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Lina Stores review: Canary Wharf branch impresses with simplicity

Recently opened at Crossrail Place, the restaurant draws on more than 80 years of history to deliver a high quality Italian dining experience

Grilled prawns with tomatoes and garlic at Lina Stores - image by Jon Massey
Grilled prawns with tomatoes and garlic at Lina Stores – image by Jon Massey

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There’s a danger with growth, especially when it comes to hospitality brands.

A business founded and nurtured with passion by its creators can lose its appeal as economies of scale dislocate a sprawl of branches from the things that made the place good to start with. 

It’s understandable. Those seeking a profit margin will always be tempted to trim an ingredient here or there.

It’s an equation where small differences can translate into big savings.

The risk is how close to tipping the scales does an operation dare go? Will the punters really notice a sauce made with two cloves of garlic instead of three? How about one?

Fortunately, Lina Stores – recently opened in Canary Wharf’s Crossrail Place in the unit formerly occupied by The Breakfast Club, is more concerned with value and quality for its customers than making a quick buck.

At least, that’s the message it’s sending out on its pale green plates.

There could be a few reasons for this.

Firstly, the brand’s lineage is an 80-year-old deli in Soho rather than a beloved restaurant.

That brings with it a certain dedication to quality born of a family-run institution that was conceived primarily to supply Londoners with the kind of Italian treats which were a rarity at the time it opened.

The restaurants, which can now be found in 11 locations in London and Manchester, plus three in Japan, aren’t tasked with replicating an existing establishment, but instead aim to showcase produce.

The original shop is a jumping off point for this, rather than something to be photocopied.

Secondly, the team at White Rabbit Projects, which has worked with Lina to expand the brand, have clearly shed sweat to tread lightly.

Clean and green: The first floor dining room at Lina Stores in Crossrail Place - image by Jon Massey
Clean and green: The first floor dining room at Lina Stores in Crossrail Place – image by Jon Massey

an Italian ethos

Italian cooking at its best lives or dies on the quality of its ingredients often in spare, unfussy combinations.

There’s nowhere to hide and Lina isn’t afraid to be the neutral backdrop to the stars topping its green and white-striped serving paper.

The aesthetic of the Canary Wharf restaurant follows this pattern.

Head upstairs from the ground floor deli and you’ll find a bright, airy space with a barrel-vaulted ceiling.

Everything is in shades of pale green save the floor – marble the shade of emeralds at night.

There’s an open kitchen  too, with stools for diners who want to watch the magic happen.

It’s a minimal scheme akin to the slender black picture frames used to contain the delicate art on its walls.

This is because Lina saves nearly everything for the eyes and mouth.

30-yolk tagliolini pasta with truffle, a fabulous over load - image by Jon Massey
30-yolk tagliolini pasta with truffle, a fabulous over load – image by Jon Massey

sampling the food at Lina Stores

To start, we crunch the flesh of fresh green Bella Di Cerignola olives (£4) while making up our minds.

Burrata (£10) comes bathed in a little pool of extra virgin olive oil and dusted with black pepper – a simple, creamy delight on the tongue with a pleasant tang. 

Next comes the grilled prawns (£13) – three chunky specimens that arrive with a wedge of lemon and dressed with fresh tomatoes and garlic.

Expertly singed, these give up their meat without effort in sweet little chunks – an excellent way to whet the appetite for what we’re really here to try.

Lina in Soho is known for its fresh pasta, trays of which in its windows have been tempting passers-by through the doors for decades.

So what of the restaurant offering?

We order three due to greed and the desire to be comprehensive – the Jerusalem artichoke and ricotta ravioli (£10.50), the lamb sausage ragu pappardelle (£14.50) and the 30-egg yolk tagliolini with black truffle (at £17.50, the most expensive option on the menu).

The portions are sensible, the kind you might actually get as a first plate in a restaurant in Italy.

But the flavours are outsize.

The ravioli is earthy and vegetal, the tagliolini a fabulous overload of truffle, but the star of the show is the deep, rich pappardelle shot through with seasonal greens and chilli.

Great value, high quality. 

When the staff have relaxed into things – clearing away the plate for discarded olive pits without asking while I was still chewing, was a minor misstep – Lina is shaping up to be very good indeed. 

**** (4/5)

Jerusalem artichoke and ricotta ravioli at Lina Stores - image by Jon Massey
Jerusalem artichoke and ricotta ravioli at Lina Stores – image by Jon Massey

key details: Lina Stores

Lina Stores is located at street level in Crossrail Place. The restaurant is open daily from 11.30am-11.30pm.

The deli is open from 8am-5pm on weekdays and from 9am-5pm at weekends.

Bar Lina is open from 5pm to midnight, Tuesday-Thursday and from 5pm-1am, Friday-Saturday.

Find our more about the restaurant here

Read more: Sons, Daughters wins EBRD Literature Prize 2025 in Canary Wharf

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Neptune Wharf offers discounts to tempt buyers to Deptford

Galliard Homes development offers homes for private sale or rental in south-east London as regeneration of wider area continues

A show home at Neptune Wharf in Deptford - image by Galliard Homes
A show home at Neptune Wharf in Deptford – image by Galliard Homes

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“We are delighted to have completed Neptune Wharf and to be able to deliver highly specified new apartments in Deptford,” said Eli Dias, executive chairman and CEO of Galliard Homes.

“We are thrilled to be launching this exceptional collection of homes for private sale in such a dynamic area.”

Located on Grinstead Road, with Deptford Park to the north and Folkestone Gardens to the south, the scheme connects the two open spaces via a newly constructed public square, while providing more than 170 apartments spread over six buildings.

Currently on the market are 37 apartments for private sale, with Galliard recently unveiling a host of incentives for prospective buyers.

Four properties have been significantly discounted with price reductions of up to £135,000. 

