Where?
Cineworld
West India Quay
West India Quay
See Gillian Anderson and Ben Foster perform Tenessee Williams’ classic, lmed during a live sold-out run at the Young Vic in 2014. Jun 5, 7.30pm, £16.50, cineworld.co.uk Where?
Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place
Welcome to issue 137 of Wharf Life. Whether it’s thousands of years of history, 80 years in Soho or brand new ventures in Canary Wharf, Poplar and Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, there’s plenty of inspiration for things to do, see or get a bit more involved with in our latest publication – dig in...
FILM | NT Live: A Streetcar Named Desire
Where? Montgomery Square Canary Wharf
It might be peppered with balderdash, but Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition is a surprisingly enjoyable ride with a decent slice of factual information before the graphics take over 32
It’s back, Thursday lunchtimes will once again feature street food pop-ups from Karnival until the end of September. There’s free minigolf too... Thursdays from Jun 5, noon-2.30pm, canarywharf.com
Get tunes galore as The Living Tombstone hit Troxy in Limehouse
Peabody and Lovell are all set to launch the next phase of Southmere
on the radar
The glossy brown bricks of 8 Harbord Square will soon be home to some sweet new avours. Japanese patisserie Cafe Seek will be bringing its fusion of classic French techniques with far ung avours to the building in the not so distant future. Stay tuned... cafeseek.co.uk
You wait for an 8 Harbord Square opening and then two come along at once. We can also now reveal that the building will also be home to The Island Reformer Pilates, as the brand expands its o ering from Hackney Wick. More deets soon theislandstudio.co.uk need to know
30
Race down the river in aid of the RNLI from Greenwich Yacht Club
26
Poplar Union is seeking traders as it works to set up a new market to help fund the work of the arts centre. Find out more via our interview with Nahimul Islam
TRIED + TESTED
Arancini Arancino Of Sicily
@arancino_ofsicily on Insta
One of the many things I shared with my late mother was a devotion to the wonderful TV version of Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano novels.
The episodes are ridiculous but also a love letter to Italy– the Commissario is at least as passionate about the food he eats as he is about relationships or justice.
The Cacio E Pepe and Beef Arancini cost £6.90 each from Kiosk 4 in the Wharf’s Reuters Plaza
It was on a pilgrimage to Punta Secca – a tiny village in Sicily that stands in for the ctional Vigata on the show – that I had my rst proper arancino. This was eaten in a backstreet on dusty plastic chairs and the combination of thick, glossy risotto rice and a hearty beef ragu lling was irresistable. Another passion sparked. Make no mistake then in the level of praise I’m heaping on recent Canary Wharf arrival Arancino Of Sicily, when I say that its creations took me right back to that unfussy, honest street stall. The avours are just as rich and bold, delivered mostly in traditional crispy spheres – similar to oranges which gives the dish its name. But there’s an excellent Sicilian cone with ragu at its centre too. At £6.90 each, try them all. ★★★★★ Jon Massey
doing the deals
get more for less on and around the Wharf
30%
Toni&Guy Canary Wharf is o ering 30% o Shu Eumura: Art Of Hair products until the end of May. Visit the salon in Cabot Place for more details toniandguy.com
34 subscribe to our Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly
How the London College Of Fashion is putting work on display
£1.50
Get your co ee for less as Change Please in Reuters Plaza is o ering all brews for £1.50 on Mondays and Fridays in May. Additional charges may apply for syrups and the like changeplease.org
MAY I HELP YOU WITH YOUR LUGGAGE?
write me words you don’t know you need
subscribe to our FREE Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly
noun, fake, from Old English
The action of failing to appreciate the enormous contribution made to a country by those who travel to come and live in it, work in it and enrich it through their labour and ideas. A group often scapegoated for other problems
noun, real, from Old English
This ancient term for a river crossing is a direct ancestor of our modern word “bridge”, written here in celebration of the graceful curve of the new steel and wood structure spanning Eden Dock. Congrats to all involved
SHOP POP-UP
Arts And Crafts Market
MMy Wood Wharf canarywharf.com
Running from 1pm-6pm on May 31, MMy Wood Wharf is set to host its rst arts and crafts market. Visitors can expect a wide range of products from a diverse selection of independent makers. The goods on sale will include jewellery, wellness essentials, stylish pet wear, premium leather goods and sustainable lifestyle products. Entry is free and browsing encouraged
Immigration Solicitors
you from the start
Our immigration team has earned its strong reputation for providing expert legal advice and practical support on a wide range of immigration issues. Trust us to help you make the right application. 020 7205 2896 kiddrapinet.co.uk
ENTERTAINMENT
Summer Pasta Festival Emilia’s Crafted Pasta emiliaspasta.com
The dockside environs of Harbour Quay Gardens in Wood Wharf are set to ring with the sound of munching as Emilia’s Summer Pasta Festival returns for 2025.
Running from noon-7pm on Sunday, June 8, the George Street restaurant will be expanding its footprint into the park with deckchairs, pasta picnic areas, blankets and dance areas. There will be live music and DJ sets throughout the event including a showing from L’Italia S’è Festa (the rst and, only Italian party dedicated to 1990s/2000s dance hits).
Alongside these goings on, the restaurant will be serving up plenty of pasta and there will also be an opportunity for visitors to participate in masterclasses. These come at a cost and should be pre-booked. Entry is free, but registration via Eventbrite for the event is recommended to get 10% o pasta from the restaurant.
how Lina Stores is set to bring eight decades of heritage to the tastebuds of Canary Wharf
by Jon Massey
WProjects is all set to pull another Canary Wharf opening out of its hat. Founded by Chris Miller, the brands the company works with already have a significant presence in and around Crossrail Place.
