Why change and ageing play into one another Page 26
inside issue 130
Oat Milk - Chris Ezekiel
Stonebond - JLL - Sudoku
Gobsmack’d Burgers
EECF - Dez Amore - Pirates Pride And Prejudice
Crossword - The PA Show
Harbour
celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - foolishness
Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk
Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk, ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk
GIG | Faithettes
Where?
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place
Having toured the world as Paloma Faith’s backing band, this slick group of performers have since carved out a niche of their own. Expect soul + pop. Feb 28, 9pm, from £35, boisdale.co.uk
Where?
Docklands West India Quay
EVENTS | February Half Term
The museum is getting ready for a wealth of activities and events aimed at keeping the kids entertained over the mid-term break. Feb 17-23, times and prices vary, londonmuseum.org.uk
GIG | Mica Paris
Where?
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place
Welcome to issue 130 of Wharf Life. There’s a the scent of change in the air in this paper, whether it’s a fresh look for east London hospitality stalwart Byblos Harbour, the arrival of new businesses at 8 Harbord Square on Wood Wharf, a new exhibition about pirates or the launch of DeepSeek
How local artist Kyrsten Perry has used her watercolour skills to add a splash of colour to the refurbishment of Byblos Harbour restaurant on the Isle Of Dogs
The soul singer pitches up at Boisdale for an airing of the hits including My One Temptation, Breathe Life Into Me and Where Is The Love. Powerful stu . Mar 6, 9pm, from £35, boisdale.co.uk
o ers exible studios for stays of as little as one night in dog-friendly, comfy surroundings thisisvertus.com
code
interview with Vertus Edit general manager Isabel Landaeter at wharf-life.com
National Maritime
The PA Show Spring is back at Excel – we take a look at what’s on
The
Museum hoists the Jolly Roger for Pirates
on the radar
need to know
UCL School Of Management has upped its presence in Canary Wharf by doubling its space at the top of One Canada Square. Its expansion to two more oors of the estate’s centrepiece comes to meet demand for business courses ucl.ac.uk
One of the various bene ts the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel will be free cross river transport from Canary Wharf to Grove Park via the Superloop 4 express service. Stops include Lee, Blackheath, and Greenwich. It launches on April 7 t .gov.uk
Sampling a smashing burger at Gobsmack’d in Deptford Market Yard
How a theatre company in possession of a work by Austen must be in want of a tour.
The Guildford Shakespeare Company is set to bring Pride And Prejudice to Wilton’s
TRIED + TESTED
Tagliatelle Cacio E Pepe
Dez Amore, MMy Wood Wharf dezamore.co.uk
The grocery may have gone, but there are still plenty of reasons to visit MMy Wood Wharf in George Street.
Tilting at the others for top spot is undoubtedly this little, unassuming plate of pasta. It’s avaialble from Dez Amore’s kitchen, and costs £11 – not bad given that a tru ed version costs £15 at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta next door.
This is a sleeper. A dish that doesn’t look like much but demands the constant lowering and raising of the fork to the lips just to get another hit.
doing the deals
get more for less on and around the Wharf
Pop in for a free Seven-Day Sample Vitamin Enriched Face Base at Bobbi Brown in Cabot Place. Ts&Cs apply, naturally – access via Canary Wharf’s app bobbibrown.co.uk
£55
Gaucho on Canary riverside is aiming to bring back lost afternoons with its Long Lunch featuring a glass of zz, four dishes (inc steak) and dessert for £55 gauchorestaurants.com
It’s just that some animals are more equal than others... Soon in Stratford
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And it’s really all the comfort you’ll need on a chilly day. The cheese, melted in the pasta water, is luxuriously silky, boosted by the singular re of the cracked black pepper. Dez isn’t shy on the avour front and this is one that will leave the inside of your mouth and, especially, your tongue tingling.
It’s addictive, so much so you don’t really mind scalding yourself a bit on the piping hot pasta so long as that avour keeps on coming. Go in, order, wait for the buzzer and try it for yourselves. You won’t be disappointed.
Jon Massey
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write me words you don’t know you need
trawar
noun, fake, from American English
A set of conditions where one party threatens another party with a nancial penalty in order to extort something else from them. The term is speci c to the state when the victim retaliates in similar fashion, leading to con ict...
abditory
noun, real, from Latin
Not, as rst suspected, a word to refer to the abdominal muscles of a conservative, but instead a term for a secret place where people can hide and preserve their valuable goods or money. Wise in these turbulent times...
Immigration Solicitors
Dustin Ho man as Hook in Canary Wharf. Kids tickets are £17.25 inc popcorn + a drink
FILM
Hook
Everyman Canary Wharf everymancinema.com
Perhaps one to see before visiting the new Pirates exhibition at the National Maritime Museum (see Page 26), Everyman’s latest throwback screening sees Robin Williams go up against Dustin Ho man in this Spielberg classic. Support comes from Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins and Maggie Smith as Peter Pan returns to Neverland to tackle his old nemesis. See it at the Crossrail Place cinema at 12.45pm on Feburary 23. Tickets cost £17.50 for adults inc a drink and popcorn.
diary dates, listings and ideas to make life in Canary Wharf sweeter..
COMING SOON
Pittagoras Wharf Kitchen / Jubilee Place pittagoras.co.uk
OK, we’ll be the rst to admit we missed the wordplay in the name. For the hard of thinking, like this writer, it’s not pitta-goras, it’s pie-ta-goras.
At this point it would be traditional to come up with some witty quip – perhaps Canary Wharf’s new arrival at Wharf Kitchen will be serving up square meals where its mains are equal to the sum of the
Pittagoras is set to arrive at Wharf Kitchen - part of a Greek invasion with Brother Marcus also opening up...
ingredients in two of its sides, or something. We could just say we’ve got hypotenuse for you –that Pittagoras is coming to the Wharf’s street food market and promises to grind out gyros and souvlaki plus loaded fries and platters.
Quite whether ancient Greek geometry or GCSE mathematics will play much of a part in transactions for most customers remains to be seen.
