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inside issue 148

Why David Lefebvre Sell says it isn’t all about the cash Page 27

Crate Bar And Pizzeria - Omniss + Omnifix The Hunger Games: On Stage - Sophie Goddard Chris Ezekiel - Café Seek - Sudoku Fame Factory - Crosswords - Knitting The Air iFLY - The Clement Attlee - London Dock Kidbrooke Square - Dagenham Green Space Tangle - Winter Lights

the power of

how fashion designer Olivia Black’s latest collection celebrates the support she’s had in her career Page 32

Call our team on 020 7205 4021 or email cmiller@kiddrapinet.co.uk,Image supplied by Olivia Black

ypatel@kiddrapinet.co.uk or mzvarykina@kiddrapinet.co.uk celebrating the best of Canary Wharf, Docklands and the new east London people - events - treasure - property - foolishness

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things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Boisdale Of Canary Wharf Cabot Place

EVENT | Scarce And Rare Malt Whisky Tasting Boisdale, The Spectator and Duncan Taylor present an opportunity to sample a selection of extremely pricey tipples alongside matching canapés. Nov 6, 6.30pm, £185, boisdale.co.uk

Welcome to issue 148 of Wharf Life. This paper is all about the twin issues of glam and comfort, whether that’s slick styles from Omniss and Olivia Black, a sprinkling of stardust at the Fame Factory in Royal Docks or tucking into a beer with friends at new arrival Crate or refreshed pub The Clement Attlee...

The Hunger Games are set to begin as John Malkovich enters...

Where? London Museum Docklands Canary Wharf

EXPLORE | Docks After Dark Step into the shadows of a 200-year-old warehouse and discover its macabre treasures and tales after closing. Expect the odd restless spirit. From Oct 28, 5pm, £20, londonmuseum.org.uk

How Omnifix and Omniss are set to bring a dash of style to Wood Wharf

Where? Crossrail Place and Jubilee Place Canary Wharf

READ | Black Writers Collection The estate’s Short Story Stations, in partnership with Penguin Books, are celebrating black voices in literature from October onwards. Print off a free extract. Ongoing, free, canarywharf.com

Fame Factory, a new immersive experience at Excel London in Royal Docks, offers everyone the chance to become a celebrity for a whirlwind hour of adoration, photoshoots and more...

flash back

Crate brings the beers and pizzas of Hackney Wick to Water Street

the joy of six

34 Party Season is coming up fast. If you haven’t sorted your festive celebrations yet, take advantage of our handy guide and get booking as venues’ dates are in increasingly short supply. Don’t miss out... wharf-life.com Scan this code to read our Party Season supplement, offering ideas and deals on venues locally want more? @wharfwhispers

Why taking to the air at iFLY is ideal for a festive office outing at 30% off

How Dagenham Green is putting amenities in place on-site for its residents

Every issue Wharf Life covers six areas surrounding Canary Wharf to bring you the best of what’s going on beyond the estate From Page 28

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Topping a blizzard of openings news, K-beauty retailer Pureseoul is set to come to Canary Wharf’s Canada Place. The UK-based business started online in 2019 importing Korean brands and is now into double figures as it rolls out its physical stores pureseoul.co.uk

30 Where once was Paul Smith, soon there shall be TM Lewin in Cabot Place. The shirting and menswear brand, which dates all the way back to 1898, is returning to physical retail (and Canary Wharf), having shut its shops in 2020. It’s expected in November tmlewin.co.uk

TRIED + TESTED Sausage Roll Café Seek cafeseek.co.uk This is a Sausage Roll unlike any other in Canary Wharf. Japanese bakery Café Seek has officially opened its doors at Wood Wharf’s Harbord Square, complete with traditional noren (curtains) above the door. Already attracting a brisk trade, the independent business blends French patisserie techniques with Asian flavours and a minimal, exacting aesthetic that wouldn’t be out of place in Tokyo. More importantly though, owners Pinky Chan and Emily Leung have come up with some seriously delicious creations, typified by their

Save either 10% on an annual subscription or 50% on your first day pass with Santander Cycles. Codes are CANARYWHARF10 and CANARYWHARF50 tfl.gov.uk

How a new artwork knits data into being to highlight pollution

We sit down with fashion designer Olivia Black to talk magpies

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£100 28

In celebration of a pint that only costs £3.95. The Craft Beer Co has given its Limehouse pub a new look and The Clement Attlee is a sight to behold as a mix of old and new...

Malmin Dental is offering a Halloweenthemed £100 off teeth whitening to get those fangs in shape before Oct 31. Full details and T&Cs on the Canary Wharf app canarywharf.com

The Sausage Roll costs £4.60 at Café Seek in Wood Wharf’s Harbord Square take on this classic bakery stalwart. Sink your teeth in and it’s soft, meaty, cheesey and surprisingly filling. Like many of the pastries and cakes on offer, it’s the kind of thing you sample and then instantly wish there was more of. That also seems to be the consensus. Despite a torrent of toil in the on-site kitchen, when I visited last at 10.30am, the place was practically sold out. Go early. Better still, visit before October 18 and you’ll get 30% off during the bakery’s soft launch. ★★★★★ Jon Massey

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biolokey noun, fake, from Gattaca subscribe to our FREE Wharf Whispers newsletter and get our content in your inbox fortnightly

Following news that JP Morgan employees in the States will be using their biometrics to access its New York HQ, maybe it’s time to invent a word for those fingerprints or retinas that prove a person’s validity and afford them entrance

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

SO LIT Winter Lights Canary Wharf canarywharf.com

cockalorum noun, real, from Dutch

A small-minded man with a big opinion of himself. Dating from around 1798, this term likely comes from an obsolete Dutch dialect word meaning “to crow”. Especially useful for describing those of a boastful nature

The mercury has dipped just a fraction so, in addition to looking forward to the ice rink, it’s time to start talking about Winter Lights. It’s official, the free festival is set to return to Canary Wharf in 2026, this time with a theme of “Dreamscape” promising to take “visitors on a journey through surreal, ethereal and uniquely human experiences” throughout the estate. Winter Lights will run from January 20-31 from 5pm-10pm daily. A full line-up is expected in December.

TREADING BOARDS The Hunger Games: On Stage Wood Wharf thehungergamesonstage.com The Hunger Games: On Stage is set to open at Troubadour Theatre Canary Wharf this month. Previews for the show will begin on October 20 in the new venue at Wood Wharf with actor John Malkovich appearing on screen in the role of President Coriolanus Snow as part of the production. “I’m delighted to join the world premiere production of The Hunger Games in London, bringing this iconic story to the stage,” said the Hollywood veteran. “Playing President Snow will be thrilling, because I have long been an admirer of Suzanne Collins’s novels, the films and Conor McPherson’s writing – it is a privilege to take on this role.” Malkovich’s performance will be shown using “cutting-edge technology” alongside a live cast including Mia Carragher as Katniss Everdeen and Euan Garrett as Peeta Mellark in McPherson’s adaptation of Collins’ popular books. The show will be performed in the round in the purpose-built venue, which is currently being finished off. Standard tickets for the production start at £30 while premium tickets are available from £125 per person. Shows are scheduled at 7.30pm TuesdaySaturday with 2.30pm matinees on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

COMING SOON Mango Men Canada Place shop.mango.com In addition to the return of TM Lewin, male fashion in Canary Wharf is set to get a further boost in the coming weeks with the arrival of Mango Men. Perhaps the very definition of smart casual, the brand offers a wide variety of sweaters, cardigans and trousers that are equally at home in the office or lounging about at home. Wharfers can also expect smart coats and suits that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the occasion. Mango’s current collection features a deluge of neutral tones with beige and biscuit hues contrasting with classic darker colours. Expect chunky silhouettes with broad shoulders in the jackets and straight-legged trousers.

