immerse LDN and to be collaborating with the visionary team at House of Dreamers,” said Damian Norman, director at Immerse LDN.
“In its short time since opening, Immerse LDN has brought more than 10 innovative immersive experiences to the capital, all showcasing London’s credentials as a global hub for immersive entertainment and activations.”
House Of Dreamers is set to open at Immerse LDN on June 26.
Ticket prices for the exhibition start at £15.90 and dates through to the end of September are available.
The attraction will be open daily from 10am on weekdays and from 9am at weekends. houseofdreamers
Visitors can expect an AI enhanced experience
After Milan, Rome, Madrid and Paris, we chose London because it is one of the world’s leading creative capitals
Andrea Cecchi, Postology
Royal Docks is all set to welcome House Of Dreamers as Immerse LDN gears up for the launch of the latest exhibition to arrive at Excel London’s waterfront
Cleopatra: The Experience features 360º projection, virtual reality and holograms to bring ancient Egypt to life
by Jon Massey
Building on the success of Tutankhamun: The Immersive Experience, producer Madrid Artes Digitales has done it again, this time focusing on a different ancient Egyptian monarch.
Cleopatra: The Experience opened at Excel’s Immerse LDN entertainment district earlier this year, allowing visitors the chance to explore the life and achievements of one of
history’s most remarkable women.
She’s a pop icon and there’s a legend behind her, but we wanted to show the real woman, drawing on what contemporary sources and classical authors said about her,” said Nacho Ares, scriptwriter and curator of the exhibition.
In London for a strictly limited 15-week run, the attraction uses virtual reality, 360º projection,
holograms and interactive displays to help bring ancient Egypt to life and tell the story of its most famous female leader. Lasting around 90 minutes and drawing on a wealth of sources, the show transports visitors back to a breathtaking civilisation. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am, Cleopatra: The Experience runs at Immerse LDN until July 12. Tickets start at £28 for adults and £22 for children aged 4-15. cleopatraexperience.co.uk
There’s still time to catch Cleopatra:
The Experience at Immerse LDN, but you’ll need to move fast as the show must end in July
Docklands is an area defined by its waterways
Guests can bring their own ingredients to cook or purchase packages
Getting closer to it is a must for all those visiting this part of London
Over
the next few pages, we feature some of the most unusual experiences
by Jon Massey
Svisitors can indulge in
kuna, based at West India Quay in Canary Wharf, offers experiences on the waters of the docks unlike any other in the whole of London.
Founded eight years ago, the company hires out selfdrive BBQ Boats and Hot Tub Boats and also offers contrast therapy via its Sauna Boat and plunge pool facilities.
All offer different ways to explore, entertain and relax amid the steel and glass towers of Canary Wharf – a three-minute journey from Excel London via the Elizabeth Line.
Catering for locals and visitors to the area, Skuna can accommodate parties of two people right up to corporate events or summer parties for a maximum of 160 across its full fleet.
● Barbecue on the water Skuna operates 10 BBQ Boats which can each seat up to 10 passengers. These come with a central grill,
allowing guests to either cook their own ingredients or indulge in the company’s food packages. A wide range of drinks can also be ordered from Skuna’s bar.
We’ve just launched a whole array of new food packages for our BBQ Boats,” said Stuart “Tommo” Thomson, Skuna’s founder.
“These include the British Barbecue with hot dogs, beefburgers and a variety of sides such as potato salad and slaw all prepared in-house.
“Then there’s the Mediterranean package with incredible wraps, lamb, garnishes, dips, grilled aubergine and a halloumi hot dog.
“We’ll also be introducing our Surf And Turf, with tuna steaks, king prawns, chicken and sirloin steaks.
“Barbecue is a great way to cook together and also a wonderful way to collaborate making it perfect for corporate events, summer parties and rewarding teams for their hard work.
continued on Page 20
JUST A 1-MINUTE WALK FROM THE EXCEL WEST ENTRANCE
Hiring a Hot Tub Boat from Skuna is one of the most unusual ways to experience the Canary Wharf area – a gentle cruise among the skyscrapers
from Page 16
“This will be our fifth season with the BBQ Boats and they’re growing and growing in popularity.