We’ll keep you posted on an opening date, just as soon as one has been appropriately calculated.
Our
With you from the start
COMING SOON Yummzy Cabot Square yummzy.co.uk
We don’t have an opening date yet, but something sweet is set to arrive soon in Canary Wharf. Yummzy promises cakes and sweet treats that are vegan, low-carb, gluten-free and low sugar.
Expect brownies, granola, tiramisu, biscott, doh’nuts and a wealth of other desserts. Competition for Brera and Badiani, perhaps...
See
Canary Wharf Group is set to make grants of £300,000 over the course of a year
making the grants
by Jon Massey
Canary Wharf Group has launched its Community Grant Programme, with applications for the first round of funding invited by March 3.
Local not-for-profit groups with an annual income of less than £2million and statutory organisations can apply for funding of between £500 and £10,000 for projects and activities that align with CWG’s Social Value Approach.
This “aims to support local community initiatives that will deliver the greatest impact for those who need it the most” in line with its intention to focus on the benefits delivered to wider society through its operations. The grants will be managed and administered by the East End Community Foundation, which has three decades of history as a grant making charity in this part of London.
In total £300,000 will awarded over the year. It’s likely one or two larger grants will be made for each funding round with the rest at a lower level with the aim to extend support to as many organisations as possible.
The programme is centred around three key themes – education, skills and employment plus wellbeing – and is open to organisations in Tower Hamlets and those that provide services benefiting its residents.
key details
The CGP will see three rounds of funding awarded to local organisations and initiatives. The deadline for applications for the first round is noon on March 3.
Go to canarywharf.com or eastendcf.org for more details and ways to apply
Scan this code to nd out more about the grants
COMING SOON
Brother Marcus
YY London brothermarcus.co.uk
YY London – the building that used to house Reuters before its facelift – may have a shiny new Revolut sign on top, but it’s what lies beneath that concerns us here.
The Eastern Mediterranean restaurant group Brother Marcus is set to extend its London footprint with an opening on the tower’s lower level this summer.
Founded by school friends
Tas Gaitanos and Alex Large, the company is set to launch a 174-cover venue with a combination of indoor and outdoor seating. Wharfers can expect a menu packed with all-day mezze sharing dishes plus souvla and skewers from the grill. Breakfast will be available from 8am-noon on weekdays and brunch will be served until 4pm at weekends. The venue will also o er cocktails and a selection of Greek-focused wines alongside smoothies and co ee. Stay tuned for an April or May opening.
how 8 Harbord Square in Wood Wharf
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Look to the east. Over the coming weeks and months, Harbord Square – recently connected to the rest of Wood Wharf by the opening of the snowdrop-laced gardens and benches of Union Square – will be welcoming an influx of independent businesses for Wharfers to discover.
“We knew that with this link in place, people would be able to walk down to the area from Canary Wharf and through Wood Wharf, so we’ve been looking at how we could make it a real destination,” said George Chapman, senior retail leasing surveyor at Canary Wharf Group.
“With 10 retail units, we thought we’d start with 8 Harbord Square which, I must admit, is my favourite building over there with its fully open-plan apartments. It’s just stunning.”
However, rather than simply open up those spaces to all-comers, George and the team decided to take a different approach.
“Wood Wharf is already really cool – you have the likes of coffee shop 640East, Dishoom, Mallow and many more,” he said. “With 8 Harbord Square, we wanted to create a community vibe. There’s so much talent in Tower Hamlets, just outside Canary Wharf – we thought it would be great to bring some of that in.
“In the past, local operators might have wanted to open a business on the estate but may have been unsure how to do it.
“The larger units can seem daunting, so we’ve simplified the leases with these to get the best local companies in and help build the neighbourhood.
“We’ve partnered with Tower Hamlets and gone out to local residents and businesses and have a number of tenants lined up – we wanted best-in-class operators, with a nail bar, a hair salon, a flower shop and a juice bar coming.
“We’ve helped the operators who need it apply for alcohol licences to make the process as smooth as possible. I can’t wait for all the tenants to move in and start trading.”
The arrivals will certainly bring a new dimension to Harbord Square. The area is already home to a GP surgery, a convenience store, a vet and a multi-purpose sports hall, but the new street level offering will broaden its appeal and include places for Wharfers to hang out.
It’s also a part of Wood Wharf that’s set to see much residential change both in the short and medium term, with aparthotel Vertus Edit’s launch earlier this month offering extended flexible stays. More rental homes to the south of the square are coming in the not so distant future.
With units ranging in size from 235sq ft to 786sq ft on five-year leases, the new commercial tenants at 8 Harbord Square will benefit from Canary Wharf Group’s ongoing support as more and more people visit and discover the area.
For George, it’s about creating a buzz to delight those living and staying locally. To that end, the team scoured social media and hit the streets locally to find top operators that would be suitable for the project.
“There’s times where I’ve simply gone out for a coffee and found a place, then had a conversation about bringing a business to the estate,” he said. “We’ve also had direct approaches. This is the first time we’ve done this as a business, but I’m of the view that if it’s successful, then we’d look to roll it out in other locations.
“I’d like to walk down to 8 Harbord Square in two years’ time and see the tenants happily trading in a place where everyone knows each other, that has a bit of an old East End feel to it and people look out for one another. That would be perfect.
continued on Page 8
is set to host best-in-class east London businesses
A time of change: New buildings reflected in the windows of 8 Harbord Square
from Page 6
“As other buildings welcome residents around 8 Harbord Square, there will be even more people coming to this part of the Wharf.
“If I was staying in a studio at Vertus Edit, I’d love that just downstairs there’s a buzzy salon and a juice bar with a running club. These amenities will help people meet each other and make for an area visitors and residents really love. It’s what we want – a place for the community with people walking their dogs and taking their kids to the park. The tenants at 8 Harbord Square will all be a part of that.”
The mission to bring talent into Canary Wharf – with many not realising what opportunities the area might hold for them – isn’t dissimilar to George’s own story. While he couldn’t see its towers directly growing up in west London, they nevertheless exerted an irresistible pull.
