Wharf Life, Apr 22-May 6, 2026

How EarLab cleans and inspects ears in just 20 minutes at its Canary Wharf clinic Page 4

V&A East Museum

inside issue 160

Harvest London - Chris Ezekiel

Tattu - Lina Stores - WaterAid

The Monocle - Sonic Spheres

Cerulean Quarter - Alex Neil

Little Portugal - Crosswords

Shenanigans In (The) Space

Kaboom Lounge - Sudoku

John Lewis Canary Wharf

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

GIG | Heatwave

Where?

Welcome to issue 160 of Wharf Life. Curiosity is the theme for this paper, whether it’s discovering the treasures at the newly opened V&A East Museum, a gem of a comedy night at The Space, vertical growth at Harvest London or travelling to 1920s Paris via The Monocle at Wilton’s Music Hall

Known for disco and soul classics expect to hear the likes of Boogie Nights, The Groove Line and Always And Forever in all their glory on the Boisdale stage. May 22, 9pm, from £48, boisdale.co.uk

West India Quay

TRY | May Half Term

Impounding Station West India Docks Where?

The West India Quay museum is preparing to host a series of activites and performances for youngsters to enjoy old-fashioned entertainment o ine. May 23-31, times and prices vary, londonmuseum.org.uk

Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place Where?

India

VISIT | Tour The Impounding Station

Book a 45-minute tour of the facility that keeps the West India Docks lled up with water. Booking early is advised as these tours are usually very popular. May 8-9, 10am-3pm,£16.76, canalrivertrust.org.uk

focus on health and wellbeing. Also, its Yummzy Rocher are to die for... yummzy.co.uk

How Shenanigans In (The) Space is bringing regular comedy back to the Isle Of Dogs arts centre via a collaboration between promoter Scott Fitzgerald and MC Matt Price 24

Check out homes at Cerulean Quarter in Canning Town

Taking a trip on the train to discover the delights of Little Portugal 13

on the radar

Menswear retailer Belsta has opened its doors on the lower level of Jubilee Place. Founded in 1924 the brand has created protective suits for racing drivers and wind-proof smocks for the Marines. Expect rugged, re ned styles favoured by renegades belsta .com

Canary Wharf Group has launched a consultation on its plans for 8 Canada Square and is keen to gather the views of locals on its proposals to recon gure the former HSBC tower. Proposals include a new hotel and leisure facilities on the building’s top oor cwg.com need to know

Exploring V&A East Museum as it opens to the public for the rst time 30

How The Monocle at Wilton’s Music Hall transports audiences back to the 1920s in an exploration of a landmark lesbian club through the medium of dance 22

TRIED + TESTED

Salad Tray

Lina Stores

linastores.co.uk This tray of delights costs £9.96, an absolute bargain if you’re after a punchy lunch

Lina’s salad tray may not be the most visually stimulating lunchtime o ering in Canary Wharf.

But the Crossrail Place restaurant, bar and Italian deli is on to something. Having seemingly decided to go a di erent route to the sandwich shops locally, it may well have taken inspiration from the likes of Farmer J with Wharfers encouraged to choose a protein, a carb and a couple of sides.

I opt for meatballs in a thick, concentrated tomato sauce, toothsome pearl barley and juicy lumps of beetroot that come in a

glistening oil avoured with oranges. To round things o , green lentils laced with lemon o er a refreshing counterpoint to the meaty main.

You get a lot for your tenner here. The tray’s sections are deceptively deep and, when lled with granular ingredients are more than enough to ll up the most ravenous of diners.

It’s only just launched – the sta are still apologising for the absence of the sarnies – but for those who like to have their nger on the pulses, look no further...

Jon Massey

doing the deals

get more for less on and around the Wharf

Lagerfest is set to land at 640 East in Montgomery Square with 10 styles from seven breweries available at £5 a pint on April 29 and 30 from 4pm on each day. Crisps to match... @640east on Insta

£17

We go vertical farming with Harvest London at Corner Corner 26 subscribe to our Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly

Another cracking o er from Lina – available Monday-Friday at the Crossrail Place restaurant, the brand is o ering two courses for £17 and three for £20 linastores.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

vettling

noun, fake, from Icelandic

An alternative process to vetting where everyone engaged in assessing an individual assumes they are hand-in-glove going to get the role anyway. Takes its name fromf the Icelandic word for mitten, vettlingur...

quiddle

verb, real, from Latin

To engage in pointless or trivial tasks to avoid focusing on important things that actually need to be done. We’d like to see this 16th century term come back as a more re ned version of procrastinating...

TAKE PART

WaterAid Dragon Boat Race 2026

WaterAid wateraid.org

There’s still time to enter a team for the WaterAid Dragon Boat Race 2026, with events set to take place on July 8 and 9 in West India South Dock.

Corporate teams of 11-17 participants can enter, with each day run as a separate event with its own winner and awards for fastest overall team and top fund-raisers. Entry costs £399 per team with a fundraising target of £1,500.

Spaces are allocated on a rst come, rst-served basis and the event is open to people of all abilities with no prior experience needed.

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

DEEP CLEAN

Ear Microsuctioning

EarLab

earlab.co.uk

A couple of issues ago, we featured the arrival of EarLab at eMed’s Cabot Place facility. At the time, the company o ered Wharf Life the opportunity to try out its £85 wax removal service, which includes inspection and microsuctioning where needed.

The process is simple, painless and quick. After arriving at the clinic I’m rapidly whisked into a private treatment room by Dr Jasper Vivian who invites me to take a seat on the bed. He uses a small plastic ear speculum – a bit like a tiny funnel – and a surgical microscope to take a look in my left ear. While there’s

little wax to speak of, the inspection does reveal at some point I’ve perforated my ear drum – perhaps through idiotic cotton bud use – although everything has healed up well.

What little wax is there is swiftly removed and my other ear is also given the once over and again pronounced clean and clear.

The whole process takes no more than 20 minutes, the microsuctioning is a little loud initially, but painless and over very quickly.

For those with mu ed hearing or other wax- related issues, this service will likely be a godsend.

Jon Massey

Thursday 7 May 4pm - 7pm

Tower Hamlets campus - Poplar High Street - London - E14 0AF

• Proven results above the national average

• Progression to top universities

• Career-focused courses linked to real-world jobs

• Easily accessible from Poplar DLR station

Scan the QR code to secure your place:

Years since Waitrose Food And Home opened its doors in Canary Wharf. Its upper floors have now officially rebranded as John Lewis

so much in

how John Lewis Canary Wharf is taking a fresh direction as it welcomes its first branch manager

by Jon Massey

Canary Wharf has a new store, although readers might well be forgiven for missing the change. What were once the upper levels of Waitrose Food And Home in Canada Square have been rebranded and now operate distinctly as the estate’s branch of John Lewis.

