Wharf Life Mar 28

Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

inside

Short Story Stations Champagne Route Royal Greenwich Berkeley Homes Martin Gettings Bob’s Business Paul Malone Roof East Greystar Puzzles Roka UEL

time it’s high

to pick up on this

is Bilal Naeem the best dressed man in Canary Wharf?

Isle Of Dogs - Pages 38-39

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

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

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

read

fortnightly find

this issue’s Tiger Treasure

plan your life from Apr 11-25 where?

Columbus Courtyard Canary Wharf

PLAY | Minigolf Did it ever really go away? Free minigolf is back on the estate for workers and visitors alike to test their putting skills. Clubs, balls and scorecards provided From Apr 16, daily, free, canarywharf.com where?

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Square

GIG | Fleur East The singer brings her formidable pipes back to Canary Wharf for an evening of explosive funk, soul and R’n’B. Expect boundless energy and groove.

Apr 25, 9.15pm, from £25, boisdale.co.uk where?

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Square

GIG | Shola Ama One for the 1990s crowd, the MOBO and Brit award-winner will perform to the Oxblood red backdrop of Boisdale’s walls.

Apr 11-12, 9.15pm, from £25, boisdale.co.uk

fund raising

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raise

cash for winter atheletes From Charlie Sheen to Her Royal Highness Sophie, Countess Of Wessex – Boisdale Of Canary Wharf continues to pull in the big names.

The Royal will be the star attraction at a gala dinner and medal auction on April 24 held in partnership with the British Bobsleigh And Skeleton Association to raise funds to train members of the GB Winter Olympic Team.

The evening will start with a Champagne and Martini reception followed by dinner with entertainment from the Boisdale Blue Rhythm Band before Nicholas Bonham takes to the stage to conduct the auction.

Guests can round out the evening on the lower floor, where DJ Bruno will spin a selection of British hits to encourage a bop out of those who’ve indulged in the Botham All-Rounder Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay on offer.

The event will also be attended by a number of British medal winners in the bobsleigh and skeleton disciplines.

Tickets for the event start at £250 for a window seat with a partial view of the stage and include all reception drinks, wine with dinner and three courses. The event starts at 6.30pm.

Go to boisdale.co.uk for more information

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British Bobsleigh And Skeleton Association Patron HRH Countess Of Wessex will attend the event

odd offer

is this the strangest happy hour on the Wharf?

Succulent black cod in miso, it’s still the top taste on the estate

Every fortnight Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on around the estate From Page 36

get in touch

correct us

Editorial email stories@wharf-life.com call 07765 076 300

we want to hear from you

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Going green with Martin Gettings of Canary Wharf Group

the joy of six

OK, happy hours are intended to increase trade at otherwise quiet times. But will The Merchant really pull in the punters with its 50% off food deal, only available 9pm-10pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday? Then again, it could be perfect for all those responsible drinkers operating an early evening “eating is cheating” policy.

Go to canarywharf.com for full details Find out about the Lansbury Lawrence Primary School’s collaboration with architects Matt+Fiona and the Whitechapel Gallery to create a room for art at Canary Wharf’s Community Gallery. Until May 7 museumoflondon.org.uk

Stories on demand as the Wharf welcomes vending machines

Image by Northern Ireland Office

14 days later

feast your eyes on these

Judging by this chap’s reaction, the sound quality of these budget cans is excellent. Not only that, they come in delightful turquoise or tropical tangerine to ensure your audio experience is both sharp in sound and style. Wearing electronics coloured the same as a 1970s bathroom suite could stretch your urban credibility. On the plus side, you’ll never be targeted by thieves.

Headphones, £7 Go to uk.flyingtiger.com

need something fixed?

Farmer J is the place to get delicious, keenly priced steak and eggs for £6 farmerj.com

Advertising email advertising@wharf-life.com call 07944 000 144

Our editorial team works hard to ensure all information printed in Wharf Life is truthful and accurate. Should you spot any errors that slip through the net or wish to raise any issues about the content of the publication, please get in touch and we will investigate.

want more? @wharflifelive

Go to wharf-life.com for more information

Email info@wharf-life.com

spot check somewhere to try

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

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on the radar

looking to the future Canary Wharf will stage Eats Of The World – a selection of street food stalls on May 2-3 from 11am-3pm in Montgomery Square in celebration of Jeroen Swolfs’ new art exhibition, Streets of the World, which runs until May 24. Eat global canarywharf.com

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Rivers featured in the exhibition in addition to artefacts from the Thames

view

isn’t it time you got this in your diaries?

That the Museum Of London Docklands is set to host a new exhibition is hardly classified information. Secret Rivers is now within diary striking distance.

Expect a triple-seater toilet, paintings, artefacts and strange tales as the closest museum to Canary Wharf nails the waters of the Effra, Fleet, Neckinger (pictured by James Lawson Stewart), Lea, Wandle, Tyburn, Walbrook and Westbourne to its stands. Runs May 24-Oct 27. Entry is free Go to museumoflondon.org.uk Look inside Sailmakers

by Greystar as it gets into gear on the Island

We’ve just spotted the bottomless brunch deal at Tom’s Kitchen which offers a selection of breakfast favourites served 10am-4pm at weekends with the option to bolt on an hour and 30 minutes of Prosecco for £15pp.

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If all that wasn’t enough, Capeesh boasts a unique Sky Bar in Canary Wharf (one of the highest bars in London) to take you amongst the dizzying heights of Canary Wharf’s towering skyscrapers with panoramic views of London. This is 21st century Italian dining done right in incomparable and inimitable style in

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

run reminder

London Marathon 2019

Farmstand’s boxes will feel familiar to customers of Cabot Place’s Leon

jack

Eliud Kipchoge on his way to victory in 2018

I

t’s nearly that time of year again. The Virgin Money London Marathon returns to Canary Wharf (and the rest of the capital, which we obviously care about deeply) on Sunday, April 28.

Will Mo Farah triumph or will Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya retain the title he won in 2018? There’s only one way to find out and that’s to wait and see.

With the route taking all runners through the estate via West India Avenue, North Colonnade and Canada Square, there are few better places in London to watch thanks to Canary Wharf’s selection of bars and restaurants.

Hotspots along the route are likely to be Tom’s Kitchen, Boisdale Of Canary Wharf, The Parlour, The Pearson Room, Plateau and Brewdog.

The action arrives with the wheelchair racers coming through mile 18 and onto the estate just before 10am.

The elite runners will start flowing through at 10.51am before the main bulk of competitors arrive around noon.

Spectators are advised to avoid alighting at South Quay DLR close to Mile 18 as it’s impossible to cross the route other than at street level.

Better to go to Canary Wharf and use the bridge.

Go to virginmoney londonmarathon.com for more information and road closure details

hit finally Farmstand is open and the early indications are good for its plant-based menu

By Jon Massey

A

fter interviewing the founder of Farmstand a few weeks ago and his indication that its chipotle pulled jackfruit (£6.75) was among the most popular dishes at the brand’s Covent Garden restaurant, a taste test was clearly necessary.

Opened on March 16, the Canary Wharf branch in Cabot Place (making up a quartet with Pret, Wasabi and Paul on the mall level), is a pared back affair.

There’s a wall of living plants, a few tables with high chairs upholstered in green leather (probably imitation) and a wide counter ready to serve the masses.

My companion and I dine in on a Monday evening which is, predictably, quiet. While I’m all about the jack (in Farm Box configuration with rice and broccoli salad), she

opts for the plant-power lunchbox (£5.50). Although we’re after a glass of something grape-based – risque for a school night – the beer, wine and fizz section of the menu yields only lager, ale and cider by Crate.

Free still and sparkling water taps are a nice touch, however.

Opening my box I’m met by a generous pile of food for the price.

Brown rice sits beneath the main attraction coated with a topping of seeds. The rocket and broccoli salad makes up about half the box and is a lush, unspoilt sea of green.

The jackfruit itself is potent.

Spicy, soft but textured in the

mouth and perfectly balanced against the toothsome rice. The salad however, while crunchy, would have benefited from a dash of lemon juice or something to raise it up to the level of its beautiful colour. My companion’s salad is wholesome enough, if unremarkable.

Farmstand comes across as a slightly more austere Leon. Its boxes feel familiar and the al dente grains won’t shock regulars from further down the Cabot Place corridor. Reasonably priced, it delivers decent, healthy bites.

Go to farmstand.co.uk

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf An artist’s impression of how Serena Club might look on South Quay

doing the deals

hit the Wharf’s malls and restaurants for less

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Save £40 when spending £200 at Asics in Jubilee Place although exclusions apply on some lines. Will it be enough to send you back to Asics? asics.com

What fashion designer Beatrice Newman is bringing to her UEL role

head over to the East Wintergarden to find out about Serena Club’s new restaurant floating flavours A consultation event on a proposal to moor a new floating restaurant on South Quay is set to take place.

Members of the public are invited to consider plans for and offer comments on a “high-

quality dining yacht” Serena Club at Canary Wharf’s East Wintergarden on Thursday, April 4, between 2pm-7pm.