“I’ve been working here for nearly eight years, having started as a finance apprentice at Canary Wharf Group’s tech community, Level39,” he said.
“I did my professional qualifications there and, after about two years, joined the accountancy department. Then an opportunity came up to move across to the
Retail units at 8 Harbord Square will be filled by independent businesses from east London
8 Harbord Square features open-plan apartments and commercial spaces on its ground floor
George Chapman and the retail team at Canary Wharf Group have been working hard to help establish independent businesses in Wood
Wharf
The opening of Union Square makes Harbord Square easily accessible from the rest of Wood Wharf
There’s so much talent in Tower Hamlets, just outside Canary Wharf –we thought it would be great to bring some of that in
George Chapman, Canary Wharf Group
seeing Canary Wharf in the news and I remember thinking I’d love to work among the towers one day – there was a real excitement around it. I had my interview for the apprenticeship and then phoned my dad who’s a black cab driver. He told me to go to one of the bars on the estate and soak up the energy.
“It was on a Thursday and I did exactly that. That’s when I knew I’d really like to work in Canary Wharf. It’s been worth crossing the line from west to east London and it’s still definitely where I want to be.
“Numbers and accountancy are very important – fine in moderation – but I get a real kick out of meeting people on a day-to-day basis in my current role. It’s a lot more personal.
“It’s such a privilege to get to know people, to find out why they get up in the morning and what makes them tick. You don’t get that same buzz from a spreadsheet.”
Full details of the businesses opening up at 8 Harbord Square will be released in due course. However, we can reveal they will include nail specialist Awe London, hairdresser Wayne Salon and flower and plant retailer The Flower Club. There will also be a hospitality offering, or two. Watch these spaces
key details
You’ll be able to find out more about 8 Harbord Square and the businesses that will soon call it home online.
Go to canarywharf.com
Looking to stay locally? Vertus Edit opened this month with prices starting at £133 per night for a Little studio accommodating up to two people. The largest, Roomy apartments, start at £183 for up to two guests. Vertus also offers apartments for rent across Canary Wharf. Go to thisisvertus.com
Scan this code to nd out more about Canary Wharf
Saving on oat milk when shopping at Waitrose in Canary Wharf compared with Tesco Metro 6%
cost of Wharfing
will it be Tesco or Waitrose to come out top in the battle of the oat milks?
by Jon Massey
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they wonder whether they’re getting the best deal on their oat milk. Typically it’s around 8am on a weekday morning, staring into the pan as they swirls their porridge oats around, willing them to soften just that little bit faster so the cook can get on with more important matters. Everybody in Canary Wharf (and perhaps beyond) knows that Waitrose is more expensive than Tesco. That’s just a given isn’t it? Comics make fun of middle class shoppers and their fancy entry level products. Part of this joke is, of course, that such shoppers are so rich and insulated from reality that splashing a few quid more on pretentious basics like Essential Reduced Fat Cypriot Grilling Cheese is just more fool them. But at Wharf Life, we don’t like to swallow the groupthink. We’d rather hit the ground and nd out the truth.
Imagine my astonishment, then, when I found Tesco Metro selling its Oat Drink at its Cabot Place store for 10p more per litre than Waitrose’s own-brand Oat Unsweetened.
what’s the di erence?
Both drinks (apparently it’s gone out of fashion to call them milks, o cially) are substantially similar. They are made from exactly the same ingredients with the exception that Tesco’s includes the highly processed starch maltodextrin, used as a thickener and preservative.
For two products with almost identical ingredients, as you’d expect, they are nutritionally similar, but there are some disparities. For comparison at 100ml, the Tesco drink has 50% more salt in it, although the actual quantities are pretty small.
Oat drinks (Seriously? I want oat drink in my co ee?) often have vitamins and minerals added to them. For both products these are nearly identical, with the tiniest
extra bit of vitamin D in Tesco’s o ering. You get a few more calories with Tesco too and a few more carbs, but fractionally less fat and sugars. Waitrose has a smidge more bre too. and price
Despite the similarities, there is a signi cant di erence in price. On February 2, 2025, Tesco was selling its drink at £1.65 per litre, while the cost at Waitrose was £1.55. Oddly, both were cheaper online, at £1.45 and £1.40 respectively, with the bigger premium (20p) charged by Tesco for shopping in store. Neither online price includes delivery, of course.
our verdict
On balance, the di erence between these two products isn’t huge. There’ s a bit less fat in the Tesco milk but the saturates are the same, so who cares, really? What it comes down to then is texture, taste and price.
Tesco’s milk is a tad thicker and sweeter, but otherwise they’re not oceans apart. We’re all about value here at Wharf Life and so Waitrose wins the battle of the oat milks today.
It might not sound like much, but 10p is a signi cant saving on a product you’ll likely be buying on repeat.
If you’re like me and drink a lot of oat milk, having made the switch following an ill-advised irtation with Veganuary some years ago, the saving is £15.60 on three litres a week over the course of a year. Who’d have thought you could save 6% on oat milk just by swapping Tesco for Waitrose in Canary Wharf?
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As we start 2025, arti cial intelligence continues to grab signi cant headlines and conversational AI has emerged as one of the most transformative sectors globally. We have already seen it being adopted across every industry, driving innovation and delivering signi cant economic impact. And it is reshaping how businesses interact with customers and employees, as well as streamlining operations.
It was no surprise that AI topped the agenda at the recent World Economic Forum’s annual meeting, with Arti cial Intelligence As A Driving Force For The Economy And Society, a key theme.
The Chinese AI model, DeepSeek, recently catapulted the sector back into the headlines across all major media outlets and has dominated discussions in boardrooms, on forums and within governments around the world.
China has disrupted American tech dominance and the AI race is hotting up. Said to be cheaper, faster and better by some – it is a “watch this space” scenario at the moment. Just like the media storm that followed the launch of ChatGPT, DeepSeek has captured the world’s attention.
This year we have already seen huge AI investment promises from big tech companies, such as Microsoft ($80billion), and Amazon ($20billion), as well as investment in AI from BlackRock and MGX of $100billion.