First-time buyers can look forward to having their Stamp Duty bills covered, while contributions to legal costs are also available for those using solicitors from a preferred panel to handle conveyancing.

There are also 100% mortgage deals available for those who meet the criteria, meaning even those who haven’t saved up a deposit could potentially purchase a home.

As for the apartments available for sale themselves, one and two-bedroom properties are available with some of the larger units laid out as duplexes. 


The Galliard Homes development is located in Deptford - image by Galliard Homes
The Galliard Homes development is located in Deptford – image by Galliard Homes

going inside: Neptune Wharf

Buyers can expect full height glazing with homes on upper levels offering direct views of Canary Wharf, the City and the surrounding open spaces.

Inside oak-style flooring, light grey walls and steel hardware present a neutral base with open-plan living areas and private balconies for all apartments.

Kitchens feature integrated Smeg appliances, navy base units and oak-style wall cupboards over stone worktops.

The homes come with a wealth of tech including LED lighting, in-built radio, TV and Sky-Q ports and kitchen taps that deliver hot, cold or boiling water on demand.

Main bedrooms boast built-in wardrobes, while bathrooms are tiled in porcelain and come with white sanitaryware, thermostatic showers and heated towel rails.

A total of 37 apartments are available for private sale at the scheme - image by Galliard Homes
A total of 37 apartments are available for private sale at the scheme – image by Galliard Homes

The homes all achieve an Energy Performance Certificate rating of B and include central heating systems based on flat-panel white radiators.

Some apartments are available fully furnished.

Neptune Wharf is located around a 16-minute brisk stroll from three stations – Deptford, South Bermondsey and Surrey Quays – offering rail and Overground connections into central and east London.

It’s located about 15 minutes from Canary Wharf via bus and Tube.

The development is in an area that is set to see major regeneration over the coming years as schemes at nearby Canada Water and New Bermondsey, both bringing thousands of incoming residents, businesses and new infrastructure to this part of south-east London.

As an increasingly attractive part of the city, it’s therefore likely to bode well for those seeking capital appreciation as well as an interesting place to live. 

Properties come with integrated Smeg appliances - image by Galliard Homes
Properties come with integrated Smeg appliances – image by Galliard Homes

key details: Neptune Wharf

A total of 37 private sale apartments are on offer at Neptune Wharf through Galliard Homes.

Prices start at £375,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. Two-beds, including duplexes, are also available. Viewings are by appointment.

Find out more about homes for sale here

  • Apartments are also available for private rental at Neptune Wharf, with one, two and three-beds on offer.

Prices start at £1,900 per month, including 1GB Wi-Fi.

Find out more about homes to rent here

Galliard Homes is offering discounts on selected apartments at Neptune Wharf - image by Galliard Homes
Galliard Homes is offering discounts on selected apartments at Neptune Wharf – image by Galliard Homes

Read more: Sons, Daughters wins EBRD Literature Prize 2025 in Canary Wharf

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Peninsula Summer arrives in Greenwich with a packed programme

Attractions include Wild Swing Golf, Charity Super.Mkt, Rhythm And Taste Festival, GDIF, Firepit Gallery and The Chromatic River Walk

Steam Down will be performing at Rhythm + Taste as part of Peninsula Summer - image by Greenwich Peninsula
Steam Down will be performing at Rhythm + Taste as part of Peninsula Summer – image by Greenwich Peninsula

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“Greenwich Peninsula buzzes with life in the Summer, from leisurely weekend brunches by the river, to vibrant foodie experiences and unmissable performances from some of the UK’s hottest talents at our iconic jazz and food festival, Rhythm And Taste,” said Laura Flanagan, director of Greenwich Peninsula, as the area looks forward to a season of entertainment and events. 

“Our 5,000-strong residential community benefits from free art, music and culture right on their doorstep and, each year, we curate a varied programme of diverse cultural experiences for everyone to enjoy and get involved with. 

Peninsula Summer is a celebration of the very best of the Peninsula, against a backdrop of – hopefully – a Great British summer.”

Running from July 10 to August 31, 2025, the south-east London neighbourhood is set to welcome a host of attractions, celebrations and entertainments.

Here are the highlights for your diaries.

Old looks for new: Check out Charity Super.Mkt, in place until the end of August - image by Greenwich Peninsula
Old looks for new: Check out Charity Super.Mkt, in place until the end of August – image by Greenwich Peninsula

what’s on at Peninsula Summer

Charity Super.Mkt

Now GalleryJul 10-Aug 31- free

The brainchild of fashion designer Wayne Hemingway and Traid CEO Maria Chenoweth, this seven-week pop-up shop will sell pre-loved fashion with all proceeds going to charitable causes.

Purposeful retail that aims to do good things for people and the planet.

Wild Swing Mini Golf

Canteen Courtyard, Design DistrictJul 10-Aug 31- £4

The art duo Graphic Rewilding are dedicated to bringing outsize flora and fauna into urban spaces and here present a floral mini golf course for visitors to enjoy with friends.

Pay and play…

Summer Street Eats

Peninsula SquareJul 10-Aug 31- free

Complementing the offering at Canteen Food Hall And Bar in Design District, visitors are invited to discover the flavours available at a pop-up fleet of street food trucks during Peninsula Summer.

Doughnuts, ice cream, pizzas, pick’n’mix, crepes, waffles and churros will all be available for hungry punters.

Visitors can enjoy The Chromatic River Walk as part of Peninsula Summer - image by Greenwich Peninsula
Visitors can enjoy The Chromatic River Walk as part of Peninsula Summer – image by Greenwich Peninsula

The Chromatic River Walk 

Thames PathJul 10-Aug 31- free

Inspired by neon lights reflecting on the Thames at sunset, designer and artist Kitty Joseph presents a multicoloured art installation.