Now Lina Stores, is getting ready to join Island Poké, Kricket, Soma and Arc Community beside the waters of West India North Dock as the team works to open a branch of the Soho stalwart in June. Soft pale green stripes already adorn the windows of the space that used to house The Breakfast Club and inside serious work is well underway.
The colour is all important and, just before our interview, Chris has to pop off for a word with the site manager having spotted some tiles that aren’t quite the right hue and arrange for them to be replaced. It’s a testament to how seriously both he and Éadaoin McDonagh take their stewardship of a brand that’s got 80 years of history behind it.
“It’s very clear for us what the brand’s identity is – quality first that’s affordable – and we’re here to ensure that this is protected and never compromised,” said Éadaoin, managing director at Lina Stores and COO at White Rabbit.
“When I look at the fresh food suppliers we have in London, we’re using the same companies as Michelin-star restaurants, but we’re not charging Michelin-star prices – people see that value.
“I’ve been involved with Lina for eight years now and we established its first restaurant in Greek Street in 2018.”
That expansion was the first milestone on a road that has seen the green stripes appear on eight locations in London and one in Manchester. Canary Wharf will be Lina’s 11th UK site in addition to three in Japan. But it all began with a love story. Orphaned in Italy, Carolina Parisio moved to London in the early 1920s to work at the Italian Hospital in Queen’s Square as a live-in cleaner, with continued on Page 8
Parts to Lina Stores in Canary Wharf, the delicatessen, Bar Lina and the venue’s first floor Italian restaurant
hite Rabbit
Lina Stores is set to open at Crossrail Place in June
from Page 6
the prospect of a better future and to financially support her two brothers. There she met Enrico Crippa, an engineering fitter from Lake Como and began a relationship that would last the rest of their lives. By 1939, he was the proprietor of a wholesale business and the couple teamed up with business partners Alberto and Rita Seradi. Operating out of Tisbury Court, the women ran the day-to-day shopfront, while the men worked behind the scenes.
Realising they needed bigger premises, they found space on a corner in Brewer Street and establishing the store that continues to trade there more than eight decades later. Emilio named it Lina after the love of his life.
“It’s passed through four generations of Italians since then,” said Éadaoin, who left a career in teaching to work in the hospitality industry in New York and the UK.
“It was the first place in London you could get olive oil back in the day. The beauty of Lina Stores is that we have always had that we’re primarily and importer and have that direct relationship with Italy, where others might go through a distributor.
“We ship many of our products and ingredients over and taste everything regularly to ensure the quality is there. Our delicatessens are still the place to go for flavours and produce from Italy you can’t get elsewhere.”
It was Lina’s position as a Soho institution that first led Chris to approach the owners with an offer.
“I worked in Soho House in Dean Street for many years and, on the way home, I would regularly go into Lina Stores for meats and cheeses,” he said. “It’s a very special place and I love it.
“White Rabbit is an incubator – a way to grow hospitality concepts – so I reached out to the families who owned the site with a view to collaborating.
“They wanted to do something with the brand to help keep it alive and they’d been approached by lots of people before – but having worked in and around the area for 15 years, I had a real love for Lina, and they said they would trust me to take it on the next journey.
“They are still shareholders in the business, they come to all the tastings, sign off on designs, so it’s a real collaboration, a real, personal promise to the family to say we will look after this.
“We are growing and that provides real opportunities, but if you look at Soho, there are some really old institutions that over time have been forced out by rising rents and other pressures.
1944
The year Lina Stores opened its doors in Brewer Street, W1 – the start of an enduring brand
The original shop is till trading in Soho, albeit now with a basement speakeasy-style drinking den
Images by Jon Massey
White Rabbit Projects founder Chris Miller used to be a regular customer at the original deli when working in Soho
What this collaboration has done is enable us to retain the original deli as it was. It’s been a really fun journey
“The only thing that’s changed is that it now has a bar in the basement, the first Bar Lina.”
This cosy, speakeasy-style venue is regularly filled and has been the inspiration for the drinking offer for the other venues since it opened. That includes Canary Wharf which will have its own Bar Lina to the rear with a menu packed with Negronis. The Crossrail Place venue will also feature a full Italian deli (complete with correctly coloured tiles) and a more formal restaurant on its upper floor under an expansive curved ceiling.
“We’ll be doing breakfasts in Canary Wharf, including a new menu, so people can come in for a full sit-down meal in the morning, at lunch or for dinner,” said Éadaoin.
“We’ll have the delicatessen at the front where customers who don’t have much time can come in and grab panini or a salad to go.
We picked Canary Wharf to open our latest restaurant because there’s so much development and opportunity here
Chris Miller, White Rabbit Projects
“The original deli is much busier than it’s ever been, because people know more about it now,” said Chris.
“I think the starting point of its appeal is still value. We provide incredibly high quality at an accessible price point. We’ve been careful over the years, with massive inflation, that we’ve rarely had to touch price.
“We’re still seeing very positive, like-for-like growth, and that’s down to a value-for-money proposition.
“We picked Canary Wharf to open our latest restaurant because there’s so much development and opportunity here.
Éadaoin McDonagh is managing director of Lina Stores and is also COO at White Rabbit
“In the restaurant, guests can have just one or two courses and we know how customers in busy neighbourhoods need to have lunch in just 45 minutes, so we can provide fresh pasta with toppings that can be served very quickly.