The economic impact is further highlighted by PwC’s Global Arti cial Intelligence Study projections showing that by 2030, AI will add approximately $15.7trillion to global GDP, driven by increased productivity and innovation.
In conversations with our clients, this coming year we are forecasting that there will be an expansion of generative AI for greater personalised experiences as well as the growth of “Agent Bots” to assist customer service sta via automation of tasks to provide real time information and o er insights.
We can also expect increasingly sophisticated conversational AI solutions that will enable better understanding of complex queries o ering personalised and tailored responses. AI-powered digital assistants will become part of our everyday activities, embedded in every part of our lives and homes.
Chatbot interactions will become more humanlike because the technology will be more intuitive, proactive and context-aware.
Sales and marketing strategies will be driven by chatbots that are able to qualify leads, make recommendations and o er discounts. Then there’s security, compliance, safeguarding and control over AI, which will become more important with cyber threats on the rise.
It’s going to be another interesting year for all things in the sector, that’s for sure.
Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on X
With the launch of DeepSeek still fresh, the AI world is once again back in the news
virtual viewpoint by Chris Ezekiel
Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square
smashing the
Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
how Gobsmack’d Burgers delivers a truly luxurious filling between the halves of its
by Jon Massey
Poor Peppa Pig,” is not the thought that enters my head as I sink my teeth into a £9.95 o ering from Gobsmack’d Burgers in Deptford Market Yard. Run by the team from the late lamented Sharkbait ‘n’ Swim, the street food business is every bit as avourful as chef Steve McClarty’s restaurant creations.
“Utter lth” reads the caption on one of his Instagram posts beside a patty dripping with molten cheese and pickles.
Despite taking its name from
Scan this code to nd out more about Gobsmack’d
toasted golden baps
the children’s cartoon character, like all of Gobsmack’d’s o erings, my burger is altogether grown up. First there’s the aged beef onion patty to consider.
The esh in question comes from a di erent animal, let’s call her Cheryl Cow, and is the beating heart and soul of the sandwich. Smashed, as is the modern way, the patty comes draped in some of the smokiest bacon ever to pass my lips.
Pack on the pickles, American cheese and the brand’s own Gobby Sauce and you have a serious contender.
Eaten in the late January sunshine for lunch, it’s hard to nd better value than this in
south-east London. And that’s before we even get to the chips. These come bagged, a carefully calibrated quantity of skin-on golden oblongs, coated in lashings of salt. As a combo, there’s not doubting this is one of the best in Docklands. Get it for less than Deliveroo in person.
COMEDY | Glenn Moore + Andrew Doherty This double-bill of Edinburgh previews sees two comics work up their material. Glenn, pictured is a regular on radio, Andrew a queer writer of jokes. Feb 21, times vary, from £49.50, bridgetheatre.co.uk
| Fairytale Musical Mash Up Join author, performer and multi-instrumentalist Gareth P Jones for a fun- lled show full of songs to sing, rap and a funky ukelele. Ages 5+. Feb 21, 11am, donations, thealbany.org.uk
Take him down the shaft on February 14 as the Brunel Museum welcomes lovers (or singletons with a passion for history) for a pair of special tours. These will run at 5pm and 6pm with tickets £20 each or £35 for two thebrunelmuseum.com
Scan this code to nd out more about Valentine’s Day at the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe People Looking Up The play about love and space promises an experiment in the theatre and politics of the cosmos by emerging theatre company Dovetail. Mar 5-8, 7.30pm, £16.96, thepentheatre.com
The Peppa Pig comes wrapped in generous swathes of smoky, streaky bacon – smashing
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Bikini Body + Conscious Pilot
Where?
The George Tavern Whitechapel
Promising post-gutter-skunk-funk for the people, the rst combo are led by the prickly voice of Vicky Kavanagh, with stark Scottish sounds from the latter. Mar 1, 7pm, £10, thegeorgetavern.london
Where?
Half Moon Theatre Limehouse
KIDS | Pu ing Percy
This tale for kids aged 4-11 follows a young pu ing who loves his burrow just a little too much. Surely it’s time to venture outside for a ap of the wings? Mar 1,11am, 2pm, £8, halfmoon.org.uk
GIG | Bakermat
Where? Troxy Limehouse
Lodewijk Fluttert, more commonly known by his stage name of Bakermat, brings his latest work to east London for house fans to dance to. Feb 22, 9pm, from £55.81, troxy.co.uk
get involved
A couple of events are coming up to raise awareness of the Hawksmoor300 Project to restore and improve St Anne’s Limehouse. First there’s a talk on Feb 20 and then an exploration of the campaign on Mar 11 carefordstannes.org
Scan this code to nd out more about the February event at St Anne’s Limehouse and Hawksmoor6
how Guildford Shakespeare Company is set to bring an Austen classic to Wilton’s with three actors
by Jon Massey
Over the course of a mere two hours, Luke Barton, April Hughes and Sarah Gobran will take on 17 roles, plus significant nods to a further two as the trio perform the tale of Pride And Prejudice on stage.
Coming to Wilton’s Music Hall mid March, the Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) is touring its 2024 adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel following the show’s successful debut last February and a run at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London last summer.
“It’s been one of those little gifts,” said Sarah, co-founder at GSC and one third of the multirole cast. “I think it’s captured people’s hearts and that’s special. e did it first at oly Trinity Church in Guildford and then in London – we’ll be in Ipswich this week, back to Guildford for two and then at Wilton’s before we take it on board the Cunard Queen Victoria cruise liner to Bermuda and then to an o - roadway venue in ew York.”
Tickets are already selling fast, so what’s the enduring appeal both of Austen’s story – published 225 years ago – and the company’s presentation of it?
“You’d think playing so many parts on stage wouldn’t work,” said Sarah, who adapted the book for the stage along with her fellow GSC co-founder Matt Pinches and director Abigail Pickard Price.
“But the idea came from the balls, where all these young people are constantly meeting and coupling o . owever, in those days, you always had to have a chaperone present – people were never quite alone. That’s where the idea of the cast of three came from. It felt like an idea that might work – a circular feeling with the cast constantly swapping characters as they dance. Then we worked on turning it into a play and there’s something beautiful about the way it works.
