Speed is of the essence when it comes to the new model with the business laser-focused on delivering food in minutes to suit Londoners’ busy lives.
Dez Amore operates on two sites in Canary Wharf including this kiosk at Reuters Plaza
speeding up the process
“In Italy, when I used to sit down with my grandfather, we started with antipasto, then primo, then secundo, then contorno – the minimum was three hours for a meal,” said Leonardo.
“Now a sit-down meal can be 45 minutes and we want to reduce this to 20. The food culture is completely different now.
“The time to eat is very short.
“Even though the pandemic has made things more difficult for a business like ours, we think there’s a niche there.
“We offer two very popular kinds of food – pasta for the Italian and burger for the American – and we’re about convenience.
“It might be that people coming home from work simply want an easy life so come to us to eat – we want to make life easy for our customers.
“Perhaps a mum with three children will bring them to eat at Dez Amore for some healthy pasta.
“It’s not fast food, but it is good food that is fast. Our customers understand quality and why it’s important.
“We import ingredients from Italy to ensure the quality.
“We make everything from scratch in our central kitchen so that it’s as fresh as possible when we serve it, but also so that we can do it quickly.
“We are only satisfied when our customers are satisfied.
“It’s about reducing the time to finalise the dishes rather than cutting the preparation time.
“With a sauce, for example, we put in the proper time to make it so that it only takes a minute to finish it in the branch.
“We’ve also moved to smash burgers, which are faster to prepare and serve so customers have less waiting.
“People eat our food at different times. Pasta is more of a sit-down dish, but you can eat a burger anywhere, even while you’re working.
“In Canary Wharf, Wood Wharf is more of a sit-down option, while the kiosk is grab and go.
“We actually see an increase in burger sales after 6pm as people like to have them with a beer.
“With both offerings now in our shops, we’re looking ahead to 2025 and we want to open two or three more locations.
“London is the best city in the world and we want to grow here.”
Just as Canary Wharf is evolving, so too are its oldest retailers.
Nicolas has been selling wine on the estate since the 1990s.
Its cosy, bistro-style bar long delivered servings of French flavours and seclusion in the lower level of One Canada Square.
But things move on and 2024 has brought a completely fresh direction for the store.
“The original concept worked well for us back then, but the estate has changed and there are lots of restaurants and bars with outdoor space now,” said Mark Connolly, buyer and training manager at Nicolas UK.
“It was our only bar in London and, with the refurbishment, we wanted to celebrate what we do best – being a wine merchant.
“With the bar gone, it’s really allowed us to open up the store space.
“We’ve got full window displays and there’s plenty of light coming into the branch.
“We’ve changed the way the bottles are displayed – they’re nicely spread out now and it’s really easy to see where everything is.
“For Nicolas it’s a showcase store.
“We’ve been able to increase the range we offer with an improved fine wine selection and more for customers to choose from.”
Nicolas UK’s Mark Connolly
Nicolas: a radical change
As a retail space, it’s a radical change from the previously cramped corner at the entrance to the shop.
Walk in now and a long vista of pale wood awaits. Bottles relax at jaunty angles in plenty of space on the ample shelving.
Recalling wooden wine cases, Nicolas’ logo is burnt into the timber, giving visitors the feeling of entering a cellar in a chateau after a tour of some excellent vineyards.
None of this is happen-stance, it’s by design.
“We’ve certainly gone for a more premium look,” said Mark.
“We’ve dispensed with the dark red and yellow of the old store for a much lighter, airier feel.
“There’s no more dark-stained wood.
“It’s a much more welcoming space with a large entrance and big open windows so passers-by can easily see in.
“The layout has been designed for browsing – there’s freedom to walk around and for our staff to provide advice, guiding customers to the perfect wine.
“The main purpose was to make the bottle the hero, while ensuring we’re just that bit more approachable.
“We are a French wine specialist, so it makes sense to have the best French wines available – people demand that – and this new layout allows us to offer a wide selection.
“Our range is something that evolves all the time and there’s lots of exciting wines we can bring here now.
“The bottles are displayed by region with red, white, rosé and sparkling from a particular area grouped together.
“If you look at Bordeaux, you’ll have your classic red wines, but you’ll also have classic white wines, so customers can explore.
“Things can become a bit regimented if you categorise wine by colour or kind.
“We know that people often come in with a good idea of what they’re looking for – now they can go straight to that region and see the wines laid out in front of them.”
new facilities and more to come
Perhaps the most consequential change for the store’s refit, however is the provision of new facilities and the promise of even more.
Complementing the extended wine offering, a new brightly-lit space has been created.
“The really exciting thing is that we now have a large tasting room with a glass door so customers can see into it from the shop,” said Mark.
“It can be open for people to explore or closed off for private events.
“It will easily hold around 30 guests and we’re planning a full schedule for 2025 with lots of masterclasses, tastings and other events.
“I am thrilled about what we can now offer to our customers with this facility.
“It has a large TV screen on the wall too, so we’ll be able to offer virtual tastings live from winemakers in other locations.
“Further to the tasting room, if our plans work out we’re hoping to have a smoking room as well for customers to try cigars.
“We’ve always sold plenty of cigars, but this is about offering something a bit more special.
“There aren’t many places that offer this kind of service – only one other on the Wharf and not many in the whole country – so it’s a way customers can linger and perhaps try some spirits along with their cigars.
“We’ll also be making that space and the tasting room itself available for hire for private events.”
investment in Canary Wharf
Alongside the likes of long-standing retailers Waitrose and Holland And Barrett, Nicolas sees Canary Wharf as worthy of investment – a result of increasing footfall and interest in the estate.
“We’ve been here historically and have built up a bit of a following within Canary Wharf,” said Mark. “But the other aspect to our decision to refit the store is that we know there is money here.
“There are lots of businesses with people who are looking for something fine, whether that’s gifts or simply a bottle to take home.