Revel in this soul-booster.

Firepit Gallery

Firepit GalleryJul 10-Aug 31- free

Open Tuesday-Saturday, this artist collective and gallery will be hosting workshops, events, exhibitions, performances and community projects throughout the summer.

Rhythm And Taste

Design DistrictJul 26, noon-9pm – free

The jazz and food festival promises a whole nine hours of music, roaming performers, street food, markets and meet-ups. 

The programme includes shows from jazz collective Steamdown, Shunaji And Knats, Design District’s radio community Loose.fm, DJs Tim Garcia And Tina Edwards and many more.

Also on offer will be wine tasting, workshops and a pan-Asian street food and craft market. 

GDIF

Peninsula Square + Design DistrictAug 30-31 – free

Rounding out Peninsula Summer will be the return of the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival, this year celebrating its 30th edition.

This year, Greenwich Peninsula will host a series of performances over two days including Turning Worlds, Ripple, Walking On The Wall, The Scale and Robopole

Audiences can expect acrobatic feats, circus skills and weightless movement on a rooftop basketball court.

getting to Peninsula Summer

Greenwich Peninsula is easily accessed by Jubilee line to North Greenwich, cable car from Royal Victoria Dock, numerous bus services across south-east London and Uber Boat By Thames Clippers along the river to Greenwich Pier.


Take a putt: Wild Swing Golf - image by Greenwich Peninsula
Take a putt: Wild Swing Golf – image by Greenwich Peninsula

key details: Peninsula Summer

Peninsula Summer is set to run from July 10 to August 31, 2025, at various locations on Greenwich Peninsula.

Full listings for all festivals and events featured are available online here

Read more: Sons, Daughters wins EBRD Literature Prize 2025 in Canary Wharf

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EBRD Literature Prize won by Sons, Daughters in Canary Wharf

The European Bank For Reconstruction and development has recognised author Ivana Bodrožić and translator Ellen Elias-Bursać with 2025 award

Author Ivana Bodrožić, left, and translator Ellen Elias-Bursać celebrate their win - image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD
Author Ivana Bodrožić, left, and translator Ellen Elias-Bursać celebrate their win – image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD

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Canary Wharf, known in the public psyche for its tall towers housing companies delivering financial services, has long been much more than that.

Its true essence is defined by the people inside those buildings – their interests, passions and diversity.

The European Bank For Reconstruction And Development (EBRD) Literature Prize – recently awarded at the organisation’s Bank Street offices – is an excellent example.

Born of a desire from staff to share in and engage with cultures in the territories where the bank operates, the contest is now in its eighth year and recognises works of fiction translated into English.

Both author and translator are equally celebrated for their efforts, reflecting the prize’s aim – to spread notable writing to as wide an audience as possible.

For 2025, an independent panel of judges led by critic and cultural journalist Maya Jaggi chose Sons, Daughters by Ivana Bodrožić, translated from the Croatian by Ellen Elias-Bursać as the winning work.

Ivana says she wanted to tell a story about how we're all locked in ourselves- image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD
Ivana says she wanted to tell a story about how we’re all locked in ourselves – image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD

a feeling of being locked in

“It’s a novel I published in Croatia five years ago, so I was writing it maybe seven or eight years ago,” said Ivana.

“It started from me and my own feelings of being locked in and is written from three different perspectives.

“The first is a woman who has locked-in syndrome.

“She’s paralysed but she has a really strong inner life.

“The second voice is that of a young man.

“He is transgender and he doesn’t feel like he belongs to his body when he looks in the mirror.

“The third is the perspective of the mother of the first character.

“She is a woman in her 60s. She was born and raised in the patriarchy and she is deformed by that system, although she doesn’t even realise it.

“I wanted to tell a story about how we are all locked in ourselves – that we can live and move, but  sometimes be paralysed.

“At the time I was writing it was difficult to be part of the LGBT minority in Croatia.

“It was when the Istanbul Convention was being ratified and there were some really loud parts of society – the right wing and the Catholic church.

“They wanted to point a finger at transgender people, saying that they were the biggest problem in Croatia and there were only one or two people who spoke out about their experience of living in that situation.

“In this radical metaphor through literature I was hoping that I could connect all those painful stories and make a novel that readers who wanted to be open could understand.”

EBRD Literatur Prize winners, Ivana and Ellen - image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD
EBRD Literatur Prize winners, Ivana and Ellen – image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD

winning the EBRD Literature Prize as an author

Ivana first found a love of reading as a child.

Growing up she spent five years in a refugee camp where “books were the only thing that told us there were other worlds, which was crucial for me”.

She said: “Books and stories became an essential part of my identity from an early age. Writing is connected with my life, not just talent but something I earned.

“I believe we can write about almost everything.

“What is important is our intention – what we want to do with our stories. 

“Do we want to harm or humiliate someone, or do we want to make a larger space for understanding and freedom for human dignity?

Sons, Daughters is not an easy book to read.

“All the stories are painful.

“My intention, when the reader closes the book, is to make them think that they have time to change something in their life, to open up a bit and see where their blind spots are.

“In that way, perhaps this novel is optimistic. 

“It shows you that you don’t need to be so closed, so locked in your own world.

“Winning this prize gives you the feeling that you’re a real writer and you know what you’re doing.

“It’s wonderful to know there’s a community of readers and what you’re doing means something.

“Writing can be a lonely job and being translated is very rewarding. Croatia is a very tiny community.

“It means a lot to know that sometimes I may be able to cross language borders.”

Ellen says she began working as a translator while living in Croatia - image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD
Ellen says she began working as a translator while living in Croatia – image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD

translating the work

In this instance, the person tasked with shepherding Ivana’s words over the hurdles of understanding was translator  Ellen Elias-Bursać – joint winner of the prize.