The retail spaces remain connected, of course, both physically by escalators and in business under the umbrella of the John Lewis Partnership. However, with a changing customer profile as the Wharf continues to evolve, it was felt the time was right for new signs and a dedicated leadership team to take over.

Helen Chalkley has been named as the store’s first branch manager and is thrilled to tackle the challenge of more firmly establishing the brand in Wharfers’ minds having taken up her post in February. Similar to her Waitrose counterpart, Amy Stickland, she’s spent her whole career in the business and returns to Canary Wharf following an earlier spell as deputy branch manager at the east London store when it was all Waitrose Food And Home.

“In July I’ll have worked for John Lewis for 33 years, having started off as a part-time partner in the Oxford Street branch,” said Helen. “My mum used to work for the business, so there’s a family connection and I’ve always wanted to run my own shop.

“I’ve spent most of my time in Oxford Street and that’s where I managed my first department, which was children’s wear.

“I’ve also worked at Bluewater, in Enfield and at head office, which I loved. But it’s super exciting to come back to Canary Wharf, especially as it has now become a John Lewis.

“The change unlocks so many things for us and that means our customers here will be getting the very best the brand has to offer.”

The new signs are up and incremental changes are being made, with outdoor furniture now on the shop floor, for example.

“Many of the changes are behind the scenes, with the continued on Page 8

from Page 6

introduction of systems that we didn’t have before that will make us more efficient, said Helen. “The change should make the customer journey here better.

“Also, having a dedicated branch manager means a clear focus on what we offer and how we operate – I bring a ton of retail and commercial experience to help support the opportunity here. That’s the same for Waitrose too, although we will continue to work together.

“I think it’s very powerful that customers can see there’s a John Lewis here and that will help drive footfall for us. It’s a beautiful shop – it’s got something for everyone – and it’s one our partners can be really proud of.

“One of the reasons for the separation is that we’ve seen a lot of change in Canary Wharf over the last five years. There are more families living on the estate and in the surrounding area, for example, and we’re seeing those customers coming in regularly.

“We used, very much, to be a commuter store but that’s not so much the case anymore although we still have a strong focus on gifts so it’s vital we have the right brands and products for the people coming in.

“We know what the data tells us and we know what our customers are asking for so we can hopefully ensure that’s the case.

“I’ve got a real hunger for driving delight in our customers and always keeping them at the heart of everything we do.”

In some senses, running John Lewis Canary Wharf is a similar balancing act to the wider estate, with workers, residents and visitors to the area, all coming with different needs and desires.

Helen said: “It’s a real mix. Some customers are shopping intentionally for a particular product while others are browsing as a leisure activity. Technology, including our Apple range does really well here, as does Lego.

“But then you might have a customer who’s come in at lunchtime because they’re going out that evening and they’re looking for an outfit.

“We now have Topshop in store, which is a really positive arrival for us and we’ve also introduced Aubin in our menswear department, which is a really exciting brand.

“We’re making lots of small changes, such as our new Apple table on the top floor to showcase the brand’s products and there will be more of those to come.”

The decoupling also allows Helen to assert the shop’s identity and values more succinctly.

She said: “I feel really privi-

Floors of John Lewis products to explore in the partnership’s Canada

Square store

an

Lewis Canary Wharf showcases a wide range of products with plenty of gifting ideas

I’ve got a real hunger for driving delight in our customers and always keeping them at the heart of everything we do

Helen Chalkley, John Lewis

leged to be this store’s first branch manager and think that’s about making sure the artners here are living and breathing ohn ewis and roud to be wearing the badge.

ome o the changes we’ve made with our systems should make their lives easier and that will be reflected in how we serve our customers and communicate the value we offer.

This area isn’t like any other always think work in ew ork when ’m here. There are tons o o ortunities or us here and want us to make the most o them.

t’s about ensuring we understand what the anary har customer wants. The world o retail is constantly changing, but many o the basics remain the same. e want the sho to be well resented and or the customers who come to us or ins iration to find it in our s aces.

ho ing should be un and that’s something our artners can get really e cited about delivering. or me, working in this sector is as thrilling now as it was years ago.

ne o the things we’ll be doing is continuing our rogramme o in-store events. e have a mother and baby music grou and we’ve just hosted a li uorice tasting.

Activating our s aces in this way is a great way to bring eo le into the store to enjoy themselves and erha s discover roducts they might not have known about otherwise.

t draws eo le in with a bit o retail theatre and you see different grou s coming here, discovering what we have to offer and then connecting with one another.

key details ohn ewis anary har in anada uare is o en onday- aturday rom am- m and rom . am- m on undays.

Go to johnlewis.com for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about John Lewis Canary Wharf

on track

by Joe Thurgood

All you need to do is send your refund request and we take care of the rest, with 95% of refunds processed within 24 hours

Joe Thurgood, SWR

QMy business is quite unpredictable and I often need to change plans for sta at the last minute as they travel across the country using the rail network. How quickly is SWR Business Direct able to process refunds for a company like mine?

ARunning a business is rarely a straight line, and, when plans shift at the last minute, you need a travel partner that moves as fast as you do. SWR Business Direct is designed speci cally for this kind of unpredictability.

When it comes to refunds, the service is built for speed. When life throws you a curve ball and you need to change your business plans SWR Business Direct has got you covered. All you need to do is send your refund request and we take care of the rest, with 95% of refunds processed within 24 hours. That leaves you and your business able to get on with what you do best while we do what we do best– supporting you.

The value in aftersales support is often overlooked until it’s too late. Having to wait for responses, constantly chasing for updates and wondering whether anyone is going to actually get back to you is not only frustrating but unproductive. Wasted time is wasted money. With SWR Business Direct, you are secure in the knowledge that a real person is at the other end dealing with your request and our dedicated team will save you and your business the need to navigate the arduous task of completing online forms or phone menus that seem to o er more choices than a Choose Your Own Adventure book.

Ultimately, this e ciency saves your business money by recapturing costs that might otherwise be lost to no-show tickets or rigid booking policies.

It also frees up your sta to focus on their actual jobs. With SWR Business Direct, your travel budget stays as uid as your calendar, giving you the peace of mind to pivot whenever the market demands it.

Best of all, there are no booking fees, no contracts, no sign-up fees. You just pay the cost of the tickets.

is

Scan this code to nd out more about SWR Business Direct and the ways it makes booking train travel for sta across the UK easier

how you can visit Little Portugal just one stop on the train from London Waterloo via SWR’ services

by Jon Massey

The opportunity to be a tourist in your own city is one of the truly wonderful things about living in London or visiting the capital by train. A melting pot, the diverse communities that make up its population have shaped the urban environment, with influences from across the world.

Take Vauxhall, for example. Located just three minutes from London Waterloo via South Western Railway services, the station stands at something of a crossroads. To its west, a swathe of regeneration can be found in Nine Elms along the Thames connecting the area to Battersea Power Station via the US Embassy.