“This project is about meeting those expectations and providing something really special for people in Canary Wharf.
“We now need to spread the word to let people know we’ve evolved and are offering something better.
“We’re looking forward to serving everybody who comes in now that we have the ideal store to do it in.”
Mark, who has been with Nicolas for some 13 years, is the man responsible for deciding what goes on the shelves of its UK stores.
“We offer many French wines, of course, but also source some from the UK as well as exciting varieties from the US, Italy and Spain,” he said.
“It’s my job to make sure we’ve got the right range so that customers know they can still come in and pick up a nice Barollo or a Rioja.
“In terms of popularity it’s very much reds from Bordeaux and reds and whites from Burgundy, but we also have some really exciting wines from places like south-west France, the Languedoc and grands cru from Alsace.
“There’s plenty to explore.”
RECOMMENDED FOR CHRISTMAS 2024
Mark’s festive picks from the shelves of Nicolas Canary Wharf
With Christmas fast approaching, we asked Mark to select three wines from Nicolas’ range that would be versatile enough to please everyone on December 25 and handle the traditional feast and trimmings…
“This Pouilly-Fumé has a real mineral clarity to it, plus a little bit more body to match up well with turkey or salmon,” said Mark
Drinkers will find the aroma of dried flowers and salted butter caramel when opening this bottle before experiencing notes of cinnamon, cloves and candied ginger
“There’s a real difference between renting from a private landlord and from a build-to-rent company,” said Amelia Polowyj of Native Residential, the company British Land has engaged to manage its Alma scheme at Aldgate East.
The sharp angles of its triangular tower on the corner of Whitechapel High Street and Commercial Road house some 159 apartments, each available to let for up to 24 months.
Sprinkled with a wealth of amenities, it’s a 24/7 operation with its own bespoke scent and work on its walls from local artists.
“One of the benefits is having a dedicated team on-site you can speak to face-to-face if there are any issues in the property,” said Amelia, Alma’s general manager.
“As build-to-rent becomes a bigger part of the market as it has done in America, it will showcase why it’s a good option.
“For example, we have people moving from overseas who aren’t familiar with London, so having someone on reception who can recommend their favourite restaurant or local service is great.
“That joins up the dots and isn’t something you can find in private rental.”
It’s a topic that Amelia is passionate about having moved from the world of retail to property.
Initially she managed high-end student accommodation and then build-to-rent properties in and around Manchester.
Native Residential’s Amelia Polowyj, general manager at Alma
delivering on customer service at Alma
“It was while I was at Vita Living that a resident handed me a letter on her final day with us,” said Amelia.
“She wanted to convey how much it had meant to her that from her very first week I’d remembered her name and apartment number when she came to talk to us.
“That was so impactful to me – that something I would describe as simply good customer service, had meant so much to her. It demonstrates the kind of service people can expect.”
Amelia said that while people in rental schemes in Manchester were largely waiting to buy, the London market at developments like Alma was different.
“People here are very content to rent as a choice,” she said. “Alma, for instance, is very much at the upper end of the market.
“We provide as much of a tailored experience here as is humanly possible – it’s a premium living product.
“We’re the first operator to launch in Aldgate East and will be 25% occupied by the end of the year. Every apartment comes with a full suite of integrated appliances.
“There are American-style fridge-freezer, wine coolers, comfort cooling, washer-dryers and underfloor heating in the bathrooms.
“All of the appliances are smart so you can control them from your phone – turning on your oven while you’re on your commute so it’s ready to cook when you get home.
“The homes all have either a winter garden or terrace depending on the layout, the former offering tenants the best of both worlds and making the space a genuine extension of the apartment.
“The architects have been careful to ensure all bedrooms are a good size to cater for people who are sharing.
“The furniture, which is included in the price alongside Samsung Smart TVs, has been designed and curated so as not to overwhelm the rooms.
“The designers have really thought about the logistics – how someone’s going to use the space.”
Apartments at Alma feature bedrooms designed to cater for tenants who are sharing the property
residents’ facilities
Beyond each apartment, the development offers a wide selection of facilities for residents to use.
There’s an expansive triangular roof terrace complete with sun loungers and views towards the City and the East End, a lounge for relaxation that doubles as a private kitchen and dining room and a screening room for when the Samsung TV isn’t quite enough.
There’s also a small gym and a shared workspace on the ground floor with bookable pods for those who need privacy.
Alma is pet-friendly, with no extra charges for those who like to live with animals and boasts its own service app with features such as dry cleaning and dog walking.
“Everything’s been thought through in great detail, even if residents won’t necessarily notice immediately,” said Amelia.
“The furniture in the apartments and the communal areas is all sustainable and has been designed to be easily repairable should the need arise.”
Besides the facilities, Alma’s greatest attraction is perhaps its location.
The Monopoly board is looking very much out of date, with Whitechapel an increasingly desirable part of town thanks to its walking-distance proximity to the City, extensive regeneration locally and impressive transport links resulting from the arrival of the Elizabeth Line.
The latter offers a three-minute connection to Canary Wharf after a 10-minute walk and a direct route to much of central London as well as Heathrow Airport.
The scheme is also within walking distance of the Square Mile’s offices, the vibrancy of Shoreditch and the historic sites of Tower Hill.
The development boasts an expansive, shared roof terrace – image Tom Bird
work-life balance at Alma
“More than ever, especially following the pandemic, people are starting to understand the value of work-life balance,” said Amelia.
“Having the ease of a 10-minute walk to and from work is a massive positive.
“And there’s so much to do in the local area – we have a community host who has set up a network of neighbourhood heroes so our residents can get benefits from local businesses.
“Right now it’s about getting the Alma brand out there.
“We have a cap on the number of students we’ll take as tenants at about 20% because we want to ensure a mix with professionals in the building.
