Wharf Life, Oct 1-15, 2025 by wharf-life

Plan those festive dates before all the good slots get booked Page 17

inside issue 147

Starlight Express - The Fragrance Shop Too Much: Melodrama On Film - Sudoku Feels Like June - Frazey Ford - Southmere Dockmaster’s House - Diwali - Crosswords Radical Rediscovery - The Fox Excel Visions In The Nunnery - Wharf Life Hacks PARTY SEASON 2025

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

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

Grey Goose continues its series of DJ presentations with the former All Saint who is set to spin plenty of 1990s r’n’b, garage and hip-hop. On the decks at 10.30pm. Oct 23, 7pm, from £5, boisdale.co.uk

Docklands Canary Wharf

The museum is encouraging families to discover the magic of the moon this October with a range of events focused on our celestial neighbour. Oct 27-31, various times, free, londonmuseum.org.uk Where?

FAMILIES | October Half Term

Where? Everyman Canary Wharf Where?

FILM | Mitski: The Land (12A)

Recorded at Atlanta’s Fox Theatre last year, this is an opportunity to see the performer showcase her seventh album, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We Oct 22, 6.15pm, £21.50, everymancinema.com

Deck the halls, by which we mean get out your diaries and plan for November and December because those seasonal parties won’t organise themselves... 17

Welcome to issue 147 of Wharf Life. Hopefully, in line with its number, this paper will be a perfect break with tales from the likes of Natalie Hill and Frazey Ford to enjoy. But it’s also a functional read with plenty of ideas for places to book thanks to our second Party Season guide – don’t miss out on a festive bash... Why Frazey Ford is revisiting Indian Ocean

50 54

GIG | Mel Blatt

ahead of London show

How Greenwich Peninsula is preparing to celebrate the festival of Diwali

on the radar

Matcha is having a moment and Jubilee Place is soon set to get a branch of Jenki, which promises to whisk the powdered Japanese beverage to order. A series of products including ceremonial grade teas will also be available to purchase jenki.co.uk

The other is very much a second coming, with Japanese sneaker brand Asics launching a new store in Jubilee Place. The brand is currently o ering free run analysis sessions to help customers understand how they move and to suggest the right shoes asics.com need to know

Why homes at Southmere Phase Two are proving popular with buyers 25

TRIED + TESTED Enchanted Trap Feels Like June feelslikejune.com

There’s something both inherently silly and completely charming about a cocktail that comes in its own little birdcage. Are we to believe the Enchanted Trap is such a ighty customer that it might pop o , were it not for the slender metal bars imprisoning this mixture? Is it such a dangerous elixir that it must be kept safely locked away?

But, theatricality aside, this is a surprisingly sharply drawn drink. The zzy, refreshing blend of Brazilian spirit Yaguara Cachaça, Campari, almond liqueur, strawberry, lime and LE’s Grapefruit A Rosemary Tonic is a citrus blast underpinned by a decent tickle of alcohol.

There’s real freshness here, the kind one might be in sore need of on a summer’s day – and where better to indulge than a venue that invokes the warmer months with its very name?

Now the weather has turned colder, this is best imbibed under one of Feels Like June’s heat lamps with a wistful expression.

Screen time: We sit down with Theatreship’s moving image curator, Natalie Hill, to nd out if the venue’s latest collaboration with the BFI really is too much...

doing the deals

get more for less on and around the Wharf

20%

Hackett in Cabot Place is set to host an Extraordinary Suits For Extraordinary Men event on Oct 29 and 30 with a fth o . Details via the Canary Wharf app canarywharf.com

We preview a festival of video art at The Nunnery Gallery 58 subscribe to our Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly 15%

Catering a meeting or an event? Urban Greens in 40 Bank Street is o ering 15% o your rst catering order with code TURNITGREEN when placing orders online urbangreens.co.uk

The only real downside to this drink is that it’s impractical to pick up and hold, necessitating a dip of the head to take a sip from its metal straw. But then we all need to break eye contact occasionally.

★★★★✩ Jon Massey

With 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

subscribe to our FREE Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly

write me words you don’t know you need

paritot

noun, fake, from French / Latin

A person who parrots childishly simplistic notions or patriotism as though love for one’s country is a single, easily de nable virtue that isn’t open to multiple interpretations. Beware those who seek respect for an accident of birth

philomath

noun, real, from Ancient Greek

A lover of learning. Arguably the most important impulse in the history of humanity and one that has allowed our species to transcend the easy arguments of opinion and bias to achieve extraordinary things. Don’t lose it

OFFERS

Bosidale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

boisdale.co.uk

Boisdale is greeting autumn in the only appropriate way, by making drinking and dining less expensive.

The restaurant, bar and live music venue is o ering 50% o all cuts of steak, an autumn lunch menu with one course for £15 or two for £19 and a steak, fries, house salad and sauce for £15 from noon-3pm, Wednesday to Friday.

Happy hour o ers, available from 3pm-7pm, Tuesday to Friday until the end of November include £5 pints of Innis And Gunn Lager, glasses of wine for £6 and cocktails for £7. Find full details on the venue’s website

diary dates, listings and ideas to make life in Canary Wharf sweeter..

FIND OUT Open Events

Mulberry Wood Wharf Primary mulberrywoodwharf.org

October 22 at 10am. Families must register their attendance via the link in the QR code below.

Parents are invited to a series of open events ahead of the school’s September 2026 intake. Taking place monthly with dates into January, each open evening or morning will allow 30 families to nd out what the newly-built school has to o er.

The next sessions are due to take place on October 21 at 4pm and on

SLIPPERY CUSTOMERS

Ice Rink Canary Wharf

Canada Square

icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk

The new school is located on the eastern edge of Wood Wharf at 20 Brannan Street and is operated by the Mulberry Schools Trust which has a long history in Tower Hamlets.

Scan this code to register to attend one of the open events

The ice is set to return to Canada Square from October 25 with 875sq m of frozen water for skaters to carve up. Running until February 22, tickets are now on sale for the covered pop-up rink’s 45-minute sessions, starting at £13.95. It’s worth picking your time carefully, however, as peak slots can cost £21.95 for adults and teenagers.

The Oasis Bar And Terrace will once again act as hospitality for those seeking refreshments, apres-skate. Those looking to nd their feet on the ice can book skating lessons, which should be available from December. Check the website for details.

Starting price for tickets to see The Hunger Games: On Stage at

what Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre can tell us about the future

by Jon Massey

If the overall experience of visiting Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre is only half as good as what the booming company has created at Wembley Park, we’re in for a treat.

With the ﬁrst preview performances of The Hunger Games: On Stage set to kick oﬀ at the newly minted Wood Wharf venue on October 20, an invitation to check out its north-west London progenitor was not to be missed.

Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, a former complex of TV studios transformed into a 2,000-seat venue, is currently home to the latest London revival of Starlight Express

Andrew Lloyd Webber knows a thing or two about writing catchy tunes and his imaginary world of racing toy trains, made real by a breathtaking blizzard of performers on roller skates, is as thrilling in 2025 as it was in the 1980s.

Updated to include the arrival of hydrogen power it remains a somewhat silly story, bound together with banging melodies, extraordinary athleticism and just enough emotion to melt even the most cynical heart. This isn’t really a show review, but

special mention goes out to the talents of Jeevan Braich as steam train Rusty, Olivia Ringrose as Greaseball and Jaydon Vijn as Hydra – all three up the front of a very long train of talent, expertly marshalled by Shayan Ghai’s bright-eyed Control.

What Troubarour has done in Wembley is, rather cleverly, create what feels like a sumptuous velvet box for this gem to sit in. Replete with dozens of glitter balls, a visit feels special, an event before even getting into the auditorium.

Our trip begins in the venue’s Studio Five restaurant which serves three courses for £38 pre or post show. It’s a funky space decked out in blue velvet that serves the theatre but has the feel of a standalone brasserie. The food is excellent.

At pretty much every turn, Wembley delights. There’s glam, spectacle and plenty of toilets (not something every theatre in the capital can oﬀer). Whether you’re sipping Champagne in its VIP lounge or soaking up the starlight downstairs, there’s a real buzz about the place.

So what does all this tell us about the level of quality the Canary Wharf theatre might oﬀer? Well, the magic of Starlight gives Wembley a bit of an

unfair headstart. The musical’s power to please a crowd is perhaps best expressed in the fact that the show has been running non-stop in Germany since 1988 and has been seen by 19million people.

The Hunger Games, in contrast, is a new play, albeit one with a solid fan base to bounce oﬀ, but much still depends on its quality.

However, if the Canary Wharf venue’s restaurants, facilities and – more importantly – its atmosphere are in any way similar to Wembley, Wood Wharf could well become the sort of place where the magic that keeps people coming back decades later is created.

key details

The Hunger Games: On Stage is set to open at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre on October 20. Ticket prices start at £30. Starlight Express continues its run at Wembley until April. Tickets start at £27.50.

Go tostarlightexpresslondon.com or thehungergamesonstage.com

Scan this code to nd out more about Troubadour

The barnstorming cast of Starlight Express enjoy a moment on their purpose-built blockbuster stage at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

Grilled seabass at Studio Five with French beans and lemon butter sauce

Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre £30

The VIP lounge at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

The venue’s Studio Five restaurant

how Amazing Grace is set to bring a heady blend of live music, food and drink to the Wharf

by Jon Massey

When K&G Hospitality co-founders Vineet Kalra and Ricardo Guimaraes looked at the empty space on the ground ﬂoor of 12 Bank Street in Canary Wharf, they saw possibility.

Having found success with Amazing Grace – a 17th century church a few doors down from London Bridge station that they’ve transformed into a thriving live music venue, bar and restaurant – the pair were on the lookout for a place that could be the next iteration of that brand.

Inside Japanese architect Jun Aoki’s rippling silver pavilion on Eden Dock, they found it and, on October 24, will open as one of three new oﬀerings set to bring the building to life.

Its top floors will be taken by oppulent hotel brand House Of Gods, while Broadwick’s Landing Canary Wharf will offer serious square footage and flexibility for events. But the ground floor will be something altogether different – a powerful blend of free live performances, Asian flavours and cocktails.

“Guests will enter Amazing Grace Canary Wharf via the middle of the three entrances to 12 Bank Street,” said Ricardo, who cut his teeth in hospitality during a spell at massive hotels in New York, eventually meeting Vineet when they both worked at co-living startup, The Collective.

“Inside we’ve taken some inspiration from the church – we’ll have arches behind the stages. The walls will be blue and cream with lots of photographs of artists who have played at Amazing Grace.

“There will also be a DJ booth and guests can watch the show at ground level or from the mezzanine. We also have a covered terrace for people to enjoy year-round.

“For the food, we have our executive chef Lucien Green, who’s been working with us for the past two years and was responsible for training the chefs at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen project.