COUNTDOWN STARTED The Dial Greenwich Peninsula thedialldn.com

Above, the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre is now capped with The Hunger Games’ symbol Left, John Malkovich will appear on screen as President Coriolanus Snow as part of the show

Meantime beer is set once again to be made in Greenwich, with the forthcoming arrival of The Dial pub, sports bar and microbrewery on the Peninsula. K&G Hospitality – the company behind Amazing Grace, which is soon set to open at Canary Wharf’s 12 Bank Street – will operate the venue and they like a challenge. So much so, that they’ve started a massive counter on top of the building that was once home to Craft restaurant and bar, setting a hard deadline of October 30 for launch. Meantime closed its brewery in the borough in 2024 after the brand was acquired by brewing giant Asahi. Most of its beers are now made in Chiswick, but the new site will see Yakima Red brought back... Landlord Knight Dragon, Meantime and K&G Hospitality celebrate starting the countdown

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virtual viewpoint by Chris Ezekiel

he other day, I heard a Frank Sinatra song on the radio. It reminded me of the longevity of certain artistic creations and how the enduring beauty of art outlives the moment. We are, however, living in a time where the very definition of art and performance is being reshaped. With artificial intelligence advancing at an incredible pace, we can now insert ourselves into classic film scenes, hear voices resurrected, and watch synthetic versions of performers who are no longer with us. The line between the real and virtual (fake) world is becoming increasingly blurred. This was on my mind during an intense week of company and product presentations. Presenting to a group of people reminded me of something – AI, for all its sophistication, cannot replicate the magic of ‘live performance’. The nervous energy, the humour, the Many people are body language and the positive comparing AI with and critical human intelligence. feedback are attributes that But we don’t even are uniquely understand how the human. And it’s how relahuman brain works tionships are formed and Chris Ezekiel, Creative Virtual business deals

made. AI will undoubtedly continue to transform our lives. But what gives me hope for humankind is the creative spark that arises when people interact with each other in real time. Many people are comparing AI with human intelligence. But we don’t even understand how life started or how the human brain works. Consequently comparing life with a computer that still works on the original design – a piece of silicon processing ones and zeros – is a pointless exercise and undervalues the miracle of humanity. As the AI revolution unfolds it’s important to remember that this technology is a tool, not the master. Its value is greatest when it serves human imagination. With all our imagination, flaws, inventiveness and unpredictability, we remain the controllers of AI. It’s really a time to celebrate both the power of AI and also of being gloriously human.

The human brain remains an enduring mystery

Chris Ezekiel is founder and CEO of customer engagement solutions specialist Creative Virtual based at Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square Scan this code for more information about Creative Virtual or follow @creativevirtual and @chrisezekiel on X Image by Amel Uzunovic

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how Omnifix and Omniss are set to add a dash of style and practicality to the offering at 8 Harbord Square

Age Asya was when she started making her own clothes in her native Armenia Wave Sheer Blouse, £175 Wave Suit Trouser, £450 both by Omniss

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hile Canary Wharf’s malls are replete with stores selling all kinds of fashion, only English Tailoring makes and sells garments in the neighbourhood. Soon though the veteran tailoring business, which has spent the last 28 years clothing Wharfers from its base on South Colonnade, will be joined by a new arrival to the area. As part of Canary Wharf Group and Tower Hamlets Council’s collaborative project to provide affordable space for local businesses, 8 Harbord Square in Wood Wharf is set to welcome Asya Ter-Hovakimyan’s two brands – Omnifix and Omniss. The former offers repairs, alterations, tailoring and customisation, while the latter is the creative label she co-founded in 2016 with Francisco Zhou while the pair were studying at the London College Of Fashion. Omniss became established at Poplar Works in east London in 2020 as a base of operations, while the genesis of Omnifix came shortly after the pandemic arrived when Asya spotted a gap in the market. She said: “In the UK, alterations and repairs to clothes are generally handled through dry cleaning businesses. “In London you also have highlevel seamstresses and tailors who do work making garments for fashion labels, but don’t tend to get involved with that sector. “When lockdown happened, we had customers getting in touch with us for help with designer garments – repairs and alterations. “I realised that, through my work with Omniss, I was in between these two groups and had all the resources to handle complex services like sympathetically re-sizing pieces as well as simpler tasks. “Initially, this side of the business didn’t have its own name, but it grew so busy through word-of-mouth that I had to work out what to do with it. I founded Omnifix with the aim of treating continued on Page 8

fixing

Image by Omniss

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from Page 6 fashion in a different way. I wanted customers to be able to bring pieces they loved to us to work on to bring new life to them. “In December 2022 we’d moved to a bigger space in Hackney Wick at The Trampery and, by March, we were fully booked. We had to hire staff specifically to work on repairs and processing new orders and, by this time, we were getting business from all round the UK. “I’d always seen us needing more space and I’m quite local to Canary Wharf. I know the type of people who are here and I think we have something to offer them. “While we have an online presence, I believe it’s important that clothes exist in the physical world – people want to try things on and it’s important to be able to see them face-to-face. Customers can bring us garments where they know something is wrong and we’ll fix it – we’ll listen to them. It’s a bit like going to the doctor with your symptoms. We’re here to be empathetic. “It’s about trust and there’s a sense of community around that as well. I always envisioned that we would have multiple hubs to drop off clothes and get advice, but they’ll also be a retail element at Wood Wharf, selling quality fashion in that neighbourhood. “Some clothes for Omniss will also be made there – that’s important too, because people can be disconnected from how their clothes are manufactured. “If what someone is wearing takes special machinery and many hours of making to create but they’re only paying £10, then there’s a problem with that model.” Asya has been immersed in fashion from a young age, first learning embroidery in her native Armenia at her mother’s instigation before starting to make clothes aged 10. She said: “She saw I really loved doing it, but she didn’t really do it herself – she had a conviction that everybody should know how to sew on a button. “As a girl I learnt about the best fashion schools in the world from her magazines and they

Fashion should be empowering and make you feel good. It needs to be ethically made by people who are paid fairly. These are the basics Asya Ter-Hovakimyan, Omnifix + Omniss

Years since Asya and Francisco co-founded fashion brand Omniss Omnifix founder and

Scan this code to find out more about Omniss’ designs

Omniss co-founder Asya Ter-Hovakimyan, wearing one of her own creations

Image by Jon Massey

Marble Shirt, £210

Broken Heart Jacket, £475

Logo Sweater, £147

Omniss makes use of deadstock fabrics to help reduce its environmental impact Images by Omniss

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were all in the UK. I made it my dream to study in one of those places. It was quite a journey to put together a portfolio and apply, because I didn’t know about the system here. “I did lots of drawings back home and then I got an offer from Central Saint Martins to study a foundation year in art and design.” From that base, she won a place on the Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear course at the London College Of Fashion, where she met Francisco and started Omniss. “It was a very technical degree,” said Asya. “At first I was a bit upset because I was a lot more into the product and I wanted to do more artistic stuff. But I came to the conclusion that, if you don’t have the practical skills to bring your ideas to life, it might be easy for someone else to tell you they are impractical. “If you know how to do it, it’s easier for you to get pieces made the way that you imagined. After I met Francisco, we started doing catwalk shows in west London venues such as Mayfair members clubs. We were just two students who barely knew anything – finding people to model for us in

the tall jeans section of Topshop on Oxford Street. “Some were tourists who were excited to be involved with fashion students – some even ended up buying our clothes. “That’s when we realised that, if people liked what we were doing, we should make it into a proper brand and Omniss was born. “We create collections, taking inspiration from what’s being discussed and what’s going on in the world around us. “In 2019 it was about how AI would take over the job market – we imagined Omniss as a robot factory. Then there was a collection about the sea, when climate change was being neglected. “One thing I’m very passionate about is making something sustainable, while ticking all the other boxes that fashion is supposed to be. “Fashion should be empowering and make you feel good. You also need to like it aesthetically. Fashion needs to be organic and ethically made by people who are paid fairly. These are the basics. “The trick is still to make it desirable – that sustainability isn’t the main reason why someone buys something. We always try