“We already have quite a few corporate clients and we’re aiming for a nice balance, with short stays also available on the 11th floor so people can try out life at Alma.”
Part of the communal suite of residents’ facilities at Alma
key details: Alma
Alma is located on the corner of Whitechapel High Street and Commercial Road close to Aldgate East Tube Station.
The build-to-rent development comprises 159 apartments with prices starting at £2,950 per month for a studio.
One-beds start at £3,325, while two and three-beds are £4,172 and £5,488 respectively.
The duplex penthouse is currently on the market for rent at just under £10,000.
From a very young age, it was clear Pauline Suarez would be a teacher.
“Even at three years old, my mum remembers me lining up my teddies and teaching them how to read and write,” she said.
“However, they were very poor achievers.
“It was something in me – I knew what I wanted to do. I’ve always had a passion for nurturing people and I really wanted to help the world.”
Having grown up in “a very small village in Canada”, Pauline studied education at the University Of Saskatchewan before seeking a position overseas.
She interviewed for a role in Mexico, but only found out she’d got it by letter 12 weeks after she’d already started teaching in London.
“I came to be a supply teacher in primary schools,” she said.
“I actually didn’t take it all that seriously.
“I really wanted the Mexican job and I think London was probably the worst interview of my life.
“But I got the job, I loved it and I thrived.
“My first job was at De Beavoir school in Hackney – the toughest, roughest school I had ever seen.
“The kids were on the tables, totally out of control.
“I called my mum in the first week and told her it was awful and that I was moving home.
“But that was in 2000, it’s 2024 now and I’m living and working in Canary Wharf.
“London is like a woman and you either love her or hate her.
“I’m madly in love with her. This is an amazing city – it just has everything.”
born of experience
Working initially in Southwark before moving to Tower Hamlets and a stint in South Africa, Pauline’s career has see her accrue a great deal of experience in inner-city education.
Before embarking on a new venture, she worked extensively at Malmesbury Primary School in Mile End and most recently at Harbinger Primary School on the Isle Of Dogs.
“I was a phenomenal teacher,” said Pauline.
“But teaching 30 children each day and working long hours left me more and more disillusioned with the education system.
“It was about having everything written down rather than adapting to the child’s needs.”
Having initially started tutoring while still teaching, she decided to leave the classroom in 2022 and try something different.
“I wanted a change,” said Pauline.
“It was a time in my life when I couldn’t get assurance of regular work as a teacher – they would just call when they needed someone, a bit like a zero hours contract.
“I felt like a swan – calm on the surface but frantically paddling under the water.
“So I decided to take on a franchise with tutoring company Conexus.
“Only around 16% of businesses in London are owned by women, so that’s one reason I wanted to do this.
“I started the franchise for the Canary Wharf area in January and I’m so grateful for the support I’ve had – everyone has wanted to help.”
Conexus Tuition Canary Wharf: Isle Of Dogs sessions
“It was started by a woman called Sharon Cawley – a teacher who had a breakdown, a broken marriage and was living with two kids in a council flat on benefits.
“She realised she could tutor to make a living and discovered that teaching them in small groups worked really well.
“That’s backed up by the research from the Education Endowment Foundation, which found that this kind of environment allows children to learn more over the course of a year than one-to-one.
“Sharon was teaching English and found out that many of her students were also going to see a maths tutor.
“She decided to hire one herself and that’s where Conexus was born.
“The company provides small group learning from top quality tutors.
“Each knows their subject really well – we only hire specialists because you need that in-depth knowledge.”
Pauline’s franchise offers online sessions from £20 or in-person classes from £23 on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school.
the benefits of tuiotion
She said: “I don’t believe there’s a child on the planet who wouldn’t benefit from having a tutor.
“Tutoring embeds learning and allows your child to get to grips with their education.
“The school system is overloaded.
“There’s too little money and, in a traditional classroom, the average student might only be spending three minutes with a teacher during a lesson. Tutoring is an investment.
“If a child is top of their class, they often need a push to achieve their potential.
“Equally, if they’re struggling, then they need support. It’s being able to adapt to the child’s needs.
“One small thing can affect them and a tutor has the time to find out what that is and deal with it.
“Children can be terrified of saying the wrong thing or making a mistake.
“I had a child two weeks ago who had been over-tested in school.
“She came in, started learning and she seemed fine, and then she had a panic attack.
“I got her to breathe so that she could calm her nervous system down and then she cried and cried.
“I asked her why she was so upset and she said she’d failed a test in school. I explained to her that as her tutor it was me that had failed if she didn’t know something.
“Now she has the biggest smile and wants to come to our sessions because she knows there’s no judgment.
“In school there’s an exorbitant amount of pressure on these children, and they’re not handling it well.
“We can take away that pressure and we can help them learn. That’s our promise.
“I’ve had phone calls from parents fearful that their child would fail exams and I’m always confident we can get them through.
“One of the mums cries when she sees us – her daughter was failing but ended up getting fours and fives at GCSE and is now training to be dental nurse.
“It feels amazing when you can really change the course of someone’s life – it’s my true purpose.”
key details: Conexus Tuition Canary Wharf
Conexus Tuition Canary Wharf delivers group tutoring sessions at the Barkantine Community Centre each week.
One-to-one and online sessions are also available in children’s homes by arrangement.
Conexus is a member of the Tutors’ Association and is committed to safeguarding with all staff DBS checked every term.
Pauline is also about to launch specialist 11+ Core Classes aimed at helping children in Years 4 and 5 pass entrance examinations for selective secondary schools.
A little like the exhibition space he runs in south-east London, there’s an upbeat openness about Gareth Gardner.
Originally from Warwick, he studied civil engineering in Southampton before taking a job as a journalist and moving to the Isle Of Dogs back in 1995.
“Mudchute was my first experience of living in London,” he said.