“We love large group bookings and we’ve had companies hire the whole fleet for summer parties in the past – it’s the ideal summer activity where people can combine, socialising, sailing, dining and drinking in one.”
BBQ Boats can be hired from £35 per guest. Food packages start at £47.50 per person.
● Cruise while immersed Since their arrival in Canary Wharf eight years ago, Skuna’s Hot Tub Boats have become a familiar sight in the area.
Able to cruise further than any other craft available to hire on the dock, the red and blue vessels are filled with fresh water for each group that’s kept toasty by an on-board burner. The temperature can be adjusted by the team to a customer’s preference.
They’re still my favourite experience – they really put a smile on people’s faces,” said Tommo.
“Each boat can take up to eight people and they get 75 minutes on the water after a 20-minute induction.”
Sailors are free to explore North Dock and South Dock thanks to a chimney that can be lowered to allow the craft to pass beneath low bridges. The boats are self-drive and come with a waterproof pot for phones.
Robes and towels can be hired on-site and there are changing rooms and lockers for guests to use. Drinks can also be purchased from Skuna’s bar and enjoyed during the cruise (except by the captain, who remains sober).
Private hire of Hot Tub Boats starts at £45 per person.
● Contrast therapy afloat Skuna’s Sauna Boats are the latest addition to the fleet. These floating structures are moored at its West India
Quay dock and offer woodfired heat therapy as well as cold plunges chilled to a bracing 6ºC on the roof.
Designed in Scandinavia, our Sauna Boats have large glass walls so people can enjoy the heat while looking out over the dock,” said Tommo.
“It’s really relaxing. We have one large one and two smaller ones that can accommodate up to six people each.”
“Sauna and cold plunge sessions start at £15 per person.
“The shared space can take up to 16 people and refreshments are available to purchase on-site.
All of Skuna’s boats can be hired individually or booked in blocks to accommodate larger parties, events or celebrations including birthdays, anniversaries and even weddings.
During the colder months, the business converts its BBQ Boats into Igloo Boats, ideal for enjoying a fondue.
We’re currently looking at expanding our existing fleet and we’re always on the lookout for new water-based experiences we can bring to our customers,” said Tommo.
“For me, the more that happens on the water, the more interesting Canary Wharf becomes as a place to visit, have fun and entertain.”
Skuna’s BBQ Boats can seat up to 10, with a maximum capacity of 100 people. Hire prices start at £35 per person for the vessel and grill
skunaboats.com
The Hot Tub Boats are still my favourite experience – they really put a smile on people’s faces
Tommo, Skuna
Skuna’s Hot Tub Boats offer a way to explore Canary Wharf’s waterways like no other
Robes can be hired on-site and sailors’ hats are also available for purchase
There are few better ways to explore central London than on the Uber Boat By Thames Clippers river bus service, which runs all along the Thames. The closest pier to Excel London is Royal Wharf, with plenty of destinations in the centre of the city available. The east London-based company is also set to launch a series of audio guides over the summer voiced by Rory Bremner, priced at £2.50 for download via its website. thamesclippers.com
Travel Swim
For those who’d like to get in rather than on the water this summer, east London is set to welcome a new floating lido at Eden Dock.
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will offer swimming, saunas and open water options from June 19. Pay-as-you-go swims will cost £10 or £18 when combined with a sauna.
Love Open Water also offers swimming in Royal Victoria Dock near Excel sealanescanarywharf.co.uk loveopenwater.co.uk
Board
If cruising down the Thames or leisurely swimming lengths just isn’t quite exciting enough, why not try wakeboarding .
Royal Victoria Dock’s WakeUp Docklands offers cable-driven sessions suitable for everyone from complete beginners to seasoned pros.
The venue includes jumps and obstacles for more advanced riders. Novice sessions start at £47.25 including all kit. wakeupdocklands.com