Image by Mike Chaney

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to produce things that are really wearable. Running businesses is definitely a lot more hard work than I imagined, but we really care about every product and customer. When we get a fivestar review we do a little happy dance.” Omnifix and Omniss will join an ever-growing collection of new arrivals to Wood Wharf including The Flower Club, Wayne Hairdresser Salon, Cafe Seek, Ong Lai Kopitaim, The Island, Awe London, Signorelli and Pawsome Pet Grooming And Spa. Several more businesses are set to open soon including Supershakes, The Lockdown Room, Nora and Mama Li. key details Omnifix and Omniss are set to open on the ground floor of Wood Wharf’s 8 Harbord Square in the coming weeks. Details of the former’s services and the latter’s collections can be found online. Go to omni-fix.com or omnissworld.com

Asya hard at work on a collection for Omniss at the brand’s Hackney Wick Studio. Together with Omnifix, the label will be expanding to Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf

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how the arrival of Crate in Wood Wharf charts a course from coffee through craft beer to community

Sites Crate now operates from in east London – one at Hackney Wick and the other in Wood Wharf Crate co-founder Tom Seaton says the Wood Wharf bar and pizzeria’s key function is as a meeting point

by Jon Massey

or 13 years, the beer, buzz, beats and pizza on paper at the White Building have shaped the heart of Hackney Wick in east London. Now, the ripples of Crate have made their way down the canal from that neighbourhood to find a new space to reverberate through, opposite the whale at Wood Wharf. The company has opened its second site, a new bar and pizzeria, in the unit formerly known as Fish Game – a lamented closure given the strength of its cooking under Matt Colk, but perhaps a foregone conclusion due to the owner’s insistent focus on serving primarily beasts whipped from the water or blasted in the hedgerows. Since then, a rapid miracle has been pulled off, with the old restaurant’s maximalist fripperies stripped out to leave a spare industrial aesthetic more in keeping with Crate’s warehouse home in the Wick. That’s not to say, however, the place that opened earlier this month isn’t warm. On the contrary, the simple design is merely a frame for its core functions. “What we’re trying to create here is a translated version of what Crate is in Hackney Wick – a meeting point close to a station,” said Tom Seaton, who co-founded the business with his sister, Jess Seaton, and their friend, Neil Hinchley. “It’s a place where people can call in on their way home or on their way out – somewhere where everyone knows what they’re letting themselves in for. “ It’s not very expensive or exclusive – it’s for everyone. Bring your friends – 30 if you like. We’re not going to turn you away. If you can get through the door, you’re welcome. “We want people to make friends and perhaps find their life partner – that happens a lot. There’s at least 20 marriages we know of. One couple, who had their first date at Crate in Hackney Wick flew our customer service guru Jerome to Scotland for their wedding because he’d made that continued on Page 12

bringing together Image by Jon Massey

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from Page 10 evening so special for them. That’s what it’s all about – people coming together. At Wood Wharf we want people to stop by and choose to have a drink with us as part of their plans.” Crate’s story began when siblings Tom and Jess opened The Counter Cafe in Hackney Wick in 2008. Having grown up in New Zealand amid a scene that was embracing decent coffee and brunch, they decided to start a business in an abandoned warehouse during a financial crisis, but made a go of things amid the economic turmoil. Having created that foundation, they went on to team up with BBC radio producer Neil – who’d just completed a brewing course – one day after agreeing to take on the White Building as part of the delivery of the 2012 Olympics just across the canal. Opening initially as a microbrewery, bar and pizzeria, Crate expanded in Hackney Wick and “a huge amount of things happened”. First the business opened a proper brewery next door to give it sufficient tank space to keep up with demand. Then there was the kombucha business and a nightclub. With increasing competition in the market and tiny margins, by 2020 the brewing business had become unsustainable, however, and Crate had some tough decisions to make. “It was a horrible thing to have to go through but we realised that the only way we were going to put ourselves back in a secure position was to close everything besides the White Building,” said Tom. “We had to protect the root stock. Since then, Jess, Neil and I have taken on more operational roles and we have a managing director who looks after the corporate stuff. That allows us to get on with getting stuff done on the ground.” Crate now makes its beers at Purity Brewing close to Birmingham with its range also stocked at its bars. Wharfers can expect a pale ale, a lager, a session IPA, and IPA and a cider alongside guest beverages. The expansion to Wood Wharf feels a little like the start of a new chapter. Fresh pints pulled and placed on newly hewn wooden tables ready to fuel talk of ideas and future adventures. Tom said: “The White Building is going strong and we’re in a simpler and clearer situation. We’re now looking at how we grow the business. We’ve always wanted to expand, to open more Crate experiences, but we needed to find somewhere we could put our stamp on.

Years since Crate began trading, two weeks before the 2012 Games

We don’t really do big shouty openings – we’re going to be here for a long time and, for the moment, it’s just nice to have people discover us Tom Seaton, Crate

The bar and pizzeria serves up craft beer and sustenance on the corner of Water Street and Park Drive

“The test is whether we can make a place feel like we, our friends and our family are in Crate. Wood Wharf feels great. “We’ve only just opened, but there are encouraging early signs. We don’t really do big shouty launches – we’re going to be here for a long time and, for the moment, it’s just nice to have people come in and discover us. “Canary Wharf has a really nice community and we’ve had a couple of launch nights where we’ve been able to see people at every table which is awesome – the space is just how we imagined it with guests laughing, smiling and talking to each other. “The music element is also really important for us. We run a festival called Flamingo Pier in New Zealand and we’ll be having DJs at Wood Wharf on busier days just as we do in Hackney Wick. “It’ll probably be more a listening bar than a rowdy day rave, but there will be the same kind of music and feeling. We just want to play stuﬀ that makes people smile and chat – if you’re after dark techno you’ll probably have to go elsewhere.” What Wharfers can expect from the new venue is plenty of pizza, stone baked and served on sheets of paper. Flavours include a classic Margherita, Spicy Salami, Sage And Truﬄe, Sweet Potato With Stilton And Walnut and Middle Eastern Lamb. In addition to Crate’s own beers, the bar will be serving guest brews, wines and its range of canned cocktails. Expect to pay around £7 a pint for a beer and about £13 for a pizza, although cheaper options are available. key details Crate is now open at the junction of Water Street and Park Drive in Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf. The bar and pizzeria is open from noon until 11pm Sunday to Thursday and from noon until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. Go to cratebrewery.com

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Crate’s new bar has been fashioned from reclaimed railway sleepers Images by Jon Massey

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CANADA PL ACE & WOOD WHARF

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getting greener

by Sophie Goddard

t starts with a simple act and pausing for even a moment to consider where we place our waste. Whether it’s a coffee cup, a food container or paperwork, making a conscious decision to recycle sets off a ripple effect. Throughout our neighbourhood, clearly marked recycling stations make it easy to separate materials correctly to ensure that waste is diverted from landfill and given a chance at a second life. From plastics and glass to paper and food waste, every item placed in the right bin contributes to a larger story of transformation. At Canary Wharf, this year’s Recycle Week invited us to look beyond the familiar and recognise the broader impact of our collective actions. One story that stood out was in Wood Wharf, where construction waste, once destined for disposal, found new life in the hands of artist Niamh Hannaford. She transformed discarded materials from our building sites into a breathtaking sculpture, suspended beneath a skylight that filters borrowed water from the Wharf itself. Featured as Niamh’s recent MFA degree show at Goldsmiths University, the sculpture powerfully demonstrated what’s possible when we view waste as a beginning, rather than an end. This is circularity in action – one project’s leftovers becoming another’s inspiration. Throughout Recycle Week, the Wharf buzzed with activity. We organised a range of engaging activities, including hands-on waste awareness stands, pop-up events, and charity drives. We held daily drop-in sessions where people could pick up practical tips on recycling and reducing waste from our waste managers, offering interactive demonstrations. Our charity clothing drive gave people the opportunity to donate unused clothing, providing interview-ready outfits for people in our community. The week ended with Circle Collective’s free SecondHand September event, which included personal shopping and styling, information and advice on how to shop with purpose and sustainability in mind. Our Canary Wharf community also had the rare opportunity to go behind the scenes on a waste processing tour, seeing first hand how our waste is sorted and managed. Recycle Week was a reminder that sustainability isn’t just a destination, but a journey made up of thousands of choices, big and small. So pause next time you finish your coffee. The cup in your hand is more than just rubbish; it could be transformed into something useful. We want to continue to improve our waste management practices. If you have any ideas on how we can do that, please email me at the address below.