“The menu will be Asiancontinued on Page 8

Branches of Amazing Grace in London when the 12 Bank Street venue opens its doors this month

The lower levels of 12 Bank Street will soon be drenched in live music thanks to Amazing Grace

Image by Amazing Grace

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influenced, but we’ll also be offering bar food including burgers and wings. We tend to get a lot of larger groups so we’ll also have big platters to share.

“At the bar we’ll have a classic cocktail list with some more fun modern creations and we’ll stock about 20 or 30 wines from all over the world. We’ll have Prosecco, of course, because everybody loves it, as well as English sparking wine and Champagne. For parties and events we can also offer canapés.”

Central to Amazing Grace’s proposition, however, is its rolling programme of free live entertainment – a first for the Wharf in terms of regularity and diversity of programming.

“Each day will be different,” said Vineet, who worked in accountancy before making the move into hospitality, overseeing hotels in Europe. “On Monday we’ll have acoustic acts, Tuesdays will be cabaret night, Wednesdays will be live band karaoke – so guests can go on stage and sing with the band. That’s become super-popular at London Bridge.

“Then on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we’ll have more acoustic acts, party bands and DJs into the early hours. We have a late licence until 3am and, while we might not be open that long when we start out, we’re hoping to get there.

“We just want people to think of Amazing Grace in Canary Wharf as a fun place to be. Opening here will be a proud moment for both of us and this is a flagship location.”

The venue will also be offering The F*cking Fabulous Brunch, which promises “wild energy and unforgettable vibes” from 2pm-6pm on Saturdays. Diners can expect two courses and 90 minutes of bottomless drinks for £65 per person with dancing, live entertainers, musicians and DJs.

The design of the new venue, which has a total capacity of 450 people, has flexibility hard-wired into its structure. The mezzanine level boasts a separate kitchen so it can operate as a standalone events space without conflicting with normal service.

We just want people to think of Amazing Grace in Canary Wharf as a fun place to be. Opening here will be a proud moment for both of us

Vineet Kalra, K&G Hospitality

Maximum capacity of Amazing Grace in Canary Wharf

impression

Ricardo says he always wanted to own a live music venue

The venue will have a bar on its mezzanine level

An artist’s

of the main stage at Amazing Grace

The main space tapers away toward the back creating quieter areas for dining and catch-ups and the terrace directly overlooking the dock promises further sanctuary or the possibility of pop-up semi-outdoor performances. There’s a sense Amazing Grace could be many diﬀerent things to diﬀerent people all at the same time or a single blockbuster space depending on what’s happening on its stage.

“Very early in my career, I did an internship at The Sheraton in New York – the hotel had 1,700 bedrooms, ﬁve bars and more than 100,000sq ft of event space,” said Ricardo. “Simon and Garfunkel were doing gigs downstairs – there were always diﬀerent things going on the whole time. I love music – I used to go to Ronnie Scott’s when I was young, and to the Blue Note in New York – I always wanted to have my own venue, something similar to those places but with its own identity and that’s Amazing Grace.”

Vineet added: “We really started as a live music venue and then worked out what was popular. With Friday or Saturday nights, we programme something internally and work with third parties to run the other nights for us.

“Essentially, we’re a multifunctional space that’s very ﬂexible. People might come for the food and stay for the music, or the other way around. We’ve become known for our projections behind the acts and we’ll deﬁnitely be bringing those to Canary Wharf.” K&G is also working on another project within one stop of the estate. Vineet and Ricardo have teamed up with Meantime to open a new taproom on Greenwich Peninsula in the spaces once occupied by Craft restaurant.

Following its takeover by Asahi, The Dial aims to give the brand a fresh presence in its birth borough following the closure of its original brewery.

“It’s going to be a taproom, micro brewery and a sports bar and event space,” said Vineet. “Split over three ﬂoors, it’s right outside North Greenwich station.”

The Fragrance Shop

by Jon Massey

Canary Wharf has welcomed something new into the portfolio of stores that make up its retail offering.

The Fragrance Shop, located in Canada Place opposite long-time mall resident Charles Tyrwhitt, is the only retailer on the estate to offer a wide selection of products specifically aimed at delighting the nose.

True, there’s the likes of Penhaligon’s in Cabot Place, but the new opening goes beyond a single brand – its shelves lined with mainstream and niche fragrances to satisfy Wharfers’ olfactory desires.

Designer names are everywhere with bottles in an astonishing display of hues and shapes. Personally, I’m charmed by a little silver robot whose prime directive is simply to exude a fine mist of Phantom Eau De Toilette by Rabanne, but there are plenty of options. Gucci, Armani, Diesel, Dior and Mugler sit opposite Joop! and Givenchy – all on sleek black shelves with backlit bottles to best show off the vibrant shades of glass.

The testers are out, the air is

opens up a whole world of new perfumes

selling the

warm with scent and everywhere there are little lengths of cardboard to try the products out on before committing to skin.

“What we offer to Canary Wharf is a bit different to everybody else,” said Lisa Blackwell, area manager at The Fragrance Shop. “We have all of the big brands you would expect but we also sell a range of niche scents.

“There’s nowhere else on the estate that stocks the wide range of fragrances that we do.”

Lisa has spent her career in retail, the last three years with The Fragrance Shop, managing stores in London, Essex and East Anglia.

“Each one is different, with its own layout, although we carry similar products on the shelves,” she said. “Customers often know exactly the fragrance they want.

“But for those who are choosing something new, we usually start

The Fragrance Shop’s area manager, Lisa Blackwell says Canary Wharf customers are purchasing niche scents in the brand’s newly opened Canada Place store

to Wharfers

with what they already like and work from there. It’s not always the case that customers can identify the kind of notes they enjoy – they’ll say sweet or woody, but actually prefer something different.

“That’s usually why we start with a brand they’re comfortable with as a foundation and use that as a basis to explore.

“Women will generally know what they want and will pay attention to price – if a fragrance is available for slightly less elsewhere they’ll know about it.

“For men, it’s all about ease. They come into the store, make a decision and then buy a scent.

“With customers who don’t know what they want, we are delighted to help and we’ll ask them questions to narrow down the options from the scents that they like to the way a product feels on their skin.

“We’ll talk about memories too and get as much information as we can.

“Then we’ll try three different fragrances to find out what they’re leaning more towards – it might be a fruity scent, a woody scent or a sweet scent. We can then go down that path with them and find a perfume that’s perfect.”

continued on Page 12

Image by Jon Massey

Illuminate. Dance. Celebrate.

ON THE PENINSULA

Saturday 18 October

2pm - 7pm

Join us for Diwali at Greenwich Peninsula - an afternoon of colour, rhythm and community. From creative workshops and street food to a vibrant procession and a mass dance under the lights. Come in your brightest colours or traditional dress and be part of the celebration.

from Page 10

While the Canary Wharf store has not long been open, Lisa and her team have already identiﬁed some key trends.

“Our niche brands have been the most popular so far in our Canada Place store,” she said. “This shop gets the same allocation as any other, but here we’ve found that those fragrances have been selling out and we’ve had to replenish them.

“These are brands like Maison Margiela, Atkinsons and Tocca and come at a higher price point.

“Canary Wharf shoppers aren’t scared of a price tag and we’re now in the process of making sure our stock levels are right for the market. We can also order anything in our range to the store if we don’t have it in stock. As we’re new, we really want people to come in, see us, talk to the team and get to know us.”

There’s another reason to check out The Fragrance Shop, namely its membership scheme, which gives members 20% oﬀ on all purchases online and in store for a year for £15 alongside other beneﬁts.

“There are no limits on it,” said Lisa. “Anything you see in front of you on the shop floor, whether its part of our main range or our niche offering, is 20% off with a membership and we list both prices on the shelves. Nothing is excluded.”

Other perks include monthly rewards, enhanced delivery options and free samples as well as member exclusives.

While choosing fragrances is deeply personal, Lisa said she had three favourites on sale in store.

“I’m very much Born In Roma by Valentino,” she said. “It’s creamy, it has nice notes of Jasmine Sambac, cashmeran and vanilla bourbon and sits beautifully on your skin and it lasts.

“If I want to sit with something diﬀerent, I tend to go for Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, which is a feminine ambery fragrance. I’ve also recently started wearing Bomba by Carolina Herrera which has notes of pitaya, peony and vanilla for a bit of a change.”

key details

The Fragrance Shop is located in Canada Place and is open from 9am-8pm from Monday to Saturday and from noon-6pm on Sundays.

For more information go to thefragranceshop.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about The Fragrance Shop

Hours of scent shopping available at The Fragrance Shop daily, Monday-Saturday

top picks

Customers explore a multitude of brands on o er at The Fragrance Shop in Canada Place

area manager at The Fragrance Shop, Lisa Blackwell, shares her favourites

Store images by Jon Massey

Delegates expected to attend the London Blockchain Conference 2025 at Evolve London 5,000+

Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett appears at the last London Blockchain Conference at Excel London. The event has moved to Evolution London in Battersea Park

Conference director at the London Blockchain Conference, Alex Stein, says the immutable distributed ledger technology can be used to ease issues of trust in artificial intelligence

Dr Scott Zoldi, FICO’s chief analytics officer, will deliver the keynote speech on the role blockchain can play in auditability, compliance and trust

forging links in the

how the London Blockchain Conference is focused on the interplay between AI and ledger tech

by Jon Massey

Things move fast in the world of technology. Gone are the days when people only talked about the blockchain as the system underpinning Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The potential applications for using decentralised distributed ledgers are myriad.

One of those, expected to be a central area of focus at the London Blockchain Confernce towards the end of the month is its potential to interact with and provide a ﬁrm foundation for artiﬁcial intelligence.

“The world is on the brink of a new paradigm shift,” said Alex Stein, the event’s conference director.

“Just as the internet transformed the way we connect, and smartphones transformed the way we live, AI and blockchain are quietly but rapidly transforming how we trust, transact and build the systems of tomorrow.

“AI is rapidly becoming the “thinking brain” of modern systems, able to process vast amounts of data and make predictions with remarkable accuracy.

“But trust in AI is still a challenge – decisions it makes are often opaque. This is where blockchain enters the picture.

The immutable, distributed ledger technology, provides transparency and accountability.

“When combined, AI and blockchain oﬀer a powerful synergy – the former can act intelligently and blockchain can record those decisions in a tamper-proof, auditable way.

“Imagine a self-driving car that records every decision it makes, every lane change, every stop, every reaction to road hazards on a blockchain.

In the event of an accident, there would be a veriﬁable, timestamped record of what happened, protecting both the passenger and the manufacturer.

“Now take that concept and scale it up to an economy. Smart contracts self-executing code on the blockchain can power entire

marketplaces, payroll systems, supply chains and ﬁnancial transactions.

“AI can optimise these systems in real time, making them faster, cheaper and more eﬃcient. The result? Economies that are, in eﬀect, self-running and self-auditing.”

To discuss this and the many other applications of the technology, the London Blockchain Conference is set to take place at Evolve London in Battersea.