But head down South Lambeth Road and you’ll begin to feel the presence of the borough’s 30,000odd Portuguese speakers. many with links to the Island of Madeira

Having relocated to the area from Notting Hill, the community has put down deep roots, reflected in the many bars, restaurants and cafés strewn in the streets around the main drag all the way down to Stockwell Tube station and beyond.

The area was recognised in 2023 with a mural outside Tate South Lambeth Library on Wilcox Close.

Painted by Eduarda Craveiro and Alex Bowie, this features the Coração De Viana, a traditional symbol of a heart decorated with silhouettes of icons from Portuguese-speaking countries around the world.

For the visitor, perhaps the best way to explore is via the food and drink, much of which is extraordinarily good value.

Our first stop is Estrela, a cafe, restaurant and bar open every day except Tuesday on the corner of Meadow Place and South Lambeth Road. Here £25 will buy you two lightly fizzy glasses of Vinho De Pressao (a white sparkling wine served on draught), bread, sardine pate and crisp, juicy slices of chorizo “flamed on fire water”.

It’s the kind of place locals

travel for the

frequent, with Portuguese TV on in a corner and a carefully constructed model galleon sitting on top of a fridge. The flavours are drop-dead delicious and the value fantastic.

Strolling further down South Lambeth Road, visitors are met with a wealth of options for sampling Portuguese cuisine.

There’s the Three Lions cafe and tapas bar, restaurant Machico and the Lisboa Patisserie, which functions more as a mini supermarket.

Little Portugal isn’t like Soho, however. A degree of exploration and a willingness to walk around is the best way to discover its gems.

Keep going past Stockwell, for example, and you’ll come to Ilha Dourada, a bakery and deli that’s the ideal place to purchase Pastel De Nata, a custard tart that’s more like an national obsession than a mere pastry.

Expect to pay less than £2 for one of these flaky, sweet treats, which are a must-try, whether from this Stockwell Lane establishment or the likes of Madira Patisserie London, a little further down the road.

There’s night life too, with many venues offering evening dining and entertainment. Heading back towards Vauxhall Tia Maria Brazilian bar hosts live music and serves up grilled meats, skewers and tapioca wraps behind its bright yellow walls. Unusually, this venue features late night Sunday opening with parties running right through until 2.30am, an hour later than on Fridays and Saturdays.

Other venues to check out include Pinto’s and Lusitanos Bar And Grill on South Lambeth Road, both serving up highquality Portuguese dishes.

Perhaps the best approach, however, is to simply visit with an open heart. Leave the train at Vauxhall and wander south to see what takes your fancy. There are enough venues of sufficient quality to leave things up to serendipity.

key details

SWR Business Direct is free to use and allows companies to book, plan and manage business travel across the whole of Britain. There are no hidden fees or charges and no booking fees on tickets purchased via the service. Go to southwesternrailway.com for more information

O Cantinho De Portugal

>> If you only visit one restaurant in Little Portugal, make it this one. Located on Stockwell Road, this place has spent two decades serving up dishes from the old country.

O Cantinho De Portugal helpfully features a menu that shows diners exactly where the dishes they’re enjoying come from. But go hungry. The portions here are generous and the prices low.

Porco A Alentejana is a dish of pork and clams all mixed up with fried potatoes and pungent picked veg (think cauli ower and carrots). It’s zingy and delicious with the meat tender and well seasoned.

Bacalhau Com Natas is a creamy cod bake with potatoes and cheese and comes with a side salad. It’s rich, warming and deceptively lling.

At £18, both dishes are very well priced, served in a quirky, welcoming environment that’s lled with unhurried charm. A glass or two of Casal Garcia Vinho Verde for £5 is ideal to set the seafood and pickles o perfectly. Go to cantinhodp.com for more information

Below, Porco A Alentejana with clams, pork and pickled vegetables

viewpoint

by Chris Ezekiel

While AI remains very much a mainstay of the news cycle, big businesses remain cautious

Look at the headlines on any given day and two things dominate our world – geopolitical instability and con ict and a technological revolution in AI that promises or threatens, at least, to rewrite the rules of work forever. You might assume that being in the AI business right now feels like holding a winning lottery ticket. The hype cycle is at a fever pitch.

However, for those of us operating in the trenches of the large enterprise sector, the reality is far more nuanced. While the world screams: “Full speed ahead,” the pillars of global industry are, rightly, whispering: “Hold on”.

At Creative Virtual, we see the hesitation rst hand. Big tech might be ready to move fast and break things, but a multinational bank or a healthcare provider cannot a ord that luxury.

Issues of brand integrity, data sovereignty, privacy and trust remain signi cant hurdles. Large enterprises are not just buying a tool, they are guarding a fortress. This has led to a climate of extreme caution, where the AI boom is met with rigorous scrutiny rather than blank cheques.

So, how do we navigate a market that is simultaneously exploding with potential and paralysed by risk? We return to the same formula that has sustained us for more than 22 years.

● Controlling the controllables. In turbulent times, scal discipline isn’t just good accounting, it’s a competitive advantage. By managing our costs strictly, we ensure we are built for the marathon, not just the sprint.

● Innovation through partnership. We aren’t just “selling software”. We are working side-by-side with our partners to nd speci c, high-value ways to adapt our technology to their unique work ows.

● The human core. Despite the “Arti cial” in AI, our greatest asset remains our team of creative, brilliant people.

The strategy hasn’t changed because the world got noisier. We continue to focus on driving tangible value, respecting the caution of our clients, and proving that even in a revolution, steadiness is the ultimate innovation.

Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on X

Years since Tattu opened its

rst London branch close to Tottenham Court Road Station

enter the

how Tattu is set to ll Wood Wharf’s vacant oating barge with ancient maritime mythology and Chinese fusion food

by Jon Massey

Wood Wharf is set to get a new floating destination with Chinese fusion restaurant chain

Tattu gearing up to open its second London branch this winter.

Part of the Permanently Unique group, the Asian eatery will take over both levels of the barge formerly occupied by Marceline and Hovarda beside Water Street.

Tattu restaurants can now be found in Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Dubai as well as London. The group, founded by brothers Adam and Drew Jones, also runs American jazz brand Louis and modern Greek operation Fenix, which recently opened a branch in Mayfair, as it targets global growth.

The Canary Wharf restaurant’s food will be created under the supervision of global executive chef, Eugene Papadimitriou, and

chef de cuisine, David Pang. The former has risen through the ranks at Tattu to lead the London kitchen thanks to his Cordon Bleu training and passion for Asian cooking. The latter joins off the back of a 23-year career that includes roles at Rosewood and Hakkasan.

Designed by Studio Wyze, the new venue will be organised into four “realms based on ancient maritime mythology”. The double-height Grand Hall, representing the White Dragon, will serve as the primary dining space with light timber, purple lacquer, and a glowing onyx sushi counter.