“We also know that Canary Wharf has a lot of families visiting over the weekend and we’ll be ready to welcome all ages.
“Our bar will have an Italian style, based on the 1940s and 1950s and a late licence. In addition to the Negronis, people really love our Limoncello Spritz, which is made with our own liqueur.
“Working with Lina over the past eight years has been a really beautiful opportunity and I feel really protective of it and the people.
“The team we’ve built up over the years is very passionate and excitable and that’s really infectious. It started off with me and a couple of people I knew, but it’s extended and become the norm across the business. I love what I do and that’s driven by the people.
“With that number of branches we’ve opened we’ve grown a real entrepreneurial spirit in the teams to make everything better and better.
“They also know, that if we open another store, then it’s a real opportunity for them and that enhances the camaraderie.”
It’s also good for that very first store. As the brand has grown, the buzz has grown with each new opening creating fresh interest in the story of Lina.
“I think the food scene in the area has changed dramatically over the last five to 10 years. When I first came to Canary Wharf, the super high-enders were well taken care of.
“What’s great now is that the premium quality is available to many more. It’s about value for money, but that doesn’t necessarily mean cheap.
“Lina provides a really flexible way to dine. You can come in for lunch and you can just have a bowl of pasta – you’re in and out very rapidly.
“Alternatively you can have starters, sharing dishes, pastas and more. It’s the kind of place where customers can also come for special events and they’ll get a great deal for their money.”
With Lina now gearing up to launch, it’s tempting to look at White Rabbit’s list of brands and wonder what else might benefit from a Canary Wharf branch. Maybe it’s time the likes of Eve X Proper Slice expanded its pizza offering beyond Kensington.
key details
Lina Stores is set to open its doors at Crossrail Place in June. The ground floor will feature a delicatessen and bar, while the upper floor will house a restaurant.
Go to linastores.co.uk for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about Lina Stores
how the Cancer Awareness Trust is working with tech to develop a smart resource for patients
by Jon Massey
We live in an unprecedented age of information. Never before have so many people had access to such a wealth of content at the mere tap of a finger.
But with the vastness of a largely unregulated digital world comes the issue of quality. With not only humans (who are bad enough) but AIs churning out swathes of answers, opinions and hallucinations as they whisper what it heard or saw, humanity is increasingly submerged in a sea of at best confusion and at worst falsehoods.
It’s not so very long ago that wellness blogger Belle Gibson fooled hundreds of thousands of followers and Apple with her tale of overcoming brain, blood, spleen, uterine and kidney cancers, mostly through exercise, healthy eating and a positive mindset.
In reality there’s no evidence the Australian social media personality was ever diagnosed with the disease – but that didn’t stop her developing an app, gaining widespread influence and being embraced by one of the world’s largest tech firms.
Her twisted story is especially relevant, given its use of cancer as a jumping off point. About half of us will develop some form of the disease during our lives.
“At the point of diagnosis, the vast majority of people will go online to search for information, as do their loved ones,” said Daniel Woolf. “But they can easily find themselves in the wrong place – TikTok or Instagram, for example.
“A short-form video of someone who is very charismatic may lead someone to go away and make life-changing decisions because they are looking for a glimmer of hope. But are they trustworthy?
“Something like one in three online sources is either misinformation or not pertinent to a particular individual’s diagnosis.”
That’s what the development of Cancer Platform is seeking to change. Sitting beneath the umbrella of the Cancer Awareness
Around
half of the world’s population will develop cancer at some point in their lives
Cancer Awareness Trust chief tech and data o cer, Daniel Woolf, is working with a team at Level39 and in Shoreditch to develop Cancer Platform
Trust – a charity based at tech community, Level39, in Canary Wharf – the mission is to create a free-to-use app which delivers expert information, stories and services.
As the organisation’s chief tech and data officer, it’s Daniel’s job to oversee the app’s development, a task he’s relishing after a long career in the NHS.
“I planned to be there for four weeks and ended up being there for 17 years,” he said. “I’ve been an engineer, a data analyst and have directed a number of teams at regional and national level.
“But as I moved through the various national bodies, I found I couldn’t have the impact I wanted. There are so many layers and I felt insulated.
“With so many different governments the chairs were always being moved around. What I wanted to do was use technology to help improve people’s lives.
“The bureaucracy in the NHS was enormous and so, when it came time for a career change, I wanted something small with the feel of a startup where I could be hands-on, albeit in an organisation with huge ambition.”
The Cancer Awareness Trust is aiming big. Drawing funds and support from its creative brand Evamore Music – which has released works featuring the likes of Ozzy Osborne, Cillian Murphy, Glenn Close and the late Sinéad O’Connor – the organisation is supported by Canary Wharf Group, among many others, in its efforts to deliver Cancer Platform.
“The trust’s aim is to empower people to change the course of cancer,” said Daniel, who was born in Hoxton and grew up in east London. “Having the artists, music, events and that creative spirit involved makes us unique – it’s very different from the technology side.
“With Cancer Platform we want to hold people’s hands through their journey after a diagnosis.
“We’re testing it this summer and we’re aiming to put it out there in 2026 and then to gradually build it up with more and more information.
“What we’re creating is a layer above the standard websites that are out there. Cancer Platform uses personalisation and AI to make the information highly relevant to each user.
“There is a lot of good information out there already, but it’s fragmented and often it’s left to the individual to find what’s relevant to them.
“Cancer Platform helps users to build up a scrapbook of information that helps them consolidate their knowledge and
understanding from a trusted source. It’s about taking away the unpredictability of Dr Google.