The event is expected to bring together 5,000 people – exhibitors, speakers and delegates – to explore the future of the

Attendees can expect keynote sessions from global thought leaders and live demonstrations of cutting edge blockchain applications

Alex Stein, LBC

technology with representatives from the likes of the FCA, the House Of Lords, Deutsche Bank, Greenwich University, Tokenovate and the Boston Consulting Group conﬁrmed.

On the conference’s main stage, keynote speeches will be given by Sebastian Thrun, founder of Udacity and CEO of Kitty Hawk, Elfried Samba, CEO and co-founder of Butterfly Effect and Scott Zoldi, chief analytics officer at FICO.

Alex said: “Attendees can expect keynote sessions from global thought leaders, live demonstrations of cutting edge blockchain applications and panel discussions exploring the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI with decentralised systems.

“Whether you are a developer, policymaker, investor or business leader, the London Blockchain Conference is the place to discover practical insights and network with the brightest minds driving Web3 innovation.

“For example, Sebastian’s talk, Reimagining The Future: From

Moonshots To Milestones, will map agentic AI, smart contracts and veriﬁable data into a practical trust stack that leaders can deploy today, kickstarting the conference with a bold vision of what’s possible.”

key details

The London Blockchain Conference is set to take place at Evolve London in Battersea Park from October 22-23. Tickets for the event start at £149 which includes access to the exhibition hall, two stages, live demos and networking drinks. Full conference access including the main stage featuring keynote speakers costs £499, with a VIP package available for £799. Wharfers can used code WHARFLIFE when registering to save £100 on the price of their ticket before October 10. Go to londonblockhain.net

Scan this code to nd out more about the conference

CANADA PLACE & WOOD WHARF

how Boisdale Of Canary Wharf is preparing a season of celebration and song as Christmas draws near

by Jon Massey

Entertainment is what sets Boisdale Of Canary Wharf apart. The bar, restaurant and music venue has a long history of presenting high quality acts on its stages and the Christmas season is no exception.

The 2025 oﬀering sees dates in December packed with Festive Lunch shows from Stephen Triﬃtt or Frank Cognoscenti singing the songs of Frank Sinatra.

There are also plenty of Festive Dinners where Ol Blue Eyes will be joined by Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr as The Deﬁnitive Rat Pack returns to the Wharf for a seasonal blast. For nearly a decade and a half, the venue has been welcoming parties of all sizes for celebratory lunches and dinners as the nights draw in.

what’s on the menu?

The team have been busy in the kitchen creating three set menus for festive dining.

Menu One includes three courses for £64.50 and boasts starters such as Duck Liver And Armagnac Parfait or Cider-Baked Beetroots with Wiltshire Goats Cheese followed by mains of Norfolk Bronze Turkey Wrapped In Parma Ham or Smoked Haddock, Seatrout And Prawn Fishcake. This is topped oﬀ with Black Cherry And Amaretto Christmas Pudding or Hazlenut And Praline Baked Cheesecake.

Menu One introduces the likes of steak and venison into the mix for £74.50 per head, while the Christmas Signature Menu costs £110 and includes a Roast Dry Aged Chateaubriand for the table to share.

what’s the capacity?

In addition to welcoming tables of two or more for its shows, Boisdale boasts a wealth of ﬂexible spaces designed to handle private parties of between 12 and 500, depending on need.

The venue has four private dining rooms featuring paintings by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano, images by Paul Gauguin, a tribute to Johnnie Walker Blue Label and rare press photographs from the 1960s and 70s.

Boisdale has long been a specialist in large-scale parties, regularly hosting extensive events across its two ﬂoors, terrace and cigar lounge.

The venue is able to oﬀer full event management as well as bespoke live entertainment for up to 250 people seated or 500 standing.

Those seeking more information can send an email to events@ boisdale-cw.co.uk or call 020 7715 5818. Private dining spaces can be booked online.

what else is on?

In addition to the sweet sounds of Sinatra and crew, Boisdale will also be offering less formal celebrations on selected dates at its first floor Hine Bar.

These festive oﬀerings will be provided by venue stalwarts Mi Soul Radio DJs and Saxon Sound System on Friday and Saturday nights in December with entry starting at £10 for early bird bookers.

one very special night Bookings are now also being taken for those seeking to secure a table at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf for NYE With Fil Straughan.

Guests are promised a one-stop destination complete with pre-drinks, world-class food, live music and an after-party that is set to continue well into the early hours. Throughout the night, Mi Soul Radio DJs will keep the crowds entertained.

After midnight strikes, soul singer and former Britain’s Got Talent star Fil will return to the stage for a second set of powerful R’n’B as the world welcomes in 2026 and where better to do it than Boisdale – a cocktail for the senses in every way.

Prices for New Year’s Eve tickets including dinner and the show start at £159 per person.

key details

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf is located above Cabot Place with views over Cabot Square from its terrace and upper ﬂoor.

The venue is a short walk from all three of Canary Wharf’s stations, connecting it to the wider east London area and beyond. It also beneﬁts from a late licence allowing organisers maximum ﬂexibility.

For more information go to boisdale.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Boisdale at Christmas

ready to

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf o ers party planners a wide range of spaces to choose from

Price of a three-course festive set menu at Boisdale Of Canary Wharf in Cabot Place

£64.50

Soul singer Fil Straughan will headline the bill for New Year’s Eve

Price for Park Kitchen And Bar’s three-course festive set menu, available from November 10

warm

how Park Kitchen And Bar at

by Jon Massey

Corks will be popping from November at Sadler’s Wells East, with all diners who reserve a table at the venue’s Park Kitchen And Bar in November and December set to be greeted with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine.

Opened this year as part of Stratford’s vibrant East Bank, the restaurant has just unveiled its three-course festive set menu, available throughout November and December for £35 per person.

what’s cooking?

For starters, diners can choose between Roasted Heritage Beetroots, served with cauli ower purée and maple-roasted walnuts and

Wells East is all ready to welcome festive diners

vegan feta crumble, locally produced Foreman’s Smoked Salmon with herb and lemon mascarpone and a refreshing pickled cucumber or Ham Hock And Leek Terrine with mulled wine gel and soda bread.

Moving on to mains, there are three options for diners. Park’s Roast Norfolk White Turkey comes with all the trimmings, namely goose fat roasted potatoes, Chantenay carrots, sautéed Brussels sprouts, turkey sausage roll, pigs in blankets, port and cranberry compote plus lashings of rich gravy. Also on the menu are Tandoori Cauli ower with mango coconut yoghurt and Hake Kiev with creamed potatoes. For dessert, there’s a rich Chocolate Mousse with mandarin gel and dark chocolate ganache.

easily accessible There’s no minimum number for

reservations at the Park Kitchen And Bar, making it ideal for smaller gatherings of friends, family and colleagues. The venue is within easy walking distance of all of Stratford’s stations including access from Tube, DLR, Elizabeth Line and rail services.

Overlooking the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, it is also surrounded by attractions including V&A East and West eld Stratford City. dance there

While Park Kitchen And Bar is a destination in its own right, it would be remiss of us not to mention the forthcoming seasonal show at Sadler’s Wells East.

Running from November 26 to January 4, Ebony Scrooge is a comic, hip hop retelling of Dickens

A Christmas Carol by dance powerhouse ZooNation where a nightmare fashion boss cancels all festive

celebrations in favour of her clothes show. Tickets start at £15 online via sadlerswells.com and performance times vary. A show to perfectly pair with a Christmas dinner at Park Kitchen.

key details

Park Kitchen And Bar is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9.30am to 10pm and from noon to 6pm on Sundays. Reservations can be made online. For all bookings of eight guests or more, please call the team on 020 7863 8147 or email an enquiry to pkb@sadlerswells.com Go to parkkitchenandbarstratford.com

Scan this code to nd out more about Park Kitchen And Bar at

Sadler’s Wells East

Sadler’s

Park Kitchen And Bar at Sadler’s Wells East is preparing for its rst festive season with menu of seasonal treats

Park will be serving up starters of locally produced Foreman’s Smoked Salmon

Discover the flexibility and value available at The Fox Excel in Royal Docks - Page 22

The venue offers a full bar service including cocktails

Maximum capacity for a seated dinner at The Fox Excel, rising to 800 for standing receptions

The Fox o ers a wide range of spaces and options for event organisers

booking up the

how The Fox Excel is rewarding Christmas party organisers who book in early with an Advent Calendar of festive perks and a wide selection of options to suit groups up to 800

by Jon Massey

Christmas Is Closer Than You Think” is the tagline for The Fox Excel’s 2025 seasonal campaign and with good reason. The message is both a call to action on timing and a reminder of what’s on oﬀer within easy reach of east London businesses at the Royal Docks venue.

The warehouse bar and restaurant is located in an historic building right next to exhibition and conference centre Excel London – beneﬁting from the same rapid transport connections across the capital.

The Fox is a versatile space that can accommodate up to 800 guests standing or 300 seated in total and also boasts several distinct spaces that can be hired for smaller parties between 20 and 100. There’s even a sizeable terrace where guests can sup mulled wine as the weather gets chillier.

For 2025, its Christmas oﬀering is built around two core menus, both available from November 18 until Christmas Eve.

The Festive Finger Buﬀet costs £27.95 per person and includes the likes of Mini Turkey And Cranberry Sliders, Pigs In Blankets, Tempura Prawns and Jackfruit Wings.

The Fox’s Christmas Set Menu costs £24.95 for two courses or £29.95 for three and features starters of Smoked Salmon and Roasted Red Pepper And Tomato Soup followed by mains of Roast Turkey, Rump Steak and Butternut Squash and Lentil Wellington. Desserts include Traditional Christmas Pudding and Lemon Cheesecake.

The venue itself, housed in a warehouse building that dates from the 1850s, is versatile and able to accommodate small, medium and large celebrations.

Facilities include the option to have a fully-equipped stage and AV set-up for bigger events plus pop-up bars

>> a little extra

Get a little reward for being ahead of the curve with The Fox’s festive Advent Calendar, now available on the venue’s website with surprise o ers and festive perks up for grabs – think welcome zz and bonus menu upgrades...

and even late-night DJs. With only a little over two months until the start of party season, December dates are already getting booked up – party planners are advised to act sooner rather than later.

Those planning parties can email the team direct via events@foxexcel.co.uk.

key details

The Fox Excel is located in Royal Docks, a few minutes’ walk from Custom House station for DLR and Elizabeth Line services.

The latter places the venue just three minutes from Canary Wharf by public transport and oﬀers rapid connections across London.

Go to foxexcel.co.uk for more details or call 020 7473 2288

Scan this code to nd out more about The Fox Excel’s o erings

Fresh pasta and warming bowls of comfort and joy; Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is the ideal spot to catch up with friends, family and colleagues - Page 37

The venue o ers nger food and set menus for seasonal parties

ROLL UP! ROLL UP!