Born in the USA, it was studying Russian that sparked her professional journey.

“Our anti-Soviet professors wouldn’t send us to the USSR, but we were allowed to go to a Slavic country,” said Ellen.

“They found a programme in what was then  Yugoslavia, and I went for a year.

“I met a guy, finished school, went back and got married in 1974 and lived there until 1990.

“I had my kids there and became a community translator for many years, getting involved in translating literature towards the end of my stay. 

“I met Ivana through the publisher of her first novel, which was about the war in Croatia.”

The winners with the judges and fellow finalists at the presentation - images by Ale Di Padova / EBRD
The winners with the judges and fellow finalists at the presentation – image by Ale Di Padova / EBRD

winning the EBRD Literature Prize as a translator

Ellen said her process for translating a work began slowly before the pace picked up and she’d reach the end of a text.

Then a painstaking period of editing kicked in to ensure everything fitted together. 

She said: “Different novels require different contextual explanations depending on how much reference there is to local culture.

“It’s about the sound of the language and the humour too.

“There’s always loss and always gain with translation, you just hope there’s more of the latter.

“It’s tremendously gratifying to win this prize.

“Our role is to support authors and we end up doing much more than translating.

“We work with publishers, attend book launches, find people to review and promote things.

“I’m really happy that Ivana’s novel, which deserves attention, is thankfully getting it.

“I’m also very pleased the EBRD continues to support voices from many parts of the world by promoting books and bringing them to people’s attention – that’s a really valuable gift for everyone.”

key details: EBRD Literature Prize

The EBRD Literature Prize is awarded annually, recognising both the author and translator of a work of fiction. 

It celebrates creativity in the regions where the bank operates and aims to bring writing from a wide range of countries to a wider, global audience.

The other finalists recognised in 2025 were Ukraine’s Tanja Maljartschuk and translator Zenia Tompkins for Forgottenness, alongside Poland’s Olga Tokarczuk and translator Antonia Lloyd-Jones for The Empusium.

You can find our more about the prize here

  • Sons, Daughters by Ivana Bodrožić, translated from the Croatian by Ellen Elias- Bursać, is published by Seven Stories Press UK and is available through Waterstones in Cabot Place, priced £17.99.

Read more: Boisdale Of Canary Wharf launches Tropical Garden Terrace as the venue celebrates 15 years serving east London

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Win a family ticket on Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames’ river tour

Celebrating its fifth anniversary in London the floating show will be hosting a special day of sailings on July 19, 2025, including an appearance by Horrible Histories author Terry Deary

Audiences are treated to a tour by an enthusiastic student and a history teacher - image by Terrible Thames
Audiences are treated to a tour by an enthusiastic student and a history teacher – image by Terrible Thames

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London’s historical river tours with Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames are set to return from July 12, 2025.

The floating show, which takes in the capital’s riverside sights while showering audiences in horrifying, funny and shocking tales of days gone by is also celebrating its fifth year on the waterway. 

To mark that anniversary, passengers are being invited to book sailings on a special day of celebration on July 19, 2025, where they will meet royals and reprobates.

The likes of Queen Boudica, King Henry VIII, Queen Anne Boleyn, Guy Fawkes, Captain Kidd, Olaf The Viking and Julius Caesar are expected to be lurking near the tour’s point of embarkation – Tower Bridge Quay – during the event.

Also visiting on the day to meet fans will be Terry Deary, author of Horrible Histories, the series of gore-soaked books that not only sparked a passion for the past in the minds of countless youngsters, but also inspired the Terrible Thames theatrical tour.

The show itself is performed on the top deck of Silver Sockeye, a ship in Woods Silver Fleet, which takes a 45-minute route right through central London beginning and ending just east of Tower Bridge.

Audiences can expect to see Cleopatra’s Needle, Shakespeare’s Globe, the Houses Of Parliament, the London Eye and dive into the stories of Execution Dock, Jack The Ripper and the bloody goings on at the Tower Of London amid a multitude of harrowing tales.

Passengers are guided in their journey by a teacher and pupil on a trip to the capital awarded as a prize for excellence in history – but quite who is schooling who becomes a matter for debate.

Unique on the Thames, the show changes with the tide, which alters the time taken to sail up and down the river for each performance, meaning the actors have to constantly adapt the tour to suit the progress made.

It is performed by members of the Birmingham Stage Company, known for its adaptations of Deary’s works including The Best Of Barmy Britain, returning to the Apollo theatre this summer. 


The show takes place aboard Silver Sockeye, part of Woods Silver Fleet - image by Terrible Thames
The show takes place aboard Silver Sockeye, part of Woods Silver Fleet – image by Terrible Thames

your chance to win

>> For a chance to win a family ticket (one adult and three children or two adults and two children) to see the show this summer simply answer this question: Who wrote Horrible Histories?

To enter email your answer to info@wharf-life.com with the subject line Terrible Thames Competition.

>> Prize is tickets only, subject to availability. Transport to Tower Bridge Quay is at the prize winner’s expense.

There is no cash alternative. Entrants agree to have their data shared with Terrible Thames.

The closing date is July 30, 2025 and the editor’s decision is final.

The tour lasts 45 minutes and takes in the major London sights along the river - image by Terrible Thames
The tour lasts 45 minutes and takes in the major London sights along the river – image by Terrible Thames

key details: Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames

Horrible Histories: Terrible Thames is taking bookings from July 12 for daily sailings until September 3.

Adult tickets cost £25 while children aged 3-15 cost £15 each. Family tickets cost £70 with two adults and two children or £60 for one adult and three children.

Those aged 65 or over can sail for £20.