“It’s a story that so many people know and we’ve been very true to the original language in the book – there are so many famous quotes and that’s because of how robustly Austen draws her characters.
They are so clearly defined that it’s easy to dance across the
ballroom, swap a bit of costume, adopt a di erent mannerism and suddenly become a di erent character.
“There’s one scene, for example, where I go from Caroline Bingley to Charlotte Lucas with scarcely a step across the stage. They are so di erent Caroline is such a huge snob, very gregarious and very much a member of the upper class, whereas Charlotte is a modest young woman, not at all romantic, who simply seeks a marriage to someone with a comfortable home.
“It’s a real joy to be able to switch between all those characters, and you see the audience relish it. The book is very witty, very sharp – so there’s already so much humour in there, but having three actors play all the roles does have a comic element to it as well.
“That said, it’s about playing these roles with truth rather than sending the characters up. We’re in Regency costume in keeping with the setting, so it’s a nice blend of nostalgia and a story that reaches people’s hearts.
“I would like to hope it’s genuine feel-good theatre, which is true to the period but keeps things fresh.”
The Guildford Shakespeare Company was formed 19 years ago after Sarah came up with the idea of putting on an open air show in the gardens at Guildford Castle and asked Matt to help put on the show. Both actors, they’ve continued producing work and expanding GSC into a registered charity that stages productions and works extensively with young people.
Matt said: “We still lead the company and are, in the old-fashioned sense, actor-managers as we still appear on stage.
“We began with a very simple mission, to create exceptional theatre in extraordinary places, often working in a site-responsive way and typically not in theatres.
“Over the last 19 years we’ve used castles, galleries, museums, quarries, lakes, West Horsey Place, where they filmed Ghosts for the BBC and even a Boeing 747. Wherever it is, we encourage the audience to engage with the space and its history so the shows we produce are more than just something to watch. Originally Pride And Prejudice was performed in a Georgian Church where
Starting price for a ticket to see the show at Wilton’s £12.50
From left, Sarah Gobran, Luke Barton and April Hughes disport themselves on stage in Pride And Prejudice
The actors all play multiple parts
pride taking on tour
I would like to hope it’s genuine feel-good theatre, which is true to the period but also keeps things fresh
Sarah Gobran,
GSC
audiences felt they were like guests at the various weddings that take place. While Wilton’s will be di erent, we’ll be working hard to create that same kind of feeling in east London.”
“Our shows are also our shop window, the other part of the work we do is our outreach education, which works with 2 , people young and old, across our region in a variety of di erent settings. large part of that is about engaging socially excluded and least advantaged groups in our community.
“Projects range from primary after-school clubs to families with teenagers living with mental health challenges. We have a young carers programme and last year ran a knife-crime awareness project called Put Up Your Swords around our production of Romeo And Juliet.”
nd who wouldn’t want an evening of fun in support of an organisation engaged in such laudable activities fter all, Pride nd Pre udice is a richly satirical comic blast and while Sarah revels in the rudeness and snobbery of playing Caroline ingley, there’s one character she especially enjoys inhabiting.
t’s rs ennet, she said.
“She’s such a treat. Her house is always so chaotic and filled with noise. She’s a whirlwind, bombastic and loud, but we have to understand she also has five daughters none of whom stand to inherit their father’s house.
“She has to think about what will happen to the family should Mr Bennet die. She’s got to get their children married and that ambition is perfectly understandable, given the way things were.
key details
Pride nd Pre udice is set to be performed at Wilton’s Music Hall in apping on arch and at 7pm. Standard tickets ranged from 2. to 27.
Go to wiltons.org.uk for more information and bookings
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Sarah and April share a moment
GSC co-founders Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches
how a series of works by Kyrsten Perry complete Byblos Harbour’s refurbishment on
the Isle Of Dogs
by Jon Massey
Lebanese restaurant Byblos Harbour has a long history of serving up colourful, flavourful dishes on the edge of illwall nner ock. t serves a cuisine described by owner boud Grimesty as similar “to Turkish food thanks to years of occupation by the Turks, but more refined from a period of rench influence and control from the early 2 th century.
t’s been attracting diners to the sle Of ogs since opening its doors in 2 .
e had a good plan and the financial crisis hit, but things got better until Covid came, said boud, who lives in Canning Town. owever, we carry on and we’re in good shape. hen we opened, there was no authentic restaurant serving proper ebanese food in east ondon, so thought ’d give it a try. t’s an varied cuisine after the occupation by the Turks, there was huge poverty so there’s lots of vegetarian food people had to do a lot with a little.
Years this year since Aboud opened the doors to Byblos Harbour
boud called on a regular for some assistance with the interior of
came here about si months ago, and boub showed me his empty walls, said yrsten Perry, an artist and sle Of ogs resident.
e said he wanted to celebrate yblos the city from which the restaurant takes its name so asked him what the stand-out features of the city were and we went from there.
“The menu is compact to keep things under control you can order a range of starters and then a main course. y personal favourite is the mi ed grill with chicken and lamb.
t’s clear when pop in to interview boud that his connection to his customers is paramount. The consummate host, he’s unfailingly attentive and fre uently stopping to chat to regulars and newcomers alike. On leaving, he presses a bottle of ebanese red into my hands, telling me the country has the best wine in the world how does he know t’s where Jesus pulled his infamous party trick with the water.
This closeness with his customers and the importance of his homeland sit perfectly in explaining the reason for my visit.
To cap o yblos arbour’s refurbishment, which has included the construction of a covered, heated and sheltered terrace for diners and shisha enthusiasts,
t’s a port that’s been operating for about 7, years. researched the history, found out all about its connections to the Egyptians, the ancient reeks, the Phoenicians and its oman ruins.