This will flow into the Red Dragon cocktail bar, defined by dragon scale arches and ribbed red walls. Above, the Black Dragon mezzanine will offer an intimate environment of ebony and gold, while the Azure Dragon private dining room will feature an undulating ceiling designed to evoke both scales and open water.

Tattu’s existing London restaurant offers an all-day set menu

costing £34.50 for two courses or £39.50 for three. Diners can expect dishes such as Wagyu Beef Dumpling, White Miso Salmon, Wok Fired Angry Bird and Spicy Koi Fish Maki Roll.

Stuart Fyfe, managing director for retail, leisure and hospitality at Canary Wharf Group, said: “Tattu, owned by Permanently Unique, is a hugely sought after brand internationally, that continues to make a statement wherever it opens.

“Permanently Unique choosing Canary Wharf for its latest restaurant is a real statement of confidence in what we’ve built here. This is a brand that could have gone anywhere in London, and has chosen here.

“Canary Wharf is fast becoming one of the most exciting dining and leisure destinations in London with more than 80 cafés, bars, and restaurants catering for visitors, workers and residents and we’re excited to see Tattu open later this year.”

For more information go to tattu.co.uk

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

GIG | Jawdropped

how

The Monocle is set to take its audiences to queer 1920s Paris via dance, music and song this May

of The

are set to take place at Wilton’s Music Hall in May

Where? Troxy Limehouse

GIG | Tricky

The trip-hop pioneer and original member of Massive Attack arrives in Limehouse alongside guest vocalist Marta Zlakowska and “striking visual design”. May 15, 7pm, from £53.71, troxy.co.uk Where?

by Jon Massey

The glorious, crumbling walls of Wilton’s Music Hall are set to reverberate with the buzz and verve of Rendez-Vous Dance’s latest show.

A year on from the release of their debut EP, Just Fantasy, the LA out t bring their heavy power pop to east London. Expect sonic glitz and glam. May 19, 7.30pm, £14.50, thegeorgetavern.london

KIDS | Pie-Rat Island

The George Tavern Whitechapel Where? Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

Suitable for ages 2-6, this play-along theatre adventure is led by Ratty, a character with a lot of ideas and in need of plenty of help from the audience. May 15, noon, 2pm, £9, halfmoon.org.uk

You’ll need to be swift, but there’s still time to catch Olga Regina’s Memory Of A New City at the Brady Arts And Community Centre in Whitechapel before the artist’s solo show closes on April 25. Free to visit @reginaartblog on Insta

Scan this code to read our interview with Olga and nd out more about her work and the exhibition

The Monocle is a cabaret, dance homage to nightclub Le Monocle, a sanctuary for the lesbian community in Paris opened in the 1920s by Lulu De Montparnasse on the Boulevard Edgar-Quinet.

Billed as a “sizzling dance and music production”, the show has been created by the Rendez-Vous founder and artistic director, the choreogra her athieu effr .

Celebrating the history of the club – named for the optical affectations some lesbians used as a symbol of recognition in their community – The Monocle aims to transport audiences to an era of glamour, jazz, dressing up, dressing down, secret passions, sex and cocktails.

The company’s seven-strong cast tell stories of the venue’s clientele and their time spent in a place where they could dine, dance, sing and socialise without fear of persecution.

“Over the years, Wilton’s Music Hall has built a reputation for celebrating diverse, boundary-pushing, excellent art,” said Mathieu ringing the final er ormances of The Monocle to Wilton’s Music Hall after a successful night at the same venue in 2024, feels deeply relevant and meaningful.

“There’s something about the venue’s layered, rich and slightly subversive history that resonates with the queerness of our production.

“After three tours and such a generous response from audiences across the country, it feels like the right place to bring this journey to a close – intimate, relevant, charged and full of memory.”

Lasting 90 minutes, including an interval, the show features a mix of sensual choreography, passionate drama and live song from early-jazz performer, Imogen Banks.

“The beauty of The Monocle is how effortlessly it has welcomed a broad and diverse audience,” said Mathieu, who graduated from the Paris Conservatoire in 2006 before embarking on a career as a dancer across Europe.

He founded Rendez-Vous in

I want people to feel happiness when looking at my artworks and then to share it. I’m interested in how the city feels, not just how it looks Mathieu Ge ré, Rendez-Vous Dance

2021 with the aim of engaging with LGBTQIA+ themes.

e said hile the show offers a strong sense of entertainment, it also carries an educational and quietly political weight, particularly in drawing attention to the disappearance of safe spaces within our community.

“One of the most moving parts of the tour has been meeting members of the lesbian community who shared how deeply the work resonated with them.

“Ultimately, this is a show for everyone. It’s entertaining, informative, political and a joyful celebration of identity.”

For Mathieu, it’s also a work that resonates with his interest in LGBTQIA+ history, especially in France.

“One of my ongoing curiosities in life is understanding my roots as a member of the queer community,” he said. “In 2021, while reading The History of Homosexuality by lorence Tamagne, first discovered Le Monocle.

“I wanted to challenge the conventional perceptions of contemporary dance and explore the intersection of cabaret and movement as a way to reach new audiences.

“The Brassaï photographs of Le Monocle became a way in for me, showing that a man could indeed capture the essence of this extraordinary space for the lesbian community in Paris.

“When developing a work, I also consider its universal and contemporary resonance and, in this case, it felt essential to acknowledge the disappearance of lesbian safe spaces in public life.

“As a gay boy growing up in the French countryside, coming of age was a vulnerable path.

“But that began to shift when I started my dance studies at the onservatoire ational u rieur De Musique Et De Danse De Paris in 2001.

“The capital was a territory

celebrating the

The Monocle takes audiences to the world of Le Monocle, a club for the lesbian community that operated from the 1920s until the Nazi occupation of Paris in the 1940s

of fear, extravagance, and adventures.

“I emancipated myself in Le Marais, where I witnessed love lived unapologetically, drag artists fabulously striding through the streets and communities welcoming me into a freedom I hadn’t thought possible.

“I’m passionate about LGBTQIA+ history and my French heritage. When I learned about Le Monocle, a lesbian bar that mysteriously closed in June 1941 during the Nazi occupation, I couldn’t separate it from more recent tragedies.

“The story felt urgent, a necessary testimony about safe spaces and the risks we still face. I’ve never cared so deeply about getting something right. The Monocle was a unique opportunity to foster an environment where love transcends differences, creating a space where everyone feels seen, valued and embraced.

“When it was open, Le Monocle celebrated refinement, taste, and understated glamour.

“The costumes and set together capture that spirit, while subtle, playful details, like the iconic monocle itself, anchor the work in its historical and cultural context.

The overall effect is immersive – audiences step into a space where elegance, celebration and queer history coexist, fully alive for the contemporary moment.”

key details

The Monocle is set to be performed at Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping on May 15 at 7.30pm and on May 16 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets range from £12.50 to £25. Go to wiltons.org.uk for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about The Monocle

how Shenanigans In (The) Space is delivering regular comedy at the Isle Of Dogs venue and booking big hitters

by Jon Massey

Friday saw the return of regular comedy to The Space theatre in Westferry Road the first in a new series of monthly gigs that are set to pull in a series of potent line-ups to the Isle Of Dogs venue.

