There are one, two and three-bedroom apartments on sale as well as duplexes. The homes feature open-plan design, fully fitted kitchens and bathrooms plus private balconies or terraces as well as space for home working.
who built it?
The scheme has been delivered in partnership with affordable housing provider Square Roots’ parent company developer London Square, providing affordable housing to prospective buyers.
what else do buyers get?
The scheme’s shared ownership properties come with a 990-year lease and form part of a newly created riverside development that features landscaped gardens, play areas and a communal rooftop space.
The project also boasts space for retail business and offices.
Cycle storage space has also been included, meaning residents who favour two wheeled transportation can easily take advantage of an extensive network of local cycle paths connecting the area to Greenwich, Blackheath and Deptford.
Prices start at £102,500 for a 25% share of an apartment at the development – image by Matt Clayton / mattclaytonphotography.co.uk
buying in the right location
where is it?
Square Roots Lewisham is located about seven minutes’ walk from Lewisham station, which offers direct links to Canary Wharf and the City via the DLR and national rail services respectively.
Set on the edge of the River Ravensbourne, residents will benefit from the wider regeneration of Lewisham, which has seen many homes and amenities arrive in the area in recent years.
and the quality of the scheme?
The Square Roots Lewisham scheme has won much positive recognition for its offering.
To date, the development has collected an Evening Standard New Homes Award 2024 for Best Shared Ownership Home, the Gold Award for Best Starter Home at the WhatHouse? Awards 2024 and Best Large Development Of The Year at the First Time Buyer Readers’ Awards 2024.
can I see it?
Yes. Square Roots has show homes on-site for prospective buyers to explore, enabling interested parties to get a feel for the finishes and location of the apartments.
Shared ownership buyers live in their properties with the same decorative rights as leaseholders, so buyers will also be free to make any non-structural changes to the interior that they wish.
what about costs?
Let’s take a look at a two-bed. The full market value of a 660sq ft apartment of the apartment in question is £525,000, meaning shared ownership buyers could purchase a minimum share for £131,250.
Assuming the buyer is able to access a 95% mortgage, they’d need a deposit of £6,563, meaning loan repayments of around £775 per month over a 25-year term.
Below market rent would be payable on the remaining 75% of the apartment of £902, plus service charge of £174 making a total expected monthly outlay of £1,851.
At the time of going to press, this compared favourably with the vast majority of two-bedroom homes listed for rent locally either being smaller, more expensive or considerably further from the area’s transport links.
The apartment are located close to Lewisham for DLR and national rail services – image by Matt Clayton / mattclaytonphotography.co.uk
key details: Square Roots Lewisham
Homes at Square Roots Lewisham are available now, with prices starting at £102,500 for a 25% share of a one-bedroom apartment based on a full market value of £410,000.
Those interested in a home with Square Roots can either register their details via the company’s website or call 0333 666 0102 for more details.
“It’s about educating people on what the product is and what process they will go through when buying something with us,” said Kevin Sims, director of affordable homes provider SO Resi, part of Metropolitan Thames Valley (MTV) housing association.
As we’re running a special feature on shared ownership in Wharf Life, we thought we’d turn to an expert in the field to offer readers some clarity on the scheme and whether it might work for them.
First, a few facts.
The way shared ownership works is relatively simple.
Buyers essentially enter into a partnership with an affordable housing supplier such as a housing association.
They purchase typically between 25% and 75% of a property, paying rent at a capped level on the rest as well as any service charges due.
To be eligible, buyers in London must have a combined household income of less than £90,000 a year and not own another property.
But why go down this route at all?
“A lot of people aspire to home ownership – we’d all like to live in a five-bedroom house in Kensington, but most of us can’t do that,” said Kevin who joined MTV six years ago and now looks after the organisation’s shared ownership buyers throughout their journey with SO Resi.
“While 100% ownership might be the goal, some people will only be able to achieve 50% or 75% but owning a share in a property is still better than renting.