Find out more about the tours here

Read more: Boisdale Of Canary Wharf launches Tropical Garden Terrace as the venue celebrates 15 years serving east London

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Canary Wharf and Tower Hamlets Council deliver affordable homes

Canary Wharf Group CEO, Shobi Khan, and Mayor Of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman tour new social housing, built as part of the Wood Wharf project

The tour reaches the upper floor of 70 Charter Street - image by Jon Massey
The tour reaches the upper floor of 70 Charter Street – image by Jon Massey

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By the end of 2026, almost 300 affordable homes at Wood Wharf are expected to be occupied by tenants.

The properties – around 50% of which are family-sized apartments – are currently under construction in Charter Street beside the entrance to West India Docks and at Brannan Street overlooking Blackwall Basin.

When the new residents move in, they will join a growing community of more than 3,500 people already living on the estate, including tenants of 300 affordable properties arranged over three blocks arranged around Harbord Square.

For Mayor Of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, their arrival is all about equality.

He recently toured the construction site with Canary Wharf Group’s CEO Shobi Khan and chief development officer Tom Venner, alongside members of their teams and council officers to see progress on the new properties.

Canary Wharf Group CEO, Shobi Khan, left, and Mayor Of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman - image by Jon Massey
Canary Wharf Group CEO, Shobi Khan, left, and Mayor Of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman – image by Jon Massey

for the whole borough

“When Canary Wharf was first built, the locals didn’t think it was for them,” said Lutfur.

“Now, to have affordable homes – social housing – in the middle of the estate shows that we are one integrated community.

“We’re standing in a three-bedroom property right now in Canary Wharf.

“Families can live here in properties like this, overlooking the open water of Blackwall Basin.

“Kids can grow up with aspiration and hope for the future.

“I delivered the school here at Wood Wharf as part of earlier negotiations on the project – we insisted on that.

“We have an emerging community locally with youngsters growing up in Canary Wharf and on the Island, so we knew we’d need state-of-the-art educational facilities. 

The Mayor surveys the view of Blackwall Basin from a property in Brannan Street - image by Jon Massey
The Mayor surveys the view of Blackwall Basin from a property in Brannan Street – image by Jon Massey

“The private homes here and the social housing are integrated – it’s one community and to be told and given the assurance that the quality of the homes is the same across both tenures is important.

“People who have and those who have not, must have the same aspirations, the same life chances – we are one humanity.”

“Building more social housing is about partnerships.

“This is a good example where a private developer – Canary Wharf Group – has worked with the council to deliver a high proportion of social homes.

“We have a number of schemes in the pipeline ourselves in the borough, which will be 100% social homes, and we’re also working with registered social landlords on others.

“It’s a continuous endeavour.”

The latest tranche of affordable housing in Canary Wharf will be completed next year - image by Jon Massey
The latest tranche of affordable housing in Canary Wharf will be completed next year – image by Jon Massey

part of Canary Wharf’s wider offering

The affordable rental homes currently under construction at Wood Wharf have been sold to CBRE UK Affordable Housing Fund and will be managed by Pinnacle Group, which already looks after the 300 affordable properties on the estate. 

Shobi said: “This affordable housing project will be the best in the UK when it’s ready to welcome residents next year. 

“Providing these homes in Canary Wharf is all part of what we’re creating here – a thriving, diverse, welcoming neighbourhood. 

“It’s a place for all that includes a mix of accommodation set alongside public spaces with art for everyone to enjoy, an NHS surgery, schools and a nursery, a theatre and even open-water swimming.”

CWG has also worked with the council on a scheme to offer commercial space at Wood Wharf to local businesses to help boost east London’s economy.

A florist, hairdresser, nail salon, fitness studio and cafe have already launched, with all 10 units expected to open by the end of the summer.

Businesses were selected by a joint panel from CWG and the council with the aim of creating local social benefit.

Find out more about the latest affordable housing in Canary Wharf here

The tour party looks out over the Thames and The O2 from 70 Charter Street's upper reaches - image by Jon Massey
The tour party looks out over the Thames and The O2 from 70 Charter Street’s upper reaches – image by Jon Massey

Read more: Boisdale Of Canary Wharf launches Tropical Garden Terrace as the venue celebrates 15 years serving east London

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Mudchute Park And Farm seeks long lease to secure future funding

Following the expiry of the current agreement, the charity looking after the land is in limbo and wants Tower Hamlets Council to grant it a 30-year term


Mudchute Park And Farm's lease expired in June 2024 - image by Jon Massey
Mudchute Park And Farm’s lease expired in June 2024 – image by Jon Massey

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In the 1970s, the tract of land now occupied by Mudchute Park And Farm was earmarked for a high-rise housing development.

Under that deal it would have been handed off to the Greater London Council by the Port Of London Authority, which had realised Millwall Docks’ days were numbered.

Instead, local residents rose up and fought a successful campaign to ensure the 32 acres would become public open space.  

There are very few living locally who would argue that the park, farm and allotments – which have served generations in the community five decades – are anything other than a source of enormous social benefit to those living and working locally.

It’s a site on which children can be face-to-face with real sheep, cows and pigs, where dog walkers can socialise their pets and where walkers can experience the pure joy of coming across a llama with a sceptical look on its face.

There’s also the farm’s work to support and nurture rare breeds and its efforts to preserve and enhance the natural environment.

It’s free, fun and accessible to all.

While there’s always room for improvement, it’s a site that rightly attracts plaudits as one of the borough’s gems.

Sue Mortimer, chair of the Mudchute Association - image by Jon Massey
Sue Mortimer, chair of the Mudchute Association – image by Jon Massey

an expired lease

However, it’s also an operation that’s currently hobbled.

The charity that runs the farm and looks after the site it sits on – the Mudchute Association – has been in negotiation with Tower Hamlets Council (which owns the land) to renew its long-term lease on the site since 2019.

However, that process has not yet resulted in an agreement between the two parties and the existing 20-year lease ran out in June 2024.