Shenanigans In (The) Space is the creation of producer, writer, promoter and sometime comic, Scott Fitzgerald, (who’s booking the acts) and regular MC Matt Price.

first came to The ace to see As You Like It, hosted by Sir Ian Mckellen [performed by all trans and non-binary theatre group Trans What You Will],” said Scott. “I loved the whole ethos of the venue – a small theatre that doesn’t receive any funding or regular support.

“I met Matty Jameson, the artistic director, who’s a superstar in my eyes – all drive and responsibility, but smiling all the way through it like a beautiful robot.

“Then I met the board members and explained about my background – promoting comedy and performing – and what I thought we could do here.”

The result is a series of shows hosted by Matt, each featuring three stand-ups with headline spots from the likes of Sam Nicoresti (who won Best Show at the Edinburgh Festival in 2025), Craig Campbell, Marty Gleeson, Dan Tiernan and comic rap powerhouse Doc Brown.

“We’re able to get people of this level because most comedians want to support something,” said Scott. “I contact them, tell them the story of the venue, why the fee is what it is and appeal to their human side.

“Many acts remember why they started in comedy, that first big laugh and the place they found their voice. We want to build that

We’re able to get people of this level because most comedians want to support something. I contact them and tell them the venue’s story Scott Fitzgerald, Shenanigans

kind of community here with established comedians and those coming through.

“It also helps that a lot of people know Matt. He’s one of the best compères in the country and when they know he’s the MC, they’ll come and do the gig.”

The air first met at an o en mic night in 2003. Scott had fallen out of a career as a window cleaner and into one as a theatre technician, before taking his own steps into stand-up. Matt had stumbled into comedy having briefly bo ed and then taken up writing about the sport. Together they ran the Yellow Kangaroo Comedy Club in ardiff and have remained riends ever since.

“I have memories of two speakers exploding on stage and Scott coming to sort them out,” said Matt. “We became friends and I was deluded enough to carry on as a performer.

’d had a ew fights as an amateur boxer, but I wasn’t very good and then I spent a couple of years trying to write a book about boxing before I fell into comedy and realised it’s the same thing as being in the ring, but without the punches.

“One wonderful comedian said that stand-up comedy is the most violent, non-contact sport in the world and I know what he means. There’s a saying in boxing: ‘It’s not why you start, it’s why you stay’. I started it because I was a failed boxing writer, and I stayed because, thankfully, I don’t take myself too seriously and I just genuinely love being a comedian.”

Having performed in 30 countries including Russia, Cambodia and “even Penzance” Matt said he was relishing the prospect of performing at The Space.

“I’ve been around a bit,” he said. “One highlight was standing on a piece of wood on top of a former gangland criminal’s house, performing to south-east London’s criminal underworld.

“I looked at a man with a tattooed face who asked me not to talk to him, He’d just robbed a ost o ce, but couldn’t stand being spoken to in public.

“Another was accidentally setting mysel on fire at the Edinburgh Festival – I just walked backwards into a candle. People asked if I’d done it on purpose so I just said: ‘Yes’. I’ve learned to take a compliment.

“The Space already feels very special and I’m really enjoying

bringing the

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall - Leamouth

working with Scott again. There’s something about supporting a local community and trying to build a night that people really like. There’s no pressure on acts here – we’re not going to say they’ve got to stick to every second as you do in more commercial clubs. It will be somewhere acts can come and experiment a bit.”

Talking with the duo, there’s a sense both of them are quietly revelling in the process of putting the gigs together – a feeling that they’re at the start of something.

Scott had stepped away from comedy for a number of years, with this bigger goal tempting him to return.

“Not much would have got me back into it – it’s hard work and you can’t please everybody,” he said. “But this venue should have more people in it – it’s that larger idea that makes me want to put myself through it again.”

The first Shenanigans saw Shaparak Khorsandi headline with sets from Don Biswas and Ciara O’Connor. The next date – May 22 – is set to feature ventriloquist Lachlan Werner and softly spoken Welsh comic Morgan Rees.

“The night will be headlined by prop comic Spencer Jones who performs on stage as Clunkerdunk,” said Scott. Best known for his recurring role as Mr Winner in BBC Shakespearean sitcom Upstart Crow, audiences can expect new material amid the unpredictability of live performance.

“Anything can happen,” said Scott. “That’s the excitement of it – it’s still thrilling to us after all these years. You just never quite know what you’ll see. That’s why Matt is so good – he’s skilled at making almost anything funny and connecting with the audience.

Matt added: “There was one time I was being heckled by a drunk woman in the front row, who just wouldn’t give up, so I walked to the back of the room and got everyone to turn their chairs round, putting her at the back. She was very angry, stormed out and slammed the door. Some of the audience barricaded the door behind her – you learn how to play a room. In between jokes, you could hear her complaining to the manager.”

key details

Shenanigans In (The) Space is set for a run of monthly performances at the Isle Of Dogs venue. The next date is May 22 and doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20. Go to space.org.uk for full details

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

EXERCISE | Tai Chi For Wellness

Where? Poplar Union Poplar

Join instructor Matthew Leavey for these simple owing sessions designed for beginners to explore the practice in a calm, encouraging environment. May 19, 6.15pm, £50 (10 sessions), poplarunion.com

Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

EVENT | Enter The Shadows

Subtitled “One Year In The Dark” the symphonic metal club night celebrates 12 months with performances from Youth Still Wild, Siren’s Spell and more. May 23, 7pm-1am, from £10, space.org.uk

EVENT | Voices Of Courage Participate in a commemoration of VE Day with author John Willis. Hear readings of real-life accounts by a series of acclaimed actors, plus discussion. May 7, 7pm, from free, theatreship.co.uk Where?

The University Of Sunderland In London’s Harbour Exchange campus o ers a wide range of courses including programmes in public health and nursing, complete with high-tech facilities for students london.sunderland.ac.uk

Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Madhini Sivasubramanian to nd out more about its nursing o er

how Harvest London is growing high quality ingredients at its vertical farm inside Corner Corner in SE16

by Jon Massey

For me, food is tradition, community, family –something that brings people together,” said Adam Abadi, operations manager at Harvest London. “It can be something that’s lost nowadays where everyone’s at desks on their phones or screens, not looking at or engaging with others.

“We can lose that connection with our food and each other. What we’re doing here in Canada Water is an opportunity to change that.”

Stood in the company’s facility at Corner Corner at Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, the very placement of the farm is part of that mission. The south-east London venue recently celebrated its first birthday and every single visitor to the venue over the past 12 months will have seen its plants basking under their LEDs through the facility’s glass walls.