“I was working on New Civil Engineer, a big trade magazine at the time, and it was really good – we had 25 editorial staff, two staff photographers – it was just insane.
“They trained me really well, as they had a policy of employing half civil engineers and half journalists, the idea being that we would cross-fertilise our areas of expertise.”
More media jobs followed, before an opportunity to write one particular feature heralded a change in career.
“I was obsessed with photography from an early age, and I somehow managed to persuade my employer in my last job as a journalist to let me go for a one week course on large format film photography,” he said.
“The piece was about whether architects should be taking their own pictures.
“I loved it and that was it – I decided I was leaving my job and went to the London College Of Printing to study photography.
“That’s what I’ve done ever since. I’ve got a big client base for architectural design now, creating images for magazines and organisations.
“Mostly I photograph cultural institutions, galleries and temporary exhibitions – that sort of thing – and I love all of that.
“I do architectural interiors, getting commissioned by architects and designers to photograph completed projects.
“That might be reportage-style, or an interior that’s hyper-styled to within an inch of its life.
“These different approaches are interesting and enjoyable, I get to meet interesting people and work around the world.
“I quite like the idea that when I turn up to a shoot, I haven’t met the people before and have to make something happen on the day – try to create something to tell the story of their project.
“With my editorial background, I’m looking at the narrative, the story, what they are trying to say, what their marketing objectives are, what they are doing with the photographs.
“It’s quite a niche area of photography and requires specific equipment.”
Boundary Conditions at Gareth Gardner Gallery
the birth of Gareth Gardener Gallery
The latter requires space and that’s really what we’re here to talk about.
Having lived around the capital and in and out of the city, Gareth decided he’d like to move back to south-east London.
Seeking a place for storage and to use as an office, he found Enclave – a clutch of artist-run units in Resolution Way and decided to create something a bit beyond his initial brief.
“Paying large amounts of rent just to store things seemed a bit misguided – but here the whole remit is that you should have some form of public-facing activity going on,” said Gareth.
“I’d had a studio where I was living previously in Acton and needed somewhere to put everything.
“So this made me think that it would be a really good opportunity to do something I love alongside my more commercial work.”
“Working frequently in museums, this actually relates to what I do,” said Gareth.
“I’m very interested in how things are curated and designed – I knew I wanted to open a gallery and there’s not another one like it in Britain as far as I can tell.
“It doesn’t show lots of glossy photos of newly-built buildings, – we’re not about flattering architects and developers.
“We try to do things that are an artistic and creative response to architecture and place, that capture the impact of humans on our environment by what we build.
“There’s also an aspect of social documentary too.
“The idea is also to try to make it as accessible to people who wouldn’t normally exhibit as possible.
“Putting on an exhibition can be an incredibly expensive undertaking – printing, framing, hiring the space itself.
“I have this optimised approach.
“We print everything here and we have frames people can use.
“We try to elevate all the stuff we have and try to make it look as high end as possible within the context of trying to keep it affordable.
“Architectural photography is very much the domain of white, middle-class, straight male, so it’s about trying to get different voices in.
“It’s difficult to get different perspectives.
“It’s all about getting new stories told about architecture, especially if there’s local relevance to what we do.”
Close To The Hedge at Gareth Gardener Gallery
from the past to the future
Previous exhibitions have included Boundary Conditions, with photographers capturing images of the Pepys Estate in Deptford, inspired by a series for The Architectural Review half a century ago and Close To The Hedge – an exploration of hedges which garnered national media coverage and that is set to be re-staged in extended form for the Royal Horticultural Society in 2025.
“The gallery is a small space, but we try to make the most out of it,” said Gareth.
“We try to have a lot of extra interpretational material to put the images in context.
“I’m also interested in getting involved in publishing again on a small scale.
“I’ve always enjoyed working on layouts with designers and art directors.
“We try to do four exhibitions a year.
“I also do portfolio reviews and anybody can apply for free to have their work looked at.
“I’ve been lucky to have had a lot of really nice things happen in my career and I think everybody deserves to have their work looked at.
“Some photographers have exhibited here as a result of that process – it’s great to pay it forward and people can buy the work, although we’re not primarily a commercial space.
“I’d love for the gallery to develop further.
“We’re always looking for ideas to reach as many people as possible.”
key details Gareth Gardner Gallery
Gareth Gardner Gallery is located in Deptford’s 50 Resolution Way in Enclave 10.
Further exhibitions will be announced online in due course for 2025.
Peabody New Homes has released a collection of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments at a development with direct access to West Ham station offering a multitude of connections.
Hitting the market recently, the properties are situated in the 14-storey Cherry Point and form part of Berkeley Homes’ extensive Twelvetrees Park scheme on the site of a former gasworks.
“An unmissable opportunity for east London’s aspiring homebuyers, our shared ownership collection at West Ham Village is a calming retreat within easy reach of the bustling city centre,” said Joe Farrington, head of sales for West Ham Village at Peabody New Homes.
“Cherry Point is a remarkable selection of homes at the heart of a growing community, benefiting from a new neighbourhood where buyers need not travel far to embrace extensive amenities and leisure pursuits.
“Now launched, we urge prospective buyers looking to be amongst the first to discover this shared ownership collection by registering their interest on our website now.”
Studios, one-beds and two-beds are available
new homes at West Ham Village
The properties themselves feature open-plan design with oak laminate flooring and carpets in the bedrooms.
Fitted kitchens naturally come with integrated appliances and some properties come with private outdoor terraces.
Based on the development’s brochure, buyers can expect studios at around 550sq ft, one-beds at 630sq ft and two-beds between 730sq ft and 830sq ft.
On-site amenities will include a Sainsbury’s Local and plans for restaurants and cafés around a central square that promises to host seasonal markets, coffee stalls and street food vendors.
Perhaps the key selling point for West Ham Village is its transport links – a key consideration for anyone buying in London.