Details are scant at present but the new establishment, which would be tied up on the far side of South Dock from the event venue promises the

“highest standards of yacht hospitality and gastronomy” in its literature.

Comm Comm UK, which is running the consultation, has worked on numerous projects including The Garden Bridge.

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Number of Short Story Stations that will be installed in Canary Wharf’s malls from April 4

Image by Olivier Alexandre

fancy a story for free? Short Édition’s vending machines will be serving up fiction from April 4

By Jon Massey

W

Push the button: Users select story length and receive a printed work pulled at random from the content held by the machine

e’re huge fans of printed media at Wharf Life – anything that gets eyeballs off screens and onto paper is a good thing in our book. Consequently, news Canary Wharf’s malls are set to get three Short Story Stations offering free bursts of escapism turned our heads.

We had to know more, so called business development manager Lo c Giraut at Short dition, the French publisher behind the vending machines to fill in some details.

“The company was created in 2011 but at the beginning we didn’t have the machines – it was just a website – short-edition.com – where people could submit short stories, poems, comics and flash fiction,” he said.

“For five years we built this community of people and we only created the short story dispenser at the end of 2015.

“Short dition was created by four co-founders. They believed short stories were the new trend in fiction and they thought they were well adapted to new ways of living.

“People have less time and short fiction is perfect for small moments such as when you’re in your train or plane – any time when you have a short attention span.

“They wanted to take people off their phones and find an innovative way of promoting all the works our community had been writing for the past seven years.

“They invented this concept when they were in front of the coffee machine. They were just

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

Image by Sophie Crepy Boegly

read a little something to

“

Canary Wharf Group was innovative enough to find out about us and take the risk. We are very thankful to them for that Loïc Giraut, Short Édition

waiting for their drinks and thought short fiction should always be available for everybody because culture should be free.”

The company’s machines will be installed at ubilee lace, Churchill lace and Crossrail lace Roof Garden from Thursday, April 4. Following success in its native France and expansion to the US, Canary Wharf will be the first place in the U to get the technology.

“We usually don’t choose specific spaces but we respond to demand,” said Lo c.

“We have been working in France for three years and in the USA for two but, surprisingly, we didn’t have much demand from the U .

“Canary Wharf Group was innovative enough to find out about us and take the risk. We are very thankful to them for that.

“It’s perfect because it’s a high traffic location and the area has very much been focussed on with the arts.

“We met with them four months ago and they really seem to care about more than their customers’ wallets. They really want to bring art into the location and be a player within the arts in the city.”

So how does the whole thing work?

“We have a random set of stories in the machines,” said Lo c “As a customer, Canary Wharf Group will be able to choose between selections of stories.

“They might be romance or feel-

Short Édition prints stories on eco-friendly, Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper for readers to enjoy good stories. The reader doesn’t choose exactly what they’re getting. They just press a button to choose between one, three or five minutes and get a totally random story.

“We try to have editorial animation – in the USA it was Women’s ational History month recently so we only had female authors featured in the machines.

“We can do special collections for Christmas and Halloween too.

For summer we might have stories based around travel or nature, for example. We can really adapt the content depending on the time of the year.”

Although started as a website, Short dition is determined to support the printed word.

Lo c said “We print the stories because of the fact you can touch them and that you can pass them on to somebody.

“The fact you can take them home and read them later, it really creates something. All our stories are also available online.

“We used to have a mobile app, but we realised nobody wants

to spend five minutes reading a story – they’ll be distracted by a Facebook notification or an email coming in.

“Most people will be keen to take that five minutes if it’s on something they can touch.

“It really brings emotion that you don’t have on your phone.

Literature is particularly good for this format.”

While the publisher does hold longer stories on its site, brevity is the watchword for its vending machines for reasons of practicality.

“We do have stories up to 20 minutes on the website, but for the machine we stopped at five otherwise the paper would be too long,” said Lo c.

“We do have some very good 1 and 20-minute stories that we try to promote in other ways. In France, for example, we print some books.

“The process is eco-friendly. We use thermal printing so you have no ink, no cartridges and it’s print on demand. For example in France when a publisher prints 100 books, they’ll throw away 30 of them.

“The paper is Forest Stewardship Council-certified so it’s from Continued on Page 8

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Canary Wharf

Left, an artist’s impression of a Short Story Station, which

from Page 7 sustainably managed forests. In total we have more than 120,000 stories available online.

“While not all are of sufficient quality to go in the machine and that is the French plus English total. We select the ones in the machines based on the customer’s choice and we can make sure that users won’t get the same story, even if you press the same button 10 times in a row.“ In addition to readers seeking out the company’s stations, budding writers may also like to investigate its website. Lo c said the firm’s intention was to create a new model for publishing.

“We just concluded our first international writing contest for those speaking English,” he said.

“We also work a lot with local communities such as universities, mostly in the US at the moment, but we hope to do the same in the U . Then we sometimes publish the very best works “We have spent the last year building our website. We are now ready to accept new work.

“The writers get paid if they are published in the machines. That’s because when someone buys the machine they also rent the content. “ ayment is calculated for time spent in the machine as the content rented. In Canary Wharf 40% of the revenue we make goes to the authors, but because the content is changing it’s hard to say how much an individual will get.

“As long as the machine is running we get money for it and redistribute it. We recently paid 9,000 authors – the amounts of money earned ranged from €2 to more than €1,000 for some.

“We consider ourselves as a non-traditional publisher. A traditional model will give a few authors the opportunity to live from their passion.

“We don’t do this. We can’t pay tons of money but we allow more people to be read, to create new readers and also, sometimes, for them to be revealed and to get contracts with other publishers.

“We work with the writing community, so people vote for the stories when we have a contest and then we have a board of great readers who help us read and correct the stories.

“Then we have an editorial board in Grenoble who work with the stories and put them into catalogues so we can then use them.

“We hope working with Canary Wharf in the UK will bring more interest in the concept.

“We want to to work with more U authors as our English speaking development was very much focussed on the US.” Go to short-edition.com

Loïc, right, says represents an alternative publishing model for fiction writers

9k

Authors paid by Short Édition for their work uploaded to its website

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

2009

The year Canary Wharf last sent waste to landfill

getting greener

by Martin Gettings

W

hat does sustainability really mean? The word has been used a lot over the past few years, but there are as many definitions of it as there are opinions. One I like is “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance”.

As group head of sustainability at Canary Wharf Group, I would agree but add to this by seeking to maintain environmental economic and social balance. But really we don’t need more definitions, we need to take action, we need to make sustainability real.

In my regular column for Wharf Life, I’m going to keep you updated with what we are doing here at Canary Wharf and how this sits within the bigger picture as we try to address big issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, plastic pollution, biodiversity, how we are contributing to global sustainability goals and how we can all get involved to make a difference.

Making Sustainability Real is Canary Wharf Group’s ongoing commitment, but we recognise that we can’t achieve this on our own.

We need to share ideas and enable people and businesses to get involved so they become part of our common sustainability journey at work, and at home.

You may have seen some of the initiatives around Canary Wharf – coffee cup recycling bins, water refill stations, a Helpful reward app – even a solar-powered bus shelter and benches. But what you might not see is the huge amount of activity going on behind the scenes.

Take waste for example. It’s amazing to see what happens to all the stuff that goes into our bins here on the estate.

Our teams collect, sort and package it into bundles – cardboard, plastic etc. – ready to be transferred off site to be processed at specialist facilities.

We actually stopped thinking of it as waste a long time ago. We see it as a commodity to be managed and by thinking and working like this in our managed areas – and with your help – we have avoided sending any waste to landfill since 2009.

It’s because of this we recently received the Edie Sustainability Leaders Award For Waste Management And Resource Efficiency, a great accolade, as these awards are considered the sustainability Oscars.

What really made it a winning success was the level of communication and collaboration that we invested in the program. And it’s

our columnist tells us why the key to boosting sustainability in Canary Wharf is collaboration

real making it

communication that will play the biggest part in Making Sustainability Real.

We know there is more to do. To be sustainable we need to think big, globally. But also small, personally.

By collectively tackling our personal impacts we will affect the big issues and through this we will make a massive positive impact. We might just change the world.

So over the coming months we’re going to be sharing what we’re doing around the estate and behind the scenes and how this is connected to the bigger sustainability picture.

“

We know there is more to do. To be sustainable we need to think big, globally. But also small, personally Martin Gettings, Canary Wharf Group

We also want to hear from you. Let us know how we can help, how we can work together, and if you have any questions about our sustainability journey, give us a shout and together we’ll try to find the answer.

Email Martin 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 Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

C

ybercrime typically conjures up images of a hooded hacker locked away in a basement typing at high speed with computer code flashing across the screen, their efforts thwarted at the lastminute by CIA-types preventing a catastrophic global computer meltdown with seconds to spare.

The reality is very different.

Businesses and individuals are at risk from highly-motivated people, criminal groups and even rogue nations intent on accessing personal details and draining bank accounts.

Big cases include Yahoo, where 3billion users were exposed, and Adult Friend Finder where the personal details of 412million users were published. Ebay, Uber and Google+ have all fallen victim to security breaches. In more recent headlines, hackers stole the exam coursework of GCSE pupils at a school in Bridport.