These include an amphitheatre overlooking the ocean, but there’s also a , -year-old pier with many restaurants nearby, which inspired boud initially. That’s how the collaboration began.
yrsten set about creating a series of watercolours from images of yblos, with the collection recently unveiled at the restaurant. wanted to capture what it must have been like in oman times, she said. nitially thought ’d do a semi-aerial view, but it didn’t look right. also didn’t want to do one of those big murals.
t was really a collaboration. ’d send boud images and he’d like some and not others. e talked e tensively about how the culture of the country has a ected the food, the people and the whole atmosphere. To me, it was something uplifting and oyous. There
adorning the
Kyrsten’s paintings hanging at Byblos Stu ed vine leaves with lemon
Seared halloumi with fresh mint
A mixed grill
Views of Byblos in Lebanon, by Kyrsten Perry now decorate the walls of Byblos Harbour restaurant on the Isle Of Dogs
“I’ve really enjoyed the process of working with Aboud – I trust him and he’s got really good taste. When you’re in that creative process, trying something new, that’s really important.
“I’ve done lots of things in the past – I have two art degrees – but I’ve only really taken it seriously in the last couple of years.
“I’ve been doing the art class at the Shadwell Centre in Whitechapel and that’s how I met the friends I share the studio with.
“Something happens in that creative space which is very precious and I’ve felt that doing this project with Aboud.
“I’m certainly up for more commissions as ’ve finally got my website and Instagram (@artmakingmatters) sorted. ’m definitely looking for more opportunities to collaborate, but I’ll be doing my own thing as well.
Aboud supports multiculturalism –people coming together. It’s been a real privilege to work with him
have been so many awful things happening in that part of the world, I thought it would be great to create something positive.
“Aboud supports multiculturalism – people coming together. It’s been a real privilege to work with him because I can see what he’s trying to do. He brings people together with good food, good wine and good times.”
Born in Cornwall, Kyrsten was brought up in Australia before returning to the UK, gravitating to the Isle Of Dogs after a stint running a venue in Islington. In addition to her full-time job working for a Labour MP, the former Tower Hamlets councillor is a practising artist working from a studio in Roman Road.
“During the day we deal with a lot of people who are acutely desperate and in need of support,” she said. “The art is a good counterbalance to that.
“Some friends and I share the studio and I’m absolutely in my element when I’m painting.
“I really have to take my hat o to boud. yblos arbour is always reliable – my mum, who is originally from Streatham loves coming here with her friends when she visits from Australia.
“You know you’re getting good quality food and that it will be a fabulous day. Aboud has had to be creative over the years, to reinvent his restaurant but always with what the customer needs and wants in mind.
“I’ve known him for 10 years and I’ve always loved the food –having been a councillor, I know how much restaurants struggled over the pandemic and the cost of living crisis, so it’s fantastic that he’s adapted and is still delivering that quality.
key details
yblos arbour is open Monday-Saturday, from noon to 11pm and on Sundays from 1pm to 10.30pm. Takeaway options include Deliveroo and Uber Eats for those who prefer to dine in their homes, although you’ll be missing out on the artwork. Go to byblos-harbour.com for more information
● Kyrsten Perry is a local artist working in east London and is available for commissions. Her work, which takes inspiration from the water of the docks and the local swan population can be viewed online.
Go artmakingmatters.com for more
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what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
| The Naughty Fox + The Noisy Dinosaur The east London community centre is set to host two shows for kids aged 0-5. Each multisensory creation lasts 45 minutes with a joint ticket costing £13.50. Mar 1, 10am, 11.30am, £9 each, poplarunion.com
Rapinet Solicitors’ Zahira Razaq has a passion
cally
She’s part of a team at the Harbour Exchange-based rm that o ers a comprehensive selection of services kiddrapinet.co.uk
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Kyrsten Perry, Art Making Matters
Kyrsten Perry
Aboud Grimesty
take a breath by
David Lefebvre Sell
Ageing can be challenging, but while back pain might suck, we can develop resilience to change
An octogenarian that I knew once told me that the whole idea of gradual ageing is untrue – in reality we age in chunks. This has always stuck with me, and is supported by my own reluctant experiments.
Sometimes this is experienced through a sudden change in our responsibilities, a change in our bodies or – God help me – you catch yourself complaining about “music these days”.
It is a fundamental principle in Buddhism that change is inevitable, and our resistance to it is the cause of our su ering.
Of course, no-one minds good change. Winning a bunch of money or suddenly waking up with abs isn’t going to send you into therapy, probably. But, when we lose a loved one or have some health issue or realise our bald spot is probably visible from space, then we su er.
So what, if anything, can we do to insulate ourselves? Well, being rich probably helps, but, barring that, there are attitudes we can adopt that can make us more resilient.
It’s a fundamental principle in Buddhism that change is inevitable and our resistance to it is the cause of our su ering
David Lefebvre Sell
Remind yourself constantly that “this too, shall pass”. It is the most bad-ass of mantras. When life is great and you’re riding high this too, shall pass. When life is terrible and you’re dragging yourself through the day, this too, shall pass. Change is constant, and acceptance is not surrender.
We must also have the belief that we are capable of adapting to change. Everyone is a mix of growth and xed mindset. When we meet with change in an area where our attitudes are less exible, it’s harder for us to adapt to our new reality. For example, if our sense of self worth hinges on us looking a certain way, then ageing is going to be more painful.
If our sense of self worth is more uid, then we might see ageing as an opportunity to grow past the need to look a certain way. Back pain sucks though, don’t get me wrong.
David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf
Follow @davetheyogi on X and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB
Scan this code for information about David’s work as a transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist
how the National Maritime Museum is set to illuminate the realities of life for Pirates with a major exhibition
by Jon Massey
Iloved The Great Piratical Rumbustification by New Zealand author Margaret Mahy and illustrator Quentin Blake as a kid. The tale of retired pirate-turned-babysitter Orpheus Clinker, who descends on the unsuspecting Terrapin family with his mates for a riotous party, is clever, funny outlandish and overblown.
In some senses it’s a good metaphor for the whole topic of piracy. We love the hyperbole in it. Disney’s to blame, of course, for casting alcoholic rake Robert Newton to gurn his way through Treasure Island as the gravelly-voiced, one-legged Long John Silver in 1950.