The station is in Zone 2, offering Jubilee, District, Hammersmith And City, DLR and C2C services, meaning residents will be able to get to vast swathes of the capital in less than half an hour.
Stratford and Canary Wharf are a three or seven-minute journey away once you’re on the train making for a rapid commute to either destination.
The development is located right next to West Ham station
at the heart of east London’s regeneration
Positioned between these two flourishing regeneration projects and connected directly to Greenwich Peninsula and Canning Town, the scheme forms part of the second big wave of east and south-east London renewal, which is currently under way.
As the major powerhouse projects continue to drive prosperity across the area, places like West Ham, Bow, Poplar and the south of the Isle Of Dogs are all slated for growth and change.
This will increasingly see the gaps between the larger schemes shrink as developers turn their attentions to fresh opportunities, aiming to capitalise on the existing attractions of neighbourhoods.
For West Ham Village, these include the quirks of Star Lane including Cody Dock’s impressive ecological regeneration (including the world’s only hand-cranked rolling bridge), Fold nightclub and the Star Lane Pizza Bar, a heady blend of food, music, recording facilities and workspace.
But in such a well-connected location, there’s also the opportunity to shop on the Wharf or in Stratford and discover the true wealth of amenities east London now offers.
Soon these will include the cultural titans of East Bank, home to two V&A museums, the BBC’s music operation, Sadler’s Wells East and the vibrant student communities of UCL and the London College Of Fashion.
Who wouldn’t want to be right at the heart of all that?
Homes at West Ham Village start at £98,750 for a 25% share of a studio apartment
key details: West Ham Village
Prices for a shared ownership property at West Ham Village start at £98,750 for a 25% share of a studio based on a full market value of £395,000.
Inside iFLY, four massive jet engines – two at the top and two at the bottom – pump air through a vertical cylinder to create winds of around 170mph.
The walls of the chamber might be transparent, but the conditions within are completely different to anything else at ground level.
It’s a place where physics no longer makes sense to one’s body, where extraordinary things are possible. It’s a complete rush for the senses, the mind and the muscles.
Apt then that the concept of indoor skydiving is a paradox.
Obviously it’s not possible to fall out of a plane while in a building.
But iFLY’s facilities offer the next best thing – an opportunity to experience some of the sensations of free fall without the need for an aircraft.
More than that, its flights don’t require parachutes, significant prep or, crucially, the massive time sink and expense of jumping out of actual planes.
There’s also a comparatively tiny risk of death.
Heading down to the Greenwich Peninsula to give it a go, I’m nervous.
It’s not often I’m invited to step out of my comfort zone in quite such a literal sense.
Having signed a waiver and headed up stairs the first thing I see is the wind tunnel itself – a glass tube inside which an instructor is watching a participant apparently defy gravity.
There’s that paradox.
The vertical wind tunnel allows those entering to float on the updraft and perform acrobatics
Even through the soundproofing, the roar of the air is constant.
After a quick safety briefing, during which our instructor reveals he’s a veteran of some 250 actual sky dives, we don helmets, goggles and baggy flight suits – loose to create more drag and make the flying easier.
In contrast our instructor is in a sleek, skin-tight number for maximum control and minimum drag.
It’s his job to stand, impervious to the wind, and guide the paying guests into the air.
Once we’re through the air lock into an antechamber, the noise makes talking impossible. Communication is via hand signals and I’m beckoned forth for my flight.
The directions are clear – flop forward into the wind, legs out and try to relax with outstretched arms.
That’s easier said than done with the relentless buffeting of the wind and the noise.
But there’s a strange feeling of lift and I’m basically hovering when, quite clearly, I should be falling to the floor.
It’s like no other sensation.
Wharf Life’s Jess Maddison takes to the air in iFLY At The O2
The instructor grasps me round the waist to start with and positions me in the rushing air, adjusting my position before gradually releasing me completely.
I’m flying, even if I’m unstable and have no control or ideas about how to manoeuvre.
After what seems like minutes, but is probably seconds of sensory overload, he pushes me back out of the tube and my feet hit the floor.
The adrenaline is surging. I’m euphoric. I understand why people want to go back again and again to taste that strangeness.
At the end, the instructor offers a showcase.
Bobbing up and down in the tube, he effortlessly executes flips and headstands, shooting up and down apparently at will.
It’s breathtaking and a tantalising display of the proficiency that can be achieved in this otherworldly realm.
Wharf Life Verdict: 4/5
key details: iFLY At The O2
iFLY’s current Black Friday 2024 deals mean an entry-level Kick-Start experience costs £32.99 per person.
The normal cost is £109.99. This includes two flights (lasting the equivalent of three real skydives), equipment hire and a flight certificate.
Numerous other packages are available including virtual reality at The O2 facility.
The most popular is currently £43.19 per person and includes photos and videos of four flights. This is normally £149.99.
You wait ages for a revamp and then loads come along at once.
Tis clearly the season for investment in Canary Wharf with established brands opting for refits to lure the ever larger numbers of shoppers through their doors.
In addition to Waitrose and John Lewis, Nicolas recently finished restructuring its One Canada Square wine shop.
Then there are both branches of Holland And Barrett, which have now reopened following refurbishment.
“The Canary Wharf refit is part of a £70million programme to help us better cater for customers’ needs and to refresh our brand,” said Hammad Amir, regional manger at Holland And Barrett who looks after both stores on the estate.
The brand has used recyclable steel and certified sustainable wood for its interiors as well as introducing LED lighting to help cut carbon emissions.
“We’ve already refitted about 500 stores. At Canada Place, we’ve changed the whole look and feel of the store.
“We’ve extended it and have introduced many new lines for customers to enjoy.
“For example, we’ve completely transformed our food range.
“We’re bringing in more chilled food and we’ve got an extended range of drinks too.