There’s no disputing the fact that the impact of a security breach can be devastating and proves cyber security is a growing societal issue.

In a nutshell, this is the business of protecting digital data, networks, and devices from unauthorised access and criminal attacks. The big questions are what can be done about them and who is doing it?

At the forefront of safeguarding is Melanie Oldham CEO and founder of Bob’s Business, a company intent on educating people about cyber security by teaching large corporations, small businesses and individuals about minimising risk.

She isn’t your typical tech geek.

In fact, in 2004 she was working as a hotel receptionist desperate to earn money to pay off credit card debts accumulated during a year travelling – the trip was supposed to last four weeks.

In her words, she “had no experience of the cyber world in any way, shape or form”.

The turning point came when it was quickly recognised that the

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Leeds Beckett University graduate had skills that could be put to use beyond the reception desk.

She was tasked with supporting the IT team at the Mid Yorkshire Chamber Of Commerce. Her role was to develop a method of translating cyber security into a format staff could easily understand “I was offered a job as a project manager,” she said. “The words information technology were used and I found myself as the only non-techie among 13 techies who spoke a completely different language and didn’t make eye contact.

“It was like being a foreigner in a strange country and yet I was given the task of raising awareness of cyber security. I had to ask myself how we could do that? I was ultimately acting as a translator between IT and ‘normal’ people.

“I felt very insecure and I’m quite a confident person. I thought the whole experience would be very short lived. Little did I know it would be the launch of my business.”

In 2007 Bob’s Business was born.

The method Melanie had adopted in helping spread the word was a series of short animations featuring a character called Bob. He was designed to help companies and individuals change their behaviour and is a step away from lecturing people as a box-ticking exercise.

“I told the techies no acronyms,” said the 41-year-old. “We have to translate the risk to day-to-day situations because people have a tendency to think it is irrelevant and unnecessary for them.

“We had to find a way to engage people and inspire the desire to change. The theory behind Bob is he is very much a character people can relate to.”

The cartoons - delivered via e-learning – last no longer than 10 minutes to avoid taking up too much time and are helpfully optimised for mobile phones and so can be accessed easily on a busy person’s daily commute.

Bob’s purpose is to create a security conscious culture within companies and not a fed-up workforce who don’t change their ways. Melanie takes delight in the fact that humour has played a key role in her character’s success.

“

It’s great to be part of LORCA. Having a London base is great, many of our clients are here and the city is amazing Melanie Oldham, Bob’s Business

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

super cyber

how the CEO of Bob’s Business went from non-techie to boss of a cyber security firm advising top companies

“We use it because it’s a good way to reach people,” she said.

“You’re more likely to remember something if it is funny. It’s important the message sinks in.

“We want cyber security to become a habit, something that becomes second nature.”

Bob has clearly been successful.

Melanie’s company boasts clients including the Government, The Salvation Army, Moneysupermarket.com and Burberry.

“We’ve never really marketed ourselves – the company has grown by word of mouth,” said Melanie.

Bob’s Business was born in Barnsley and now has a base on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as a proud member of the London Office For Rapid Cyber Security Advancement (LORCA) situated at the £13.5million Plexal Centre.

“It’s great to be a part of LORCA and is a recognition that we have

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

13

Technology

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

Melanie Oldham’s company was born in Barnsley but now has a base at Plexal on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

The 41-year-old entrepreneur has a company employing 26 people and works with the likes of Burberry, The Salvation Army and Moneysupermarket.com a good approach to help change minds and behaviours,” said Melanie.

“Having a London base is great.

Many of our clients are here and the energy of the city is amazing.”

Melanie herself was recently nominated for Security Champion of the Year in the 2019 Women In IT awards.

It was a truly deserved nomination not least because she admits to having in excess of 200 passwords and remembering those must be quite a feat. This leads her to talk about the weakest link in cyber security – humans.

Melanie said it was people who were the problem. But she’s not pointing the finger in a critical way, rather acknowledging that as people we have our flaws and foibles, and that we can make mistakes. One of the most common is re-using passwords as well as being too willing to share them.

“We get into bad habits,” said Melanie. “The tech we use every day invites us to practise them.

Some statistics say up to 90% of breaches are as a result of human error. “Our role at Bob’s is to influence people into changing their habits and attitude towards cyber security.”

An example perhaps is when employees are asked to create long and novel passwords using a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, meaning people often write them down and, worse still, leave them close to their computer.”

But Melanie is keen to explain the process of change is really very simple, stating that it is really a matter of Dos and Don’ts.

“When we leave the house, we lock the door to keep our home and belongings safe,” she said.

“We learn how and when to lock the door and why. It’s the same

principle really. But with passwords and devices, nobody tells you, you’re left on your own.

You buy a piece of kit but you’re not told how to protect it or any information you put on it.

“There’s no advice. With medicines, there’s a leaflet telling you the benefits and side-effects and we now have the traffic light system with food alerting us to salt or fat content.

“But there is nothing for technology. Devices don’t come with a leaflet advising people of the risks.”

Melanie is keen not to put the fear of God into people and exalts the value of tech in the modern age.

“It’s important to recognise that technology is empowering and a brilliant way to connect with others, but it is vital to remember it can compromise you unless you adopt safety measures,” she said.

One method adopted by cyber criminals is a practice known as phishing, where a person receives a bogus email asking for security information and personal details.

The promise of money being a common hook.

Bob’s Business aims to empower individuals to better manage that threat, such as not opening links in dodgy emails or disclosing sensitive information that could be misused.

T

he firm’s Think Before You Click phishing awareness solution won Outstanding Security Training Initiative at the Outstanding Security Performance Awards in 2017.

And so it may be a surprise to learn that Melanie has herself fallen victim to an ad-based ruse proving that even the most savvy users can get caught out.

“I haven’t been hacked but I did fill in details on a fraudulent website when trying to fill in passport details for my newborn son 10 years ago,” said the mother of two. “I had baby brain. It was 1am in the morning and I needed to get the application filled in quickly.

“I paid to fast-track the application. In the morning, I realised I hadn’t received the right confirmations through.

“I lost about £25 but that didn’t matter. What did matter was that I had shared details about my child I’d rather not have shared.”

Melanie points out that it is in our human nature to trust and to be a good citizen so if we receive an email saying we haven’t paid our TV licence, for example, and to pay up or face a fine, our gut reaction is to sort it out.

“As humans we are very trusting,” she said. “If we can encourage people to change their day-to-day practices so it becomes second nature to lock down that email account and not write down or share passwords, then we can bring about a change.”

Melanie’s a keen protagonist of a security set up known as two-step authentication – a quick system that adds an extra step to your usual log-in procedure.

The password is your single factor authentication. The second factor makes your account more secure, perhaps in the form of a code sent as a text message, to confirm you are who you say you are.

“Two-step authentication is simple and it’s an instant win,” she said.

“You just need to lock these things down. I was in a bank the other day and overheard a woman in financial distress as her son had racked up £1,000 or more in debt on iTunes by downloading apps.

“In these cases, the account hadn’t been locked down. But the process to do this is an opt-in when it should be the default to protect you. My kids have iPhones and they don’t share their passwords even with me, but their accounts are locked down.”

Melanie is clearly driven and passionate about her business.

And the company she set up 12 years ago has grown from a staff of seven to 26 in recent years.

She said her firm invested in staff development, recruiting apprentices and university students keen to give them the opportunity to work in an innovative industry.

As is stands, half of the Bob’s Business workforce is an apprentice, a university student on a placement year or currently involved in further training.

“My success and Bob’s success is down to having good people around me,” she said.

“Someone had faith in me as a youngster, saw I had the potential and supported me in an industry that was outside my comfort zone.

“By employing apprentices, giving opportunities to school leavers to experience the work environment and offering placement opportunities to graduates, we can help them believe that they can do anything.

“Cyber is a growing career. And our vision is to change things for the better and to change us as a nation.

“The truth is hackers are lazy.

They go for the low-hanging fruit.

But if they are going to get you they will.

“We should just make it as hard as we can for them.”

Go to bobsbusiness.co.uk for more information about Melanie’s company

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

Canary Wharf

Roka’s black cod with miso remains one of the best things it’s possible to eat on the Wharf Below, from left, assorted sashimi, seared tuna and aubergine with sesame seeds

cod for the love of

by Jon Massey

W

hile it’s true that a meal at Roka will almost inevitably result in a big bill, the Japanese restaurant still comes out on top in the ongoing debate about where the best place to eat in Canary Wharf actually is and here’s why.

At first, the Park Pavilion venue’s dining room comes across as something of a canteen despite the wealth of wood on display. It can be noisy, with tables seemingly packed in. But it’s bento box efficient. All

things, including the worker bee staff, are within easy reach. After taking instruction to surprise us, another appears with a wine list and a suggestion of a dry Riesling which turns out to be an able and willing partner to the various dishes brought forth.