It was such a popular turn he wound up getting the starring role in Blackbeard The Pirate in the film of the same name, before returning as Long John for another movie in 1952 and a miniseries.
Then you have the fierce passion and dashing acrobatic brilliance of Burt Lancaster in The Crimson Pirate, also in ‘52.
More recently there’s been the entertainment giant’s lucrative decision to employ a Keith Richards impersonator to carry a lacklustre franchise based on a theme park ride to financial success. These glamorous portrayals are unsurprising. Pirates have long been drawn as swashbuckling adventurers associated with lush islands, flamboyant dress and buried treasure. But what’s the truth?
That’s the question asked by a new major exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. Pirates promises to “deconstruct these myths and illuminate the realities” of life for the likes of Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, Anne Bonny, Mary Read and William Kidd – who ended his days at Execution Dock in Wapping and is immortalised in the name of a pub on the Thames.
Taking in stories from across the globe, the exhibition will look to the Caribbean and beyond with tales from the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the coast of North Africa. Visitors will be able to see nearly 200 objects including loans from the National Archives, V&A and BFI.
The exhibition will be presented in sections with the first looking at the image of pirates in fiction
and considering the impact of characters such as Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow as well as Long John Silver.
This includes original illustrations from hapless cartoon pirate Captain Pugwash, by artist and writer John Ryan, who began life in a comic strip before starring in a children’s TV show.
“Real Pirates” will go on to investigate tales of specific outlaws and their exploits on the high seas, inspired by A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson first published in 1724 as the golden age of piracy came to an end.
Then visitors will see “Global Pirates” with objects selected to showcase piracy around the world including the story of Chinese captain Shap Ng-tsai who was active in the mid-19th century.
Eventually Shap’s fleet of 27 junks was destroyed in a joint action by an Anglo-Chinese squadron under Captain John Charles Dalrymple Hay and Major General Hwáng in 1849.
There’s also a focus on Barbary piracy and the Bombardment Of Algiers in 1816, when a British-Dutch force attacked the city in an attempt to resolve the problem of naval crime in North Africa. The action resulted in the release of 3,000 Christian captives, but came at a cost, as it was more deadly than the Battle Of Trafalgar.
While the exhibition might not rise to heights of a rumbustification, nor the need to pore through a dictionary to see which words are made up, it nevertheless promises to be a blockbuster. Apt then that Orlando Bloom’s costume from the first Pirates Of The Caribbean flick will be on show.
key details
Pirates is set to open at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich on March 29 and will run until January 4, 2026.
Adult tickets cost £15 and £7.50 for children. Entry for Royal Museums Greenwich members is free. The exhibition is recommended for those aged 10+.
Go to rmg.co.uk for more information
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Number of christian prisoners liberated from Barbary pirates in the Bombardment Of Algiers 3k
Detail from Davy Jones’s Locker by William Lionel Wyllie
A hanging seized from one of Shap Ng-tsai’s pirate junks in October 1849. It shows Ziewi Dadi, a heavenly emperor in Cantonese myth
Image by National Maritime Museum Image by National Maritime Museum
A compass circa 1750
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Pitbull
The global rap star brings his Party After Dark Tour to London with the promise of pyrotechnics, big visuals and high-energy performances. Lil Jon supports. Feb 21, 6.30pm, £TBC, theo2.co.uk
STAGE | Faustus That Damned Woman Rose Bruford College puts on a revival of this 2020 play that asks what a woman would have done with all the power of the devil. A lot, apparently. Feb 25-27, times vary, £11, greenwichtheatre.org.uk
Feb 21, 7.30pm, £20, woolwich.works
There’s still just time to catch In The Dark at Trinity Buoy Wharf. The performances last an hour and take place in total darkness so audiences can focus on listening to the sounds produced around them in-the-dark.com
Scan
COMEDY | Arabs Are Not Funny The comedy night returns with turns from Farah Sharp, pictured, Ahmen Ibrahim, Joe Haddad and Adam Jamal, with plenty of gags on o er.
Image by National Maritime Museum
This bust of a Moroccan man in terracotta is by an unknown maker and will be on display
John Ryan’s cartoon Captian Pugwash rst appeared in print in 1957 after 12 rejections
The rst edition of Treasure Island, which came out in 1883, featured a treasure map drawn by author Robert Louis Stevenson
The Bombardment of Algiers by George Chambers
how The PA Show Spring 2025 is set to offer support professionals a boost to their skills and careers
by Jon Massey
what’s coming?
The PA Show Spring 2025 is set to return to Excel in Royal Docks from February 26-27.
tell me more...
It’s the UK’s largest gathering of executive support professionals – that’s personal assistants, executive assistants, virtual assistants and o ce managers.
what’s on o er?
An opportunity for attendees to expand their networks, to connect with more than 120 exhibitors and to boost the skills they use in their careers.
who’s exhibiting?
Suppliers will be represented from the elds of business travel, corporate gifting, workplace solutions, event planning services and many more.
what about activities?
There will be a range of opportunities including speed networking sessions and the return of The PA Show Passport, an initiative that encourages delegates to visit suppliers for the chance to win prizes and collect a goody bag. This year it’s sponsored by Thorntons.
how about on stage?
The Keynote Theatre is free to attend on both days, with highlights on the programme including Lifting Your Potential: Strongwoman Stories To Help You Say Yes To Success from coach and speaker, Zoë Thompson, and Lead Up: How To Move From PA To EA And Beyond by keynote speaker, trainer and coach at The Like Me CIC, Jasmine Mbye.
that’s not all is it?
No. The event is well-known for its CPD-accredited sessions, which can be accessed at the event for an all-inclusive cost.
Firstly there’s the Tech Theatre. Running both days, highlights include Crafting Precision: Advanced ChatGPT Prompts For Proactive Assistants with Paul Pennant of Microsoft MVP and Using AI To Supercharge Your Social Media from Kati Noakes, founder of KN Comms. The event will also host a Personal Development Theatre on both days.