“One of the most important things you get as a shared ownership buyer is what I call: ‘Security of tenure’.
“If you’re renting, you don’t own anything.
“Your landlord might wake up on any given morning and decide they want to sell up – you’re constantly at the mercy of a notice period and all the stress and worry that comes with an unexpected move.
“That’s not going to happen to a shared owner.
“There might be a situation where someone defaults very badly on their rent and mortgage, but as a housing association we’ll be there to step in and help so, unless someone’s got themselves into a real pickle, there will never be anybody saying they have to move out in a month’s time.
“That security is a really valuable part of the product.
“There’s also freedom of expression of course.
“Shared owners can decorate the property however they want – they’re more or less free to live in it like they own it outright.”
Homes at SO Resi Canning Town in east London have proved popular -SO Resi director Kevin Sims – image by SO Resi
more affordable
It’s not just peace of mind, however.
Not only is the monthly cost of a shared ownership property in east London typically cheaper than monthly rent on a comparable home, the bar to getting on the ladder is significantly lower too.
“Saving a 10% deposit for a £400,000 one-bed apartment would mean putting aside £40,000 before you consider the other conveyancing and moving costs and that’s unmanageable for a lot of people,” said Kevin.
“The only way many can manage to raise a 10% deposit would be to move out of London and that just isn’t possible for some.
“But if you bought a 25% share in that property with a 10% deposit, you’d only need to save £10,000. That’s still a lot, but it’s considerably easier than buying outright.
“There’s also recently been an increase in the number of 95% mortgages available and having to only find £5,000 makes a very, very big difference.
“That allows a whole load of people who can’t buy into the housing market any other way to do so.
“That means they have an asset and, while people would aspire to own 100% of a property, I’d certainly rather have 25% than nothing at all.
“In long term, the value of that asset will grow – nobody’s going to lose out on buying at any one of our London developments whether that’s at Canning Town, Nine Elms or Wembley.
“Of course there are places on the outskirts of the capital but they’re no substitute for London life, which is why people find it so attractive.
“Consequently shared ownership is a big draw for lots of people, especially those who are renting at high rates in the city.”
staircasing with SO Resi
The journey doesn’t end with the purchase of the first share, however, with buyers able to increase their stake in a property, paying less rent as their level of ownership increases.
“The process is called ‘staircasing’ and there are lots of ways that shared owners can do that,” said Kevin.
“For many years, for example, we’ve offered shared owners the option to increase their stake in a property by 1% every 12 months.
“Unlike some other housing associations, MTV under that SO Resi umbrella actively encourages staircasing and we have a big team to facilitate it.
“At present, about 8% of our shared ownership buyers own all of their home so for some it’s an aim rather than a destination.
“If somebody then wants to move out, that’s not a problem either.
“We are very proactive if someone wants to sell their share and it’s now a straightforward process to either market it through us or via an estate agency.”
SO Resi Canning Town apartments feature open-plan design – image by SO Resi
key details: SO Resi Canning Town
There are still some shared ownership properties left to purchase at SO Resi Canning Town in east London.
Prices start at £98,750 for a 25% share in a one-bed with estimated monthly outgoings of £1,371.
The apartments are located within easy walking distance of Canning Town station for access to the DLR and Jubilee line, offering direct connections to Canary Wharf, the City, London City Airport, Excel and Stratford.
Kevin said: “There’s a whole raft of reasons why your London professionals will see Canning Town as a very attractive proposition – it’s got lots of appeal to lots of different kinds of people.
“It’s been really successful as a scheme for us and you can see why buyers want to live there.”
Serge Laurent isn’t, in most senses of the word, a performer.
His professional background hasn’t been one of gracefully bending his body to music or the beat of some internal rhythm.
Nor is he a choreographer, guiding lithe, athletic individuals to move their forms to an exacting design.
He works for a fine French jewellery company.
Headquartered in Paris, it’s a brand that celebrates its 129th birthday this year.