THIS DECEMBER, EXPERIENCE AN INDOOR FUNFAIR AT MAGAZINE LONDON, JUST 5 MINUTES FROM CANARY WHARF, WHERE VIBRANT CARNIVAL ENERGY MEETS ELEGANT RIVERSIDE DINING. SIP COCKTAILS AT THE THEMED CAROUSEL BAR, REVEL IN CLASSIC FAIRGROUND ATTRACTIONS WITH A MODERN TWIST, AND ENJOY A TWO-COURSE BANQUET WITH STUNNING VIEWS OF THE THAMES AND THE CITY. JOIN US THIS CHRISTMAS FOR A NIGHT OF THRILLS, LAUGHTER, AND EXCITEMENT!

SHARED PARTY DATES: PACKAGES JUST £120 + VAT PER PERSON.

YOUR TICKET INCLUDES:

•PANORAMIC THAMES VIEWS

•SPECTACULAR INDOOR FUNFAIR

•SENSATIONAL TWO-COURSE DINNER

•INTERACTIVE DESSERT STATION

•LIGHTSHOW, DANCE FLOOR AND DJ

Capacity of Emilia’s Crafted Pasta in Canary Wharf when hired exclusively for an event

how Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is serving up warm welcomes and bowls of pasta, plus a special o er

by Jon Massey

Italian-style hospitality is on the menu at Emilia’s Crafted Pasta in Wood Wharf this Christmas. The George Street restaurant is an ideal venue for intimate gatherings with family, friends, or colleagues where guests can catch up over a warm bowl of pasta overlooking Harbour Quay Gardens and the waters of West India Docks beyond.

The company’s Canary Wharf branch was the third of its ve locations to open – built on the shoulders of venues in St Katharine Docks and Aldgate – and boasts a cosy, trattoria-style interior with terracotta walls, hand-painted tiles and an open kitchen.

on the menu

Christmas is about sharing and Emilia’s o ers a wide selection of antipasti for the table including the likes of Burrata With Heritage Tomatoes, Cured Meats and Sourdough Bruschetta.

The core of the restaurant’s o ering is its pasta, made fresh on-site every day from natural ingredients. Every sauce at the restaurant is expertly matched with a particular kind of pasta to maximise avour.

Popular dishes include the likes of Tru ed Cacio E Pepe served with Casarecce pasta and made with Pecorino DOP as well as Emilia’s Four-Hour, Slow-Cooked Béchamel Bolognese on thick ribbons of Pappardelle.

There are also vegan and vegetarian options as well as a range of indulgent desserts, with Christmas specials currently in development for this year’s celebrations

something to drink?

The restaurant o ers a range of Italian-certi ed wines as well as cocktails and craft beers (including its own brand IPA). Emilia’s also o ers a bar menu with snacks to accompany its drinks.

serving up joy and

>> a little extra Christmas is a busy time at Emilia’s and early reservations are advised. The restaurant is o ering festive group parties (8+) that book by October 31 a complimentary mini-panettone or pandoro for each guest. O er is vailid on bookings from November 17 to December 24. Use code CHRISTMAS25 in booking notes to claim. Terms apply

booking for groups

Emilia’s can cater for festive celebrations of all sizes – from intimate parties to lively gatherings.

For those planning a larger celebration this year, the Canary Wharf restaurant is also available for group dining or full exclusive hire, with space for up to 70 guests.

Open daily from noon, bookings can be made on the restaurant’s website. Larger groups should contact the venue by email to woodwharf@emiliaspasta.com.

key details

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta is located in George Street in Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf. The restaurant can accommodate parties of up to 70 people. For more information go to emiliaspasta.com

Scan this code to nd out more about events at Emilia’s

Magazine London’s Urban Funfair is all geared up for shared parties and mass celebration this Christmas - Page 38

The restaurant is located in Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf

Emilia’s Crafted Pasta o ers Italian-style hospitality in a cosy, warm trattoria

2,000

how

the Urban Funfair at Magazine London presents a world of games and entertainment for its guests

by Jon Massey

Events venue Magazine London is partnering up with specialist organiser Smart Parties to host the Urban Funfair Christmas Party in December.

Oﬀering both shared experiences on selected dates and exclusive hire, we sat down with Smart’s head of ticketed sales, Lucy Gooby, to ﬁnd out more:

what makes Magazine London stand out for Christmas parties?

“Magazine London is unlike anywhere else in the city,” said Lucy. “The space is vast, ﬂexible, and contemporary, but what guests always comment on are the views.

“Our dining hall has ﬂoor-toceiling windows, so as the sun sets and the London skyline comes alive, it creates a really magical backdrop. It’s something that elevates the whole experience.”

what can guests expect from the Urban Funfair experience?

“This year’s shared parties will begin with a welcome into a carnival world—think carousel bar, dodgems, and vibrant entertainment,” Lucy said.

“Guests then move into the dining area for a festive two-course banquet prepared by our in-house caterers, Moving Venue.

“After dinner, the party continues with a themed dessert and coﬀee station, plus the chance to dance the night away with our DJ.

“One of our top tips is to let guests graze at the dessert station—it’s a brilliant way to keep the energy ﬂowing back into the funfair.”

what works best for exclusive hire clients?

“We always encourage companies to make it their own,” said Lucy. “Some go big with live performers, branded funfair attractions or entertainment tailored to their theme.

“Others prefer a slick, paredback look with bespoke cocktails and subtle touches.

“Because we have Space One for dining and Space Two for the funfair and dancing, you can easily build an evening that suits your company’s personality.

“With a capacity for up to 2,000,

Urban Funfair at Magazine London isn’t just a Christmas party – it’s an unforgettable experience

Lucy Gooby, Smart Parties

it’s ﬂexible enough to be intimate or on a huge scale.”

what’s new for 2025?

“We’re really excited about pushing the interactive side of the experience further this year,” said Lucy.

“The carousel bar is always a showstopper, but in 2025 we’re introducing refreshed funfair attractions and upgraded lighting design to make the whole journey even more immersive.

“We want every guest to feel they’ve stepped into a playground created just for them.

“Urban Funfair at Magazine London isn’t just a Christmas party – it’s an unforgettable experience”

when should companies book?

“With only two shared party dates – December 6 and 17 – availability is very limited,” Lucy said.

“Exclusive hire is already in high demand, so the earlier you book, the more ﬂexibility you’ll have to tailor your party.”

Packages start from £120+VAT per person and include a two-course seated banquet and dessert and coﬀee stations to follow.

key details

Bookings for shared parties and exclusive hire can be made online or by calling the team on 020 7836 1033 for more details

Magazine London is a few minutes’ walk from North Greenwich Tube station on Greenwich Peninsula, placing it one stop from Canary Wharf and about 10 minutes from London Bridge and Stratford. Go to smartparties.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about the Urban Funfair

a place to

Maximum capacity of Magazine London’s Urban Funfair for a standing reception

The venue boasts views over the Thames to Canary Wharf

Kick back for an intimate team lunch or hire the place for a bigger bash at Feels Like June - Page 40

Left, the Urban Funfair includes dodgems and games for guests to get stuck into

Right, the venue’s carouselthemed bar

12 GEORGE STREET, WOOD WHARF, E14 9QG

Maximum capacity for a standing reception at Feels Like June at Tribe London in Wood

Feels Like June can welcome up to 150 seated diners for a celebration

by Jon Massey

where are these wonderful things?

This is Feels Like June, located on Water Street in Wood Wharf. The venue recently launched its 2025 Christmas o ering.

tell me more...

The venue is on the ground oor of Tribe London Canary Wharf and can accommodate up to 220 people standing or 150 seated. It also boasts a heated outdoor terrace that can seat 100 or t 150 standing.

sounds like a place for a party...

Feels Like June is a great place for a standing reception and has put together a menu of canapés aimed at making event planners’ lives easier.

For 2025, bites include the likes of Mini Cheeseburgers, Duck Croquettes and Spiced Chickpea Falafel Bonbon. There are also sweet treats such as Williams Pear Crumble and Mini Lemon Meringue Tart.

Six items cost £34 per person, while eight cost £42, with £6 for any additional items.

how about something more formal?

To cater for festive diners, the venue has created two three-course set menus for guests to indulge in. Festive Feast costs £45 per person and includes starters of Turkey Croquettes or Heritage Beetroot, mains of Pumpkin And Sage Ravioli or Slow Roasted Turkey Breast with desserts of Homemade Nutmeg Tart or Dark Chocolate Mousse to round things o .

There’s also the Winter Luxe menu for £60 per person, which features the likes of Blue n Tuna Tartare or Avocado Fondant to start, Portobello

how Feels Like June is gearing up to launch its festive o ering from November 17 at Tribe London in Wood Wharf

but there’s more than just food?

Of course. A full range of wine, beers, ciders and spirits are available from Feels Like June’s expert bartenders.

Bespoke cocktails and mulled wine will also be on o er. The events team is happy to arrange drinks packages to t clients’ requirements.

can FLJ help with my event too?

Naturally. The team works with a range of partners to assist organisers in staging next level parties.

Options for gatherings include – but are certainly not limited to – DJs, cocktail masterclasses, live musicians, photobooths, fashion portraits and digital printing.

how can I nd out more?

Those making general reservations should get in touch via email to hello@feelslikejune.co.uk. For larger corporate bookings, message sales.canarywharf@mytribehotel.com.

key details

Feels Like June is within easy walking distance of Canary Wharf’s Jubilee, Elizabeth Line and DLR stations. Its festive menus will be available from November 17 until December 26. Go to feelslikejune.co.uk for more information or to make a christmas booking

Scan this code to nd out more about festive celebrations at Feels Like June

Test yourself against the tasks. How Squid Game: The Experience is challenging its guests - Page 42

Wharf

Mushroom Wellington or Wild Seabass for mains and Williams Pear Crumble for dessert.

Try a Japanese take on festive dining as Sticks’n’Sushi unveils its festive o ering - Page 44

how Squid Game: The Experience delivers thrills and chills at Excel London in Royal Docks

by Jon Massey

Inspired by Netﬂix’s Korean smash hit, Squid Game: The Experience has landed in east London, fresh from its successes in New York, Sydney, Seoul and Madrid.

what happens?

Players are challenged to take on a series of games themed around the now iconic TV show.

Participants will take on Red Light, Green Light, under the watchful eye of the giant Young-Hee doll.

They’ll also enter the Marbles Room to tackle a test of skill, strategy and precision, challenge their recall on the Memory Steps and compete in a battle of strength in Rope Game.

safety rst

While there’s plenty of adrenaline and tension on oﬀer, Squid Game:

The Experience oﬀers players the chance to show oﬀ their abilities without the life-or-death stakes shown on screen.

Instead the goal is to survive each challenge for a day of nailbiting wins, narrow defeats and plenty of camaraderie.

great for groups

The experience is ideal for groups and can accommodate parties of any size from 20 to 200. The games naturally lend themselves to team building, with collaboration and competition under pressure at their core.