Then, on the rst day the show will also host the VA Content
Stream for virtual assistants including VACT Limited’ s VA trainer and mentor, Amanda Johnson with a talk entitled Be The Boss Of Your VA Future and Shelley Fishel, founder of Tomorrow’s VA on Saving Money And Boosting E ciency With Microsoft Tools For Virtual Assistants
The second day will see the event host the EA Leadership And Progression Conference Stream o er sessions on Mastering Business Skills For Growth And Leadership from Clare Lucas of UK Ducks In A Row Ltd and From Uniform to Suit: Boot Camp For Executive Assistants by Claudine Martin, senior EA at BNY Pershing.
they say...
“We’ve added a theatre stream speci cally designed for executive assistants aspiring to leadership roles,” said Charlotte Fewlass, marketing event director at Mash Media, organiser of The PA Show.
“These sessions will equip attendees with the strategic thinking, resilience, and communication skills needed to excel in today’s evolving workplace.”
who’s supporting?
In addition to Thorntons, the event’s 2025 headline sponsor will be train travel specialist SWR Business Direct. It’s also supported by meeting and event space provider Convene and business travel management rm Corporate Traveller.
anything else?
The show’s sales and event director, Lisa Farn eld, said: “The PA Show o ers unparalleled opportunities for skill development, networking and career growth. “Our exhibitors provide cutting-edge solutions tailored to executive support professionals, ensuring attendees leave with actionable insights and valuable connections.”
key details
The PA Show Spring 2025 is set to take place at Excel in Royal Docks from February 26-27. Exhibition and Keynote Theatre passes are free for PAs, EAs, VAs and o ce managers.
Full access including all CPD-accredited content costs £199 for one day or £239 for two ex VAT. Group discounts of 20% for ve+ delegates are available. Go to thepashow.com/spring
2
Days The PA Show Spring 2025 is set to run at Excel in Royal Docks. Delegate passes are free for the exhibition and keynotes
120+
Exhibitors that will be attending the event with suppliers in the elds of travel, gifting and workplace planning represented
3
CPD-accredited content stages with sessions held over two days allowing attendees to boost their skills
CPD-accredited sessions across ve theatre streams at The PA Show Spring 2025
The PA Show’s Charlotte Fewlass, left, and Lisa Farn eld are looking forward to welcoming delegates to Excel
and circus, this year’s familyfriendly event promises big top skills workshops, installations and an illuminated parade. Feb 27, 5pm-8pm, free, uel.ac.uk
CLUB | Labyrinth Presents: Life And Death
PA Show Spring 2025 runs alongside International Confex and The Event Production Show o ering those attending an opportunity to meet event industry leaders and corporate buyers
Sudoku
How to play
To complete Sudoku, ll the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.
More to play
You can nd more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca
Notes
crossword
beating the whether you’re cryptic sleuth or synonym solver in it for quick wins, this should satisfy
Cryptic Quick
Take a break from that phone Across
7. Sympathy for Scrooge? Limited ending (13)
8. Find a knife in the toilets, almost (8)
9. Make a mint playing this ball game? (4)
10. Cain gets back at Ma. His condition is 20 across (6)
12. Get TV logos in the dentists (6)
14. Unconscious state if you mix the veg. From Brussels (6)
16. Spirit in the bottle is kindly, we hear (6)
18. Just the drink when the Left’s all at sea! (4)
20. Could be a condition for 10 across (8)
22. Nell is surrounded by creations in a castle (13)
Down
1. An agreement that shrinks? (8)
2. ichael Caine identifies himself in Italy, almost (6)
3. Interrogative? (2,2)
4. Thinking deeply about a backwards door on Bing? (8)
5. Fix your papers with this necessary commodity (6)
The animals band together to overwhelm the farmer only to discover that new leadership isn’t all that much better
overthrowing
how Stratford East is bringing Orwell’s Animal Farm to the stage 80 years after the satire was published
by Jon Massey
George Orwell’s great satire on communism, tyranny and the corrupting in uence of power is set for a fresh lease of life in east London.
Theatre Royal Stratford East is set to stage an adaptation of his work Animal Farm, adapted for the stage by Tatty Hennessy in February and March.
The production marks the cautionary tale’s 80th anniversary, with director Amy Leach exploring loss of identity, the seductive allure of greed and the corrosive e ect of political power on lofty ideals.
An oppressed cadre of farm animals band together in the face of the tyranny visited upon them by Farmer Jones, using their collective might to overpower him and seize control themselves.
Laws are drafted and lead pig Napoleon, backed by the faithful strength of workhorse Boxer, makes the pronouncement that the animals are all equal, shall not kill each other and won’t drink alcohol.
Initially things go well, but it’s not long before the
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temptations of the esh and political pragmatism see those in charge stray from the path.
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others – a sentence typi ed by Napoleon and his faction of pigs when they sell Boxer for glue and spend the cash on a case of whisky, before gaslighting those around them. In a world where we can barely trust anything, these are topics vital to consider.
Stratford - Bow - Hackney Wick
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
STAGE | Politics And Theatre
Comedian Mark Thomas hosts a panel discussion with Amy Leach and others about the venue’s history and why its work is inherently political. Feb 28, 5pm, free, stratfordeast.com
DANCE | Now
Expect a celebration of 25 years of work from the Jasmin Vardimon Company drawing on repertoire that includes Park, Yesterday and Alice Mar 5-8, times vary, from £15, sadlerswells.com
STAGE | The Glass Menagerie Tickets are already selling fast for this production of Tennessee Williams’ classic. It’s a night where someone special comes to dinner, causing change. Feb 28-Apr 21, times vary, £25, theyardtheatre.co.uk
ash back
key details
details
Animal Farm is set to run at Theatre Royal Stratford East from February 7 to March 8. Shows start at 7.30pm with some matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets start at £10. Go to stratfordeast.com
As the rst season at Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford arrives, we take a look at Birdboy, a solo work choreographed by Irish dancer and creative Emma Martin. Catch it from February 20-22 with tickets from £15. Ages 7+ sadlerswells.com
Scan this code to read our interview with Emma about the creation of Birdboy and bringing it to London