“Cancer is complicated. Treatments may be available in certain regions but not in others. Ethnicity, background and age are also relevant. Our aim is to provide information and services that are relevant to each individual as well as relatable stories from people in similar situations, offering hopeful optimism where appropriate.
“A lot of medical information can sound cold and clinical – more about the cancer than the person.
“Our ambition is for people not to have to log-in initially. We want to build that trust first and some people might have a diagnosis they don’t wish to disclose –safeguarding is important to us and we won’t be selling their data.
“We also want people to be able to search for information that’s personalised to a degree, but then we’ll encourage people to sign up for an account so they can take the next steps and we can really hold their hands.
“They might come to Cancer Platform to ask about symptoms or a diagnosis and then what we’re doing in the background is pairing them up with relevant information, pulling it from trusted sources and feeding it back to them in an understandable way.
“The key thing is not just giving answers, but making sure we give them the right sources to guide people to specific charities. Then they are able to see the next steps.
“One of the things we’re trying to do is to inform people about the questions they should be asking when they next visit their oncologist such as whether they are entitled to a second opinion.
“Users will get responses, suggested prompts and stories of people like them so they can get an idea of what their own journey might be like.”
Key to Cancer Platform’s aims will be ensuring the information it supplies to users is robust, accurate and clear. This is one of the greatest challenges in its delivery and one Daniel and the team are already deeply engaged with.
“The assurance process is in development at the moment,” he said. “It’s quite a new field. There are a number of academic papers, which are all looking at the area of trusted information.
“These include some principles and measures, which we’re then building our own assurance processes on top of as well as working with leading oncologists.
“We also have a team which is taking a granular approach in ensuring that the information we
At the point of diagnosis people will go online to search for information. But they can easily nd themselves in the wrong place
Daniel Woolf, Cancer Awareness Trust
supply is accurate and comprehensive. For example, we have banks of questions from a wide array of sources, that say: ‘These questions are what people come to us to ask’.
“So we’ve taken those answers through our assurance process and then they’re assessed for their accuracy and fitness for purpose. It’s vital to get the balance right.
“We’ve got our oncology team working through that now and the results from them will show us what levers to pull next. Have we identified the gaps in our knowledge base? Do we need to tune AI a different way to access and serve more information?”
Ultimately, the charity’s intention is for Cancer Platform to provide information on all forms of the disease, a project truly massive in its scope. Initially, the plan is to focus on breast and prostate cancers before expanding out to other areas.
“Admittedly, our ambition is huge so it’s about constantly focussing on the next step,” said Daniel. “A number of specific charities already exist in these areas, so we can build out from that and make sure it’s working for those groups of patients.
“It also helps us to co-design with those communities. One of the biggest challenges – because there are so many good ideas – is to make sure we’re hyper-focussed. That’s my job.
“Building a platform like this is hard but we’re at a crossroads moment. Until recently, much of the information we needed just wasn’t there but it is now. We want to make it available to people and to do that without selling their data. We’re a charity so there’s no profit motive.”
key details You can find out more about the Cancer Awareness Trust, Cancer Platform and Evermore via the charity’s website.
Go to cancerawarenesstrust.com for more information
Scan this code to nd out more about the charity here
Image by Jon Massey
Days of Wharf Wellness is coming to Canary Wharf in June, get your bookings in early...
Tickets are now live for Wharf Wellness experiences in June – book early to secure your spot
the whole of June
how Wharf Wellness is returning to Canary Wharf with a month-long programme of tness, health and wellbeing
advertisement feature
Sip mocktails, sweat in the UK’s largest sauna, thwack padel balls, dive into the dock, bend, flex, run and jump – Wharf Wellness is returning.
Canary Wharf’s health and wellbeing sessions are back and, for 2025, there will be events running throughout the whole month of June.
This year, in addition to a selection of free activities, the month will also feature an extended range of paid-for classes offering Wharfers the chance to experience discounted sessions from top brands.
“Wharf Wellness is a celebration of the health and wellbeing brands we have in Canary Wharf,” said Poppy Price, retail events and partnerships executive at Canary Wharf Group.
“This is the third time we’re hosting it – we held four-day events in 2023 and 2024 to showcase our diverse offering.
“It’s really grown in popularity and classes were selling out very quickly, so this year we wanted to extend it to a whole month, working with our partners for a longer period of time.
“We wanted to ensure as many people as possible could come here as we know there’s a real
Wharf Wellness is a celebration of the health and wellbeing brands we have in Canary Wharf. It’s about nding time to relax and take time out
Poppy
Price, Canary Wharf Group
appetite for these kinds of events and activities.
“Workers can take a break from their desks for a taster session at Padium or Pilates with Third Space trainers at Eden Dock.
“For our residents it’s an opportunity to try different things that are on their doorstep.
“For visitors, it’s a chance to discover a different side to Canary Wharf and to see what else is here.
“It’s about showing people they can really make a day here, participating in our programme of wellness activities, then making use of the offers our retailers are running throughout June.”
Retailers across the neighbourhood will also be participating in Wharf Wellness with June offers and experiences available from the likes of Aesop, Malin+Goetz, Jo Malone, Pure, Feels Like June and Get A Drip.
diary dates
Wharf Wellness 2025
>> The core of the Wharf Wellness o ering is the wide range of activities, classes and workshops on o er in June. Pull those diaries out and get booking as tickets are likely to be in high demand.