Food at Roka is almost invariably pretty. Whether it’s fish sliced so thin it’s transparent, hunkier chunks of sashimi or seared lumps of Tuna draped over daikon radish to make endearing mouthful-sized morsels, there’s a confident chef effortlessly creating paintings on plates with skilled, broad brush strokes.

“

Food at Roka is almost invariably pretty whether it’s fish sliced so thin it’s transparent, hunkier chunks of sashimi or seared lumps of tuna Jon Massey, Wharf Life

The key reason to visit however remains signature dish black cod with miso. This impossibly meaty delicacy is rich, with a texture more akin to beef fillet than a creature of the sea.

Served simply in a little house formed from a leaf with a smear of sauce it’s not only pretty to look at, it is the best dish at the best restaurant in Canary Wharf The best deal is the £35 lunch menu which boasts various options from the grill including beef, sea bream and chicken.

Go to rokarestaurant.com for more information

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

35

Creative space

this space is yours

this is an imaginary pizza – draw your favourite topping and either share it with @wharflifelive or #keepittoyourself – don’t like, subscribe or comment please

36

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

how Vita and Paul Keturakis have created Champagne Route in Wapping to showcase the work of small producers of top fizz

14 days later

plan your life from Apr 11-25

By James Drury

where?

Troxy Limehouse

MARTIAL ARTS | 10K Karate Clash See competitors battle it out for the top prize of £10,000. A wide variety of seating options are available from which to watch the matches.

Apr 21, 6pm, from £22, troxy.co.uk where?

Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

GIG | Carradine’s Cockney Sing-a-long Tom’s tinkling the ivories for an evening of uproarious classics belted out to the rafters of the world’s oldest working music hall. Knees up.

Apr 23, 7.45pm, from £7, wiltons.org.uk where?

Jamboree Limehouse (27 Three Colt Street)

GIG | Buffo’s Wake Performing for the venue’s Helter Skelter night, this band promise “an avalanche of accordions, violins, horns and a bucket full of Gypsy gusto”. Plus guests.

Apr 20, 7pm, £8, jamboreevenue.co.uk

to do before Apr 11

Highwaymen, jailors, prostitutes – it must be the One Penny Opera presented by The Tiger Lillies at Wilton’s from April 2-6.

Tickets for the show, which blends John Gay with Brecht and Weill, start at £10.50 wiltons.org.uk

spot check worth a visit Sup on the delights of Emilia’s Crafted Pasta at St Katharine Docks emiliaspasta.com want more? @wharflifelive

A

rtisanal Champagne is hard to get hold of outside of France. But just a popping cork’s distance from St Katharine Docks is Champagne Route, where visitors can discover a fascinating world of fi .

The UK is the largest export market for Champagne, quaffing an extraordinary 28million bottles in 2017 (the second largest market was the USA, at 23m).

Despite this popularity, the vast majority of what we get here is from the handful of major houses.

In fact, there are 16,000 winegrowers in the Champagne region, of which about 5,000 make their own sparkling wine. The problem is that more than 80% of what they produce is drunk in France, meaning bubble-loving Brits find it hard to get hold of anything other than the global giants.

So-called “grower Champagne” is different from that made by the wellknown names.

Each bottle tastes different, depending on the location of its terroir, the year’s harvest, the way it’s been stored, and many other variables.

Dipping a toe into this world I quickly realised the diversity on offer was vast.

This is what hooked Paul Keturakis and his wife Vita, the founders of Champagne Route in Wapping’s Gauging Square.

The couple first encountered the delights of small producer French sparkling wines on a trip to the Champagne region in 2016, since when they returned almost every other month to meet the growers, sample the products, and immerse themselves in their passion. And immersed they have been. Sitting amid the marble tables and clean lines of the classic modern

Even the venue’s light fittings recall the bubbles in Champagne

interior, Paul tells me he’s tried more than 2,500 Champagnes.

“We fell in love with these small growers on our travels, but found it frustrating how hard it was to find their produce in London,” he said.

“So we decided to launch our own business. We even named it after the 700km trail through the region’s vineyards.”

From the thousands of Champagnes he’s sampled, Paul created a list of 65 for Champagne Route, which guests can drink in the bar, its restaurant, or take home from the boutique by the bottle. But his ambition doesn’t stop there.

“We’d love to expand out range to 200 or more,” he said. “One of our reasons for opening this place is we want to introduce more and more people to these wines. The more we stock, the more we can share.”

One of the ways aul is sharing his passion with east Londoners is through regular tasting sessions, where participants can meet the growers and find out more about the fi they produce.

“Each tasting session we aim to have different wines to try, so people can come back time and again and expand their knowledge,” he said.

“You can really taste the difference between each bottle, even if you don’t have any experience.”

It’s not just about the world’s most famous sparkling wine. Paul also stocks a wide range of Crémants – French sparkling wine made using the same method of secondary fermentation in the bottle, but not from the specific Champagne region.

This is a very good alternative to its more famous cousin and is frequently less expensive. “ eople tend to think of Cr mant as the cheaper Champagne, and maybe look down on it a little for that, but these products have their own uniqueness and depth,” said aul.

Sat in the window of Champagne Route, you can see into his impressive-looking, temperature-controlled storage room.

Floor-to-ceiling, it’s packed with bottles in racks, kept in perfect conditions. Paul says it holds the UK’s widest selection of artisanal Champagnes and visitors can find all sorts, from biodynamic to vegan, organic to terra vitis (wine produced using social, environmental and economically-sustainable methods). There’s only one strict rule – it all has to be French.

“There’s so much fantastic Champagne and Crémant to explore that there’s no reason to look to places such as Italy for Prosecco, or Spain for Cava.”

There is an exception that proves the rule, he confesses – Paul has made room for just one English fi , from Ambriel in West Sussex.

T

he food in the restaurant was created to match the drinks, and it’s clear from the menu that the wine still plays an important role.

Naturally, there are oysters (served with Champagne vinegar, what else), but there are also sharer plates of charcuterie and cheeses, plus light bites of meat or seafood sticks, and salads served with Champagne dressing.

Mains include duck breast with Champagne-preserved plums, a vegetarian Thai green curry, and guinea fowl with caramelised red cabbage and salt-seared Champagne-preserved oranges.

“I’m always happy to recommend Champagnes to drink with each dish,” said Paul.

One of the surprising things about this Champagne Route is how affordable the wine is.

The most expensive bottle on the menu is £85, and drinkers can start for as little as £7 a glass for a Crémant.

“I want to make these wines accessible for people, so I can share my passion with them,” said aul, adding that the couple plans to add some more pricey options in the future, for connoisseurs.

This really is a place for Champagne fans. Looking out of the full-height windows, the leaping water feature of Gauging Square looks like the froth from an agitated bottle, while inside even the glass light fittings recall bubbles in a glass.

Whether you are an oenophile, want to discover new types of Champagne, or – like Paul – believe that life just isn’t as fun without a bit of fi , Champagne Route is Wapping’s one-stop tour of France’s most famous tipple.

It’s open every day from noon-11pm, except Sundays when it closes at 8pm.

Go to champagneroute.co.uk for more information

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

37

Wapping - Limehouse

65

pop Champagnes available at the Keturakis’ Wapping establishment in Gauging Square

master Champagne Route boasts an impressive selection of bottles at its bar and restaurant

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

Owner Paul Keturakis is keen to introduce the UK to French fizz made by small producers

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

riverside recipes

by Matt Colk

Bilal wears Dogtooth check three piece suit £180 River Island Collar-bar shirt £25 ASOS

Black pearl barley risotto with octopus, langoustine and pear and spring onion salad

F

or my second recipe in Wharf Life I’ve chosen black pearl risotto, langoustine, octopus and pear and spring onion salad. This dish is on the menu at The Gun and ideal for eating by the water.

Ingredients Pearl barley 280g Diced onion 100g Squid ink sachets 30ml Garlic 5g White wine 200ml Veg oil 15ml Salt 5g Pepper 3g Chives 15g Veg stock 400ml Seafood Octopus tentacles 120g Juice of 1/2 lime 2 garlic cloves, crushed Water 300ml Salt 10g Pepper 5g Meat from one langoustine Pear salad Spring onion chopped 12g Sliced pear 12g Chopped parsley 5g Olive oil 3ml Method Sweat off the onion and garlic with no colour till clear, add the ink, barley and white wine, cook till evaporated add the stock and seasoning. When the barley is cooked, add the chopped chives.

To cook the octopus, bring the water to the boil with the seasoning lime and garlic. Put the octopus in the water then reduce to a low heat, cover the pan, then simmer for 40 minutes or until tender.

Remove, then leave to one side.

Pan fry the langoustine meat on a medium heat for one-and-a-half minutes.

Once you have all the elements, first place the risotto in a bowl, place the langoustine and octopus on top mix all the ingredients for the pear salad and place on top.

Garnish with some coriander olive oil and Maldon salt.

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

“

Why no socks?