“Some of those products are made by Holland & Barrett but we stock popular brands too.
“As a business we’re currently engaged in a programme that will see the way our products are packaged and formulated to be better for the planet and for our customers.”
Holland And Barrett in Canary Wharf’s Canada Place
key points at Holland And Barrett
To that end, Holland And Barrett is introducing Plant Points in a bid to encourage shoppers to boost the variety of things they eat.
“You’re supposed to eat five portions of fruit and veg every day,” said Hammad.
“Now our packaging will mention Plant Points to help people eat 30 different varieties each week. Like everything we do, it’s about promoting healthy living.”
Hammad joined the business in 2016, having previously worked in retail at Poundland.
He said: “It’s been amazing to see the change we have been through in the nine years I’ve been here.
“At Holland & Barrett our people have always been at the centre of our attention – we invest in them.
“For example, all of our staff members are fully qualified to the equivalent of A-Level standard to advise and recommend products.
“When people join us, they go through an eight-week training programme on the things we sell and then there are regular monthly updates.
“What we’ve also done in the last couple of years is introduce Cerebro.
“It’s a tablet-based technology that uses AI to enhance the customer’s journey.
“Using that system alongside our staff members’ knowledge allows us to better advise people.
“It also allows us to check stock availability locally – so if we’ve run out of something at Canada Place we can check if it’s available at Jubilee Place and so on.”
Holland And Barrett’s Cerebro system in action
designed for local workers
Convenience is key, especially when it comes to time-pressed Wharfers shopping during the working week.
Consequently, the refit has included bringing grab-and-go options very much to the fore.
“If you look at the demographics of our customers in Canary Wharf, the majority are office-based,” said Hammad.
“The products in high demand are bars, milk-shakes, snacking and supplements. Often customers are making impulse purchases.
“They come down, grab a bar or a protein shake and then go back to their desks.
“One of the challenges we’ve had is that it gets really busy on the Wharf during lunchtime.
“We wanted to make sure we can offer a seamless journey for customers, so we’ve added a self-checkout option.
“But we’ve done that without sacrificing service. One of the selling points at Holland And Barrett is personal interaction.
“You’ll come in, be greeted by a staff member and be offered help and support if you need it.
“Now staff spend more time out on the shop floor and we’re intending to bring in things like mobile payments so people don’t even need to queue up with their purchases.”
looking after the staff
Hammad said the drive to help people and Holland And Barrett’s ethos as health and wellbeing brand was one of the reason behind its staff retention levels.
“We have a number of people working locally who have spent between five and 10 years at the business,” he said.
“It’s a brand we’re proud to be part of because you know you’re working for a company that is on a mission to help customers live a better life.
“After studying IT, my life took a turn and I began working in retail at the age of 18. I was store manager a year later.
“The best part of retail is the human interaction – you’re able to help people and at Holland And Barrett you can make a difference in people’s lives.
“It’s great when people come back and say that our staff have been so helpful and they’ve made such a difference, and that’s amazing.
“In our Canary Wharf stores we’ve already had amazing feedback about the refits and the service.
“We’re constantly working to bring people more variety and options for the things they want. For example, following the refit, we’ve increased our sports range alongside the food range.
“Everything is ultimately determined by the size of the store and its customers.
“Because we’ve been able to increase the floorspace here, we’ve been able to boost the range so we have many more products than we did before.”
Products picked for Wharf Life readers by Holland And Barrett’s Johnny Burlui
manager’s picks
mbers of people crammed together on public transport, it’s a time for sniffles and temperatures.
Challenged to provide some products to help out, store manager, Johnny Burlui, whipped out Cerebro (coincidentally named the same as Professor Charles Xavier’s fictional device used for detecting mutants in the X-Men films and comics) and set about finding some own-brand suggestions…
While we often cover new retailers and hospitality venues opening their doors in Canary Wharf, they by no means account for all the change that’s taking place on the estate.
Waitrose and John Lewis, which has long dominated the eastern edge of Canada Square has recently undergone a freshening up.
First of all Gail’s arrived beside its main entrance in the malls, kicking off a series of tweaks and refinements all aimed at serving Wharfers with what they want more efficiently.
That’s meant a remodelling in places, more space for the iconic shop floor wine bar, longer aisles with products arranged more logically for convenience, a boost to the freshly baked items on sale and an extra 11 self-service checkouts for those grabbing lunch.
Upstairs, John Lewis customers now walk straight into the store’s Christmas shop and toy department with fashion for men, women and kids brought together in the same location and puzzles and games given their own space.
There’s also a real sense that both brands are working to make a visit to the store more interactive with a packed programme of events, promotions and happenings scheduled.
Overseeing the investment and change is partner and branch manager Amy Stickland, who’s been heading the Canary Wharf operation for the last two years.
Waitrose and John Lewis Canary Wharf branch manager Amy Stickland
a passion for retail
“Being in charge here is everything I imagined and more,” she said.
“I’ve always loved retail. I remember going to the shops with my dad as a kid and seeing all the food on offer, getting to be a part of those choices.
“I actually did a generic degree in management with IT and Spanish and did a placement at a tech firm but my heart wasn’t really in it.
“After my final year I got a place on the Waitrose graduate scheme and I’ve just celebrated 18 years of service.”
Having managed John Lewis stores in Stratford and Chelmsford as well as Waitrose in Billericay, the opportunity to work with both brands on the Wharf was too good to pass up.
“It was a brilliant opportunity,” said Amy. “The blend works well here and the teams are able to collaborate as well as work separately.
“There are challenges, of course, when you’re leading a team of 470 people, but I’m really lucky to have some amazing colleagues.
“Our model of co-ownership, where partners have a stake in the business, makes them feel connected to it – there’s a sense of responsibility there.
“The team really care about the service they’re giving because they know our success depends on it.