Artist Niamh Hannaford with her work Image by Canary Wharf Group

A Recycle Week pop-up

Recycle Week was a reminder that sustainability isn’t just a destination, but a journey made up of thousands of choices big and small Sophie Goddard, Canary Wharf Group

Sophie Goddard is director of environment, social and governance at Canary Wharf Group – emails to esg@canarywharf.com

picking the right

Go to canarywharf.com for more information Scan this code to read Canary Wharf Group’s latest ESG report Image by Sara Chaghouani

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Greenwich

Doing what you love and chasing your passions is a difficult thing to do, no matter what age you are. Doing the thing you love will also change your relationship to it. Sooner or later even the job you love will feel like work

avoiding

the

David Lefebre Sell

take a breath

by David Lefebvre Sell

hen I was a teenager, my dad used to say to me: “Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life.” He meant it in an encouraging way, but I still want to kick him in the balls for it. I do what I love, but I’m starting to wonder if I should have chased the money. I’m kidding, of course – mostly. But doing what you love and chasing your passions is a difficult thing to decide to do, no matter what age you are. Part of the problem with my dad’s quote is the idea that we can somehow escape from the feeling of having to go to work. Doing the thing you love will change your relationship to it, I’ve known many would be Yoga teachers who had idealistic fantasies about changing their lives, only to find that their love of Yoga couldn’t survive the realities of teaching it for a living. Sooner or later even the job you love will feel like work and that’s normal. Another problem with the thing you love, is that a lot of other people will probably love it as well. If you love to sing, go sing your little heart out. If you want to be the next Mariah Carey (I’m old), then you’d better be really good. Mozart said: “Neither a lofty degree of intelligence, nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love – that is the soul of genius.” While I believe that to be true, Mozart’s dad was a music professor and he made him practise several hours every day from a very young age. Love might be the soul of genius, but hard graft is its beating heart. What are the passions that you never make time for? Art? Music? Sport? Maybe following your passions doesn’t have to be a vocation, but we do need to make room for love and play.

David Lefebvre Sell is a Greenwich-based psychotherapist and Yoga instructor who teaches at Third Space in Canary Wharf Follow @davetheyogi on X and Instagram and @DavidLefebvreSellYogaAndPsychotherapy on FB Time to pursue that passion? Scan this code for information about David’s work as a transpersonal counsellor and psychotherapist

We all need to make time for love and play even if it’s not work-related

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Cask and keg beers available at The Clement Attlee in Limehouse

how The Clement Attlee is well refreshed and offering a programme of events to tempt in the visitors by Jon Massey

hen Clement Attlee was prime minister, a pint of beer in London cost roughly 7d. Factoring in conversion to new pence and inflation, that s e uivalent to about £2.65 today. Given vastly increased costs across the hospitality sector these days, most people approaching a bar in east London don t e pect to come away with much change from £7. onse uently, buying a pint of The Clem Pale at recently refreshed pub The Clement Attlee beside Limehouse Station for £3.95, does feel a little like time travel. The Craft Beer Co has renamed the establishment in honour of the Labour leader, who was MP for Limehouse from 1935 to and has taken its e terior back to an aesthetic aimed at recalling its 1939 livery as The Railway Tavern. That name is also immortalised in the tiled floor of the establishment following its glow-up. The Clem inside, however is sleek and modern – polished wooden tables and a bar to match, replete with plenty of warm lighting and worn copper. “This is the result of a staggered rebrand as we remained open throughout,” said Jon Huddart, marketing operations manager. e d been trading as the raft Beer Co at the site since 2016 and thought it was time for a name change, some new signs and maybe a lick of paint. “But that project spiralled into new chairs and tables, a new bar and the installation of TV screens so we can show sport or lms in different parts of the pub. e re still very much part of the Craft Beer Co, but we wanted to take the place back to how it looked outside in 1939. Clement Attlee was Labour prime minister from 1945 until 1951, succeeding Winston Churchill, and his constituency was Limehouse, so it felt like a tting name and not one represented by a pub locally. hatever your politics, there s no denying he was a great man and implemented some amazing things, like the introduction of the . hortened to The lem, it s got a nice ring to it.” Founded by school friends Martin Hayes and Peter Slezak, the Craft Beer Co has grown from

Today we still stand for brilliant pubs with great atmosphere, drinks and service. We only serve beer from small, independent producers Jon Huddart, Craft Beer Co

its origins in Clerkenwell to run seven sites in London. e re fully independent – there s no outside investment,” said Jon, who began his career with the business as general manager in the Clerkenwell venue. “A lot of the craft beer brands weren t around back then, so the founders took over a pub and started selling independently brewed beers and importing products from America, Germany and Belgium – it grew from there. “Today we still stand for brilliant pubs with great atmosphere, drinks and service. We only serve beer from small, independent producers – even the crisps on the bar come from small farms. For e ample, we don t serve Guinness but we have a really strong alternative called London Black, brewed by Anspach And Hobday based in Bermondsey. “Jack Hobday was actually one of our managers and you ll nd their beers across our sites. ur stance is that we ll deal with any brewery which is independent, as long as their beer s good and they re nice people. The minute they get sold to a giant company, we cut ties, because that s not what our customers e pect us to serve.” There has been much consolidation in the market – Camden Hells, Beavertown and Meantime, all going to big multinationals, for instance – but on is con dent in the enduring appeal of small operations pouring ma imum effort into their brews. “Most of the breweries we deal with have fewer than 10 people working for them,” he said. “It might be a father and son out t or a couple of brothers – perhaps a few guys in packing and a couple of brewers. “There are still a heck of a lot of breweries in London, with new ones opening. “Craft beer – technically less than si million barrels a year – is

The Craft Beer Co in Limehouse has a new name for its stationadjacent pub and plenty to attract the visitors in

Roasts and tacos, left

Wharf Life Oct 15-29, 2025 wharf-life.com

Limehouse - Wapping - Whitechapel - Tower Hill

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Troxy Limehouse

Jon Huddart of the Craft Beer Co Image by Jon Massey

A pint for £3.95

The newly kitted out pub Pub images by Craft Beer Co

a premium product. lot of time and effort has gone into it, which does come with a price tag.” ask beers currently on offer include the likes of um s The ord by iren and anchester Bitter by anchester arble Brew with ilsner by Flensberg and loop uice by Bianca oad in kegs. hile the pub rotates options to ensure a range of flavours for drinkers to e plore, The lem ale from ent Brewery is always on for . a pint. These days, there s also a bit more to the place than ust the beer. pread over two floors, including a secluded rst floor terrace complete with strings of lights and vintage signs, the pub is a broad church. t s not enough these days ust to open the doors and hope people will come in, despite us being right opposite the station,” said on. e wanted to make it a hub for all sorts of different things going on with weekly and monthly events. e host a ui on Tuesdays and short lm nights every month. These often feature uestion and answer sessions with directors on the ednesdays they take place. Then, on the rst Thursday of the month we host a comedy night with a rotating line up of comedians. There ll be four of ve acts – at least one will usually have done some T or been on Live At The Apollo. very Friday, from 8pm, we have live music and then on unday we have folk – it s a really nice vibe. ur chef, rturo amacho, is originally from cuador and has worked under ordon amsay at the avoy rill and London ouse and at Bancone in ovent arden. t was great timing that we found each other and we were able to franchise out the kitchen to him. e and his team serve a mi ture of nglish pub grub – burgers, sh and chips and unday roasts – alongside outh

merican flavours. m biased, but his tacos are really good. ne merican guest who had tried tacos all over the world said they were the best he d had outside Te as. The food here is something that s really growing and we re seeing more and more diners week on week. The events we run are all loosely based around drinking and that s key because one of the most important things to us is our relationship with the small breweries that supply us. Take iren in eading, for e ample. e were the rst pub in London to sell its beer after they started up in 0 . t s a really good relationship, and when they celebrated their tenth anniversary, they chose the pub used to run in lerkenwell as their venue for the party. That s what we re all about. The reason we don t work with brands that have been taken over by big brewers is that even if they keep the name the beer never tastes uite the same. They ll cut costs, tweak the recipe and it won t be the same as when they were independent. But there s plenty out there. e ve got keg beers and si cask ales – of the kegs are on rotation. ersonally, love pale ales, which is the most popular style, but we always have a mi ture of options on.” key details The lement ttlee is located on the corner of Bekesbourne treet and ommercial oad ne t to Limehouse tation. The pub is open daily from pm onday Thursday, from pm on Fridays and from noon at weekends. Full event listings for the venue can be found on its website. For more information go to theclementattlee.co.uk