As director of dance and culture programmes at Van Cleef & Arpels, history is important to Serge, especially in his delivery of Dance Reflections, a festival that’s set to bathe London in movement from March 12 to April 8, 2025.
But why is a company dealing in design, precious metals and gems involved in dance at all?
“When I was first contacted by the maison, they told me about their association with dance,” said Serge, who had spent the best part of two decades as live arts curator at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and around the world.
“I studied the story of Van Cleef & Arpels and found out it had a strong history in the field of dance as a source of inspiration.
“That dates back to the 1920s – and was quite intriguing to me.
“I found out that the connection became even stronger when Claude Arpels met with a very famous choreographer in the 1960s – co-founder of the New York City Ballet, George Balanchine – and that he’d been inspired to create a piece called Jewels in 1967.
“Today we continue to emphasise the maison’s commitment to dance and to write his story with Dance Reflections.”
The festival, as Serge says, is just the tip of the iceberg – the public-facing element of collaborations and sponsorship initiatives around the world.
But things go a lot deeper than funding and brand awareness.
LA(HORDE) and Ballet National De Marseille are set to present Age Of Content at Sadler’s Wells East as part of the festival – image by Blandine Soulage
the power of transmission at Dance Reflections
“Looking at the maison, it struck me that it’s work has very similar values to the world of dance,” said Serge.
“There’s the value of creation, which is obvious, but also of transmission.
“The savoir-faire of the maison can only be perpetuated by valuing transmission.
“It’s exactly the same in dance, which is an immaterial art form. After the show, nothing is left.
“If you want to preserve a dance, you have to transmit it.
“When I was first creating a Van Cleef workshop, I saw a young guy working with and watching an older jeweller – he was transmitting those gestures and that history.
“The third value is education.
“I’m an art historian by training and if you have that background, you know how important it is to communicate with people – to give them clues so they understand what they’re seeing.
“It’s always a challenge to approach different audiences – contemporary art is like a new language so you have to help people see that they’re discovering that when they’re in front of a piece.
“You have to explain that what they’re seeing doesn’t come from nowhere, that it’s part of evolution through the ages.
“I always say that when Vaslav Nijinsky presented the Rite Of Spring for the first time in Paris in 1912, at the Theatre De Champs-Elysee, it was a scandal, and now it’s a masterpiece.
“When Pina Bausch danced in her Paris debut at the Theatre De La Ville, people left the auditorium and now she is hailed as a goddess of dance.
“I always try to teach people that, when they come to the festival they will probably know some things, but they will also see new names and new approaches.
“They should think about what has happened before and why the artist is doing what they are now, even if it looks a bit strange.
“It doesn’t come from nowhere, it is the result of history.
“That’s the reason I like to do this job as a curator – it’s not only to select artists who are good for people to know about, it’s also to showcase work that contributes to this art form and to help enlarge its vocabulary.
“The festival is a way to talk about something. It’s not enough for a curator to say: ‘This is my shortlist, these are my discoveries’. It’s a responsibility and a context to talk about dance and artistic approaches.
“People can like it or not – my main goal is they understand what an approach is.”
The London iteration of Dance Reflections will feature performances across Sadler’s Wells’ three venues – including the freshly minted Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford – as well as at the Royal Opera House, Tate Modern and the Southbank Centre.
The programme is extensive, including work by Balanchine, presented in partnership with the Royal Ballet from March 28-April 8 and Hagay Dreaming – a piece about ancient myths and futuristic technologies by Shu Lea Cheang and Dondon Hounwn – in the South Tank venue at the former power station on the Thames.
It’s perhaps testament to the importance of the opening of Sadler’s Wells East that such a major festival will also touch E20 alongside London’s other major cultural centres.
It’s also evidence of the importance of legacy and long-term partnership.
Sadler’s Wells East will host Join by Ioannis Mandafounis and Dresden Dance Company as part of Dance Reflections on March 22 and 23, 2025 – image by Stephan Floss
Dance Reflections – the tip of the iceberg
“We have about 60 different partners in 16 different countries,” said Serge.