Alternatively, it’s a place to blow oﬀ some steam and relax over the festive period.

more than the games

Groups booked in are welcomed to the Korean-themed Night Market before taking on the various challenges.

Here they will ﬁnd dedicated areas in which to regroup, plan and celebrate alongside food, cocktails and other refreshing beverages.

While the games last an hour, groups are free to remain in the Night Market to wind down after completing the contests.

Naturally, Squid Game merchandise is also available for teams who’d like to purchase souvenirs.

key details

Squid Game: The Experience runs until January at Immerse LDN at Excel London in Royal Docks. Individual tickets for the immersive attraction start at £26 excluding booking fee.

Groups of 20 or more should get in touch with the organiser via the online form on the experience’s website.

For more information or to arrange a booking, go to squidgameexperienceuk.com

Scan this code to nd out more about Squid Game The Experience

Definitive Rat Pack Christmas Dinner and Show Festive Lunches

The hit TV show has inspired the immersive experience at Excel

Cost per head of the Yuki and Evergreen festive menus at Sticks’n’Sushi. The Touya menu costs £65 per person

how Sticks’n’Sushi in Canary Wharf delivers Christmas dinners with the luxurious, subtle avours of Japan

by Jon Massey

From November 24, Sticks’n’Sushi will be o ering diners a selection of festive menus to tempt in the Christmas crowds. The Danish restaurant group has long specialised in delivering festive fare with a Japanese twist and fans will be delighted to see the return of the Miso Sprouts to its Canary Wharf branch.

Here’s a little more detail on what’s being o ered...

sushi, for Christmas? And why not? Sticks’n’Sushi has long made a business out of bringing people together over Japanese cuisine, both sh forward and grilled on skewers.

The Crossrail Place restaurant o ers diners minimal, elegant design as well as a private dining or events space decorated with genuine silk kimonos.

what’s on the menu?

The company has come up with three set menus each with starters to share and a wide selection of dishes to enjoy.

The Yuki (£40 per person) begins with bites for the table, namely Miso Sprouts with supreme soy, Shake Kurutta Carpaccio – salmon with yuzu dressing and trout roe, Kani Korokke crab croquettes and Kamo Tataki seared duck breast.

Then each diner gets to sample some sushi – nigiri of Shake New York – salmon and garlic and Hiramasa Yaki yellowtail king sh and maki of Spicy Tuna and Pink Alaska Salmon. Grilled sticks of Chicks’n’Blankets (chicken meatballs and pancetta) and Shake Teriyaki – marinated salmon – will also be served before dessert of Creme Brulee.

The Evergreen menu costs the same and is a plant-based option with vegetables taking the starring role in the starters, sushi and sticks o erings. how about next level?

The restaurant is also o ering its Touya menu for £65 per person. This includes the same starters and dessert as the

Yuki menu, albeit with Grilled Edamame beans replacing the sprouts before an enhanced o ering of sushi and sticks.

These dishes include ingredients such as Wagyu beef, lobster, soft shell crab and Iberian pork.

For sweet-toothed diners who wish to go beyond the vanilla Creme Brulee, Sticks’n’Sushi has also come up with the Never Enough standalone dessert platter designed for four or more.

This costs £54 and includes Dark Chocolate Fondant with matcha core, Vanilla And Chocolate Ice Cream with miso caramel, Crème Brûlée with black sesame crumble, Shortcrust Pastry With Yuzu Curd and yuzu meringue, Coconut Rice Pudding with mango sorbet and Passionfruit Coulis and Chocolate Fish.

and to drink?

Sticks’ bartenders have also been busy, creating the S’More Co ee cocktail laced with 42 Below vodka and a marshmallow foam top and the Cotton Ginger Fizz with Campari, sour cherry and candy oss to top.

Throughout the festive period, the restaurant will also be serving utes of Champagne Collet Brut Premier Cru Art Deco NV and Champagne Collet Brut Rose for £14.50 and £15.50 respectively. Bottles of the former are £120.

what’s the best contact

You can get in touch with the events team directly at Sticks’n’Sushi by calling reservations on 020 3141 8840 or message the team via email to reservations@sticksnsushi.com

key details

Sticks’n’Sushi Canary Wharf is located in Crossrail Place at the level of the exits to the area’s Elizabeth Line station. The restaurant is open daily from noon-11pm. Go to sticksnsushi.com

Scan here for more details or to make a booking

The Touya menu features Wagyu beef, lobster and soft shell crab

serving up

Sticks’n’Sushi also o ers festive catering for parties

The Yuki set menu

1,000

Maximum capacity of the National Maritime Museum’s Ocean Court for a standing reception

The Cutty Sark o ers guests the chance to tour its decks before heading down into its glass-roofed dry dock for the main event

The iconic tea clipper is a landmark on the Thames

Guests can dine beneath the ship’s copper-clad keel

Images of the Cutty Sark by Smart Group

the

how Royal Museums Greenwich

boasts blockbuster venues able to deliver truly memorable

by Jon Massey

Only one collection of venues in London brings together history, pioneering technology, showstopping views and eye-catching architecture – all based in a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Royal Museums Greenwich (RMG) looks after the Queen’s House, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum – with each venue oﬀering events organisers a wide range of options to create unforgettable gatherings during the festive season.

Celebrations at the ﬁrst two come with links to royalty and the vast expanses of the cosmos, while the seafaring heritage of the great ship and the museum that keeps the stories of the deep oﬀer equally compelling dimensions for those planning seasonal events.

Indeed, for large parties, it’s the latter pair that RMG is keen to draw attention to, having put together sample packages to ﬂy the ﬂags of their attractions.

the National Maritime Museum Oceans Court lies right at the heart of the National Maritime Museum.

Under the protective umbrella of its glass roof (installed as part of a major refurbishment that ﬁnished in June), this space can host up to 550 guests for a seated dinner or a maximum of 1,000 for a standing reception.

Surrounded by exhibitions, artefacts and 18th Century architecture, those attending can explore exhibits in the museum’s galleries while enjoying welcome drinks before taking their seats on the venue’s mezzanine – home to the museum’s Great Map installation.

Guests seeking fresh air are also welcome to explore The Colonnades, which boast views of Greenwich Park as well as the Southeast Lawn.

A sample package for 400 guests with venue hire from 7pm to midnight including two welcome drinks, unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks, canapés, plentiful bowl food and canapé desserts costs £56,125 plus VAT or £140.31 per person.

This includes staﬃng, security, cleaning, furniture, cloakroom, AV

Xmas events

equipment and lighting as well as DJ entertainment and a dedicated event manager.

The venue is ﬂexible and oﬀers a list of approved suppliers as well as options such as access to RMG’s other sites, arrival by river boat to Greenwich and themed entertainment.

the Cutty Sark

Built in 1869 to carry tea back from China, the masts of the Cutty Sark have become a much-loved part of the London skyline during the festive months, adorned in lights to pick out the shape of a Christmas tree.

But the festivities don’t stop at the rigging. Guests at events held on the historic ship can take in her internal decks and the views from her top deck before heading down to her dramatic Dry Berth.

With the ship’s copper hull suspended above – sunk into the steel and glass roof – the space provides a memorable backdrop for festive celebrations.

The sample package, costing £31,985 plus VAT (or £213.23) includes venue hire from 7pm until midnight, a welcome glass of Prosecco and unlimited wine, beer and soft drinks per guest, all based on 150 people attending.

After exploring the ship, partygoers head to the lower level for canapés and bowl food.

The price includes, lighting, AV tech, a 16sq ft dance ﬂoor, staﬃng and security, cleaning and a dedicated event manager.

As with the National Maritime Museum, a wide range of options are available from an approved list of suppliers and add-ons such as character actors on board the Cutty Sark can be arranged.

key details

To enquire about events at any Royal Museums Greenwich venues, call the team direct on 020 8312 8517 or drop an email to events@rmg.co.uk.

Tours of all venues are available on weekdays from 10am-4.30pm by arrangement. RMG’s venues are easily reached by DLR, Uber Boat By Thames Clippers, rail and road.

For more information go to rmg.co.uk/venue-hire

Scan this code to nd out more about RMG’s venues

Ocean Court’s mezzanine level is perfect for large scale events and celebrations

>> a little extra

To allow guests to keep the party going that little bit longer, Royal Museums Greenwich is o ering a complimentary one hour extension from 11pm to midnight (valued at £1,000 plus VAT) on all Christmas bookings at Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum. Contact the events team for full details

Guests are surrounded by maritime history

Dive into

festive o ering at the London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf - Page 48

lled with Christmas

how the London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf o ers wide ranging festive exibility just across the dock

by Jon Massey

Standing proud on West India Quay, the London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf is a striking part of the area’s skyline. Overlooking both the waters of North Dock and the steel and glass towers beyond, the venue is well located for the DLR, the Tube and also the Elizabeth Line.

The hotel is within easy walking distance of all parts of Canary Wharf, making it a natural choice for businesses seeking a space locally to host a festive celebration.

what are the facilities?

The London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf boasts 19 event spaces including its West India Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 290 guests for a standing reception or 180 for a seated dinner.

In addition to an extensive series of private rooms, the venue is also home to the Manhattan Grill waterside restaurant – ideal for team celebrations or dining with family and friends over the festive season.

what’s on the menu

The hotel’s main three-course Christmas set menu has just been released for celebrations in 2025.

To start, guests can choose from Billingsgate Cured Salmon, Cray sh And Crab Parcel served with a pickled cucumber, dill dressing and crusty bread, Wild Duck And Liver Pate Tower with beetroot crisps, watercress, pickled chestnuts and orange cinnamon jam and Butternut Squash And Maple Chilli Filo Tartlet with blackberry and g salad, chive oil and balsamic.

For mains there’s Traditional Roast Breast Of Turkey with all the trimmings, Roast Rack Of Welsh Lamb with vegetables and a red wine jus, Grilled Satay Fillet Of Monk sh on a bed of lemongrass rice and charred broccoli and Wild Mushroom, Black Tru e And Spinich Pithivier with cucumber gel and red vein sorrel.

To round things o , the

desserts on o er are Milk Chocolate And Strawberry Brulee, Baked Caramelised Lemon Cheesecake and, naturally, Traditional Christmas Pudding.

tell me about group bookings

The hotel has created three sample packages available for groups to enjoy during the festive season.

For £80 per person, guests can enjoy a three-course menu in the Manhattan Grill restaurant, complete with Christmas decorations and a drinks package covering wine, beer or soft drinks.

For £95 per person, guests can enjoy their meal in a private room. Hire includes chair covers, a PA system, a microphone, a dance oor and a drinks package.

Then, for £110 per person, the o er includes all of the above as well as a red carpet arrival at the hotel, a canape reception and an enhanced drinks package.