Feels Like Zero Mocktail Terrace
Dive into Canary Wharf’s season of health and wellbeing throughout June
From Jun 2, daily, noon-9pm Feels Like June, Water Street, Wood Wharf, £15
Elevate your wellness with Feels Like June’s exclusive mocktail o er – only available on the venue’s terrace. Throughout June, guests can enjoy two mocktails alfresco for £15.
Pilates For 7 Days
Jun 2-8, daily, times vary, Freedom Clinics, Canada Place, free
The challenge – join Freedom Clinics for seven days of Pilates (or at least 3x a week) and experience the transformation this form of exercise delivers. Every participant is entered into a draw to win a 10-class pack.
Poppy added: “We know wellness goes beyond fitness. It’s your mental health, self-care and the chance to spend some time with nature too. Canary Wharf offers all that. We’re really excited to be working with Arc Community on a series of talks during June, for example. Arc is a contrast therapy space where people can engage in meditation, communal saunas and ice cold plunge baths.
“For Wharf Wellness the venue will be hosting three expert-led sessions in the beautiful lounge space they have. It’s a chance to both see Arc and also learn something. There’s one on hormonal optimisation, which is an area that’s growing. There’s another one on sleep too, which is a huge trend. We’re all so busy it’s about finding time to relax and take time out.”
key details
Wharf Wellness events are set to run across Canary Wharf throughout June. In addition to the listings on these pages, you can find out more about the festival and book tickets online. Go to canarywharf.com for details
Scan this code to nd out more about Wharf Wellness
Arc Community Workshop: Peak State Jun 2, 6.45pm-7.30pm Arc Community, Crossrail Place Level -2, £35
This workshop provides multiple tools to optimise mental, physical, and emotional performance in our chronic burnout culture. You’ll gain actionable insights to enhance your performance sustainably while also taking part in a guided sauna and cold exposure session. Bring swimwear and water.
Arc Community will be hosting talks in its lounge space at Crossrail Place
Padium: Big Club Social Jun 3, 7pm-8.30pm – also on Jun 14 and 24 Padium, Bank Street Park, £40
Meet other padel enthusiasts in a fun, social setting where you’ll play a series of 15-minute matches, moving up or down a court based on wins and losses. After the games, unwind and connect over delicious pizza in Padium’s mezzanine area.
Alfresco Arts: Music Jun 4, 12.30pm-2pm Jubilee Park, free
The Hot Club Of Jupiter – Docklands Sinfonia Jazz will play interplanetary gypsy jazz and hot swing at this free concert. No booking required. continued on Page 14
Canary Wharf Group’s Poppy Price says high demand in previous years has seen Wharf Wellness expanded from four days to events running over
from Page 13
Lululemon Run Club
Jun 5, 7.30am-8.45am - also Jun 19
Lululemon Store, Canada Place, free
Kickstart your day with an energising 5KM run through Canary Wharf’s picturesque landscape
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a beginner, this event caters to all levels with three pacing groups available.
Lunchtime Resets
Jun 9-15, daily, 1pm-1.45pm Freedom Clinics, Canada Place, free
Try a 45-minute Pilates session at 1pm each day and get a discount if you sign up for a class pack on the same day.
Intro To Padel
Jun 10, 11am-12.30pm - also on Jun 17 and 26
Padium Bank Street Park, £40
Begin your padel journey with this introduction session. Perfect for rst-timers, this class covers all the fundamental techniques and rules you need to start playing with con dence.
Padel tennis club Padium is set to host six events in June to introduce Wharfers to the racket sport
Arc Community Workshop: Sleep Optimisation
Jun 10, 6.45pm-7.30pm Arc Community, Crossrail Place, £35
This workshop provides applicable tools, knowledge and core practices to optimise sleep quality. Includes guided sauna session and cold exposure. Please bring swimwear and water.
Pilates With Third Space
Jun 11, 7.30am-8.30am - also Jun 18 Eden Dock, £5
Join Third Space for a bodyweight mat Pilates class on Eden Dock. Mat Pilates is a slower-paced class that emphasises precise instruction, with a strong focus on proper alignment and posture improvement. All proceeds go to the Magic Breakfast Charity
United We Barry’s Charity Class Jun 14, 3pm-4pm - also Jun 22 Barry’s, Crossrail Place, donations
Experience Barry’s legendary workout while supporting a worthy cause. This special charity class o ers the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself in their signature Red Room. All proceeds to charity.
Pilates, Performance And A Perfect Sip
Jun 16-20, daily, times vary Freedom Clinics, Canada Place, free
Try this small group Pilates session followed by refreshing Exalt Juices to help you refuel and recover.
Barry’s is set to host two charity classes in June
a £500 Canary Wharf Gift Card
>> In celebration of Wharf Wellness, Canary Wharf Group is also running a competition for one person to win a £500 gift card to spend on health and wellbeing on the Wharf.
Scan this code for entry details, terms and conditions
Businesses across the estate are running o ers in June including Pure, which has 20% o mains for breakfast and lunch
Scan this code to nd out more about Wharf Wellness
Alfresco Arts: Music Jun 18, 12.30pm-2pm Eden Dock, free
Docklands Sinfonia String Quartet are set to delight with a programme of classical chill-out, helping audiences relax to their favourite melodies. No booking required.
Arc Community Workshop: Hormonal Optimisation Jun 24, 6.45pm-7.30pm
Arc Community, Crossrail Place, £35
Discover the keys to hormonal health through lifestyle changes, somatic movement and self-awareness. Includes a guided sauna experience plus cold exposure. Bring swimwear and water.