“The festival is the tip of the iceberg, and the rest you don’t see – that’s OK.
“For me, Dance Reflections is a way to celebrate what we do all year round.
“My idea is to present audiences with the diversity of dance through an historical approach. Usually in a festival you focus on one kind of artists.
“Here I want to combine different generations and there is one common point between all of them, that in their own time they have found their own voice and way of writing dance.
“I like people inventing a vocabulary and, with dance, it’s very exciting because it’s always using the same medium – the body.
“You can invent a lot of languages for that and as a curator it’s a practice I want to support and intensify.
“I think our history with Sadler’s Wells goes back to 2007 when we supported them to present Jewels for its 40th anniversary so there’s that connection.
“For this festival, of the nine performances that will take place across its three venues, it’s very important that two of the artists will be presenting their first work and that audiences can understand their connection to the history of dance.
“It’s very important to make people understand that dance is an art form that can happen anywhere – that’s why we’re working with Tate Modern, for example.
“That’s what I like about it – you can present dance on a stage, in a public space, on the streets, in an art gallery, everywhere.
“It’s also about the art of space and that notion is key.
“This is one of the reasons I really appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with Sadler’s Wells East because upstairs in their new building they opened studios and a school.
“While the festival is on we also organise workshops for amateurs and professionals alike and it’s perfect for that.
“It’s commensurate with our three values – creation, transmission and education.”
teasing out the history
This lineage from past to present is clearly visible in Serge’s programming of nine performances across Sadler’s Wells’ venues – its main auditorium and the Lilian Bayliss Studio theatre in Islington and Sadler’s Wells East at East Bank on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
“For example, I’m very excited about the opening days of the festival,” said Serge. “For this I always try to combine different approaches with a specific approach.
“We start in Islington on March 12 and 13, 2025, with a very intimate dance piece for the Lilian Bayliss Studio – Sakinan Göze Çöp Batar (An over-protected eye always gets sand in it) by Christian Rizzo at 6.30pm before moving to the main theatre at 8pm.
“There we see a piece called Working Title by the Trisha Brown Dance Company from 1985, which is very New York.
“It’s also a story of transmission because after the interval, we present In The Fall, created by young French choreographer Noé Soulier – only the second commission by the company.
“It’s wonderful that this dance company still exists after Trisha passed away and that it maintains her approach.
“This notion of continuation after a choreographer has died is very important.
“Then, connected by the same history, we have (LA)HORDE and Ballet National De Marseille, presenting Age Of Content at Sadler’s Wells East on March 14 and 16, 2025.
“While this is the new approach, it is still connected and I hope audiences will see that.”
Beyond that, it’s also Serge’s aim to join the work of the jewellers to the dancers on the stage.
“I’m just a go-between, in fact,” he said.
“I have a tool in my hands to mediate between two different worlds, and that’s what interests me the most.
“It’s my job to teach the associates of the maison about dance and explain to our clients why we are so committed to it.”
key details: Dance Relections
Dance Reflections is set to run at Sadler’s Wells, the Royal Opera House, Tate Modern and the Southbank Centre with performances from March 12 to April 8, 2025.
Sadler’s Wells East in Stratford will host performances on March 14-16, March 22-23 and March 27-28 as part of the festival.
Specifically, The Photography And Video Show is set to arrive at Excel London for the first time over four days in March.
what’s it all about?
Professional and amateur photographers plus film, video and content creators are invited to the east London exhibition centre in Royal Docks to check out the latest kit and techniques.
what brands will be there?
The major players will all be present including the likes of Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, OM System, 3 Legged Thing, Pentax, Tamron, Lowepro and Sigma.
In total more than 250 brands will be showing cameras, lenses, equipment and accessories, with visitors able to try out kit and purchase it at the event.
Retailers such as Wex Photo Video, CameraWorld and London Camera Exchange will also be present, offering exclusive show discounts and trade-in finance options.