Terms and conditions apply, with minimum numbers or spend necessary to secure a booking.

what’s on the menu

With its extensive selection of spaces, the venue o ers organisers maximum exibility whether the event they have in mind is a formal sit-down dinner, an awards presentation or an informal reception.

The hotel is also able to o er accommodation packages to guests subject to availability, for those who would like the added relaxation of staying the night after the celebrations.

key details

The London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf is located on West India Quay.

For more information about booking events at the venue call 020 7517 2808 or email the team to discuss details via canarywharf.sales@marriott.com Go to marriott.com for more information

Scan here for more details or to make a booking

The hotel’s Manhattan Grill restaurant is ideal for group dining over the festive season

Left, the West India ballroom

Above, the Manhattan Grill restaurant

Right, the hotel is located within easy walking distance of Canary Wharf

how

Frazey Ford is all set to perform at Tobacco Dock after releasing a deluxe edition of her second album

by Jon Massey

My mum sang all the time when I was a little kid,” said singer and songwriter Frazey Ford.

“She sang harmony so she got me to sing melody, probably from when I was three years old. Music was just part of life growing up in Canada.

“When I was a bit older, I went through a diﬃcult period and it was the only thing that kept me tethered to the world. That was when I committed to playing and singing more intentionally.

“From my early adult life I had groups including an Al Green cover band. The Be Good Tanyas was one of the six or seven bands I had in my 20s and that one randomly took oﬀ.”

Having met on the tree planting trail, Frazey teamed up with Samantha Parton and Trish Klein to release three albums of gothic, folksy Americana in the noughties.

“I was planting cedar, ﬁr and pine,” said Frazey. “If you grew up in this part of the world, tree planting is hard labour in the forest. It’s kind of like a cult, an alternative lifestyle.

“You work hard for a couple of months, then you go to school or go travelling. It was a great way to get exposed to diﬀerent things when I did it in the late 1990s.

“As a young person growing up in the mountains in a small community there were a lot of musicians but it was before social media and I didn’t know I could potentially make a living playing and singing.

“That wasn’t my plan. I just intended to ﬁnd a job that would enable be to do art on the side – I knew I needed to write and play for my own wellbeing.

“It was a surprise when a band I was in took oﬀ, because it wasn’t what I had planned for at all.”

Frazey, who is set to play the Black Deer In The City festival at Tobacco Dock this month, has continued to ﬁnd success as a solo artist. Heading in a more soulful direction in 2010, she released the album Obadiah – her middle name, chosen by her brothers in honour of a pet cat who’d run away –following up with Indian Ocean in 2014 and U Kin B The Sun in 2020.

Ahead of her London show, it’s the second of these two records that demands most attention,

For Indian Ocean, I didn’t just want it to be me with the sound of the Hi-Rhythm Section – I wanted it to be a mid-point

Frazey Ford, musician

following the decision to release an Indian Ocean Deluxe Edition on vinyl and digital last month, a decade on from its creation. In celebration, three unreleased covers from the same sessions are also getting a public airing.

For Frazey, it’s an opportunity to look back on a “strange, scary and surreal” time where she got to make music with some of her heroes.

“For me, bands and projects are all about different sides of myself,” she said. “The stuff I wrote for the Be Good Tanyas is not very different from my solo work – it’s just the instrumentation that changes.

“My parents were hippies so there was a lot of folk music around, but I also had a deep love of soul. When I moved away from the band, I spent more time exploring how to marry country and soul. More recently I’m inﬂuenced by funk.

“Sometimes things evolve and you don’t know what direction you’re going in.

“For Indian Ocean, a ﬁlmmaker and writer, Robert Gordon, reached out to me from Memphis.”

At that time, Robert was working on a documentary on Memphis soul, which focused on Al Green and long-time producer Willie Mitchell’s creative home base, Royal Studios.

“Robert had heard a song from Obadiah on the radio and recognised I was heading more towards soul and he emailed me to say he could set up a recording session with Al Green’s Hi-Rhythm Section – the musicians who played and co-wrote those songs I once covered,” said Frazey.

“I’ve always been obsessed with the sounds on those 1970s soul records. It’s the intimacy and sensitivity – the arrangements of the bands. You can hear everything separately but it’s all together at the same time.

Bonus cover tracks released by singer songwriter Frazey Ford as part of her reissue of Indian Ocean

“For the sessions, I didn’t just want it to be me with their sound – I wanted it to be a mid-point between the way I tell a story and the way they do. Indian Ocean was born of that collaboration and I felt we married the sounds together – it was such an interesting experience for everyone.

“It was so strange, scary and surreal – it took me a while to feel comfortable, but they were so kind and welcoming. They said they had always wanted to collaborate with a country-folk musician – something they hadn’t had the opportunity to do before.”

Recorded at Royal Studios with brothers Charles Hodges on organ, Leroy Hodges on bass and Teenie Hodges on guitar – the architects of Al Green’s sound –the sessions yielded more than just the songs on the original release of Indian Ocean

“It was wild to be with them – overwhelming and magical,” said Frazey. “Whatever I brought to them, they responded with a lot of emotional feeling. I always record more than I release, and Indian Ocean was a career deﬁning album, so somebody suggested I do a 10-year anniversary release.

“I was poking around and found tracks that hadn’t been released, so I thought we should put out these B-sides as part of that project. I don’t release a lot of covers or love songs but this is a triptych – a nice little package from that era.

“About six weeks after the recording sessions, Teenie – who co-wrote Love And Happiness, one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard and the reason I became obsessed with Al Green and his band – passed away.

“For this project, it was really special to go back to some of the memories of that time and to edit his parts and put out some more of his work posthumously.”

The three bonus tracks listeners can now enjoy are covers of Otis Redding’s The Happy Song (Dum-Dum), Van Morrison’s Crazy Love and Ann Peebles’ Trouble, Heartache And Sadness

“Teenie loved our version of Happy Song in particular,” said Frazey. “That’s a big part of why I’m including these. It felt like I had his ghost on my shoulder saying: ‘You gotta put these tracks out’. It feels like we’re honoring him.”

As for her performance in London, Frazey has yet to decide on a set list, although it’s a sure bet some material from Indian Ocean will make it to the ears of her audience in Wapping.

“I can promise there will be a full band,” she said. “I shall show up and play some music and put on a show. That’s what I’m planning to do.

“It’s going to be a mixture of

stuﬀ. I am working on a new album right now, so there’ll be stuﬀ from that, from Indian Ocean, from my entire career.

“In the winter I’ll be releasing the ﬁrst track from the new record. But honestly, I sometimes don’t write a set list until about 10 minutes before I appear.

“For me, live performance is its own thing – there’s the writing, the recording, the release of the album and then the show, when you commune with the audience and recreate the sound in a room full of people. It’s the completion of the art form.

“You’re channelling all this emotional energy through yourself and then to the people – it’s like a loop, back through you to them. Something spiritual.

“Humans have a culture of coming together to feel things and that’s very important.

“I’ve been in the industry since the early 2000s, and it’s just got weirder and worse the whole time. It’s always been perilous and a potentially bad decision as a career no matter what, but you’ve chosen that path.

“I’m ﬁne, I’m living a great life and getting to do what I love to do, so I don’t spend much time worrying about it. I ran into a friend recently and she was performing this beautiful show in a small cafe and she said that music is just music regardless, and we’re out there making art, because that’s what we do, and we’re going to do it no matter what happens. There might be all kinds of bullshit, but we’re still going to create things.

“Now I’m at a riper age, I get interested in other bands and young talent. I’ve started producing and want to help people. I’m a mum and I tend to mother these young artists.

“There are really cute scenes with funky performers – 20-somethings – starting it all over again, and that’s inspiring.”

Frazey Ford’s Indian Ocean Deluxe Edition is out now on vinyl and digital via Nettwerk. The three bonus tracks are only available as digital downloads.

key details

Frazey Ford is set to appear at . pm on the ﬁrst day of the Black Deer In The City festival at Tobacco Dock, which runs at the Wapping venue on October 25 and 26. Doors open at 11am and tickets prices start at £90.11 including booking fee. For more information go to blackdeerfestival.com

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

The Malian singer, composer and guitarist is set to bring his blend of West African sounds and gritty blues ri s, psychedelia and Latin grooves to London. Oct 24, 6pm, from £27.05, troxy.co.uk

KIDS | The Sleep Show

Suitable for ages 4+, this dreamy dance-theatre experience promises to softly explore the challenges children face around bedtime and why sleep is vital. Oct 25, 11am, 2pm, £9, halfmoon.org.uk

and social outcasts. Oct 28-Nov 8, 7.30pm, from £13, wiltons.org.uk

The PA Show Autumn is returning to Old Billingsgate on October 9, connecting executive support professionals with suppliers and each other. The exhibition is free for PAs, EAs, VAs and o ce managers

GIG | Vieux Farka Touré

GIG | Serenade From The Sewer The death-oompah band return to the east London venue with a new album and a show that celebrates the weird, macabre

Canadian musician Frazey Ford is set to perform at Black Deer In The City festival at Tobacco Dock on October 25

Images by Lauren D Zbarsky

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where?

Poplar Union Poplar

EVENT | A Night Of Poetry And Expression

As part of Black History Month, Birmingham-born, South Sundanese poet Becksy Becks delivers a rollercoaster of rhyming rants. Oct 25, 6.30pm, free, poplarunion.com

Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | How To Write A Risk Assessment

A struggling ght direction company gets o ered the production of a lifetime, but the future of the rm isn’t the only thing at risk. Oct 21-25, 7.30pm, £16, space.org.uk

GIG | Opus Musica

Where?

The Space Isle Of Dogs

This performance by pianist Alberto Portugheis and violinist Ra aele Pagano features works by Beethoven, Schubert and Franck. Oct 26, 4pm, £15, space.org.uk

be quick

At a loose end this weekend? Head to The Space on Westferry Road for a theatrical double bill – Together In Electric Dreams and Philip Larkin Masterspy – delivering drama with Alan Sugar, Clive Sinclair and more... space.org.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about these shows at The Space and book tickets from £16 each

how Too Much: Melodrama On Film is set to take over both free and paid-for screenings on board Theatreship

by Jon Massey

When I arrive at Theatreship to interview

Natalie Hill, the sun is shining bright. Swans are gliding on the glittering waters of South Dock and all is right with the world. But then I see the venue’s doors are closed, a thick rope strung forbiddingly across the steps up to the vessel’s deck. A cloud falls across the sun and a chill steals across the last day of summer. Have I come on the wrong day? Has something terrible happened to my interviewee? Is she OK? Will I hit my deadline or will it be blank pages, hair torn out in frustration, spilt cold coﬀee on the ﬂoor..

But I’m being melodramatic. The sun quickly pops out as Natalie casually scoots up on her bike, locks up her mount and guides me on board. It’s an apt beginning, though, as we’re here to discuss Theatreship’s latest collaboration with the British Film Institute as a venue for its Too Much: Melodrama On Film season.