Open Water Swimming
Ongoing from Jun 5, daily, times vary Eden Dock
Canary Wharf’s popular Open Water Swimming will be returning to the neighbourhood this summer. In partnership with Love Open Water, residents, visitors and workers are invited to take a dip in the beautiful clear waters of Eden Dock.
Short Story Stations
Ongoing, daily
Crossrail Place Roof Garden, Jubilee Place, free
Take time out to print out a free short story from Canary Wharf’s two vending machines. Presented in partnership with Penguin, Wharfers can get a proper screen break by reading an extract from the publishers’ catalogue.
Pride In Wellness
Jun 26-29, times vary, Throughout Canary Wharf
Get ready for London’s rst dedicated wellness event for the queer community, coming to Canary Wharf this June. Pride in Wellness will be a primarily free event featuring talks, taster sessions, wellness experiences, and workshops. The full programme is set to be announced later this month.
Go to canarywharf.com for more details on all these events and details on how to book
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PUBLIC NOTICE
LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS LICENSING ACT 2003
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE
Notice is given that: Pittagoraslondon Canary Wharf Limited
Has applied to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Licensing Authority for a Premises Licence under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003
The premises are situated at: Pittagoras, Unit 4, 45 Bank Street, Jubilee Place, London, E14 5NY
The licensable Activities And Timings Are: Supply of Alcohol on and o sales: from 11:00 to 22:00, Mon to Sun
Anyone who wishes to make representations regarding this application must give notice to: Licensing And Safety, Environmental Health And Trading Standards, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1BJ or email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Tel: 020 7364 5008
Representations must be received no later than 29/05/2025.
The Application record and register may be viewed during normal o ce hours at the above address.
It is an o ence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum ne for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the o ence is up to level 5 on the standard scale (unlimited ne).
PUBLIC NOTICE
LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS LICENSING ACT 2003
NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE
Notice is given that: Troubadour Theatres
Has applied to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Licensing Authority for a Premises Licence under Section 17 of the Licensing Act 2003
The premises are situated at: Canary Wharf Theatre, Water Street, Canary Wharf, E14 5G
The licensable Activities And Timings Are: Primary use as a theatre with a restaurant, for the provision of plays, musicals, alcohol and live music.
Whilst the primary use of the building will be as stated, there is the possibility of the provision of: lms, indoor sporting events, recorded music, performances of dance, anything of a similar description to all of the previous.
Proposed times for all of the above are as follows: Sunday to Thursday 09:00-00:00, Friday to Saturday 09:00-01:00.
There is also the possibility of provision of late night refreshments, the proposed times of which are as follows: Sunday to Thursday 23:00-00:00, Friday to Saturday 23:00-01:00
Anyone who wishes to make representations regarding this application must give notice to: Licensing And Safety, Environmental Health And Trading Standards, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1BJ or email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Tel: 020 7364 5008
Representations must be received no later than 28/05/2025.
The Application record and register may be viewed during normal o ce hours at the above address.
It is an o ence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum ne for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the o ence is up to level 5 on the standard scale (unlimited ne).
OF
Notice is given that: From Song To Skin Studio – Ally Ink
Has applied to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for: Tattoo
Licence(s) for the premises: Unit 21 The Gossamer City Project, Gossamer Gardens, London, E2 9FN
Anyone wishing to oppose the application must give notice in writing to the Service Manager Of Regulatory Services (Commercial), Communities Directorate, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall 160 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ WITHIN THREE WEEKS specifying the grounds of opposition. Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person at a hearing before a Committee of the Council.
Starting price of a ticket to see The Living Tombstone
Starting price of a ticket to see The Living Tombstone
Scan this code to nd out more about the gig
how The Living Tombstone are set to rock Troxy with a full set of video game-inspired digital hits
by Jon Massey
Arguably the biggest gaming band on the internet, The Living Tombstone specialise in writing original music inspired by online geek culture.
Yoav Landau and Sam Haft have amassed some 10.5million followers online and more than 70billion global streams thanks to their
singular output. Fusing high energy rock with electronic dance music, they are best known for the likes of Overwatch anthem No Mercy, My Little Pony and their Five Nights At Freddy’s series.
Following on from debut album Zero One, the band have more music in the pipeline and have even contributed tracks to the genre of entertainment where they nd inspiration.
Games featuring their work include In Sound Mind and Beat Saber as well as the
self-developed AudioClash: Battle Of The Bands Their second album, simply entitled Rust, is due for release at the end of the month. Not bad for a project that started out as remixes of tunes from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. key details
The Living Tombstone are set to play Troxy in Limehouse on June 4. Doors are at 7pm and tickets start at £35.81. Go to troxy.co.uk for more information
Limehouse - Wapping - Whitechapel
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Fanchon, Leibniz, Carne
Where? The George Tavern Whitechapel
The three bands promise a night of melodic, aggresive dream pop, grungecore and fresh sounds. Tickets include a £2 discount on pizza. Jun 8, 7pm, £10, thegeorgetavern.london
Where?
Wilton’s
Music Hall
Wapping
STAGE | The Mikado Opera Della Luna present a zany, sparkling take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s show complete with costumes inspired by Versace and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Jun 3-7, times vary, from £17, wiltons.org.uk
GIG | Tems
Where?
Troxy
Limehouse
The Oscar-nominated Nigerian singer brings her carefully crafted songs to London with support from opening act and genre-bending rising star Lulu. Jun 5, 7pm, from £72.88, troxy.co.uk
ash back
Residents of Tower Hamlets, Southwark and the City Of London can explore all Tower Bridge has to o er for just £1. Tickets include access to the exhibition, walkways and the crossing’s engine rooms towerbridge.org.uk
Scan this code to read our interview with Tower Bridge’s Amy O’Rourke online at wharf-life.com
supporting the community – a place for them to share their culture and experiences.