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GIG | Patrick Watson The singer, pianist and composer promises to bring his uncanny musical landscapes with their electronic textures and cacophonic rock to east London. Nov 7, 7pm, from £39.44, troxy.co.uk Where? Half Moon Theatre Limehouse

KIDS | The Sleep Show Suitable for ages 4-9, this show sees Abi and her grandad tell each other Anansi folktales, play games and share secrets in an uplifting tale of love. Nov 6-8, times vary, £9, halfmoon.org.uk Where? Wilton’s Music Hall Wapping

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

celebrating music

While Black Deer In The City at Tobacco Dock in Wapping may have been cancelled, we can still enjoy the sounds of Frazey Ford from afar following the re-release of her album Indian Ocean complete with bonus tracks frazeyford.com Scan this code to read Wharf Life’s interview with Frazey and find out why she’s revisiting her earlier work want more? @wharfwhispers

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how Knitting The Air uses more than 2,000 squares of textile to show the pollution east Londoners are breathing

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Poplar Union Poplar

TRY | Writing For Wellness Join author and workshop facilitator Caelainn Bradley for tea biscuits and plenty of writing exercises to boost self expression and creativity. Nov 5, 5.30pm, £3, poplarunion.com Where? Theatreship Isle Of Dogs

GIG | Darren Hanlon The Australian singer songwriter is set to play a winter concert at the Isle Of Dogs’ floating venue in association with Flippin Yeah Records. Nov 2, 7pm, £16, theatreship.co.uk Where? The Space Isle Of Dogs

STAGE | Voila! Festival 2025 The Space is set to host two and a half weeks of border-busting, multi-lingual and migrant-led productions in collaboration with eight venues. Nov 3-19, times and prices vary, space.org.uk

catch this

by Jon Massey

ne of the issues associated with air pollution is that, while we have scienti c instruments capable of detecting it, we can’t see it wafting all around us. ecently, a collective of more than 130 east London knitters unveiled a metre te tile artwork visualising data from two Breathe London ommunity sensors in oplar. The ,000 hand made squares of Knitting The Air show nitrogen dio ide and particulate matter pollution detected over the course of a year up to March 2024. reated over more than ,000 hours, the artwork was shown in its entirety for the rst time last month at The Feldy community centre in Aberfeldy Village with plans for a longer term e hibition now in east London in the works. Lead artist on the project, Caroline Murray, said: “This project has been an e traordinary community effort from so many people across oplar, Bow and wider east London. It started with a question about how to help people understand air pollution data, which can feel abstract and hidden. “There’s a long tradition of using knitting to interpret invisible data and make it tangible, so thought ‘Why not air quality?’. e were ambitious from the start – to knit a whole year’s worth of data from two sensors. That meant over ,000 s uares and local people really stepped up to the challenge. “More than 130 knitters have contributed, from residents and knitting groups to the local GP surgery and scientists.”

Each square of the artwork corresponds to a day of recorded pollution. Blue s uares show levels of nitrogen dio ide ) a harmful gas linked to tra c emissions, while pink s uares show ne particulate matter . ), ultra ne dust particles that may originate from tyres and brake pads on vehicles. have learnt so much about air pollution since doing this project, it has been an eye opener for me,” said Barbara Lawton, a local knitter who lent her skills to the pro ect and a member of berfeldy Knit And Knatter. Before, didn t think about air and took it for granted. I’ve loved being part of it all and seeing so many people get together to complete it.” ver the past two years, the knitted data has travelled across Tower amlets, appearing in schools, surgeries, community events, hospitals and town halls. Local GP and contributor Dr mma adcliffe of The berfeldy Practice, said: “Clean air is one of the building blocks of health. “We know our patients have been breathing poor air and that our community suffers from worse health because of it. ur practice team has really enjoyed contributing to the project. We love knitting but we are also pleased to be raising awareness about air quality for our patients and our community.” Air pollution is one of the UK’s largest environmental health issues and has been linked with reduced lung development in children, asthma, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and premature death. By presenting this data visually, Knitting The Air aims to deepen understanding, spark conversation and inspire action.

There’s a long tradition of using knitting to interpret invisible data and make it tangible, so I thought: ‘Why not air quality?’ Caroline Murray, Knitting The Air

ndrew rieve from the nvironmental esearch roup at mperial ollege London said This artwork is a remarkable e ample of how air pollution, data, vision, and community can come together. “Modern air pollution is mostly invisible, but aroline and the knitters have transformed data from the Breathe London ommunities nodes into some thing tangible and approachable, weaving connections that will endure for years. “This project has created a lasting legacy, not only for those living in Poplar, but for anyone passionate about public health and about engaging local residents through creativity and empathy.” key details Knitting The Air will be shown in east London ne t year to enable more people to see the data its threads record. Follow @knittingtheair on Instagram for more

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creating a Floating arts centre Theatreship has embarked on a new season of screenings in collaborations with the BFI. Find our more about Too Much: Melodrama On Film via our interview with Natalie Hill, below... theatreship.co.uk Scan this code to find out more about Too Much: Melodrama On Film at Theatreship want more? @wharfwhispers

Wharf Life Oct 15-29, 2025 wharf-life.com

Isle Of Dogs - Poplar - Blackwall

Data from sensors on Dee Street and the A12 in Poplar was used as the basis for Knitting The Air

Artist Caroline

Visitors view

Murray led

the work

the project

at The Feldy

Images by Rakib Syed

Wharf Life Oct 15-29, 2025 wharf-life.com

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Bridge Theatre Tower Bridge

STAGE | The Lady From The Sea Simon Stone’s dissection of desire, loss and rebirth brings together the talents of Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander and Andrew Lincoln. Until Nov 8, times vary, from £35, bridgetheatre.co.uk Where? The Albany Deptford

STAGE | The Black Burlesque Festival This two-night event promises a “spectacular selection of performances by provocative, playful, and powerful stars” of the Cocoa Butter Club. Oct 31-Nov 1, 7.30pm, £40, thealbany.org.uk Where? Badger Badger Deptford