Natalie has a long history with the moving image. Despite studying law, her love of ﬁlm won out and she embarked on a career in the industry. er ﬁrst job was on a UK comedy called Large

“With my degree, I do have a factual focus and I realised that, by making documentaries, I could marry my two strengths – looking at real stories and doing something creative with them,” she said. “I’ve now worked in factual TV for about 25 years.

“I’m a producer and director and have made lots of different series like 24 Hours In A&E, Stacey Dooley Investigates and The Apprentice “ ver the last four or five years, I’ve mainly focused on documentaries where I’m looking at the impact of something. The Man With 1,000 Kids is the biggest thing I’ve worked on and one of the most impactful because, although Dutch sperm donor onathan eijer’s actions weren’t illegal when I started making the documentary, it was incredibly shocking to find out that he’d got away with lying on such a massive scale to people around the world.

“Professionally I have a focus on telling stories that people will ﬁnd interesting but that could also help make changes.”

While Natalie originally approached Theatreship with the idea of making a documentary

about the project to open a ﬂoating arts centre moored on the Isle Of Dogs, her involvement quickly became something else.

As a boat dweller on the Island herself, she became the vessel’s head of ﬁlm programming a creator turned curator.

“It’s lovely, because I normally produce stuﬀ and here I’m exhibiting other people’s work that’s an absolute joy,” she said. “I’m loving it, whether it’s introducing the ﬁlms, serving up drinks or picking up stray kernels of popcorn.”

She’s masterminded and programmed a successful and growing series of Free Mystery Cinema Screenings on Wednesday nights. Audiences don’t know what they’ll be seeing, but clues are given out in the run-up to each event and prizes dispensed for correct guesses.

Under her direction, Theatreship has also – from day one – forged a partnership with the BFI screening ﬁlms alongside live performances for its Creative Worlds of Powell And Pressburger and Art Of Action seasons. The organisations have also collaborated on a showing of independent seafaring ﬁlms.

“One of the main things about Theatreship, is that when vessels came into this dock historically, they brought new things and that’s what we wanted to do from a cultural perspective,” said Natalie.

“We also wanted to showcase vintage cinema to a fresh audience and bring hidden gems from the various genres to people’s attention. I’m very passionate about it and feel like a proud parent for what we’ve done for our forthcoming season. We’re calling it Never Too Much Melodrama On Theatreship because, for me, melodrama is all about intense emotion and visuals in ﬁlm.

“I think it gets a bit of a bad reputation because it’s seen as overacting, am-dram or prima donnas. It’s not about that at all, it’s about embracing that intensity.

“It could be as part of a psycho-

I often look for lms that have a bit of underdog to them – when there’s only a small budget but someone’s done something really special

Natalie Hill, Theatreship

logical thriller or a war ﬁlm or about love. It’s about really strong emotions playing out in front of you. Our completely Free Mystery Cinema Screenings from October 15 into December will form part of the season, although obviously I can’t tell you what we’ll be showing.

“I can say they’ll be new films, old films and films from all over the world – they’ll be dramatic and good. We’re also now doing Late Night Mystery Cinema on various dates. These are also free and start around 8.30pm, but will feature a slightly higher age rating and may be edgier, although they’ll still have warmth and integrity.”

The programme for the BFI season starts on October 13, complete with live performances alongside the named screenings.

“We’ll have three Sapphic Cinema nights in collaboration with Abi Asisa, starting with Benedetta (18) – the story of a 17th Century nun in Italy who develops a passionate and forbidden lesbian aﬀair with a fellow novice – on October 13,” said Natalie.

“We’ll also be having a miniseason called All About Almodovar on Sundays, starting with Law Of Desire (18) on November 2.

“He is seen as a living legend of melodrama – Pedro Almodovar’s ﬁlms are always so passionate, so intense. They’re rather like the juicy storylines you get in a soap opera, but on ﬁlm and from a really revered director. Again, each screening will be paired with a live performance.

“Another highlight will be the The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (U) on November 18, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary.

“That’s a glorious Technicolor musical and we’ll be having live music from Naomi Banks, an incredible ja singer who can perform in French, Spanish and English.

“That film as a musical might be seen as a bit cheesy and old-fashioned, but it’s really not. It’s got some really intense storylines in it. o many films have been influenced by it like La La Land and Barbie

“We’ll also be showing Wong Kar-Wai’s 2046 (12A) alongside short film I Am Alive by Jun Chew on December 7. The former follows a cynical writer in 1960s Hong Kong who revisits his past through a series of fleeting romances, all the while weaving his memories into a sci fi novel about a futuristic train that travels to the year 2046.”

For Natalie, the importance of ﬁlm at Theatreship is in oﬀering

lling the

Theatreship’s head of lm programming, Natalie Hill, is a documentary maker by trade, turned curator of movies at the Isle Of Dogs’ oating venue

Cost of a ticket to Theatreship’s regular Wednesday or late night Mystery Cinema Screenings

Theatreship hosts regular lm shows

Theatreship’s bar is open to audiences and the general public

audiences a diﬀerent way to enjoy the medium.

“ ecause there are so many ways to watch now, people are overwhelmed,” she said. “ et us make the choice, so you don’t have to. atching long ﬁlms in a cinema setting is great you’re not distracted by your phone, so you can just engage with what’s on screen. hen I’m programming, it’s hard because there are just so many to choose from, but I’ll get round to all the ones I want to show eventually.

“I often look for ﬁlms that have a bit of underdog to them when there’s only a small budget and a small team but someone’s done something really special.

“ ometimes it’s about looking for ﬁlms that might have won critical acclaim but been missed

or approaching others from a diﬀerent angle. or example, we screened Buster Keaton’s One Week but with an introduction looking at the part played by ybil eely in the ﬁlm.”

key details

ull information and booking details for all ﬁlm shows at Theatreship during its Too Much: Melodrama On Film season, including the mystery screenings, can be found on the venue’s website.

Go to theatreship.co.uk for more details

Scan this code to nd out what’s on at Theatreship

Image by Jon Massey

Image by Adrian Sidor

Other images supplied by Theatreship

Natalie reveals the movie at one of the venue’s mystery screenings

how Greenwich Peninsula is set to mark Diwali with an afternoon of activities and a lit lantern parade

by Jon Massey

Diwali is a celebration of light, joy and togetherness – and this year’s programme brings that spirit to life in a new format,” said Laura Flanagan, director at Greenwich Peninsula.

“We’ve worked closely with independent traders, artists and performers to create a day that honours South Asian heritage and showcases the richness of its traditions.

“This vibrant celebration reﬂects our diverse community, and we welcome people from all over London to join in and spend the afternoon eating, dancing and creating.”

Greenwich Peninsula’s forthcoming Diwali celebrations are set to take place on October 18 from 2pm to 7pm. Free and family-friendly, the day will feature a range of activities including a group dance by Garba performers and Dhol drummers.

Visitors and local residents are invited to Peninsula Square, Design District and Barton Yard to help celebrate the festival of light. Here’s what’s happening:

Lantern Making Workshop

Sales And Lettings Suite, Peninsula Square – 2pm-3.20pm Join this drop-in, hands-on workshop to design your own mini triangular lantern using willow sticks, tissue paper and yarn.

Led by professional lantern artists, the session oﬀers a fun and creative experience for all ages, with all materials provided. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

In 15–20 minutes, participants can craft a personalised lantern to take home or add to the festive display in Peninsula Square. No booking required.

Dance Rehearsals

Canteen Courtyard - 2.30pm-3.30pm and 4.30pm and 5.30pm Join expert dancers to learn the joyful steps of Garba and the playful rhythms of Dandiya Raas in open rehearsals designed for all abilities. These are suitable for ages 10+ and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult These sessions celebrate the rich and diverse audiences of Greenwich Peninsula, inviting everyone to take part in the evening’s group dance.

This vibrant celebration re ects our diverse community and we welcome people from all over London to join in Laura Flanagan, Knight Dragon

No experience is required –participants just need to bring their energy and get involved.

Dandiya Stick Decorating

Sales And Lettings Suite, Peninsula Square – 4pm-5.50pm Get hands-on with a pair of Dandiya sticks – short, decorated bamboo poles used in traditional Gujarati folk dances.

Embellish your own set with colourful trims and festive ﬂair, ready to join the group dance or take home as a joyful keepsake. No booking is required for this drop-in session.

Group traditional dance Starts Peninsula Square, ends Barton Yard – 6pm-7.15pm

Join a vibrant procession led by illuminated rickshaws, Dhol drummers and Garba dancers in traditional costume as it winds through the Design District.

Under a canopy of light, take part in a group dance that unfolds in three parts – Dandiya Raas, Garba and open free dancing, the heart of the celebration.

The event will also feature a South Asian street food market from noon-8pm in Peninsula Square and Bollywood beats and desi DJs from 4pm-9pm at Canteen Food Hall And Bar to keep the party moving.

key details

Diwali celebrations on Greenwich Peninsula are set to take place on Saturday, October 18 from 2pm until 7pm.

All workshops and performances are free to attend.

For more information go to greenwichpeninsula.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Diwali on the Peninsula

Participants can learn some moves at workshops during the day

up the dark

Hours of Diwali celebrations at Greenwich Peninsula on October 18

DJs will entertain at Canteen Food Hall

The event will feature live music and dancing

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

GIG | Little Simz

The rapper appears on the big stage in support of her album Lotus. Those attending should expect Free and Flood to trip o her tongue. Greentea Peng supports. Oct 17, 6.30pm, from £47, theo2.co.uk

STAGE | Blue/Orange

Joe Penhall’s sharp classic comes to south-east London, examining mental health, ethics, race and prejudice as the colour of fruit is questioned. Oct 1-25, times vary, £16.50, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

This

| The Chemistry Of

lecture is by Professor Mike Edmunds and looks at our knowledge of elements in the known universe. Oct 20, 6.30pm, from free, rmg.co.uk

curtains up

South-east London is set to get two new cultural powerhouses as plans for Troubadour Greenwich Peninsula’s two theatres on the banks of the Thames are unveiled. Completion expected in 2026... troubadourtheatre.com

Scan this code to nd out more about the plans, which will see a pair of new venues created on the river

TALK

The Universe

Flamsteed Astronomy Society

The core of the celebrations will be a lantern parade from Peninsula Square to Barton Yard

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

COMEDY | Gutter Fest

Where? The Pen Theatre South Bermondsey

Promising the best and darkest material from this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, this festival features the likes of Rosa Garland, Claire Parry and Gumbo. Oct 8-25, times and prices vary, thepentheatre.com

Where?

The Albany Deptford

COMEDY | Deptford Comedy Open Mic Night

A crucible of fresh talent awaits as budding comics take the stage to showcase their material. Those seeking to perform should book a slot in advance. Oct 28, 7pm, from £6, thealbany.org.uk

GIG | Brixton Radio

Where?