It started a little while ago - I bought a pair of beautiful loafers – Tod’s. I think – and they were made to be worn without socks. It’s evolved from there and seems to have inadvertently become a bit of a trademark look for me. So I’m now fully commited to no-sock style, come rain, snow or sunshine Thedetail property the features floorcomponent parts to-ceiling glazing offering Pocket square commanding £50 views over its Paul Smith surroundings Loafers £75 Office Knitted tie £40 Harrods

Want more? Follow Bilal and his sartorial exploits on Instagram @theperfectlydressedgentleman – a very apt handle

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

39

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall | presented in association with Bennison Brown

Bilal wears pale pink double breasted suit £159 Moss Bros

is this the best dressed man in Canary Wharf?

14 days later

plan your life from Apr 11-25

Bilal Naeem, internal communications and engagement business partner at The Financial Ombudsman service

W

e love people who do things a bit differently at Wharf Life. So when we stumbled across Bilal’s Instagram profile, we had to get in touch.

The 35-year-old, who works at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs, is a reminder it’s always possible to take a fresh approach. We sent him for a few photos and then asked him about his career and the way he dresses. what’s your background?

“I worked in retail in Harrods and Selfridge’s, as an estate agent and I joined The Financial Ombudsman service six years ago as a team manager,” said Bilal.

“That’s progressed into my current role.” why do you dress the way you do?

“I’ve always admired the sartorial elegance of men’s fashion from bygone years,” said the 35-year-old from Hainault.

“It’s great to see a bit of a return. A lot of men need to wear suits and ties to work and it can be very boring, it can feel dull.

“I really enjoy making it interesting – it’s the way it makes me feel, a bit more confident and, funnily enough, comfortable.” where do you shop?

“All over,” said Bilal. “People should check out Twisted Tailor for awesome suits with a modern edge, Becca Who for textile design, Better Look for wonderful Italian-made suits, Eton for shirts and pocket squares and Reiss for both casual and formal clothing.” a final word “I’ve always enjoyed dressing a bit more smartly than most,” said Bilal. “It’s evolved. There was a time I’d never have worn a pink double breasted suit to work.”

where?

The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Post Mortem From teenage love, fast forward a decade to see where Alex and Nancy have wound up as they confront their past at a friend’s wedding.

Apr 16-20,7.30pm, £14, space.org.uk where?

Poplar Union Poplar

GIG | Khiyo This London-based band promise a twist of the capital in their interpretation of songs from the Bengali tradition. Expect blues, folk, rock...

Apr 13, 7.30pm, £6, poplarunion.com where?

The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | The Wasp Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s thriller is an enjoyably nasty two-hander about friendship, jealousy and revenge as two destructive women thrash it out.

Apr 23-27, times vary, £12, space.org.uk

to do this fortnight

the detail

component parts Floral loafers (inset) £55 River Island White shirt £80 Reiss The pocket square £44 Becca Who Designer Images by Matt Grayson – find his work at graysonphotos.co.uk or @mattgrayson_photo on Insta

Head to The Space on the Isle Of Dogs for The Conductor, which tells the true tale of the remarkable performance of Shostakovich’s Leningrad Symphony by a besieged orchestra. On until April 13 space.org.uk

sip a tipple Get 15% off selected wines at The Gun for its Wednesday promotion. Details online thegundocklands.com want more? @wharflifelive

40

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

14 days later

plan your life from Apr 11-25 where?

Canada Water Theatre Canada Water

how artist Paul Malone touches base on cosmology and relishes the presentation of ‘heretical’ theories

STAGE | Lady Vendredi – Neon Dreams The “mythopoetic super heroine and voodoo priestess popstar from another dimension” promises a ritual gig with a classical pianist in tow.

Apr 20, 7.30pm, £14, thealbany.org.uk where?

The Albany Deptford

STAGE | Whose Eyes Are These Anyway?

This “poetic monologue intervention” complete with jarring soundscape asks how Muslim women can exist outside of the gazes and labels of others.

Apr 11-13, 6.30pm, pay-as-you-feel, thealbany.org.uk where?

Shortwave Cafe Bermondsey

By Jon Massey

GIG | Bloom’s Taxonomy The electronic act launch their Bitter Lake EP with support and sets from Xylo Aria, Electretand Aemaer. Expect your mind to be expanded Apr 12, 7.30pm, free, shortwavecafe.co.uk

to do before Apr 11

Put down roots at Canada Water’s Hawker House where The Collective makers market will be holding terrarium building workshops on April 6 at various times – £38 buys you entry and materials thecollectivemarket.co.uk

spot check worth a visit Under the arches you’ll find Pat Butcher and fun at Little Nan’s in Deptford littlenans.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

P

aul Malone is one of those people who could comfortably have slotted into various sections of this publication. The artist lives on Greenwich Peninsula, having “accidentally” purchased a property at Millennium Village, and is set to give a talk – The Universe Electric – at the Idea Store in Canary Wharf on April 16.

But his studio space where we meet is at the Art In Perpetuity Trust in Creekside, Deptford – an area apparently overrun by creative types, hence its presence here. That’s important, because one of the things that comes out of our conversation is Paul’s interest in morphology, the study of form.

Another is a sense of wonder and intrigue at the world. Despite dropping philosophy from his art degree while at Reading University, it’s clear ideas are the raw material that fuels his work, even when using everyday objects to illustrate something larger.

And if that’s recognising the “cosmic nature” of Wickes best insulation sheet as a negative representation of the galaxy, using the IY store’s roofing sheets to

Artwork or science? Paul’s talk falls into both categories with the aim of intriguing, informing and kickstarting creative processes within his audience

create a backdrop for projection or just building constellations from pan scourers, then so be it.

“I start with an idea,” said Paul.

“Some artists heavily control what they do – they go through a set of processes systematically, but I tend not to do that.

“It happens in fits and starts.

Sometimes I’ll do something and it won’t quite work technically. So I’ll go and do something else for a while.

“It’s meandering but proceeding on different fronts. You don’t quite know where you’re going.

“It’s a journey of discovery to see what’s out there. If you look

at the whole history, back to when I left the Royal College Of Art in 1980, you can perhaps see that. I don’t like to copy what I’ve done before.

“I like to have a range of things on different levels. I have the flagship pieces that are the installations or large-scale wall sculptures.

“Then there are small, tactical things. I do a lot of short, threeminute movies just integrating sound and light.”

Another recurring theme in Paul’s art is the use of model railway engines and rolling stock re-imagined as static museum

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

41

Rotherhithe - Bermondsey - Deptford

The Deptford-based artist is set to explore the Elecric Universe Theory in a talk at Canary Wharf on Arpil 16

ideas in store

Images by Jon Massey

Paul uncovers acid etchings he’s using to turn model railway trains into a work about the sun

pieces decorated to play on the concept of scientific modelling or “aerial orreries” to encourage viewers to look up, just as they would to the stars.

“It’s a tongue in cheek thing,” said Paul. “The trains run so instead of you cranking a traditional orrery it’s going round like a model railway and you have to look up.

“When people get it they realise what I’m on about. I’m doing a series with these brass engines about the sun – that’s going to be my next thing, then something on rare earths. I kind of touch base on cosmology.

“The internet has been such a boon because you can surf and suddenly you can find that guy who led to that guy who led to this guy and you can wind up in a place you never imagined when you first started researching it.” aul, who’s originally from Warrington in Cheshire, also views his forthcoming talk in Canary Wharf as part of his art.

He’s performed it at various venues across London and the UK and even at the Hermitage in St etersburg in Russia.

“Some people might find it a little bit odd that it’s a science talk but I’m coming from the arts side of things,” he said. “It’s an odd premise. What I do is research some of these old theories – I go way back.

“Some of them I find are very relevant to today, especially in astrophysics. I look for how the mechanics of the thing would work and how they’d make shapes.

“Some of the outlines and shapes of the objects I do – the installations – are often to do with these old theories.

“Sometimes I’ll play advocate for them because they’re out of fashion or the advocates have died off centuries ago.

“It’s a way of giving a little bit back to the theories and, in so doing, I kind of repurpose them with 21st century data – some of the images that are coming from space and the movies you find on YouTube from the rovers and what have you.

“It’s fresh visuals but also asking whether the theories are relevant today because there are lots of problems in astrophysics. “ uite often scientists bury them a little bit, but they are there in full view.

“I do like to surprise people as well – part of the talk is like that.

It’s done T style so there are lots of images.

“I ask questions, especially whether the current standard model describes things.

“Some of the ideas are very intriguing – at the start of the talk I have a photograph of a total eclipse of the sun and ask whether anyone can tell me why it’s impossible.

“While the moon doesn’t really rotate and isn’t very massive, the sun rotates quite fast, relative to its si e and it’s very massive.

“Centrifugal force means its equators should poke out either side of the moon.

“This particular talk is on Electric Universe Theory, which is totally denied.

“You won’t find the word elec-

tricity on any Horizon programme or The Sky At Night.

“It’s almost like heresy to bring these theories back and there are good reasons for that.

“I quite like the idea of repurposing these old theories, which were quite prevalent at the back end of the 1 00s and then bring them into a contemporary context to explain these enigmas.

“Using some of the old things they gave up on because they didn’t have the data – it was just a speculation or a hypothesis.

“It’s a fascinating journey in itself. I think of the talk as a kind of artwork.