But the tightly sealed space is much more than a brightly-lit backdrop to Kerb’s street food, drinks at the bar, beats from the DJ booth and free live music from the stage.

Broadwick’s emerald green refurb of a retail space that once housed The Range includes this fully functional agricultural operation where a staff o five tend to a wide variety of crops. Better still, the produce can be sampled on-site via cocktails and dishes on sale from Corner Corner’s vendors – food metres rather than food miles.

“I’ve been working in vertical farming for the past six years across London, having got into agriculture in Australia where I was looking at how plants actually grow and the different ways of doing that closer to the consumer,” said Adam.

“I was born and raised in

There’s a lot of precision involved, a lot of accuracy. The farm is around 22ºC and about 60% humidity – a really perfect day in Tuscany

90%

Reduction in water in vertical farming when compared with more traditional agriculture

London and the way we use water, pesticides, herbicides, shoot animals and erect fences on farms was a bit of a shock to me.

“We’re so used to going down to Tesco or the local corner shop and buying sandwiches wrapped in plastic, we don’t tend to think about how those ingredients are grown or where they come from.

“We don’t consider the processes, people, businesses and logistics involved in growing them and getting them to our plates. As an urban farmer, that’s why I want to engage with people to help them understand why we do what we do and what it means for urban populations.”

Harvest London was founded by Chris Davies and Matt Chlebek in 2017 and launched its Corner Corner facility in 2025. But what does it actually produce?

“The farm operates all year round, 24-hours a day,” said Adam. “We’re about 190sq m of space and within that we’re able to make use of about 400sq m of growing space because of our vertical design.

“One of the key questions is how much you can grow in the smallest space possible. One name for what we’re doing is ‘environment controlled agriculture’.

“It means we work with technology to grow our crops. The plants need a perfect environment to grow e ciently and effectively.

“There’s a lot of precision involved, a lot of accuracy. The farm is around 22ºC and about 60% humidity – it’s like a really perfect day in Tuscany.

“With traditional farming, a lot of the time you’re guessing –pouring water and fertiliser here or there.

“With the kind of vertical farming we’re doing, you can see the exact amount of water we need to use.

“As a result we can use fewer resources – typically about 90% less water and 75% less fertiliser as well as considerably less land.

“Our irrigation system sends water full of nutrients right to the plants’ roots and then it comes back into the tanks so it can be re-dosed and recirculated. We save as much as possible.”

Harvest London is also able to grow its plants without pesticides or herbicides. Ahead of our tour, we don hair nets and shoe coverings before entering the space.

Tightly controlling the farm helps protect the plants from unwanted contaminants and

growing the

Plants at Harvest London’s vertical farm grow two or three times quicker than they would outside

pests, meaning chemical intervention isn’t needed.

The business has grown more than 100 species of plants in its facilities since launch with popular products including basil, mustard greens, kale, parsley, coriander and Peruvian black mint. Its clients include the likes of Pizza Pilgrims and Ole And Steen as well as local businesses such as The Pear Tree and Pizza 1889, also based at Surrey Quays Shopping Centre.

The rocess differs slightly depending on what we’re growing,” said Hari Sasidharan, farm manager at the Canada Water facility.

“We plant our seeds on jute –there’s no soil used at any point during the process. Sometimes we use a machine to help distribute them.

“Then we wrap the trays and keep them in darkness until they have germinated. Then we place them under the lights. Sometimes we manually re-plant the seedlings.

“Some plants need more space to grow – we leave gaps in the trays of basil, for example, so they have plenty of room. Usually the plants develop more or less at the same speed as they all get the same treatment.”

At every level, the farm is verdant with life, making it simple to see why chefs and brands view the produce as an attractive option. We taste a few leaves and are rewarded with the rich pungency of basil, the spice of its Thai cousin, the zing of mustard and the unexpected delicacy of baby kale.

“All the plants we grow are premium quality,” said Adam. “Generally we’re able to produce them two or three times faster than traditional outdoor environments.

“The lighting they are under is

Chick’n’Sours’ Thai Chicken Salad costs £10 at Corner Corner in Canada Water

tried + tested

Chick’n’Sours

a combination of daylight and red light to encourage growth – each species has its own recipe.

“The fact we can turn them over more quickly means they spend less time in our system and so we use less power and fewer resources to nurture them.

“It’s very exciting to be part of the vertical farming industry, es ecially over the last five to years. A lot of investment is going into the sector and it’s entering its next phase.

“Everyone is coming into it with really good intentions – growing crops closer to consumers.

“Companies like ourselves, having been in business for nearly a decade are still going and we’re still expanding.

“We’re seeing more farms pop up. It’s not a silver bullet for every problem in the food industry, but my opinion is having more farms like this, bringing people back to more sustainable food and showing them where those ingredients come from is an important thing.

“A lot of the time agriculture is hidden out of sight, which is a shame. I think that having this kind of farming into public spaces is special, especially in urban environments like Corner Corner.”

key details

Harvest London is located at Corner Corner in Canada Water in Surrey Quays Shopping Centre. Tours of the facility can be booked through the venue’s website at cornercorner.com.

For more information about the farm and its services, go to harvest.london

Scan this code to nd out more about Harvest London

Corner Corner is many things. The Canada Water venue, a short walk over Asif Khan’s sweeping red bridge from the station, boasts deep green walls and a chunky event space, formerly home to the underwhelming “immersive” take on Minecraft.

In addition to Harvest London, it’s also a live music venue, home to a regular series of DJ performances and a drinking spot with food from two vendors operated in partnership with Kerb.

There are comfy sofas, creamy plywood and plenty of chairs and tables. The vibe is of a market hall, even if there are only a duo of traders on o er.

That’s not to say, of course, that the food’s not worth a visit. While Sireli serves up Armenian dishes alongside a decent Cheeseburger (£14 including fries), it’s Chick’n’Sours that catches my eye.

Its Thai Chicken Salad with herbs, I believe, from the vertical farm, is a steal for £10. Generous, juicy tenders sit atop a crunchy bowl of shredded carrot, mooli, beansprouts and spring onion.

While initially it looks a little stingy in size, the sheer density of this nutrient-rich o ering turns out to be the ideal portion, generously doused in Nahm Jim Dressing, Sriracha Sour Cream and crispy shallots.

On our visit, the events space was hosting a market by Playing Outside, a welcome, vibrant collection of makers and traders selling art, clothing, scents and jewellery. Alongside the free live music, this is a place worth visiting.