EVENT | Typeocalypse Kindred Commander In this special Magic The Gathering tournament, represent your favourite creature type and demonstrate its superiority. Tribes-only. Oct 31, 6.45pm, £8, badgerbadger.com

play for free

The London Performance Studios is set to host Radical Rediscovery: Homosexual Acts And Beyond, an exhibition marking the 50th anniversary of the first official gay theatre season in Britain. Opens November 7 londonperformancestudios.com Scan this code to find out more about events at the free exhibition and details on how to view want more? @wharfwhispers

how Olivia Black’s latest collection is a celebration of good fortune and connection in the world of fashion by Jess Maddison

erendipity is the title of Olivia Black’s new collection. Shown during London Fashion Week at The Dixon in Southwark, the Bermondsey-based designer’s latest creations take their inspiration from classic tailoring and the contrasting colours in a magpie’s wing. But the name of her Spring/ ummer 0 offering speaks to something deeper – the chance meetings and influences that are woven through the story of her eponymous brand, all neatly held together by a safety pin motif. “I’m from Salford in Manchester originally and I’m a twin,” said Olivia. “Our Nana – my dad’s mum – was a main inspiration for both me and my brother. We were both creative growing up – always into crafts and anything art-related from a very young age. “Nana was a bit of an artist, and had a crystal shop in ecks, an indoor market in the city, but she was also a seamstress and had lived and worked in London when she was younger. “She was part of the reason I chose to study textiles at GCSE level in school. I fell in love with it on my own accord, but also chose it in a bid to feel closer to her, because she’d passed away when I was nine. My brother also kept the creativity going and has become a graphic designer. It’s funny how such a short period of our lives has impacted what we’ve done as adults.” Olivia’s passion for making clothes saw her buying patterns from the likes of Abakhan, enjoying the “meditative process of building something from scratch”. She went on to study Fashion Design at De Montfort University in Leicester, before moving to London for a Masters at the Jimmy Choo Academy in Mayfair in Entrepreneurship With Business Innovation And Fashion. “I was in a class of only six students, so we got a lot of attention and that was an incredible experience,” said Olivia “They asked questions like: ‘Where do we want to be in the market? Who do we want to be as designers? What is it that you really believe in?’. “For me, the answer lay in sustainability and gender fluidity – all these kind of activist political statements are very much a part

of who I am. At the end of the course you graduate with a six-piece collection, which is intended to act as the launch of your brand. “Mine was all about textile waste and reducing what gets thrown away. There was lots of hand painting and use of deadstock fabrics – it was very messy and rural-feeling. “Growing up working class and shopping in charity shops I’d always en oyed the process of nding something old and bringing it back to life. We always sort of treated it like a game when we did it – who could nd the best thing, the designer piece that nobody’s realised is designer. ne of my best nds ever was a Vivienne Westwood necklace. It was £10, they didn’t realise it was real and I have it to this day. I don’t wear it because it’s too good, it’s just a nice statement piece on my jewellery stand. o nding fabric in that way felt natural to me at university too. I had all these projects using bedsheets or curtains – materials that already exist – then mixed and matched them all up.” After graduation, Olivia got a job at the Jimmy Choo Academy in the marketing team before moving on to lecture at The London College Of Contemporary Arts (LCCA), all while saving money to fund her own brand. Keen to keep the momentum going, she decided to take her collection from six pieces to 20, sticking with the same theme and adding new pieces every couple of months over two years, nding as many ways to exhibit them as possible. “I did a lot of shows including Wimbledon Sustainable Fashion Week, I Love Fashion, a few small, local London shows,” said Olivia. “I was offered a sponsored spot on the Fashion Life Tour where I got to show all 20 of the looks, which was incredible. “That got people’s attention and then I had a few people ask me to make pieces

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Rotherhithe - Deptford - Bermondsey Left, images from Olivia Black’s catwalk show during London Fashion Week, showcasing her Serendipity collection Bermondsey resident Olivia Black makes her clothes at a factory in Stratford

creating the

Image by Jon Massey

Scan this code to find out more about Olivia Black Detail showing Olivia’s eponymous pinstripe design and signature safety pin motif Other images supplied by Olivia Black

for them for special occasions. I dressed one guest at London Fashion Week then made the same client an out t for the premiere of Mufasa: The Lion King. “That did really well online and I got more red carpet requests from other customers. Then I kept doing high pro le events on the regular. “I actually used those pieces from my original collection so many times, which was great and that allowed me to show them on different bodies in various si es, styled in multiple ways. The proceeds and livia s work in education enabled her to fund the creation of her latest collection, Serendipity. t had to be called that, because it s dedicated to all the people who helped me stay on the right path,” she said. “There were so many times when thought t s over, it s never going to happen . Then someone would offer their services as a makeup artist, turn out to own a factory I could use or tell me about somewhere could get deadstock in London. That s how the entire show came together. verything has been collaborative. bviously, there was a lot that needed to be paid for as well, but there was so much help from friends. t s natural my brand has become about keeping the community together. That s where the safety pin comes in. t s symbolic of connecting people and keeping them together.” ith the motif also celebrating the way her ana s creativity has echoed down the generations, Serendipity also brings livia s varied influences together such as the silhouette of traditional dress and bla er shapes, all given a twist. “The reason I went for an all black and white palette is because, for me, it symbolised the idea of starting fresh,” she said. “I made my last collection last for two years, which was great but it was a graduate collection. t wasn t really what would say is my brand. wanted to start with the clarity of black and white, to say This is who am . lso, ve always been inspired by birds and for this collection looked at magpies a lot because they like to nd shiny things and that related a lot to the theme of serendipity. Their feathers inspired the ru es and glossy nature of the materials used in some of the pieces. “For me, one of the highlights is the signature Maglen Dress with the Gildpin Belt featuring wool suiting and silk machine embroi dery to create a pinstripe from my brand s logo. You only see it when you look really closely. That was inspired by ideas of camouflage that also came from

For me, the most exciting part of being a designer is seeing my work go from a flat sketch into an actual physical piece Olivia Black, designer

birds and the way their feathers enable them to blend in. instripe is also very traditional and thought: ‘What would my twist on that be .” Also wrapped into the theme of serendipity, was the way livia connected with the factory in Stratford where her clothes are made. She said: “When I was teaching at LCCA, one of my students turned out to be a manufacturer who owned a facility in east London. ven though he was already very successful, he d been determined to return to education to get his degree. ne of the reasons livia Black is a lu ury brand is that we make everything in the . The price point is higher, but what matters to me is that my seamstresses get paid a very fair wage. “For me, the most exciting part of being a designer is seeing my work go from a flat sketch that started life in my head to an actual physical piece. That s the magic.” livia works from her studio in an th floor flat in Bermondsey that she shares with her partner, taking inspiration from its views. The couple had their rst date in reenwich ark before setting up home in a e ill. hen we moved to Bermondsey, we wanted to nd somewhere with similar views,” said livia. e overlooked Canary Wharf and the Isle Of ogs and, when we ve had low points, because we re at the start of our careers, we ve been able to look out over London and realise there s so much out there. t gives you faith that some thing is going to come, that we ll get the obs we need, that we ll meet the person we need to connect with and that we ll stay optimistic. e ve found having that skyline has really kept us both going – it s a privilege to be able to look out over it and think t s all out there, ust need to nd it .” key details livia Black s pieces are available to buy online. To nd out more about the brand or to place an order, visit the designer s website. Go to oliviablack.co.uk

Wharf Life Oct 15-29, 2025 wharf-life.com

80 how iFLY London is offering a 30% discount on weekday bookings to help groups celebrate the season

Maximum capacity of iFLY London at The O2 for Christmas parties

iFLY London on Greenwich Peninsula is offering a discount to groups and companies booking on weekdays

by Jon Massey

without impinging on staff members’ weekend plans.

ith the festive season fast approaching, we take a look at a venue that’s offering to put a serious shot of adrenaline into your seasonal celebrations.

wait, there’s more... With videos and photos available to purchase shot by iFLY’s in-house camera team, groups are encouraged to strike mid-air poses and adopt daring styles in the spirit of friendly competition. There’s also the option to add on High Fly experiences where iFLY’s experts can spin guests up to the top of the tunnel and safely back down again. Catering can be arranged on site, with food and drink delivered to the venue from local restaurants.