“I’ve put it together so one image resonates against another.

Then there are static things and things that move and what I call grand cosmological conceits.

“From what the universe is, straight down to a guy doing some experiments in a shed.

“I quite like that counterpoint. In a way, that fits with some of the art I do as well.

“There’s a guy called Billy Yelverton, for example, who’s working on electric land morphologies.

“He simply puts 10,000

“

Electric Universe Theory is totally denied. It’s almost like heresy to bring it back Paul Malone, artist and speaker

through a pile of sand and they form these intricate mesas.

“Then there’s a website by the astronaut Don Pettit and he’s done experiments up in space.

“One is just to take a knitting needle, charge it up and then he squirts and they start orbiting the knitting needle. That’s entirely electrodynamic orbit.

“I hope the people who come will be intrigued by it and that it will start their creative processes.

“I’m taking them on a tour, down the backstreets – places they never would have visited if they relied only on what was fed to them through the mainstream media.

“It will allow them, then to question things. There are very basic questions that are out there in full view.

“If they come out of it with questions in their minds that will enrich their lives.”

Paul’s talk, The Universe Electric takes place from .1 pm-7.30pm at the Idea Store in Churchill lace, Canary Wharf. Entry is free but registration is recommended via paulmalone.co.uk plasmatalk To find out more about his art go to paulmalone.co.uk

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Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

14 days later

plan your life from Apr 11-25 where?

The O2 Arena Peninsula

sitting down with Debbie Warren to get some insight into what it’s like running the Royal Borough

GIG | Shawn Mendes Supporting the release of his self-titled third album, the multi-platinum and chart-topping singer-songwriter is set to play the tent.

Apr 16-19, 6.30pm, from £42.75, theo2.co.uk where?

Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

where?

The O2 Arena Peninsula

EVENT | Becoming: An Intimate Conversation Michelle Obama hits London for one of the 12 events held worldwide following the publication of her autobiography. Expect full and frank discussion.

Apr 14, 6pm, from £187, theo2.co.uk

to do before Apr 11

Bop along to the feelgood stylings of UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell And Astro as they perform at The O2 Arena on April 6 at 6.30pm. Expect Red Red Wine, Cherry Oh Baby and Rat In Mi Kitchen as usual. theo2.co.uk

spot check one to try Looking for somewhere to drink before the show? Try Craft London near The O2 craft-london.co.uk want more? @wharflifelive

value judgements

job description

what’s it like being chief executive?

By Jon Massey

STAGE | The Long Walk Back The story of England cricketing all-rounder Chris Lewis, his meteoric rise to fame and fall from grace, sentenced to 13 years for smuggling cocaine.

Apr 24-27, 7.30pm, £13, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

5

Core values Debbie introduced across the council in March

T

here can’t be many organisations handling services dealing with nearly every aspect of Londoners’ lives that are charged with spending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money and are run by individuals who started their careers as apprentices before working their way up to the top job.

Those meeting Debbie Warren could be forgiven for wishing there were more. Her position as chief executive of the Royal Borough Of Greenwich was confirmed towards the end of 2018 following a period acting in the role from August 2017.

“I was born and raised in east Greenwich and went to Christ Church primary school,” she said. “At that time it was connected to the church physically and both were a big part of my family’s life.

“My parents were married in the church and I was christened there.

My mum and dad hardly had any education – they grew up in very large East End families. My mum was one of nine and my dad one of 10.

“There was very little money but I had a happy family. It didn’t affect my upbringing. My parents had worked out from their older siblings that education was a route to a better life.

“So they chose a secondary school outside the borough that was very academic and I enjoyed my school years. I got a university place, but my parents just could not afford to sustain that.”

Rather than work her way through university and risk compromising the experience, Debbie decided to apply for a traineeship with Greenwich Council – the equivalent of an apprenticeship. That saw her sponsored through a degree and her professional accountancy qualifications by the time she was 23.

“I don’t think anyone can tell you what this job is like until you’re doing it,” said Debbie. “A typical day starts with gathering your thoughts about what’s happened overnight because the borough never stops.

“You have your diary for the day, which will be set to a large extent in advance. Then you have events and issues. That might be an incident, a government statement, a squabble or a personal issue.

“You start with a plan but nine times out of 10 it deteriorates. Someone always wants to see you, or something happens – politically or within the officer base and you have to pull people together. You have to be calm. Sometimes I can be a bit swanlike. I’d never let any of them see I was paddling underneath. That sense of being in control and having a grip is really important.

“The stability of the organisation is the overarching responsibility for me. If you have stability you can effect change. Not taking yourself too seriously is essential.”

mission statement the five core values

● Improving residents’ lives and opportunities ● Demonstrating respect and fairness ● Taking ownership ● Doing things better ● Working together across the council

“It was hard work – I had day release to do it and a few bits of block time – but I was able to earn a wage, and it didn’t affect my parents,” she said. “I have probably spent time on every grade in the council structure over the years.

“I ended up being director of finance which is the top of my profession in local government.

“I stuck with Greenwich. Some people have asked why, but it’s my home borough and I also had a family in that time, so the job enabled me to continue with my career and still be

the type of parent I wanted to be. I’m hugely grateful to them so there’s a degree of loyalty.”

But how did she go from one of the most junior positions to the very top of the pyramid?

“It was a gradual progression,” said the 56-year-old. “Each time I’d move into a more senior role I’d worry whether I could do it. Then, when I started, I loved it and grew into it and moved on. I’m not quite sure where I move on from this one – home for a rest, perhaps.

“Promotion is partly being in the

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

43

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

Debbie was officially appointed to the role of chief executive of the Royal Borough Of Greenwich in December 2018

Debbie began working at Greenwich Council as a teenager, rising through the ranks to its top job

“

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

right place at the right time to take advantage of an opportunity but it’s also about earning your spurs so you can be a contender in those fields.

“I thought becoming director of finance would be the pinnacle of my career. Accountancy is my profession so that was my natural place to end. “ ow I find myself in this spot, having to relinquish my professional choice and become much more of a general manager. But I just love the borough – in my view there’s no better job in London.

“Its political leadership is exciting

The stability of the organisation is the overarching responsibility for me. If you have stability you can affect change Debbie Warren, Royal Greenwich

and wants to really change and keep pushing forward. There’s no inertia here.”

The challenge facing Debbie and her team is to achieve the goals set by the politicians with increasingly scarce resource. Part of her solution is to get officers working to a set of values she launched in March, born both of her personal philosophy and what she’s picked up at work along the way.

“They’ve already had a really positive impact across the workforce,” she said. “People are stopping me and saying: ‘This is great – we’ve never felt that sense of belonging in quite the same way before’.

“The biggest challenge is delivering more for less. Demand is ever-increasing. Resources are not matching that, even on a per capita basis let alone factoring in deprivation and other issues.

“Part of the solution is around the workforce and working collaboratively. Local government is quite traditionally silo based. The way to effect collaborative working has always been to restructure.

“I hate restructures. They’re a necessary evil at times, but if that’s the tool you reach for every time you need to do something differently you’re going to fail.

“It puts staff in fear for their jobs and sucks energy and pace out of any service. You have to do them from time to time, but you do them very sparingly.

“Working collaboratively is a cornerstone of the new values and that’s how we get more for less.

“That means when an officer gets a call from someone presenting them with a problem that’s outside of their area of responsibility, they don’t say: ‘That’s not my problem, you need to speak to someone else’.

“They say: ‘I can see how I might contribute to solving this problem so I’m going to take that away and talk to my colleagues anywhere across the council’.

“And that’s anywhere across the council where they think links need to be forged. They take the initiative, convene that group and problem solve with all of the disciplines. You get better outcomes and much better job satisfaction that way.

“Our traditional response has sometimes been: ‘That’s not my problem and if I get involved then I’m going to get into trouble for not delivering what my manager has asked me to do’. It’s about buy-in at all levels of the organisation.

“We’ve done some really good work on it. We are now at the stage where we need to change managerial responses to it, so it cuts across the whole organisation.”

The secret to navigating the council according to Debbie is simple.

Without effective colleagues, her

job would be impossible due to the organisation’s complexity.

“I use my management team – we’re a unit,” she said. “We lean on each other, share and support.

“If one director is having a bit of a rough time they will all muck in, support and help. They don’t stick in their silos.

“Team is really important to me.

It’s not command and control. There are times when that’s necessary but people understand. It sounds twee but I’m just in charge of a team, I’m a team player and we’re very tight knit.

“I’m one person and it’s a massive organisation. We’re not in the business of delivering one thing in particular.

“BP is a big organisation but it’s about getting oil out of the ground and selling it.

We’re so much more than that.

The diversity is overwhelming. For example, I’m an accountant and I’m responsible for the safety of kids in this borough. That can be daunting.

“My eyes have been opened to the world of resilience. Counter-terrorism – how London has to respond and react if there’s an emergency.

“I would describe myself as the general manager of a large organisation with many different types of customer, delivering many services and having an overall community leadership responsibility in the middle of that.