Jon Massey

Scan this code to nd out more about Corner Corner

Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey what’s on things to do, places to go, people to see

Where? The Brunel Museum Rotherhithe

TALK | Shota Noonan: Notes from a Forgotten Island The Architectural Association School Of Architecture student presents the results of his project based on the perceived boundaries of Rotherhithe. May 6, 5.30pm, free, thebrunelmuseum.com

EVENT | Perudo Championships Celebrating its fth birthday, challengers are invited to test their blu ng, strategies and lies for the chance to win a set of golden dice. Doors open 10am. May 23, noon-5.30pm, £10, badgerbadger.org

Where? The Albany Deptford

STAGE | The Cold Room Part psychological drama, part meta-theatrical reckoning, this one-act play by Lunga Yeni explores how performance becomes both mask and mirror. May 8-9, 7pm, £20, thealbany.org.uk

If you move fast, there’s just time to catch Block Power Music at The Albany on April 24. Overseen by Kwake Bass, the gig brings bea makers and producers together for an evening of creation from 7.30pm, tickets £10 thealbany.org.uk

Scan this code to nd out more about Block Power Music and its back-to-back beats

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

GIG | Black Co ee

Cost of a ticket to attend both the conference and concert for Sonic Spheres At Woolwich Works: A Groundbreaking Spatial Audio Experience

The event is set to feature three IKO spherical loudspeakers

Where? The O2 Greenwich Peninsula

The South African DJ, record producer and songwriter gears up for his biggest ever UK show and is all set to perform with a live orchestra. May 22, 6.30pm, from £44, theo2.co.uk

STAGE | Dead Air + WIP

This is billed as a heartfelt, funny, and glitchy deep dive into grief, ghosts, and digital obsession. It’s followed by Dream House, a work in progress. May 13-16, 7pm, £19.50, greenwichtheatre.org.uk

Old Royal Naval College Greenwich Where?

GIG | The Choral Pilgrimage

Where?

con guring the

The Sixteen celebrate the music of the Spanish Renaissance in the Chapel Of St Peter And St Paul plus a new commission by Kerensa Briggs. May 12, 9.15pm, from £18, ornc.org

xed abode

Nomadic immersive experience company

Secret Cinema has announced plans to build a new venue for its shows on Greenwich Peninsula, set to open later this year if planning permission is granted secretcinema.com

Scan this code to nd out more about the Secret Cinema and its plans for Greenwich

how Woolwich Works is set to host an immersive audio experience with a pioneering speaker setup

by Jon Massey

Where spatial sound often converges towards a perfect point with controlled clarity, with the IKO loudspeaker it radiates outwards - alive and unbound – meeting space as an equal partner,” said Dr Emma Margetson, senior lecturer in music and sound at the University Of Greenwich and an acousmatic composer and sound artist.

“In this shift, listening is no longer xed or neutral, but organic, shaped by movement, material, and presence, where sound, space, and listener co-create the experience.”

Working in her capacity as co-director of the Loudspeaker Orchestra Concert Series and in collaboration with UCL and City St George’s University, she’s set to bring something special to south-east London.

On May 9, Sonic Spheres At Woolwich Works: A Groundbreaking Spatial Audio Experience promises a full day of talks, panel discussions and demonstrations covering topics such as 3D composition, sound architecture, psychoacoustics and spatial perception.

All this is in aid of the installation of three IKO spherical loudspeakers in the venue’s Fireworks Factory, believed to be the rst time a trio of such devices has been brought together for a single concert.

Taking place on the evening of the same day, the show will feature works by Angela McArthur, Aaron Einbond, Dushume and Emma as well as new pieces by Kat Pegler and Lara Weaver.

key details

The day-long programme of events runs from 10am-5pm on May 9. The concert is set to follow from 7pm-9.30pm. Combined tickets for both cost £35, while concert-only tickets are £10. Go to sonicspheres.org for more information

Scan this code to book for the Woolwich Works event

Cost of the Lamb Kofta kebab at

lled with

how Kaboom Lounge delivers sublime dishes in generous quantities amid pleasing surroundings

by Jon Massey

Dressed in lashings of fake foliage, studded upholstery and golden light, Kaboom Lounge And Restaurant in Royal Wharf is a glamorous place.

Serving shisha, grilled Mediterranean dishes and consciously misspelt Kocktails, at rst glance it might be tempting to dismiss this east London venue as more style than substance.

The interior designers have certainly earned their fee with plenty of walls

distressed via sponged metallic paint. But to write this place o so quickly would be a mistake.

The real joy here is the food, which turns out to be carefully cooked to a very high standard.

The Mix Mezze feels a little meagre for £14.90 with just three dishes of hummus, tzatziki and babaganoush supplied with bread, but the avours are there.

Conversely, my main of Lamb Kofta (£23.90) was generous in the extreme. Two wonderful kebabs with their juices soaking into a strip of atbread, crunchy salad and a somewhat unnecessary

bowl of rice, all added up to a plate to remember. If you do decide to visit, maybe skip lunch.

key details Kaboom Lounge And Restaurant is located in Royal Wharf’s Rendal Way and is open weekdays from 4pm and weekends from noon. Go to kaboomlounge.com for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about Kaboom

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

CLUB | Goodness 24hrs

Enjoy a day-long feast of techno and electronica from the likes of Hezen, Sybil, A Guy Called Gerald, Alicia, CCL and DJ Fart In The Club. May 16 , 11pm-11pm,from £23.60, ra.co

EVENT | A Place In The Sun Live

Meet the stars of the show at this event geared speci cally to those thinking of buying a holiday home or relocating abroad. May 8-10, 10am-4pm, £8,

EVENT | Jammin

Enjoy music from Archie Briant, Bailey King ,Bill Stone, Cal Turner, Nath, Sonny Morris and Talieu at this quirky venue on an industrial estate. May 16, 1pm-10pm, £10, ra.co

catch this

From 11pm on May 9 until 6am the following morning, Tribelife is set to take over Fold in Canning Town for an night of electronica and club music. Tickets for the event cost £17.30 and include a gong experience ra.co

Scan this code to nd out more about Tribelife or to buy tickets for the event in Canning Town

V&A sites people can now visit in Stratford – Storehouse and the newly opened V&A East Museum

Skin of Skunk Anansie performs at Glastonbury. Her Clit Rock suit can be seen at V&A East Museum

tried + tested V&A East Museum

Any way you cut the complex geometry of V&A East Museum, it’s a fantastic addition both to the Stratford skyline and Newham’s cultural heft.

What Gus says about the relentless focus on connecting its spaces to the local community nds its proof in the new institution’s galleries. The Why We Make spaces are refreshing. Super cially incongruous treasures – everything from glacial stupas to healing chairs and Daoist robes – are sewn together with a golden thread of locality.

Walk into the lower of the two galleries and you’ll immediately be confronted by Molly Goddard’s hot fuscia Daria dress, an east London creation that features 61 metres of tulle and was once worn by Beyoncé.

I’m left with no choice but to knock o a star because (teething troubles) my radar-linked Sennheiser headphones provided for a stroll round The Music Is Black: A British Story, failed to function properly. This left me with a loop of the intro melody, rather than the 120 tracks promised.