New for 2025 will be exhibitors such as Tilta, Imagen AI, Viltrox, Tiffen, Nya-Evo and Sandisk.
there’s more?
Education is a major component of the event, with a range of talks and demonstrations on offer across six stages and theatres.
Photographers participating in sessions include Lindsay Adler, David DuChemin, Joel Grimes, Colin Prior, Andy Gotts, Julieanne Kost, Scott Kelby, Sarah Edmunds, Kelly Brown and Belinda Richards.
On the moving image side, Teja Lisjak, Libby Penman, Mandy Celine, Dan Thorburn and Dean Sherwood will be sharing insights and tips for making films and capturing video.
and for content?
The show has invited content creators Oliver Howells, Kym Moseley, Tati Kapaya, Tamara Gabriel, Andy Burgess, Ellis Reed, Bax Mundoba and Courtney Victoria to share their expertise on its Creator Stage.
Visitors will be able to try out all the latest kit – image by The Photography And Video Show / Future Publishing Events
discover the latest kit at The Photography And Video Show
beyond the stages?
Many of the brands exhibiting will also be hosting their own programmes to demonstrate kit and skills on their stands.
Adobe will be running an education programme at its hub, while the show will also host the Nikon School, Canon Spotlight, Fujifilm School and offerings from Sigma and Digital Camera World.
places to play
The Photography And Video Show has partnered with Creativity Hub Events to offer visitors interactive shoot sets where they can practise their skills and try out their purchases.
The Creator Playground will also return for a third year with attendees told to expect giant garden gnomes, illusion tunnels and much more besides.
they say…
Event director, Ruth Folkard, said: “The Photography And Video Show isn’t just ‘another trade exhibition’, it’s far more than that.
“It’s a date for the diary for anyone who loves to be behind the camera.
“This is the event’s debut in London and we’re really looking forward to welcoming thousands of tech geeks and creative artists alike.
“Beginner or pro – it really doesn’t matter, there’s something on for everyone and we’re family friendly too.”
More than 250 brands will be participating in The Photography And Video Show – image by The Photography And Video Show / Future Publishing Events
key details: The Photography And Video Show
The Photography And Video Show is set to make its debut at Excel London from March 8-11, 2025.
Open from 10am-5pm each day, standard tickets cost £18.95 with discounts available for multi-day access.
That’s where Thaisa Uchoas first contacted personal trainer, Ilona Drob, with the idea that their fledgling businesses might collaborate.
She also wanted to book some gym sessions.
“I was going through some issues with my body at the time, feeling it was not mine any more and I wanted to get back into fitness,” said Thaisa, who started a massage therapy business in 2022.
“I signed up for a programme with Ilona, which really helped me get back into shape.
“It was during those gym sessions in March 2023 that we got talking about how running a business on your own was like.
“We were sharing our thoughts about how lonely it can be and wondering if there were other women locally who might want to help each other in the same way we were.
“We’d started sharing clients and supporting one another, so we thought it might be possible to create a community.”
Before starting their businesses, both women had worked in corporate roles in the recruitment sector.
Ilona, originally from Poland, had supported herself through university in London before forging a career at a “fantastic female-led company”.
She said: “I really enjoyed that, but my goal was to have my own business.
“My parents had always told me from an early age that, if I wanted to get ahead, I’d need autonomy – to be in charge of my own destiny.
“They always encouraged me to pursue my studies and try things on my own.
“My dad was a small business owner and my mum worked at a hospital doing day and night shifts, for many years.
“She had four kids, so it was really hard.
“She was the one who told me to continue to study and put myself out there, so I wouldn’t have the same fate as her.
“That’s what sparked the desire in me to take charge of my career.”
Ilona is founder of Your Vegan Trainer and co-founder of both BeThriving Wellness and Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs
giving up the day job
Having long had a passion for health and fitness, Ilona left her job to become a personal trainer at Gymbox in December 2018, simultaneously founding Your Vegan Trainer to deliver exercise programmes and plant-based nutrition for private clients.