“It’s about spinning the plates, making sure I’ve got the best workforce assembled and that they understand what they’re being asked to deliver and making sure the political landscape is delivering manifesto commitments, working at a leadership level and at a ward level amongst our numerous backbenchers.

“You have to have everything in your sights at all times. Managing relationships is a critical part of this.

“The relationship between chief exec and leader is very important for the borough to function effectively.

“But then you have the cabinet, scrutiny, the mayor and a whole swathe of backbenchers who will be seeking to manage their patches as well as the leader and large-scale strategic decisions.

“Small to big – you have to be able to shift from one to the other within half an hour.

“You can have a ward member come in and talk about what’s happening in their area and then the leader will come in to discuss government policy and what that might mean for the council.

“You have to be able to maintain your sense of humour. You also have to be very agile.”

With Crossrail promising to transform Woolwich and the east of the borough, the council building significant numbers of homes for the first time in decades and Greenwich Peninsula regenerating at pace, the next few years are likely to require that agility.

Go to royalgreenwich.gov.uk for more about the council’s work

44

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

work the meaning of hard

14 days later

plan your life from Apr 11-25 where?

Excel Royal Docks

EVENT | Unleash The Power Within Tony Robbins promises to unlock ticketholders’ potential to find financial freedom, vibrant health and discover their purpose. He also has great teeth.

Apr 11-14, times and prices vary, excel.london

designer and UEL head of fashion Beatrice Newman on getting into the industry, intense creativity and toiling for her dreams

By Jon Massey

where?

Excel Royal Docks

EVENT | National Wedding Show An event designed to help anyone thinking of tying the knot find the suppliers and paraphernalia necessary to make the day a success.

Apr 13-14, from 10am, £14, excel.london where?

Excel Royal Docks

EVENT | Inner Engineering Man, mystic, motorcycle enthusiast – Sadhguru offers “technology for wellbeing rooted in the ancient science of Yoga” for those who can pay.

Apr 20-21, various times, from £280, excel.london

to do before Apr 11

I

‘m exhausted just talking to Beatrice Newman. Recently appointed head of the University Of East London’s fashion department, the 31-year-old is the living embodiment of many of its undergraduates’ dreams. Her battle to succeed in one of the most competitive industries going is also testament to the struggle that lies ahead of them.

A childhood love of fairy tales, the works of Edgar Allan Poe and the rags to riches stories of Disney princesses led her to shrug off the concerns of her parents and pursue fashion as a career.

“I knew I wanted to do fashion, but I didn’t really know what that would look like,” she said. “I’d been doing a BTEC national diploma course at Brooklands near Weybridge and I managed, for the second year, to solely do fashion. I excelled, so I thought: ‘Well, if I’m good at this, let’s just keep going’.”

That led to a place on a BA course at De Montfort University in Leicester – a period that saw her completely immerse herself in her chosen path. learning the craft “It was three really amazing years,” said Beatrice, who now lives in Woolwich. “Doing a fashion degree is a

Head to RA Fold in Canning Town on April 6 for a five-hour set by DJ Pätrice Baumel’s in celebration of his Global Underground album, with Warm Up’s Aidan Doherty in support. Expect to pay £18. From 10pm residentadvisor.net

spot check worth a visit Try the taproom at Husk Brewing, Fridays and Saturdays, from 5pm huskbrewing.com want more? @wharflifelive

whole load of multitasking – you’re not just there scribbling on paper. In actual fact that doesn’t really happen.

“In the first year you learn about the technical aspects – how you actually make something flat into 3D. You pattern cut the body – the male and the female form. As you go through these technical projects, you start to learn to make actual garments.

It’s about understanding.

“Then you get to the second year and through an amalgamation of projects and competitions you’re developing your portfolio – getting ready for the industry – learning a bit of business and picking up other skills such as printmaking, textiles and knitwear.

“Through all these things you start to build who you are as a designer and you see this really beautiful diversion of everyone doing their own thing. Then you get to the final year, which is all about the six-piece collection where you get to do what you want to do – to showcase that art and what you’ve learnt.

“That culminates with graduate fashion week. There’s a race – who’s going to be showing? There are only about 15-20 slots and there’s a class of 40, so it gets quite competitive.

“It’s good to have that sort of environment because it pushes you to go beyond your own imagination. I got onto the catwalk and I became the finale.”

Hard graft: Beatrice says learning to collaborate with other people in the creative industry was essential to her success

“

Working as a fashion designer is hard. Every day is a new challenge. On top of everything you have to be a creative director too Beatrice Newman, UEL

work ethic “I worked really hard as a student – I can probably only remember going out about three times in the whole time I was there,” said Beatrice “It was always about staying late.

I’m not saying I was a model student – everybody has their ways – but I was just so driven by what I wanted to be and where I wanted to go.

“That was my work ethic. It is intense. I don’t think people realise how intense, not just fashion, but the creative industries as a whole are.

“We are essentially inventors and we’re having to think about new things every single day. It’s not just about designing something to please a crowd.

“You essentially want to make money out of something you love. It’s a very difficult thing to do.”

The long hours persisted after graduation as she worked tirelessly to establish her brand Korlekie – entering numerous competitions and approaching stylists, which has resulted in her clothes being worn by the likes of Alesha Dixon, The Noisettes, Rita Ora and Anna Friel. branding things right “Korlekie means queen of eagles – it comes from the Adangbe people from West Africa,” said Beatrice. “I was born here though so my brand has dual heritage from Britain and Ghana.

“When I started designing, I didn’t want to do the typical West African prints because when people see that, I think they think of Africa but they’re not actually African.

“Ghana has so much more to offer so I looked into the weaving

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

45

Canning Town - Royal Docks

£5k

Grant awarded to Beatrice by the Framework Knitters Guild for her design work Relentless: Beatrice is currently redesigning her brand, Korlekie, with the results expected by the end of 2019 techniques such as the kente. I was looking at the weaving structure of this cloth.

“You have these weavers in the royal house for the king in Ghana and they have these amazing looms that literally knit it together.

“When I was in my third year, I absolutely hated knitting but I was pushed by my lecturer to really explore it. I’m an attentive student in that I like to be challenged – I don’t like anything that’s easy.

“So I learnt to hand knit, crochet and do macrame – all these beautiful crafts that are almost forgotten in this mass produced industry. This is where I am now and that’s how I’d say my culture is infused into my brand.”

study goals

what students can expect “I want to shape the students I have to be selfreliant,” said Beatrice.

“When you rely so much on other people or institutions, they can fall short. If you have that self-reliance – you know where you’re going and what you’re doing – the resources that we’re able to give you at UEL benefit you more because you have a direction.

“Be open to challenge.

You should never feel comfortable when you’re applying for a course like this. The whole point of it is to get you to jump off that cliff and, using our guidance, save yourself. There’s something greater at the bottom – you just need to jump to see it.”

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

into teaching After graduating Beatrice pursued her passion from her bedroom, in workspaces and created a team.

She’s also worked as a consultant and entered numerous competitions, notably winning the $10,000 Hand And Lock prize for embroidery.

But if the message of her career so far is anything, it’s that having a multi-disciplinary approach is vital in an industry as tough as fashion. So, from 2013-19 she led the MA fashion course at Ravensbourne University in North Greenwich and has now become head of the department at UEL, with the added financial security that brings and the opportunity to continue to develop her brand.

“Working as a fashion designer is hard,” she said. “Every day is a new challenge. On top of everything you have to be a creative director as well as a designer and that’s a very different role from a designer.

“You’re managing all aspects of the business and need to understand what your market is and what your brand is.

“I’m still a designer, I haven’t stopped my brand even though I’m teaching and I’d say this is a great way of honing my skills from a business and marketing perspective and getting to grips with the new wave of designers coming through because it helps to inspire you again.

“Whatever you’ve learned you can give back to them. I still have a dream that I want to continue with my business, but financially, it’s great for me to continue to save and do the thing that I love at the same time.

“Working at a university such as UEL, you don’t realise how much it can offer great things to its students such as the wealth of things I’ve learnt, but also research support.

“I’m now able to continue in my field and everything I’m learning in industry in real time is feeding back into the courses I’m now teaching. It’s a great place to be.”