The charity currently has the right to continue operating on the site while it works to reach an agreement thanks to the Landlord And Tenant Act 1954, but this leaves it in a tricky position.

While the day-to-day operation of Mudchute Park And Farm continues, plans to improve and develop its offering for the future are severely impacted by the delay.

“We can’t apply for grants and funding because we have no lease in place – that’s especially a problem for large capital projects,” said Sue Mortimer, chair of the board of trustees overseeing the Mudchute Association.

“As a charity, we are heavily reliant on fundraising and volunteers – the farm is totally free at the point of delivery, a community asset that benefits everyone who lives, works and visits the area.

“We welcome 250,000 people every year, including more than 10,000 school children, care for rare breeds, offer volunteer training programmes and provide access to beautiful green space.

“The income we receive – from letting space to Muddy Boots nursery, for example – goes on feeding and looking after the animals and running the farm.

“Since the lease expired, we live hand-to-mouth.”

The land the park and farm sit on was originally earmarked for development - image by Jon Massey
The land the park and farm sit on was originally earmarked for development – image by Jon Massey

a lease of 30 years for Mudchute Park And Farm?

Sue said the farm would like to agree lease of at least 30 years with the council to enable the charity to apply for funding to further improve the farm and open up new revenue streams from developers locally.

“Mudchute is one of the few areas in Tower Hamlets where organisations engaged in construction can offset the loss of flora and fauna by investing in new habitats resulting in biodiversity net gain,” said Sue.

“But we have to have a lease in place in order to benefit from those arrangements.” 

While Sue and Mudchute are at pains to stress there are currently no plans to close the farm or to alter how it operates, just continuing with the status quo will increasingly cause the charity problems and potentially force it to make hard choices.

That could mean charging for services and activities or even entry to the farm.

 Negotiation between the council and the charity is seemingly at an impasse.

Free at the point of delivery, the farm is popular with local residents and visitors to the area - image by Jon Massey
Free at the point of delivery, the farm is popular with local residents and visitors to the area – image by Jon Massey

Tower Hamlets’ policy

The authority’s published policy on renting assets to voluntary and community sector organisations is that it will normally only grant a lease of up to five years to such groups.

However, there is provision in that policy to accommodate longer leases for organisations “where there is an opportunity to seek grant funding from organisations outside the council e.g. Big Lottery Fund” where those applications can only be made on longer leases, typically 25 years or more.

On the face of it, this may apply to the Mudchute Association and the council’s current position on the matter is unclear.

As the only 32-acre farm in the borough (one of the largest city farms in Europe, for that matter) it could well be considered a special case.

“I don’t really understand what the council’s position is, apart from the fact that they don’t like to give long leases to any organisations,” said Sue. 

“That seems a bit short-sighted in my view, considering what we do here.

“There’s also been the suggestion that we pay rent for the first time in our history, beyond the peppercorn levy of our old lease. 

“We are a charity and we don’t have a lot of excess money, but that’s something we may have to look at – the important thing is we have a fair offer from Tower Hamlets.

“We can’t agree to a rent that in five years time could go up exponentially and we can’t afford to pay.

“But we will look carefully at any offer we get.”

The farm supports rare breeds and has sheep, goats, pigs and cows - image by Jon Massey
The farm supports rare breeds and has sheep, goats, pigs and cows – image by Jon Massey

ongoing negotiations

Sue and the charity are hoping to resolve the matter with the council through negotiation, but given the past lease’s expiry and the slow pace of dialogue, they are also preparing to go to court over the matter if necessary.

They have launched a fundraising campaign to generate £75,000  with the intention of forcing a renewal – likely a 15-year term, at most.

The charity has also garnered extensive local support – expressed in a petition of more than 6,000 signatures – to raise the matter at a council meeting on July 16, 2025, to address both the lease extension and the principle of charging the charity rent for the first time.

Sue said: “We’d love to have this settled amicably without going to court. We’re all so passionate about the farm and, with a long lease, we could do so much more.”  

Nobody from Tower Hamlets Council was available for interview for this piece, however the authority did send a statement.

A spokesperson said: “We remain committed to reaching a fair and sustainable lease agreement with the Mudchute Association that supports their work and benefits the community and we are engaging through the appropriate legal processes to ensure a fair outcome.

“As part of this ongoing dialogue, our chief executive and our corporate director of housing and regeneration will visit the farm to help move discussions forward.”

The Mudchute Association is keen to negotiate a new lease with the council as soon as possible - image by Jon Massey
The Mudchute Association is keen to negotiate a new lease with the council as soon as possible – image by Jon Massey

key details: Mudchute Park And Farm

You can find out more about Mudchute Park And Farm and its campaign for a new lease online. 

The Tower Hamlets Council meeting on July 16, 2025, will take place at 7pm in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall in Whitechapel, for those wishing to attend.

Find out more about the farm’s campaign for a new lease here

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The Island Studio opens to offer Reformer Pilates in Canary Wharf

Founded by Sol Bouille in Hackney Wick, the Tower Hamlets fitness business has expanded to Brannan Street in Wood Wharf and offers group sessions


The Island Studio offers small group Reformer Pilates sessions - image by The Island Studio
The Island Studio offers small group Reformer Pilates sessions – image by The Island Studio

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Sol Bouille’s Pilates journey began with injury.

The Argentinian dancer and dance teacher suffered a slipped disc and turned to the exercise system to help her recover and strengthen her body.

“I’ve always been interested in movement and I have a degree in musical theatre, jazz dancing, singing and acting and I trained in New York at the Broadway Dance Centre,” said Sol.

“I’ve been working as a dance teacher since I was 21 and living in London for 12 years now.

“It was when I started to do Pilates after that injury that I discovered it was wonderful, not just for me but for everyone.

“As a dancer, I train very intensively, but I don’t like the anxiety that comes with training hard in the gym.