“I’d had a few health problems and I wanted to heal – I did a lot of research around nutrition to get myself stronger,” she said.
“I’d been working very long hours in recruitment. I loved the buzz, but it had an impact on my wellbeing.
“I went on a course and decided to take a chance, say goodbye to my salary and start my business.
“It was scary at first, but it was worth taking the risk.”
She’s since gone on to co-found a second company with Raffaela Kestel, inspired by working in the gym with people in corporate careers.
“I was seeing how amazing people are when they’re in the gym, but hearing that they were not fulfilled and happy in the office.
“So we decided to see how we could change this through consultancy, by installing a culture of health and wellbeing within organisations so it’s at the forefront of what they do.
“That means the employees are very well looked after, happy and fulfilled, which is one of the most important things a company can do for its sustainability and to make it an attractive place to work.”
Thaisa is founder of The Massage Space and co-founder of both Her Sanctuary and Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs
a journey to wellness
Thaisa’s journey to business ownership was also through personal experience.
Coming to the UK from Brazil aged eight, she’d grown up in Hertfordshire, studied in Birmingham and moved to London “working crazy hours” in recruitment.
“I always felt I needed to do something different,” she said.
“I wanted a job where I would have more impact working with people on a more personal level and I decided I wanted to make people feel better – but didn’t know how.
“In 2020 me and my partner were starting a family – we were going through IVF and there was lots to think about.
“I went on maternity leave and that’s when I was having some health issues and started seeing an amazing massage therapist who helped me through my pregnancy – she was my inspiration.
“Those sessions made me feel so good and I decided to retrain.
“I was still in my job, but I wasn’t fulfilled, so I handed in my notice in December 2022 to take massage therapy seriously.
“I took on clients, initially working from home. Then I met Ilona.”
starting Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs
In addition to supporting each other, the two entrepreneurs decided to see what appetite might be out there for other women in business to network in the local area – Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs was born.
“We felt there was a real need to connect with others after the pandemic,” said Ilona.
“That’s what made us look to see if there were others like ourselves who were feeling like that.
“We created a Facebook group – in the beginning it was five of us having a coffee.
“After a few weeks we started to become more active on that page and more people started joining.”
Thaisa added: “Then we thought about a monthly meet-up and we started doing that in October 2023 in a corner of the bar at the Marriott West India Quay because it was free and the staff are lovely.
“I think there were 12 of us including Michelle, who’s now an ambassador for the group.”
Since then things have grown.
The group’s monthly meet-ups have grown to an average of 85 attendees, now hosted at Republic next to East India DLR station.
The events are ticketed with entry starting at £5, with the February gathering starting at 6pm for welcome drinks and introductions.
As well as the networking, events typically feature a guest speaker who shares their entrepreneurial journey – the highs, the lows and any tips they want to pass on.
The February session also features a prize draw with various benefits available to win before things wrap up at 9pm.
telling the story of Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs
“Our aim right now is for more people to know about our network,” said Ilona.
“We’d love to think that every aspiring female entrepreneur locally would want to come to us to meet other people who have done it, so they can start sooner and get their business off the ground.
“It’s about tapping into people who do have a dream, even those who have the idea as a side hustle.
“For us, it’s about creating an ecosystem where everyone who comes to one of our meetings will find value.
“Absolutely any kind of business is welcome.
“We’re also aspiring to boost diversity and inclusion, so we want people with differing backgrounds to be included.
“There is so much to learn from people with different businesses from our own.
“Even though we’ve grown, it’s still about women coming together to collaborate – we now have a team of nine ambassadors to help organise what we do.
“It’s about women checking us out and actually getting support with what they want to do.
“We are a friendly group – people are so accessible.
“We’ve found there are so many powerful women who have had successful careers in the corporate world coming into entrepreneurship and finding they have no-one to turn to for advice.
“It’s so important to have people to bounce ideas off.”