Go to uel.ac.uk for information on fashion courses at UEL

46

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

Advertising Directory - Acknowledgements Image by Victor Huang

find our advertisers’ messages here in order of appearance

Chase Evans print Pages 1, 28, 29 online chaseevans.co.uk

Vantage Properties And Management print Page 22 online vantage-uk.com

Capeesh print Page 3 online capeesh.co.uk

Telford Homes print Pages 23, 26 online telfordhomes.london

The Gun print Page 5 online thegundocklands.com

Knight Frank Canary Wharf print Page 24 online knightfrank.com

Kidd Rapinet print Pages 7, 15, 30 online kiddrapinet.co.uk

Higgins Homes print Page 25 online higginshomes.co.uk

London Yacht Show print Page 9 online londonyachtshow.com

Southern Space print Page 27 online southernspace.co.uk

Creative Virtual print Page 12 online creativevirtual.com

Chase Evans print Pages 28-29 online mylondonhome.com

Bennison Brown print Page 17 online bennisonbrownmortgages.co.uk

Galliard Homes print Page 34 online galliardhomes.com

Berkeley Homes print Pages 20-21 online berkeleygroup.co.uk

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

without these people, Wharf Life would not have been possible Graeme Bellenger, John Garwood, Jon Dyer, David Galman, Natasha Maddison, David Campbell, Matt Grayson, Kerry Hill, Stephanie Massey, Sarah Leaman, Steve Grieg, Phil Wetz, Camille Waxer, Lucy Merrit, James Vellacott, Lyndon Nunn, Camilla Maddison, Philip Wild, Michelle Vellacott, Andy Shaw, Andrew Scott, Paula Voong, Nadia Maddison, Gary Pring, Edwin Chiu, Annamaria Maddison, Mike Televantou, Chris Ezekiel, Steve Askari, Michael Massey, Andy Shrimplin, Gooch Heer, Rudy Wong, Nick Preston, Steven Herd, David Massey, Ian Li, Andrew Brown, Jean Paul Toerien, Mark May, Ranald Macdonald, Irina Stefanova, Mustafa Topkaya, Simon Spann, Enza Capodici, Mathew Heaton, Kim Wiper, Sophie Watt, Louise Howell, Victor Huang, Phillip Maddison, Spencer Fortag, Dan Smith, Richard Carroll, Randeep Thethy, Toby Wilson, Joel Rayney, Lana Marshall, Olivia Curle, Laura Warren, Rebecca Wood, Maria Tognarelli

thank you Jess Maddison co-founder and commercial director Jon Massey co-founder and editorial director

@wharflifelive

Wharf Life is published by Massey Maddison Limited, printed by Iliffe Print Cambridge and distributed by Willis News Distribution. Copyright Massey Maddison Limited 2019

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

47

Stratford - Bow

£8

Starting price for adult tickets to games at Roof East

prepare for Roof East to return with more food and games for all

full

14 days later

plan your life from Apr 11-25 where?

Copper Box Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

of fresh features

SPORT | The Fed Cup 2019 See members of the British Women’s Tennis Team take on opponents from Kazakhstan in the competition’s World Group II Play-Off. Apr 20-21, times vary, from £12, lta.org.uk where?

Theatre Royal Stratford East Stratford

by Jon Massey

W

ith the passing of the equinox and the appearance of blossom on the trees, inevitably thoughts of better weather and the fun that can be had outside are creeping in.

Timely then that Roof East has announced its return to floors seven and eight of Stratford MultiStorey Car Park in Eastern Way from April 17.

Open until the end of September, operator Urban Space Management (well known in east London for Trinity Buoy Wharf) is promising a fresh look for the rooftop venue complete with new games, an enhanced street food offering and “an explosion of coloured backdrops” specifically aimed at generation ‘gram.

On the paid side, SFG Club will provide the competitive edge with the likes of Sluggers baseball batting cages and Birdies crazy golf. There’s also Footy – offering the House Of Foos which promises

Roof East in 2018

to deliver a VR mixture of football and foosball straight to the eyes of participants. A selection of six lane games offering players the chance to curl, shu e or bowl for victory are also available from Sliders Curling, De La Bowl and Puck Buddies respectively. This is not a venue for those allergic to puns.

Those who prefer their kicks for free will be able to sample Cornhole, Jenga, Table Tennis, Foosball (without the VR) and table-top curling. The venue will also host Vinyasa Flow Yoga classes and the Rooftop Film Club is set to return in May with a programme of new releases and cult classics.

Urban Space Management’s centrepiece this season(ing), however is the food having put together Roof Eats – see what they’ve done there?

Kolkati will serve Indian-inspired Kati Rolls (egg-fried paratha wraps filled with masala chicken or paneer), Eat Chay will provide vegan dishes with Vietnamese and orean flavours and The Burger Shack will pump out, er, burgers.

Rumour has it the extended food offering could see the venue open at lunchtime, although that’s a decision that will be taken later in the year.

Taking the edge off all, or some, of the above will be three bars offering cocktails with names like Knickerbocker

STAGE | Noughts And Crosses A tale of forbidden love, this Romeo And Juliet story follows Sephy and Callum as the segregated society they inhabit teeters on a knife edge.

Apr 24-May 5, times vary, from £10, stratfordeast.com where?

Stratford Circus Stratford

STAGE | Fighter Single mum Lee is used to fighting the world with little support. Then she steps into Tommy’s Gym and everything changes. Her fight really starts.

Apr 25-27, times vary, from £13, stratford-circus.com Dine on Kati Rolls from Kolkati at Roof Eats Royale and Electric Boogaloo.

It’s just a hunch, but there’s a possibility some may have brightly coloured cans of craft beer on sale and probably the odd bottle of small batch gin on sale.

Entrance to Roof East is free with adult tickets for games starting at £8. Roof East is open from 5pm-11pm, Tuesdays-Fridays, from noon-11pm at weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays.

Tickets for activities booked in March come with a free signature cocktail for all participants booking up to a maximum of two cocktails for a 20-minute booking, six cocktails for a 40-minute booking and eight cocktails for an hour.

Basically, check with the management to ensure satisfaction.

Go to roofeast.com for more

to do before Apr 11

Pop along to Bow Arts on April 6 for its Plastics Roadshow. Bring vintage plastics for identification, discover historic plastics and learn about the plastics waste affecting London’s waterways. Free, from 11am-4pm bowarts.org

slip and slide Plummet to Earth on the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide for £16.50 until Nov 30 arcelormittalorbit.com want more? @wharflifelive

48

Wharf Life Mar 28-Apr 11, 2019 wharf-life.com

SUDOKU

Crossword - Sudoku

Tough

9

6 2 8 7 1 5 9 4 3 Sudoku 7 a4break 5 from 3 2 that 9 phone 1 8 6 Take 9 1 3 4 6 8 2 7 5 How 4 to5 play 2 8 9 7 3 6 1 To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 7 such 6 that 5 3each 8 row, 2 4column and 3x3 box one1to9nine contains every number uniquely.

3 8 6 2 4 1 5 9 7 7 find 9 strategies, 5 3 4 hints 6 1and2tips online You8can at sudokuwiki.org 5 6 1 9 7 2 4 3 8 2 to 3 play 4 1 8 6 7 5 9 More

6 5 5 9

1

Previous solution - Medium

2

6 8

1 1

6

7

4

3 9

3

1

7

that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

Notes

5 4 9

6 2 6

1 9

© 2019 Syndicated Puzzles

7

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

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.

4.

8.

9.

10.

11.

13.

14.

16.

17.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Workers make a bee-line for them! (5) Take to arms (7) Present-day conclusion? (7) Having been given material backing? (5) Evict some impecunious tenants (4) Soft red or blue (8) Look noble (4) One may get one’s hooks into them (4) Country-lovers (8) Risky transaction with a Greek character (4) He splits a couple of poles made of wood (5) A first principle in current heaters (7) Streams of abuse result when trade is upset (7) Alert for a change in the future (5)

Notes

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

12.

13.

15.

18.

19.

It doesn’t openly flourish, naturally (3- , ) Sells, but closes after five ( ) Wise cooks use it (4) Not a bit of it! (6) A light sweet (5-3) Possibly unite as kinswomen (7) The last thing a tragedy might do (3,2, ) Reconciled to having had to give up work (8) Vessel - lacking stabilisers? (7) Gives directions (6) Not inclined to build (5) Water thoroughly (4)

Quick Across 1.

4.

8.

9.

10.

11.

13.

14.

16.

17.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Stately (5) Assert (7) Malady (7) Deserve (5) Humbled (4) Jersey (8) Undersized (4) Resolution (4) Interrogate (8) Caution (4) Heather (5) Quiver (7) In consequence (7) Occurrence (5)

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

12.

13.

15.

18.

19.

Bombastic (13) Let (5) Profound (4) Diversion (6) Grumble (8) Coming (7) Hospitality (13) Start (8) Exact (7) Carry (6) Subside (5) Clever (4)

Across: 1 Grand; 4 Declare; 8 Ailment; 9 Merit; 10 Down; 11 Pullover; 13 Puny; 14 Will; 16 Question; 17 Warn; 20 Erica; 21 Vibrate; 22 Thereby; 23 Event.

Down: 1 Grandiloquent; 2 Allow; 3 Deep; 4 Detour; 5 Complain; 6 Arrival; 7 Entertainment; 12 Initiate; 13 Precise; 15 Convey; 18 Abate; 19 Able.

Across

whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy

Cryptic Solution

Cryptic

beating the

Across: 1 Hives; 4 Embrace; 8 Tonight; 9 Lined; 10 Oust; 11 Prussian; 13 Peer; 14 Eyes; 16 Patriots; 17 Beta; 20 Ashen; 21 Element; 22 Tirades; 23 Later.

Down: 1 Hot-house plant; 2 Vends; 3 Sage; 4 Entire; 5 Bulls-eye; 6 Aunties; 7 End in disaster; 12 Resigned; 13 Pitcher; 15 Steers; 18 Erect; 19 Well.

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

Quick Solution

No. 425