My guess is that given this exhibition is about music, it’s probably better when you get to hear it. However, even without the gospel, soul, rap, r’n’b, blues, rock, folk and grime, it’s a collection worth viewing thanks to the variety and vibrancy of the exhibits. Here too, thanks to kids from the Lansbury Estate, Dizzee Rascal, Billy Ocean and countless performers still gigging at the likes of Boisdale Of Canary

the east is ever present.

Jon Massey

Scan this code to nd out more about The Music Is Black

how V&A East Museum hopes to act as a platform and a ladder for young Londoners’ creative ambitions

by Jon Massey

This is a place of dreams and possibilities,” said Gus Casely-Hayford, director of V&A East.

“What it needs now is people to come in and make them real.”

Speaking at the launch of V&A East Museum, the more prominently located second half of the west London institution’s new empire in this part of the capital, there’s a thrill in his voice.

Storehouse, located at Here East, has been a resounding success, welcoming 600,000 visitors through its doors since it opened last year, despite being somewhat tucked away amid the fabulous sprawl of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The new museum sits on one end of East Bank beside the London College Of Fashion, the new BBC Music Studios and Sadler’s Wells East. Its opening is a key part of the 2012 Games’ cultural legacy.

Just like the South Bank, these buildings are statements of intent, powerhouses for the arts rising proudly above Waterworks River with the V&A’s golden geometric concrete arguably the most visually striking.

ut or us, it’s the flow o young minds in and out of its doors that he and the team care most about, the museum’s connection to the community.

“East London is the place that gives us Alexander McQueen, David Bailey and so many other creators who had to struggle and fight in their fledgling careers to get their eet on the first rung o the ladder,” he said. “For all those future makers and artists, we want to be there as that ladder.

“It shouldn’t just be middle class kids who have an uncle who works in film or an aunt who runs a gallery that succeed.

“It’s wonderful they have those opportunities, of course, but how do we ensure that those without those advantages in east London can get purchase on careers in the creative industries? I’m proud of the sense of possibility we’ve created here.”

Over simplifying, if Storehouse is a place to hold, look after and offer access to the , objects in the V&A family, chronicling some 5,000 years of human creativity, V&A East Museum is a lace to show them off in tightly

We want this to be a place where particularly young people can come, hang out, learn things, but also be inspired

Gus Casely-Hayford - V&A East

curated, thought-provoking ways. To that end, it features two permanent Why We Make galleries, packed with treasures that are free to view.

There’s also an exhibition space, currently occupied by The Music Is Black: A British Story, which aims to illuminate 125 years of black British music via exhibits, stories and sound.

n its fi th floor there’s a terrace and another free exhibition, Dispersal, which captures the businesses that called this part of London home before the Olympics. Then, on its lowest level, there’s Café Jikoni, a partnership with a restaurant group known for “cooking across borders”.

Even on press day it’s easy to see how these spaces will quickly fill with visitors, thanks in art to a programme of free live events, including a takeover by DJ Nia Archives, workshops and talks.

“When I came into my role, it was at the time of the pandemic and we built a team and an idea through remote working,” said Gus. “Part of that was informed by that period, but we wanted to create connectivity – an institution able to connect with the community.

“As soon as we were able, we got out there to see those communities, to talk to them and ask them what they wanted at the V&A East museum. They were really keen to tell us.

“I loved it because I got to visit more than 100 schools within a bus ride, speaking in assemblies and asking them what we should offer. istening to them, many of those young people were frustrated. They aspired to work in the creative industries but had little or no understanding of how they might do it.

“We saw that there was a desperate need for institutions like V&A East and for young people to get engaged with them.

“So we worked with them –

Gus Casely-Hayford says V&A East Museum has been created in consultation with young Londoners

more than 30,000 people consulted on every area of operational and curatorial delivery.

“I hope this is an institution that reflects their as irations, ho es and dreams and that visitors will see that as they walk through these spaces.

“Our permanent galleries are called Why We Make because we thought making was a theme that would really speak to young people.

“Everything here has been part of us demonstrating our respect for this place and its populations.

“I can’t wait to see people come streaming through these doors and absolutely fall in love with this s ace. t’s a different kind o museum, which I hope will appeal to a different kind o audience.

“The building is extraordinary. Architects O’Donnell + Tuomey have created a kind of multi-faceted jewel with goldfaced concrete and it’s absolutely exquisite.

“Inside, it has these astonishing geometric windows, which mean that almost anywhere you are, you can see out across the Olympic Park that surrounds us. You get a real sense of where you are when you’re inside.

inspiring people

The ve-storey V&A East Museum stands at one end of East Bank overlooking the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

“They also created circulation spaces where you can come in the entrance on the lower ground floor and walk all the way u the five floors above without encountering a door.

“We are living in societies which can feel very fractured. We’re located next to one of the biggest shopping centres in Europe and I hope we’ll become a place of gathering. Shops are wonderful, but they aren’t places of civic convening.

“We want this to be a place where particularly young people can come, hang out, learn things, but they can also be inspired.

“It’s a wonderful privilege to be the inaugural director of V&A East – it’s probably the best job in the cultural sector.

“My hope is that, as time goes on, it will also be a place where they don’t just find o ortunities to remake themselves, but also to remake V&A East.”

key details

V&A East is located at East Bank on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Entry to the building is free, although tickets to see The Music Is Black: A British Story start at £22.50. Concessions for students and those under 26 are available. Go to vam.ac.uk for more information

Scan this code to nd out more about V&A East Museum

Sudoku

Take a break from that phone

How to play

To complete Sudoku, ll the board by entering numbers one to nine such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

More to play

You can nd more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca

Notes

crossword

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

Cryptic Quick

Down

3. Rapid incendiary questions (9)

8. Secure your hair? (4)

9. Are these the ends for buses, trains and wires? (9)

10. It’s hateful to include a promissory note (6)

11. This has been coming back up north since 1960 (5)

14. Included wager helps a criminal (5)

15. Genuine holder of filmstock, we hear

16. Greek fabulist holds a pose? (5)

18. Geologists’ favourite music genre (4)

20. Straighten up this archer’s weapon (5)

21. ...whose armoury is letter-shaped? (5)

24. Kane’s stately pleasure dome (6)

25. Chronological bend for workers (9)

26. Where the nervous may be found? (4)

27. A candid promontory for Frances (9)

1. Queen who gets the needle? (9) . nds o words suffer injuries, we hear (9)

4. Manipulates drugtaking (4)

5. Get your money back, and then some! (5)

6. The guitar which protects (6)

7. Sounds like a snack for actors (4)

12. Dutch painter who made his mark at the end (9)

13. Pipes which deliver the poison (9)

17. Young dog starts larval processes (5)

19. Loud horn very careless in the middle (6)

22. About a decimal frequently (5)

23. Unclear voice is an insult (4)

24. Winter seasonal abbreviation? (4)

Periodicals (9) 8. Possesses (4)

Kicked sporting items (9) 10. Amusing TV drama (6)

Deduce (5)

Verse form (5)