As one of the original attendees, Isle Of Dogs-based businesswoman and senior leader, coach and mentor at Tropic Skincare, Michelle Buchan, has become one of the group’s ambassadors.
“A friend said I should go – my background is in the corporate world and I’ve often felt men dominate the conversation in that setting,” she said. “You often come up against egos. A group of women produce a different atmosphere – more supportive and collaborative.
“It’s a different kind of networking. There may be a lot of women sitting at home thinking they’ve got an idea, a scheme, but that it’s only them struggling with those problems.
“This group really wants to help them through those struggles because we know it’s easy to feel isolated.”
making space for women
Thaisa, who recently started offering massage therapy services at One Canada Square in Canary Wharf, said: “We wanted to create a space for women and for them to have a voice in this area.
“It’s about education, co-working and networking and it’s really worked.
“Initially we ran it for free but we needed it to cover its costs which is why we now charge a fee to attend.
“This is because it takes time and effort for us to organise the network, to sustain it and to grow the group.”
Thaisa is also now a serial entrepreneur, herself, having co-founded Her Sanctuary with founder of E14YogaCoach Sharon Osu.
She added: “One of the most important things about this group is for our members to collaborate with each other and to get work out of it.
“I’ve collaborated with Ilona, of course, and it’s important that this is a part of it.
“We know it’s not always simple to make sales or to find clients.
“That’s why we ask a key speaker to share their story each month.
“It’s good for people to see that the journey isn’t always easy and for them to hear that in language that they can understand.”
key details: Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs
Canary Wharf Female Entrepreneurs is open to women who have started their own business or are hoping to do so.
The group is not restricted geographically, despite its name, and welcomes women from across Canary Wharf, east London and beyond.
The group holds regular monthly meet-ups with the next set to take place at Republic on February 28, 2025, from 6pm-9pm. Tickets start at £5.
Premium memberships, which include full access to CWFE’s regular monthly events are also available.
Woolwich Works is set to be steeped in spirit when Whisky Live London returns in March, 2025.
This year the tasting event is celebrating its 25th anniversary complete with a makeover and an extensive array of brands.
The basic format of the show is simple enough.
Visitors pay about £50 for which they get a guide, entry, a Glencairn tasting glass and the opportunity to sample unlimited pours from the various distilleries and organisations featured.
Scotland dominates, of course, however there’s also a World Whiskies Awards 2025 stand offering ticket holders the chance to try expressions from around the globe.
Beyond exploring the exhibition, which will be arranged in the Fireworks Factory, the Woolwich venue’s largest space, a range of add-on experiences such as masterclasses and tutored tastings can be booked.
The show takes place over two days at Woolwich Works – image by Chris Sharp / sharp-pictures.com
excitement building for Whisky Live London
“I’m so excited for this year’s Whisky Live London, especially as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of this magnificent event,” said Bradley Weir, the editor of Whisky Magazine who will be hosting tastings at the show.
“I realise I’m very privileged to have the opportunity to pick the brains of industry leaders and master distillers, but what is so special about this event is that it allows everybody to talk whisky with those who pour their hearts into it every day as a profession.
“Also, let’s not forget the sheer volume of product that is available to sample from all over the world, some of which can be extremely difficult to source.
“It’s such a special event to see so many distilleries come together under one roof all with the common goal of educating, entertaining, and hopefully making even more fans of their brands.
“I can’t recommend it enough to anybody with an interest in whisky and fine spirits, from beginners to aficionados — and I hope to meet some of you at my tasting masterclasses.”
Prices for Bradley’s tastings start at £15.83, while visitors can also learn to blend their own whisky in sessions with his colleague, Christopher Coates for £46.88.
Beyond the basic ticket, the show offers a Classic Experience and a Premium Experience at £71.72 and £102.77 respectively.
The former offers five hours of access to the show, while ticketholders for the latter will be able to roam the stands for six hours, get access to a premium lounge with complimentary refreshments and a token to use at the show’s street food vendors.