“In such a busy marketplace, with so many other retailers, that’s one of our big attractions, people know we really want to go the extra mile, to surprise and delight our customers.
“They come here expecting great service and because of all the other guarantees such as our ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ promise, people believe they don’t need to shop around as much.
“It’s up to us to deliver on those expectations when it comes to price and customer experience.”
John Lewis’ Christmas shop is located at ground floor level
logical layout
Part of that operation involves ensuring the store itself is fit for purpose and that products are where customers expect to find them.
This is why both Waitrose and John Lewis have spent the past few months rebalancing things in the Canary Wharf store.
“We’ve extended our physical shelf space by extending two of our aisles,” said Amy.
“From a situation where we had food and non-food items mixed together, we now have the left hand side of Waitrose for things you can eat and the rear right of the store for things you can’t.
“On the left there are scratch cook and store cupboard items, breakfast options, snacks and drinks, while over the other side it’s products for laundry care and toilet tissue.
“It does take a bit of time for customers to get used to the new layout, but we hope overall that the journey and the product placement makes more sense, refreshing the shop floor and making it feel more intuitive.
“Also on the food floor, there’s a re-energising of the main payment area with an additional 11 self-scan tills with a better layout.
“We’ve preserved what we call the stunt space where brands such as Heinz can come in and we saw that used quite a lot over the summer.
“It’s a little bit of retail theatre and we want to continue to make use of it with pop-ups and interactive give-aways – a nice moment at the start of someone’s shop.
“We’ve refreshed the wine bar, changing the orientation of some of the seating.
“It’s convenient and excellent value and customers love it for the people watching.
“It has some very loyal customers – one even told me they could write a book about it.”
Waitrose’s wine section has been completely reorganised
overhauling Waitrose wine
In fact the whole wine section has had an overhaul with bottles grouped by whites, reds, rosé and sparkling.
More of the fine wine selection has been brought out onto the shop floor with the glassed-off area instead used for more convenient storage.
“It’s more efficient and it makes it easier for customers to shop,” said Amy.
“Our fantastic wine specialist Nat will continue to host wine and cocktail tasting events to help introduce customers to our range.
“We’ll also be hosting interactive experiences every weekend in December.
“That will be a great opportunity for people to bring their families.”
This touches on a wider point.
“While the Wharf of old was very much a weekday destination, increasingly customers are shopping at the weekends with their kids.
“Canary Wharf Group has done a fantastic job in reinventing the estate,” said Amy.
“We see a lot of families at the weekend now and our Saturday and Sunday trade is really growing post-Covid.
“Early on we get scratch-cooks shopping for ingredients.
“Then the children arrive with families often having lunch on the Wharf and then grabbing something nice for dinner.
“Even though our hours are shorter on Sunday, the shop is still busy after closing with partners dashing around to fulfil online grocery orders.
“We’re introducing a new dedicated space for our partners at the front of the store as we work with Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat.”
meal deals and free parking with Waitrose
While Saturday sees the biggest take at the tills, transaction rates during the week eclipse all others with working Wharfers attracted by one offer in particular.
“Our meal deal is one of the most popular things we sell,” said Amy.
“It’s fantastic value for £5 – you get a main such as a sandwich, a snack and a drink.
“For many customers that’s their main mission at lunchtime and the quantities we sell are phenomenal.
“But people visit the store for many different reasons.
“You get people driving into the Wharf who make use of the free parking when you spend £10 with us.
“They get two hours on weekdays – which is exclusive to Waitrose – or three at the weekend.
“You can even order your groceries to be ready for collection from the car park at Canada Place.
“Typically after work people are buying food for their evening or grabbing emergency purchases.
“It’s also a big attraction to have the John Lewis range on the upper floors.
“There’s always things we’re looking to do in future, more products we’d like to add.
“I’d love us to have a more compelling beauty offer and with more fashion brands opening on the Wharf we’ll definitely be looking at more men’s and women’s clothing.”
As for the more immediate future, with Christmas already in full swing with foodie treats downstairs and festive decorations in place, Amy said her team were looking forward to welcoming customers over the next month.
“We’ll be hosting a special Waitrose Christmas Customer Evening in Canary Wharf on December 12, 2024,” she said.
“We’ll be having some fantastic music and people will get the chance to taste some of our festive range too.
“It’s a free event, taking place from 5pm-7pm so there are no tickets to worry about.
“People can just drop-in.”
Waitrose and John Lewis are hosting numerous events in the run-up to Christmas
WHAT’S ON IN-STORE –
As the festive season gets into full swing, Waitrose and John Lewis in Canary Wharf have planned a packed programme of events to engage shoppers.
Here we list just some of the happenings to watch out for over the coming weeks in 2024…
The store will be hosting live music every Saturday and Sunday until December 22. Performances are free to watch
The Salvation Army is set to perform outside Waitrose on the mall level in Canada Place from noon-5pm on December 14
John Lewis will be hosting toy demonstrations on the shop’s ground floor in the toy department at 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays until December 21
The shop will also be running a series of food tastings in its Christmas shop at weekends, also at 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays until December 21
Customers will be able to post a letter to Santa in the run-up to Christmas beside John Lewis’ main tills at ground floor level
Visitors to the store can take part in the Elf On The Shelf Treasure Hunt, with those finding all six receiving a Merry Minis collectable and a special sticker as well as the chance to enter a prize draw for a £500 gift card
Father Christmas will be making a very special visit to the Canary Wharf store on December 5 and 6 for Santa’s Tea Party. Tickets cost £17.50 per child plus a £1.75 booking fee and £6 per adult (includes a hot drink and a slice of cake) plus a 60p booking fee with early morning slots still available
The store will also be running a series of talks and events for My John Lewis members including fashion masterclasses focused on versatile styles and cosy clothing for adults and children. The store will also be hosting a series of Christmas Treetorials offering advice on decorating that festive essential
Wharf Life’s £5 Meal Deal picks at Waitrose Canary Wharf
GET THE BEST – £5 Meal Deal
Nobody asked us, but we love value at Wharf Life and the Waitrose £5 Meal Deal is a stone cold Canary Wharf classic.