“I found Pilates very calming and mindful – you’re connected and you train very directly in every way.

“It’s not just about being strong.

“It helps you to walk, to stand, to be flexible, to be mobile.

“It doesn’t matter what age you are, or what your fitness level is, there’s always an option for you in a class.”

Founder Sol Bouille - image by The Island Studio
Founder Sol Bouille – image by The Island Studio

founding The Island Studio

After qualifying as a Pilates instructor, Sol built up her class load until she was full time.

Then after a number of years working in studios she realised she was dispensing advice to other instructors and started thinking about starting her own business.

“I wanted to have better ambience, better music and a better space in general,” she said.

The result was The Island Studio, a space in Hackney Wick with classes built around Reformer Pilates beds, which use the resistance of springs to support or challenge the body when exercising.

“Initially, I wasn’t a hundred per cent sure about opening my own studio, but a space became available, right next to where I live,” said Sol.

“It was spacious and airy, with beautiful natural light and, when I walked in, I knew it was for me.

“Many studios in London are underground or don’t have many windows, so I was lucky to find this place.

“It was perfect, so I started with just nine beds for Reformer Pilates.

“The classes are small and there’s so much you can work on. It’s an intimate experience, so I now have a lot more friends.”

Classes feature dynamic movements based on the classical Pilates system - image by The Island Studio
Classes feature dynamic movements based on the classical Pilates system – image by The Island Studio

growing the business

Opened in November 2022, Sol started as the only instructor, carefully building up the business, discovering the appetite for Reformer was strong in the predominantly residential community at Hackney Wick.

After hiring more instructors, her attentions turned to the future and growing the business.

While pregnant, a walk round Wood Wharf inspired her to get in touch with Canary Wharf Group, which was seeking Tower Hamlets-based companies to expand their operations in its newest neighbourhood.

Having also expanded to Kentish Town, Sol’s third studio has opened at Brannan Street, close to Union Square, this month.

“I’ve done all that and had a baby five months ago,” she said. “But I’ve always been creative beyond dancing – with colours, design and choreography.

“I’m doing everything at The Island Studio, I’ve created the role I always wanted.

“In Canary Wharf, just as at our other branches, we are offering small group Reformer Pilates classes.

“These are dynamic, following the principles of classical Pilates but with a modern approach. 

“Each class is a full body workout based on flexibility, strength and mobility.

“We plan the classes in such a way that everyone is welcome, so you don’t have to be strong or flexible, you just have to be there.

“You can train at the level you want.

“The advantage of training in a small group is that the instructors can personalise exercises and modifications to your needs – similar to what would happen in a private one-to-one session, but more affordable.” 

what to expect at The Island Studio

Reformer Pilates is unquestionably having a moment with studios opening across London and group classes at gyms consistently fully booked.

The Island Studio offers Wharfers a range of ways to experience its services.

“We have packages and memberships – the more you buy, the cheaper it is,” said Sol.

“When clients enter the space they will be greeted by an instructor.

“Then they take their shoes off and find their machine – the space is very clean and airy. 

“People can buy grip socks from us or use their own.

“Then it’s simple, you don’t have to remember anything – the instructor will tell clients everything they need to perform every exercise and offer modifications where needed.

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

key details: The Island Studio

The Island Studio is now open in Wood Wharf’s Brannan Street.

A three-class intro offer is available for £48.

Full details of classes and packaged can be found online.

Book your first class via this link

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Lovestuck review: A tale of a turd expertly polished

Comedy musical at Theatre Royal Stratford East is West End-grade silliness from duo behind My Dad Wrote A Porno, James Cooper and Jamie Morton

Spicy duet: Shane O'Riordan and Jessica Boshier belt out a number in to burritos in Lovestuck - image by Mark Senior
Spicy duet: Shane O’Riordan and Jessica Boshier belt out a number in to burritos in Lovestuck – image by Mark Senior

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WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

James Cooper and Jamie Morton aren’t above a cheap laugh or two.

After meeting at Leeds University, they rose to fame as two thirds of the troop behind blockbuster podcast My Dad Wrote A Porno.

For that show – downloaded by hundreds of millions worldwide – they took ham-fisted erotica penned by Jamie’s father under the pen name of Rocky Flintstone and skilfully milked the unintentionally hilarious source material for all it was worth.

Its success was born both of the genius of Morton senior’s epic story of constant titillation, Belinda Blinked, but also of the presenters’ unabashed joy in creatively revelling in the quirks and oddities found in the sexual fantasies of a retired Northern Irish builder. 

Comedy musical Lovestuck, which is currently running at Theatre Royal Stratford East, feels like the product of a similar process.

Spoiler alert. It’s loosely based on the true story of a young woman who went on a date with a Bristol University student, then panicked when her poo wouldn’t flush when she went to his toilet.

Panicking, she tried to fling the tissue-wrapped turd out of the bathroom window, only to have it hit a further pane of glass on its way to freedom and plop down into a foot-wide gap between the two frames.

After confessing to her date, she then took it upon herself to attempt a rescue, diving head first into the gap while he went seeking tools to help, and became wedged between the windows.

Eventually she was rescued by firefighters.


Lucy (played by Jessica) becomes trapped with her turd in Lovestuck - image by Mark Senior
Lucy (played by Jessica) becomes trapped with her turd in Lovestuck – image by Mark Senior

Lovestuck: a tale adapted

For Lovestuck, writer James and director Jamie – with assistance from music men Bryn Christopher and Martin Batchelar – have taken that deliciously awkward tale and polished the turd into a fabulous meditation on love.

Our heroine, Lucy (Jessica Boshier), is a nerdy nurse, single and tragic but beloved by patients and camp colleague Reece (Marcus Ayton). 