’d lo e to ha e different sections of the market – hot food, cold food, fresh produce and a massive craft section for artists to showcase their work.
“I’m a great believer in that because everyone’s work has a story and having the creator there to tell it is so important. We also want lots of music, for the market to be multicultural and diverse – a place where people feel at home.
“It’s a form of education really a place to tr food from different cultures and learn about what ingredients, spices and cooking methods people use.”
Nahimul himself has experience as an entrepreneur. Born in Wapping, with a background in youth work, he co-founded Muscle Basin gym in Shadwell, which has since relocated to Stratford. As such he’s clearly passionate about using his experience and skills to help others create businesses and to help other organisations.
“I realised community groups and charities were really struggling to generate income,” he said. “Relying on grants isn’t always the best way to progress, so I reinvented myself to help them build revenues.
“I’ve been working with Poplar Union for a year now and am looking forward to growing its income.
“We want people to travel from afar to check this market out – for it to become a place that’s talked about. Then we want its expansion to be organic. The park is a great space – people will be able to get their food and then enjoy it on the grass and there aren’t many places you can do that around here.
“Tower Hamlets hasn’t always been seen as the greatest place to live in London, but I’m sure the outlook and vibe we create with this market will help to change what people think.
“In the future, we also plan to host events at Poplar Union when the market is on – we want people to come inside and enjoy what’s on offer here, to take part in the free and subsidised activities.
“We want as many people as possible to discover us and what we offer, to come and use this space. We’re trying to break down nancial arriers, providing things that people may not be able to afford like music lessons, so we want them to be subsidised.
As part of the Cotall Street Market plans, Nahimul and the team are also seeking sponsors to support
We want to make this a vibrant, communitydriven market for entrepreneurs –established, brand new and aspiring Nahimul Islam, Poplar Union
pitches at the market for young entrepreneurs.
“It’s important that we look to the new generation to make their futures brighter,” said Nahimul.
“We’d love to create a section of the market for young people to come and trade for free – an entrepreneurial hub for local people. We’re looking for support to help establish that and would love to hear from businesses and organisations.”
key details
Poplar Union plans to host Cotall Street Market weekly on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Pitch prices will vary by space between £50 and £125 depending on size and service requirements. There is some degree of e i ilit on rates for new ventures.
The charity is currently welcoming expressions of interest from food vendors, artists and makers, suppliers of fresh produce and local businesses and community groups that would like to get involved. The aim is to open the market for a soft launch on June , with an official opening later in the summer.
Go to poplarunion.com for more information
trading with
Poplar Union‘s director of commercial enterprise, Nahimul Islam, is leading the charity’s project to set up the market
Image by Jon Massey
what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see
GIG | Joy Ellis Trio
Where? Corner Corner Canada Water
The London-based jazz pianist, singer and composer brings her mesmeric stylings to Canada Water with bass and drums in tow. Expect syncopation. Jun 6, 8pm-11pm, free, cornercorner.com
Where? Deptford Lounge Deptford
EVENT | LGBTQIA+ Art Market Run by LDN Queer Mart, this event will showcase work from 120+ up-and-coming artists and crafters from a wide range of backgrounds. Jun 1, 11am-6pm, donations, thealbany.org.uk
Where? Dock X Canada Water
BOOK | The Legend Of The Titanic Inappropriately subtitled “The Immersive Exhibition” tickets are on sale from May 16 for this pop-up, based on a disaster where 1,517 people drowned. From Jul 25, times vary, £24, legend-of-titanic.com
back
The Brunel Museum is celebrating 200 years since construction began on the Thames Tunnel – Marc Brunel’s engineering triumph –this year with a series of events to mark the milestone thebrunelmuseum.com
Scan this code to read our interview with museum director Katherine McAlpine at wharf-life.com
baking for the people
Crumbs And Munch founder Rita Law is looking to take the next step with her baking business
by
Image
Jon Massey
how Crumbs And Munch started after founder Rita Law was trapped in London by the Covid lockdowns
by Jon Massey
Rita Law wasn’t intending to start a business in London. Having decided to take a career break, she’d booked an Airbnb for a month in the city with the idea of studying drawing.
That, however, was in February 2020 – two weeks before the UK went into a nationwide lockdown as the global pandemic washed over the country. While she had studied in Bristol some years before, she’d only visited London a couple of times and didn’t really know the city.
“I got stuck here because of the travel restrictions and my course was cancelled – to be honest, I started panicking a bit,” said Rita, who was born and raised in Hong Kong before embarking on an international career as an advertising producer in Poland and beyond.
“I’d only booked accommodation for a month because I thought ’d gure out which neighbourhood I’d like to spend time in later – but then I couldn’t nd an where to sta entuall I found a place in Lewisham and lived there for the whole of lockdown.”
It was there, having found a new job in the UK in advertising, that Rita – like so many of us – started experimenting with baking. She began with banana read, sharing her efforts with friends and neighbours. Word started to spread.
“People loved it and started asking if they could order it,” she said. “I didn’t know how to run a business or what the legal requirements might be, but that’s when I started to have the idea that maybe baking could be more than just a hobby.
Selling
these products on the market actually feels quite emotional to me sometimes
– the people buying them are trusting me...