tell me more... Located in The O2, iFLY London delivers indoor skydiving experiences that allow guests to literally fly. The facility’s vertical wind tunnel pushes air from bottom to top at around 170mph. the Office Party Package The venue, which can handle parties of up to 80, offers groups of 13 at a time the opportunity to undertake two flights per person, inviting companies and organisations to “Fly The Boss” this Christmas. Billed as “the ultimate icebreaker”, each flyer receives full training and flight gear plus guidance from expert instructors. The staff, clad in sleek red jumpsuits, accompany each participant into the rushing wind to help them experience the sensation of freefall without ever leaving the ground. when can we do this? Flights are available on weekdays during term time (excluding holidays) – offering businesses the chance to take a break from the desk as well as from gravity

personalise it For organisations keen to create something extra special, iFLY offers options for protective helmets to carry bespoke branding – T&Cs apply. get it for less Best of all, iFLY London is offering 30% discounts on bookings made between now and December 11. Reservations should be made online using code WKDAYS30. key details Find iFLY London at The O2 on Greenwich Peninsula. The indoor skydiving facility is open daily from 10am-10pm. Events manager at iFLY London, Peter Gobey, is also available to discuss groups’ requirements. Email him at pgobey@iflyworld.com For more information go to iflyworld.co.uk

Flying free

Participants enjoy

at iFLY

two flights each

Wharf Life Oct 15-29, 2025 wharf-life.com

Greenwich - Peninsula - Woolwich

Scan this code to find out more about iFLY London

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? The O2 Arena Greenwich Peninsula

booking

GIG | Five After performing as a threesome at Pizza Pilgrims on West India Quay in 2017, things are looking up with Abz, Ritchie, Scott, Sean and even J reunited for The O2 gigs. Nov 11, 12, 20, 6.30pm, from £58, theo2.co.uk

flights

Where? Greenwich Theatre Greenwich

STAGE | How To Give Up On Your Dreams Comedian Meg Chizek’s bid to discover purpose in life features laughter, storytelling and unexpected dance moves as she transfers down from Edinburgh. Nov 4-8, times vary, £15.50, greenwichtheatre.org.uk Where? Woolwich Works Woolwich

EVENT | Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair The showcase and sales event returns to Woolwich with thousands of works available for visitors to buy, often from the artists themselves. Nov 13-16, times vary, £20, woolwich.works

curtains up Full training and safety equipment are provided

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

Images by iFLY

Scan this code to find out more about the plans, which will see the new venues created on the river want more? @wharfwhispers

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£17.50 how immersive show Fame Factory puts participants at the heart of its production at Excel in Royal Docks by Jon Massey ...as I sink into the soft, supple leather of the private jet’s seat I reflect on my journey to becoming famous. In all honesty, it hasn’t been that long. A few seconds actually, just enough time to walk up the steps into the aircraft. But already I’m being treated as though I’m a bona fide celeb. From here, it’s a whirlwind of photoshoots, screen tests (I am, after all, a noted movie star with a reputation for playing evil villains), agent meetings and hedonism. Just another day as an A-lister until the machine inevitably spits me out the other end...

ame Factory at Excel London, the latest immersive experience to open at the venue’s waterside quintet of spaces, Immerse LDN, turns out to be a sophisticated bombardment of a celebrity simulator. Ticket holders pick their character, sip a glass of (optional) in the Entourage bar, then head off to board their flights to guaranteed renown. From there, its up to an extensive cast of actors to create and reinforce that fantasy over the course of an hour as a bli ard of scenes unfold. The attraction itself has been created by live events and broadcast out t one usted, with one of the production company’s partners, Hamish Hamilton, at the helm. It’s fair to say he’s a man who knows the reality of fame. “My background is as a television director specialising in live events,” he said. “Over the years I’ve directed the Oscars, Superbowl events, the Brits and the Emmys – I’ve been immersed in this world of celebrity and red carpets. “One day, when I was on a red carpet, I realised it was a surreal experience – I never thought I would be doing this when I was growing up in Blackpool. I also thought it would be great to give everyone the experience of being famous for 15 minutes. “Simply put, that was the genesis of Fame Factory, although that 15 minutes has now become an hour. I love immersive theatre – the best show I’ve ever been to was You Me Bum Bum Train, which was a life-changing experience for me. saw the rst one in east London and I just loved the immersion.

“It got me thinking about how we could create something that would be a lot of fun and which would bring people together – something universal. Everybody understands fame, likes attention, likes to feel special, likes being fussed over, and that’s what this Fame Factory is all about. “It’s really simple – you come down and have an hour of fun, feel great and get to be everything you’ve always wanted to be. It’s a series of scenes you experience on sets with actors. “Some rooms fairly passive – where information comes at you and others are less so. You might be asked questions or have the opportunity to participate by posing for a photoshoot or making a video. “People might think that’s not for them, but everyone who has come through has said it’s been ama ing – the actors are really kind and you see some of the quietest people just come alive.” hile there s plenty of glit and glam, the experience is far from a straight puff piece for the world of celebrity. e de nitely poke fun at fame and its characteristics, and at those who perhaps place too much emphasis on it,” said Hamish. “The experience is not a waferthin glori cation of fame – there s a lot of humour and stupidity, and you’re asked to laugh at yourself, at the situations and at the banality of it. “In the bar are many assets with captions attached to them which illuminate some bi arre celebrity mishaps that I’ve been adjacent to over the years. “We also include downfalls, because there s de nitely a darker side to celebrity and we explore that. In the end, fame is entirely constructed. “Some of the characters you meet in the experience are part of this construct. There are many people who are famous because they are magni cently talented. “Some put those talents to good use while others maybe not so. But being famous is also a talent in itself – you don’t need to be as talented as you are famous. There are gifted artists and there are celebrities – they’re not the same thing.” A lot rests on the technical side of the show, which runs in parallel with the experience. Guests are lmed and snapped as they progress through the scenes with

Starting price for a ticket to Fame Factory at Immerse LDN in Royal Docks

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Royal Docks - Canning Town

Guests participate in a series of scenes to create their own fame story, culminating in a TV chat show appearance

My favourite part is actually when people see what we’ve done with what we’ve shot, layering it with music to create a narrative

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Excel London Royal Victoria Dock

Hamish Hamilton, Done+Dusted

giving main character

that content used to decorate and enrich the story. “My favourite part is actually when people see what we’ve done with what we’ve shot, using all the production values you’d expect – collating it, blending it and layering it with music to create a narrative,” said Hamish. “People often sit there going ‘OMG’. Then they’re asking how we did what we did. “Quite often the shows I’m involved with directing are ‘one and done’. “Those have budget constraints, time constraints and commercial imperatives. They’re very stressful but, once you put them out into the world, that’s it. “With Fame Factory it’s amazing to sit in the bar and hear how groups coming through the experience felt – which scenes they liked and why. “This is a living, breathing organism – every show you do is different. t s genuinely immer sive, genuinely interactive, and there are an in nite number of permutations to the show. “The guests might pick a character to play but they set the scene and direct their own role so it’s never the same twice. “In the end, it’s not my show or Done+Dusted’s. We’ve laid the groundwork but people weave their own narratives through the storylines and the sets.” The experience ends with a dedicated awards ceremony for each group in the Entourage bar where participants can also access free and paid for content created during the show. n e tensive range of merchan dise is also available for those who like to wear their celebrity on their sleeves. key details Tickets for Fame Factory at Immerse LDN start at £17.50 with the experience booking into November. Go to fame-factory.com for more information

Hamish Hamilton

Scan this code to find out more about Fame Factory

EVENT | World Travel Market Bringing together more than 45,000 travel professionals, the WTM returns to a recently extended Excel for a potent three days of trading. Nov 4-6, 9.30am, registration, excel.london Where? Cody Dock Canning Town

EVENT | Halloween At Cody Dock The east London regeneration project is set to throw one of its shindigs complete with live music, installations, storytelling and lots more. Oct 31, 6pm-8.30pm, free, codydock.org.uk Where? IFS Cloud Cable Car Royal Victoria Dock

TRY | Halloween Experiences The aerial crossing is leaning into spooky season with three Halloween packages aimed at luring kids and their parents over the Thames. Oct 25-Nov 2, times vary, from £10.50, londoncablecar.com

catch this

The Fox Excel is continuing its Friday Comedy Night series on October 31 with a show starring stand-up, Di Spencer, comic and junior doctor, Michael Akadiri, and stroke survivor, Markus Birdman. Tickets cost £5 foxexcel.co.uk Scan this code to find out more about this event and others at The Fox Excel or to book tickets want more? @wharfwhispers

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Public Notices - Classified

PUBLIC NOTICES SPECIAL TREATMENT LICENCES LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS SPECIAL TREATMENT LICENCES Notice is given that: Antos Hair And Beauty Limited / Octavian Antoche Has applied to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for: Manicure, Pedicure and Massage Licence(s) for the premises: Antos Hair And Beauty Limited, 25 Thomas More Square, London, E1W 1YW Anyone wishing to oppose the application must give notice in writing to the Service Manager Of Regulatory Services (Commercial), Communities Directorate, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall 160 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ WITHIN THREE WEEKS specifying the grounds of opposition. Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person at a hearing before a Committee of the Council.

LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS SPECIAL TREATMENT LICENCES Notice is given that: Panacea Clinic Ltd / Andrii Frunceace Has applied to the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for: Aesthetic And Cosmetic Procedures, Massage, Hydrafacial, PRP (Plasma Therapy), Mesotherapy, Laser, IPl, Skin Rejuvenation and Blood Collection (Phlebotomy) Services

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PUBLIC NOTICES PREMISES LICENCE LONDON BOROUGH OF TOWER HAMLETS LICENSING ACT 2003 NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO VARY A PREMISES LICENCE Notice is given that: Ms Salma Begum Has applied to London Borough of Tower Hamlets Licensing Authority to vary a Premises Licence under the Licensing Act 2003 Premises details: Nababi Kitchen, Ground And Basement, 131 New Road, London, E1 1HJ The proposed variation is: To vary the premises licence to permit the sale of hot food and drink for consumption on the premises in addition to takeaway and to update the plans to include the basement seating area for 8 people. The variation will allow the premises to operate as a restaurant with both takeaway and dining facility (Class E Restaurant). Anyone who wishes to make representations regarding this application must give notice in writing to: The Licensing Section, Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London, E1 1BJ or by email: licensing@towerhamlets.gov.uk Website: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Tel: 020 7364 5008 Representations must be received no later than 30/10/2025

Licence(s) for the premises: Panacea Clinic Ltd, 44 Limeharbour, London, E14 9TS.

The Application Record and Register may be viewed between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday during normal office hours at the above address.

Anyone wishing to oppose the application must give notice in writing to the Service Manager Of Regulatory Services (Commercial), Communities Directorate, 4th Floor Tower Hamlets Town Hall 160 Whitechapel Road London E1 1BJ WITHIN THREE WEEKS specifying the grounds of opposition. Persons objecting to the grant of a licence must be prepared to attend in person at a hearing before a Committee of the Council.

It is an offence under Section 158 of the Licensing Act 2003, knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application and the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence is up to level 5 on the standard scale (unlimited fine).

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Stratford - Mile End - Bow - Hackney Wick

Artworks are on display at UCL East’s Marshgate Building as part of Space Tangle

what’s on

things to do, places to go, people to see Where? Timber Lodge Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park COMEDY | Comedy Night Headlined by Gerry K, this gig will also see the talents of Darren Walsh, Graeme Mathews, pictured, and Anna Hale. Ticket includes meal and a drink. Nov 6, 7pm, from £16.96, eventbrite.co.uk Where? Sadler’s Wells East Stratford

DANCE | Free In a world confined by borders, flags and occupied lands. Who dares to dream? Who dares to break the cycles of oppression? Toussaint To Move has a go... Nov 6-8, 7.30pm, from £29, sadlerswells.com Where? Here East Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

working the

how Space Tangle aims to explore and unravel some of the connections that shape imagination by Jon Massey

ander into UCL East’s Marshgate Building in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park before November 2 and you’ll have the opportunity to explore Space Tangle. The exhibition, located across the facility’s First Floor Galleries, brings together three works by artist Dr Sarah Fortais, namely Cosmic Debris, Lunga 6 and Cosmic Flock. The first is also the setting

for a site-specific vocal work entitled Fragments, composed and performed by Filament Theatre. All of the works on show aim to explore the entanglements between people, place, animals and materials, whether hidden or overt, that shape how we imagine and make future worlds. UCL said: “Using outer space, the ultimate landscape of possibility, imagination, and future-thinking, Fortais asks us to consider what is overlooked: our relationship to waste, to the discarded, the backgrounded, the unnoticed. What about the animals? What of the

SEE | Umbilical Artist Conrad Shawcross’s creation 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

see it

materials that gain new value under different conditions?” key details Space Tangle is available to view for free at UCL East’s Marshgate Building in Stratford. The exhibition can be found at the First Floor Galleries during normal opening hours. Go to ucl.ac.uk for more information Scan this code to find out more about Space Tangle

Bow Arts is hosting Visions In The Nunnery, a two-part exhibition of video art running until December 21 at The Nunnery Gallery in Bow. The artworks are free to view with the venue open from Wednesday to Sunday bowarts.com Scan this code to find out more about the exhibition and the 62 artists who are participating want more? @wharfwhispers

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Crossword - Sudoku

Sudoku

Take a break from that phone How to play To complete Sudoku, fill 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 find more Sudoku puzzles and a wide selection of other brainteasers available to download for free at puzzles.ca last issue’s solution Oct 1-15

Notes

crossword beating the

Cryptic Across

Down

Expert in erecting bell tents? (13) 8. Extorting money from sheep (8) 9. Confused periods of 24 hours, we hear (4) 10. Ten to make a hat? (6) 12. Pushes canal boats aside (6) 14. Fish on thin ice (6) 16. Short Emily has a plan to hire labour (6) 18. It was a neat volcano (4) 20. Sounds like imagining wise man’s jealousy (8) 22. A degree below? (13)

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

Quick Across 7.

Bear of very little brain (6-3-4) 8. Card game (8) 9. ___ and graces (4) 10. Standstill (6) 12. Breathe in (6) 14. Serious incident (6) 16. Enjoys others’ discomfort (6) 18. Opera song (4) 20. Twisted (8) 22. Small electronic device (13)

Figure a rough idea of a play space (8) 2. Attractive sound made by 7 across? (6) 3. Tina’s confused about being against it (4) 4. Some might say it’s uali ed to be unreadable (8) 5. AI grad in North Africa (6) 6. See an electronic observer (4) 11. What birds produce for a rainy day? (4-4) 13. Stretch out scandal over Musk (8) 15. Used translucent paper to nd someone ) . nd total of post o ces make a marsupial (6) 19. What 7 across does not end up with! (4) 21. Find this cutlet in a vale (4)

Down

1. Catastrophe (8) 2. Small eats (6) 3. Expensive (4) 4. Talking socially (8) 5. Throw water on (6) 6. Indigent (4) 11. Roman coin (8) 13. Strewn with rubbish (8) 15. AKA ‘apples’ (6) 17. Hateful (6) 19. Sudden attack (4) . asual o ce worker ) Set by Everden

Across: 7 Campanologist; 8 Fleecing; 9 Days; 10 Gallon; 12 Barges; 14 Skates; 16 Employ; 18 Etna; 20 Envisage; 22 Undergraduate. Down: 1 Ballpark; 2 Appeal; 3 Anti; 4 Eligible; 5 Agadir; 6 Espy; 11 Nest-Eggs; 13 Elongate; 15 Traced; 17 Possum; 19 Tent; 21 Veal.

Cryptic Solution Across: 7 Winnie-The-Pooh; 8 Baccarat; 9 Airs; 10 Stasis; 12 Inhale; 14 Crisis; 16 Gloats; 18 Aria; 20 Entwines; 22 Microcomputer. Down: 1 Disaster; 2 Snacks; 3 Dear; 4 Chatting; 5 Splash; 6 Poor; 11 Sesterce; 13 Littered; 15 Stairs; 17 Odious; 19 Raid; 21 Temp.

Quick Solution

Notes