Our hero, Peter (Shane O’Riordan), is a nerdy Irish larper and fan of the elves, forced to find a new home after faux friend David (played with all the pomposity of a young Matt Berry by Johan Munir) boots him out.

After an abortive meet-cute, where our boy vomits on Lucy’s shoes after one too many, the couple finally hook up on a dating app and arrange to meet for a Mexican.

But our girl is plagued by insecurity after a chance encounter with an old school-friend-turned-social-media-influencer who doubles up on stage as hectoring inner voice Misereaie (an imperious Bridgette Amofah). 

After a flirtation with “becoming basic” Lucy thankfully reverts to type over burritos and all looks good for the young couple as they head back to Peter’s eccentric new pad.

But the spice is too much and poogate ensues just before the big romantic kiss, kicking off a tsunami of events that feature social media humiliation and a dance with multiple cats before eventual reconciliation and love winning out on Luton’s local TV station (this is fiction after all).

Bridgette Amofah as Miseraie leads an ensemble number about cats - image by Mark Senior
Bridgette Amofah as Miseraie leads an ensemble number about cats – image by Mark Senior

All-in-all it’s a belter of a show and a real ensemble effort.

The leads are excellent, especially O’Riordan as the credulous, loveable optimist.

His dance and celebratory number with chorus member Callum Connolly as a dismissive estate agent, is nothing short of heart warming. 

Meanwhile Ayton’s sassy nurse (and over-the-top vicar), Munir’s sleazy turn as betrayer-in-chief and even Alison Steadman’s pre-recorded, blunt narration all add gold to the richness of the show.

Special mention too, to Tom Rogers’ subtle but spare set, which literally puts the audience in the frames with hapless, trapped Lucy.

It’s a reminder that there’s often real West End quality to be found on an East End stage in Stratford.   

**** (4/5)

Callum Connolly's estate agent dances with O'Riordan's Peter - image by Mark Senior
Callum Connolly’s estate agent dances with O’Riordan’s Peter – image by Mark Senior

key details: Lovestuck

Lovestuck is at Theatre Royal Stratford East until July 12, 2025, and more updates on its future can be found on Instagram via @lovestuckmusical.

Full listings of future shows in Stratford can be found on the theatre’s website.

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Kidbrooke Village celebrates affordable homes milestone

Berkeley Capital and L&Q have delivered 645 affordable apartments as part of their regeneration of the Ferrier Estate in south-east London


The Kidbrooke Village project will see 5,400 homes built on the site of the Ferrier Estate in south-east London - image by L&Q
The Kidbrooke Village project will see 5,400 homes built on the site of the Ferrier Estate in south-east London – image by L&Q

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When the tools finally go back in the van, Berkeley Capital will have delivered around 5,400 new homes on the site of the Ferrier Estate in south-east London.

Spread over 86 acres, the project is one of the larger regeneration schemes in this part of London, kicking off in 2010.

It includes Cator Park (recognised with the Sir David Attenborough award for enhancing biodiversity), two schools, a nursery, a health centre and a range of commercial spaces that have attracted the likes of Sainsbury’s, YoHome and Starbucks. It even has its own pub in the shape of The Depot on Pegler Square.

Since work began, Berkeley has delivered some 1,400 affordable homes as part of the development including 645 built in partnership with the Royal Borough Of Greenwich and housing association L&Q.

Recently council leader Cllr Anthony Okereke joined representatives from the developers and local residents to mark this milestone and officially open the latest apartments.

The properties are split between London living rent, London affordable rent and shared ownership to cater for a range of needs.

Cllr Anthony Okereke celebrates the completion of 645 affordable homes with L&Q and Berkeley at Kidbrooke Village - image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q
Cllr Anthony Okereke celebrates the completion of 645 affordable homes with L&Q and Berkeley at Kidbrooke Village – image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q

marking delivery at Kidbrooke Village

“We’re hugely proud to complete our 645th affordable home and it’s fantastic to see more households settle in,” said Justin Tibaldi, managing director of Berkeley Capital.

“Kidbrooke Village is a compelling example of successful long-term urban regeneration and has made a hugely positive difference to this part of Greenwich. 

“Partnership working has been key to that success and shows what can be achieved through a shared vision and commitment to delivery.”

Neil Davis, development delivery director at L&Q, said: “At L&Q our mission is to combine our social purpose and commercial drive to build homes and neighbourhoods everyone can be proud of and we are very proud of what this partnership has created at Kidbrooke Village.

“While this event celebrated the completion of the 645th affordable home in this superb community and almost six years of working in partnership locally, as a housing association, we will be managing these homes for decades to come. 

“So we look forward to watching the community grow even further and we will continue to provide support and exemplar services for residents.”

One and two-bed shared ownership homes are currently available - image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q
One and two-bed shared ownership homes are currently available – image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q

shared ownership options

Currently one and two-bedroom properties are available through L&Q at Kidbrooke with three-beds expected to be released soon.

Apartments feature open-plan design and full height glazing to allow plenty of natural light in.

Locally there’s an extensive children’s playground by APES (which built the award-winning facilities at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park) and a concierge service for residents.

The development is also well connected, with an on-site rail link connecting directly to the likes of Lewisham, London Bridge, Waterloo East and Victoria. Canary Wharf is about 25 minutes away with a change onto the DLR.

Cyclists can reach the likes of Lewisham and Greenwich in 16 minutes and 21 minutes respectively.

A show home interior at Kidbrooke Village - image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q
A show home interior at Kidbrooke Village – image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q

key details: Kidbrooke Village

Shared ownership homes are currently available at Kidbrooke Village through L&Q.

Prices start at £93,750 for a 25% share of a one-bed based on a full market value of £375,000.

Find out more about the properties here

Properties come with outdoor space - image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q
Properties come with outdoor space – image by Berkeley Capital / L&Q

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