Rita Law, Crumbs And Munch
in Canning Town. I was so nervous when the council came to inspect it, ut got a e-star rating. It’s been quite a journey. It’s really the positive feedback from my friends and family gave me the con dence to do it
Initially selling her products online, ita got her rst taste of face-to-face sales at Thrive’s pop-up markets in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre.
he rst one was so good, she said. “It was a real shock, because I didn’t think people would buy from a nobody. I wasn’t established, so I only brought a few trays of banana bread and a few tra s of muffins and e pected to have a lot left over, but I sold out.
“I wasn’t entirely thinking about it seriously at the time because I was still planning to return home but then I met my boyfriend and decided to stay.
“So, I was working full-time in advertising but I started to do some research into baking as a business and last year, in August, I launched Crumbs And Munch.
“At the moment I’m a home baker, working out of my kitchen
more, so I thought about scaling the business
hat ga e me more condence to think I could do more, so I thought about scaling the business up and making it more presentable, as well as thinking
Having started out specialising in banana bread, Rita has since expanded her range to feature brownies, muffins, stuffed cookies and more She aims to trial a new product market, which is also where she
has since expanded her
“I love talking to my customers face-to-face, so that I can get inspiration,” she said.
“I spend a lot of time doing that and they make suggestions – I learn so much from them. It takes a week for me to work on a new recipe, to test it and make sure it’s a product I can make reliably and sell and then I bring it back to the market to try it out – I love that. It’s like I connect with the community and I’m baking for them.
“Nothing is baked more than two days in advance because it all has to be fresh. I also think I’ve
identi ed a gap, it’s not that eas to buy banana bread but it’s often something people bake at home.
“I think that connection can be quite strong for my customers. People get that home-baked taste and the smell and recall their childhoods.
“It’s what grabs their attention when they’re passing. I also think presentation is very important, being from an advertising background. I really enjoy making my stall presentable, with all the products laid out.”
a ing taken solid rst steps with her edgling usiness, the plan is now to embark on the next chapter.
“This is now the time to scale up and take on a more permanent site where I can connect with my customers more regularly,” said Rita. “I know it will be a huge commitment – having a stall at an indoor market – but I’m excited to start working on it and I’ve already submitted an application for a pitch at Greenwich Market.
“Beyond that, in the future, I’m very interested in establishing a community hub where I can bring together baking with storytelling.”
n addition to nding a more permanent place to trade, Rita is also looking at moving her operation to a commercial kitchen so she can ramp up to
full-time production. The impetus, however, is the way her bakes make her customers feel.
“I’ve already bought an extra fridge, but you can only do so much in a home kitchen,” she said. “So I have that ambition.
“Selling these products on the market actually feels quite emotional for me sometimes – the people buying them are trusting me and I’m so glad they like them.
“I do feel overwhelmed at times with the positive feedback. It feels like I do a little magic and people reall en o m stuff
“Hopefully I’ll be able to take this business full-time in the second half of this year – that’s what I’m planning for.”
key details
Crumbs And Munch currently sells its products online and in-person at Thrive’s monthly pop-up markets at Surrey Quays Shopping Centre. The next few are set to be held on May 31, June 28 and July 26.
Go to crumbsnmunch.co.uk for more information or online orders
Scan this code to nd out more about Crumbs And Munch
Images by Crumbs And Munch
Rita sells her banana bread and other products at Thrive’s pop-up markets in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre
how sailors can help to support the RNLI by taking part in Greenwich Yacht Club’s race along the Thames in June
by Jon Massey
Greenwich Yacht Club (GYC) is set to host a fundraising race in support of RNLI Tower Lifeboat Station next month.
Open to members of any recognised sailing club, the contest is set to take place on June 1. ollowing a am rie ng, skippers will decide their own start times based on tide and weather conditions, aiming to harness the e and ow of the Thames on their way downstream to Erith and back.
Results will be calculated using The Byron Race Handicap system to ensure fair competition across the various types of boat taking part.
The winner will be presented with a crystal ship’s decanter at a post-race ceremony attended by the mayor-elect of the Royal Borough Of Greenwich and representatives of the Port Of London Authority, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and
senior members of other Thamesbased sailing clubs.
“This race combines our passion for sailing with the critical mission of supporting RNLI’s life-saving work,” said Richard Phillips, commodore of GYC. The club extends a warm invitation to sailors from other sailing clubs to take part.
Sponsored by Uber Boat By Thames Clippers, all proceeds from the race will be donated to support the work of Tower Lifeboat Station. Based at Waterloo, it is the charity’s busiest station, crewed 24/7 by a mixture of volunteers and permanent sailors. n , it ecame the rst station to be called on more than 10,000 times to assist those in difficult on or in the hames
Opened in 2002, it was the charit ’s rst facilit pro iding
Scan this code to nd out more about the yacht race
cover on a river rather than in an estuary and continues to save lives up and down the Thames. Run by volunteers, GYC was founded in 1908 to provide leisure activities for river workers. Located on Greenwich Peninsula, it offers dingh sailing, achting, powerboating, and rowing, plus Royal Yachting Association training courses.
key details
The GYC Annual Tower Lifeboat Station Yacht Race will begin with a race rie ng at am on June 1. Skippers are then more or less free to choose their start times based on the tide and weather conditions.
Entry for the event costs £10, which will be donated to the charity.
Those wishing to enter should contact GYC member and RNLI e ent coordinator, li e effell via email to RNLI-2025@ greenwichyachtclub.co.uk for details or follow the Eventbrite link by scanning the code. Go to greenwichyachtclub.co.uk for more information