Corner Corner Canada Water

Bop around or simply listen to sounds curated by the station’s DJs as they take over the food-hall and gig venue each Wednesday evening. Until Dec 25, 6pm, free, cornercorner.com

play for free

In celebration of its fth birthday, Badger Badger will be hosting free board game nights on a weekly basis from October 7 until the end of the year. What better excuse to pop down the pub?

badgerbadger.org

Scan this code to nd out more about events at Badger Badger in Deptford High Street

The Radical Rediscovery exhibition is free to visit at London Performance Studios

celebrating the

how London Performance Studios is set to host an exhibition highlighting early gay and lesbian theatre

by Jon Massey

The London Performance Studios (LPS) is set to host an exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of Homosexual Acts – the first official ay theatre season in ritain which took place in at ondon’s lmost ree Theatre. Radical Rediscovery: Homosexual Acts And Beyond is set to go on show at the venue next month with the aim of interrogating and celebrating lesbian and gay thea tre’s early years via an array of posters, flyers, photos, maga ines, props, set models, costumes, books, original footage and interviews with key participants.

LPS associate artist Dr Susan roft, who has curated the latest exhibition, said: “50 years ago, Ed erman founder of influential arts project Inter-Action – agreed to host ritain’s first gay theatre season at the lmost ree Theatre in oho. uns were extended, moving to the uke of rgyll pub and then the I and that first season was all plays by men but in , ay weatshop staged ill Posener’s Any Woman Can, and toured this nationally.

“Through this exhibition, a linked symposium and a series of readings, ranging from Maureen uﬀy’s Rites (1969) – a version of the Bacchae, set in a women’s toilet to the ﬁrst play by black gay writer artin atrick, at val ouse in , Radical Rediscovery:

Homosexual Acts And Beyond will look in detail at this marginal ised history and its impact on T I theatre today.”

key details adical ediscovery omosexual Acts And Beyond is set to go on show at the London Performance Studios in Penarth Street, South ermondsey from ovember to ecember . The space will be open from noon pm, Thursday to unday and entry is free. Go to londonperformancestudios.com

Scan this code to nd out more about the exhibition

Acts will perform at each of The Fox Excel’s Comedy Nights in Royal Docks

The east London venue is hosting regular stand-up nights with the next set to take place on October 31

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

EVENT | MCM Comic Con

Expect the Liz Line and DLR to be awash with cosplayers as the biggest pop culture expo in town returns. McLovin is expected to attend... Oct 24-26, times vary, from £25, mcmcomiccon.com

Where? Fold Canning Town

CLUB | Timedance

Enjoy nine hours of bass-forward music from prominent label Batu including spots from Ayesha, Cleyra, Danielle, Ploy and Mark Ernestus. Oct 18, 11pm-8am, from £22.60, fold.london

hosting the

how Comedy Nights at The Fox Excel promise to deliver regular amusement on

by Jon Massey

The Fox Excel is set to host a series of Friday Comedy Nights in Royal Docks. The bar and restaurant, located close to Custom House station in an historic brick-built warehouse, will be welcoming stand-ups on October 31, November 28 and January 31. For £5, guests can enjoy sets from three comics

Friday evenings

starting at 8pm. The Fox is also o ering a £20 deal for a two-course meal and the show with tables from 5pm.

The October 31 show stars stand-up, Di Spencer, comic and junior doctor, Michael Akadiri, and stroke survivor, Markus Birdman.

Future shows will feature the likes of Kev McCarthy, Abi Carter-Simpson and Michael Odewal. Thanks to its proximity to Excel London, The Fox is well connected to DLR and Elizabeth Line services as well as the cable car over the

Thames from Royal Victoria Dock.

key details

The next Friday Comedy Night is set to take place at The Fox Excel on October 31. Tickets for the show cost £5 with entertainment from 8pm. Go to foxexcel.co.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about The Fox Excel

EVENT | Musical Con 2025

Enjoy high kicks, razzmatazz and catch up with some of London’s top performers (including Jeevan Braich of Starlight Express) at this glam event. Oct 18-19, 10am-5pm, from £45, musicalcon.co.uk

ash back

When bigger is better - Excel London’s expansion gives it 25% more space and allows it to capitalise on the Elizabeth Line’s ability to deliver more visitors and exibility. It’s already proving popular with organisers... excel.london

Scan this code to read our interview with Excel London CEO Jeremy Rees and nd out more about the venue’s plans

how Visions In The Nunnery offers two packed programmes of work for visitors to enjoy right into December

by Jon Massey

Bow rts’ flagship exhibition space is set to be filled with images and live art as its biennial festival of film and performance returns. Visions In The Nunnery will showcase work by artists from countries including igeria, rgentina, Iran, akistan and kraine.

These have been selected by lead artists osie ibbens and nyeka Igwe from an open call that attracted submissions from countries.

The festival is split into Programme One, starting this month and Programme Two from ovember . oth will feature work by the lead artists and pieces they have selected from the open call.

“Visions is a programme that’s very close to my heart because it was one of the ﬁrst opportunities I had to show work after gradu ating in ,” said osie.

“It’s a nice moment for me to reﬂect. electing the work has been a real pleasure. I’m so pleased ow rts is championing experimental video and perfor mance work at a time where the art world seems to be playing it relatively safe. I hope the exhibi tion will be strange, surprising and emotive.”

Programme One will feature new work by osie alongside pieces by other artists. unning until ovember , the display promises a “smorgasbord of recorded performing bodies” drawing on her interest in the absurd. isitors can expect to walk through “a rankenstein style lair of animatronic corporeal sculp tures and videos”.

Programme Two will present nyeka Igwe’s ﬁlm The Names Have Been Changed, Including My Own And Truths Have Been Altered (2019) which “explores

I’m so pleased Bow Arts is championing experimental video and performance work at a time where the art world seems to be playing it safe

Rosie Gibbens, artist

the story of her grandfather, the story of the land’ and the story of an encounter with igeria from a single point in time, in a single place”. The gallery said “The ﬁlm throws the ordinary and the everyday within the archive into relief by daring to write and re write the stories of diasporic frican life against the grain of colonial history’s master narratives.”

It will be shown alongside work by other artists with the intention to interrogate themes of memory, narrative, identity and the archive.

“Visions has always been a feature on the ondon landscape of artist moving image and I have wanted to take part in the programme for as long as I have been making work,” said nyeka.

“ s it was made just before the pandemic, The Names Have Been Changed, Including My Own And Truths Have Been Altered a highly personal ﬁlm that tells the story of my family’s origin has rarely screened in ondon, my home town, so I am delighted to present it here.”

The Visions In The Nunnery exhibition will be accompanied by an events programme including live performance and screenings of ﬁlms by women ﬁlmmakers from India as part of an interna tional exchange.

There will also be a showcase of student ﬁlms from artists studying at the niversity f ast ondon.

ull listings, including details of all the artists taking part and the various events scheduled around the festival are available on ow rts’ website.

key details

Visions In The Nunnery is set to run in the unnery allery at ow rts in ow from ctober until ecember . Programme One, led by osie ibbens, will run from ctober until ovember . Programme Two, under nyeka Igwe, will run from ovember to ecember . The exhibition is free to visit and will be open from ednesday to unday, am pm.

For more information go to bowarts.com

Scan this code to nd out more about Visions In The Nunnery

Artists’ work will be featured at Visions In The Nunnery by Bow Arts in east London

Image from Genesis by Maria Timoshenko and Iulia Fedorova whose work will be displayed as part of Programme One

A still from The Names Have Been Changed, Including My Own And Truths Have Been Altered, by Onyeka Igwe

hosting a festival of

- Mile End - Bow - Hackney Wick

what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

East

DANCE | The Machine Of Horizon Dreams Through choreography, sound, light, video, and tech, this boundary-pushing performance installation invites you to reimagine Western ideas of progress. Oct 16-18, 7.30pm, from £25, sadlerswells.com

Enter one or all of the Hackney immersive chillers as they return to east London. Expect darkness with sounds to guide you through Coma, Flight and more... Oct 7-Nov 2, times vary, from £14, dark eld.org SEE | Umbilical Artist Conrad Shawcross’s creationg will weave a rope with its 40 arms that move in a sequence of orbits that will never repeat. Get caught up... Until Nov 2, 10am-6pm, free , hereeast.com

Making 90,000 objects in the artist’s archive publicly available, the David Bowie Centre at V&A Storehouse has o cially opened its doors with permanent and rotating displays from his extensive creative output. It’s free to visit... vam.ac.uk/east

Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s piece on the launch of the David Bowie Centre at V&A Storehouse

From top, stills from Kiss Crash by Adam Cole, Resurrect Me As A Parasite by Lou Lou Sainsbury and Gabi Dao and Ripple E ect by Niyaz Saghari

Left, Hairball by Rosie Gibbens (image by Jon Baker)

Below, Digits by Rosie Gibbens (image by Jon Baker)

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

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

1. Bade ‘good night’? Confused, they’re already there! (4)

8. Grammatical object, subject of blame (10)

9. Sounds like a missing beverage (8) . ommanding oﬃcer, district attorney? It’s the end of a tune (4)

12. Bring up a piece of jewellery, we hear (6)

14. Engines go for a drive, singularly (6)

15. Sound on chip? It’s a mix-up! (6)

17. Possible it was done –frankly (6)

18. Picture a justice of the peace, for example (4)

19. Make one pay again for power (8)

21. Behaviour in a shop? It works against something (10)

22. What you go for, if it’s a bargain (4)

Down

2. Where a quartet grooms their hair (10)

3. There’s nothing like this, so the song says (4) 4, 16. An angle for whisky on the A1? (6,6)

5. Sounds like we may respect a group of players (6) 6, 11. Where in 2025 to celebrate catching the ﬁrst train , 7. Confusing destiny for Greek cheese (4)

11. See 6 dn.

13. Pictured the late queen? He did! I owe Mary Anning that (8) 16. See 4 down

17. Many clowns, we hear? More like relaxing drinks (6)

18. Let this chap know you’re OK! (4)

20. Just what an unmarried man should study (4)

Marshalsea;

Link.

Abed;

Accusative; 9 Absentee; 10 Coda; 12 Broach; 14 Motors; 15 Phonic; 17 Candid; 18 Jpeg; 19 Recharge; 21 Counteract; 22 Song.

Down: 2 Barbershop; 3 Dame; 4, 16 Scotch Corner; 5 Esteem; 6, 11 Stockton Darlington; 7 Feta;

Cocoas;

Jack; 20 Arts.

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STATE-OF-THE-ART TRAINING FACILITIES

REFORMER PILATES AND HOT YOGA STUDIOS

LONDON’S LARGEST MULTI-FUNCTIONAL TRAINING SPACE, THE YARD

DEDICATED HYROX TRAINING SPACE

OVER 300 CLASSES A WEEK

13M HIGH CLIMBING WALL

SWIMMING POOL, SAUNA AND SPA

THIRDSPACE.LONDON

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