All selections are not created equal, however, so we set about trying to max out the deal by picking the most expensive items included for the main, snack and drink.
Top of the list is the GLO Pulled Beef And Onion Salad offering an impressive 397 calories and 22g of protein for a list price of £4.80.
Our chosen snack is the Taiko Mini Nigiri, including salmon and cucumber sushi.
This costs £2.50 off the shelf and adds about 150 calories and a further 4.9g of protein to the mix.
Top that off with Jimmy’s Iced Coffee at £3 for another 148 calories and 8g of additional protein and there you have it, products worth £10.30 for £5, 695 calories and 34.9g of protein.
Prices correct as of 11/2024
key details: Waitrose and John Lewis
Waitrose and John Lewis in Canary Wharf are located in Canada Square and are open daily.
Full details of all events at the store are available online, including links to book tickets where appropriate.
- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
Venture to the banks of the Thames in Royal Docks and, on a patch of land close to Tate & Lyle’s North Woolwich factory, you’ll find a small forest of logs and tree stumps arranged behind a shipping container.
But this collection of offcuts isn’t a pile of unwanted timber, dumped by an unscrupulous tree surgeon.
It’s the raw material from which two interrelated businesses have emerged.
Steve Nyman knows the power of an image.
Bitten early by the photography bug he was “obsessed with the camera” as a schoolboy, turning that passion into a successful shooting career in the fashion sector that’s taken him all over the world working with models and brands.
However, there was also an underlying desire to explore creativity beyond the lens.
“During the pandemic, I was just sitting there and thinking,” he said.
“I’d always been good at sourcing locations – I guess I’ve got a sense for an aesthetic and an eye for design.
“I love nature and it was on a trip to Thailand that I found inspiration.
“There was this piece of driftwood on a beach that just looked like a coffee table – I wanted to take it home and regretted leaving it behind, although I did bring back an amazing shell.
“I thought that if I could find these kinds of pieces of wood and work with them in England, then that’s what I’d like to do.
Steve Nyman of Our Urban Oasis and Hidden Gems Design, surrounded by the raw material he works with
“By chance, I met a guy with a woodworking shop at Thames-Side Studios in Woolwich where I was based.
“I approached him with some of my ideas and designs, started working in his workshop and learnt a lot from him as he turned them into a reality.
“We use pieces of natural wood that would otherwise be burnt or end up in the chipper to create pieces of furniture and sculptures.
“We reclaim them from tree surgeons and give them a new lease of life.
“It’s very sustainable because we’re saving this material from going to waste.
“If it wasn’t for someone making something out of a fallen tree, it would be burned.”
The furniture at Our Urban Oasis comes from Hidden Gems Design
creating Our Urban Oasis
Hidden Gems took off, with Steve’s work in demand from interior designers and a stream of direct commissions, but things haven’t ended there.
In tandem with his furniture business, he’s created a fresh, innovative venture in Royal Docks that’s also proving a hit with clients.
“I live locally and I was scouting around with the idea of opening a photography studio,” said Steve, who also makes ceramic pieces.
“I used to store my wood at The Silver Building which is also owned by Projekt and space at The Factory Project came up so I took it on and opened Our Urban Oasis.
Both studios are on two levels and, in contrast to the typical blank canvas approach of many providers, Steve has kitted them out with a wide selection of pieces from Hidden Gems that clients are free to incorporate into their photoshoots, videos or other creative works.
Steve has filled his studios with furniture and sculptural pieces mostly made from natural wood
Visitors can even buy the pieces on display, should they so wish.
“A lot of these studio spaces tend to copy each other, but I trust my own tastes,” said Steve.
“I think that if I like it, then there will be other people that do too.
“It’s satisfying to see people enjoying it and we’re very popular. I think people hire the spaces because they want something different.
“I hope they find the furniture and decor inspiring – some of the walls are natural clay.
“It’s a creative space where people can come and it’s organic, they can use it for whatever they want.
“It can be a film set, a place to record podcasts, video content or to do fashion shoots. Everything can be moved around and we have plain backgrounds too so it can be used for e-commerce.
“There’s a kind of zen feeling about it, so I get a lot of people involved in the wellbeing sector using it.”
Steve’s pieces from Hidden Gems fill the space, with everything from sofas and chairs to dining tables and tree stumps on wheels available as props.
“A lot of them feature live edge work – where the bark has just come off and the wood has a natural shape to it,” he said.
“Each piece is truly unique. I could make a new version of a piece we’ve already done, but it will never be exactly the same because the wood will be different.
“I always get surprises with the timber we work with because, until you get it inside the workshop and start to cut it and work with it, you don’t know what it will be like.
“We’ll plane a piece down and it’ll be: ‘Wow, look at that,’ and there’s the inspiration.”
Our Urban Oasis’ spaces are available for a wide variety of uses
providing flexible spaces
Our Urban Oasis enjoys a varied array of clients with people finding all kinds of uses for the space.
“It’s such a mixture,” said Steve.
“We’ve had celebrities here doing shoots for magazines and we get big fashion brands as well. It’s really surprising.
“We get plenty of natural light and there’s a real summer vibe when the sun is streaming through the window.
“The building itself is very secure and I think people sometimes wonder what they’re coming into when they arrive at the gates because of The Factory Project’s industrial history, but it also means we’re nice and quiet.”
That’s likely to be of special benefit for Our Urban Oasis’ forthcoming evening of Candlelit Yin Yoga And Sound Bath.
The event is set to take place on December 7 from 4pm to 6pm and will be led by Yoga and Pilates teacher Suzan Altay.
- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