They will also receive two tokens to try rare and award-winning whiskies at the World Whiskies Awards Premium Stand and get a tote bag to carry any purchases they might make.
All visitors to the event will be able to enjoy live entertainment and street food and to make purchases from Parisian whisky shop La Maison Du Whisky – the event’s official retailer.
The event features a range of different packages for visitors – image by Chris Sharp / sharp-pictures.com
key details: Whisky Live London
Whisky Live London is set to run at Woolwich Works from March 28-29, 2025.
Tickets start at £51.02 for three hours access to the show including a tasting glass and unlimited pours.
Now in its third year of operation, the stately pleasure dome of Phantom Peak – decreed in Canada Water by Nick Moran, Glen Hughes and their team – recently launched a fresh season.
The fully immersive townscape, complete with canals and platypuses, has welcomed some 83,000 guests to its 30,000sq ft playground.
Part role-playing game, part escape-room, part platypus, the show has seen visitors wind their way through more than 100 storylines split into 11 seasons with live actors and digital counterparts on hand to weave the pleasant fictions.
Having recently celebrated its 400th show, the venue is currently hosting JonaCon.
Its 12th season sees the town all shook up with the arrival of buff and marvellous Jonas, founder, director and celebrated figurehead of JONACO, the company that runs pretty much everything in a completely unsinister way.
Despite being the townsfolk’s supposed saviour, this is the first time Jonas has appeared in person at Phantom Peak’s actual performances and visitors will quickly pick up on the tensions, unrest, secrets and rebellious fervour.
Indoors, outdoors, Phantom Peak is a whole world to explore including a network of black canals – image by Alistair Veryard Photography / alistairveryard.com
a world to discover
Mysteries that demand examination abound.
The latest season includes 10 new stories to explore as JonaCon features exclusive Q&A sessions with key figures, teasing tales such as The New Adventures Of Jonas and The Real Househubbies Of Phantom Peak.
As ever, performances start with a grand opening ceremony and close with a finale performance.
In between, visitors are free to explore the open-world environment, taking advantage of the attraction’s various hospitality options as they see fit.
There’s a reason Phantom Peak has won a multitude of awards since opening, with many guests returning time and again to discover fresh stories, puzzles and silliness.
The experience is ideal for groups and inquisitive minds – image by Alistair Veryard Photography / alistairveryard.com
key details: Phantom Peak
JonaCon will run at Phantom Peak in Canada Water until May 11, 2025.
The attraction is open from 6pm-10pm on Thursdays and Fridays, from noon-4pm and 6pm-10.30pm on Saturdays and from noon-4.30pm on Sundays.
Tickets start at £42 per person. Wharf Life readers can get 10% off with code WHARFLIFEat the checkout.
An opportunity for attendees to expand their networks, to connect with more than 120 exhibitors and to boost the skills they use in their careers.
who’s exhibiting?
Suppliers will be represented from the fields of business travel, corporate gifting, workplace solutions, event planning services and many more.
what about activities?
There will be a range of opportunities including speed networking sessions and the return of The PA Show Passport, an initiative that encourages delegates to visit suppliers for the chance to win prizes and collect a goody bag. This year it’s sponsored by Thorntons.
how about on stage?
The Keynote Theatre is free to attend on both days, with highlights on the programme including Lifting Your Potential: Strongwoman Stories To Help You Say Yes To Success from coach and speaker, Zoë Thompson, and Lead Up: How To Move From PA To EA And Beyond by keynote speaker, trainer and coach at The Like Me CIC, Jasmine Mbye.
The event will offer plenty of networking opportunities
CPD-accredited content
that’s not all is it?
No. The event is well-known for its CPD-accredited sessions, which can be accessed at the event for an all-inclusive cost.
Firstly there’s the Tech Theatre. Running both days, highlights include Crafting Precision: Advanced ChatGPT Prompts For Proactive Assistants with Paul Pennant of Microsoft MVP and Using AI To Supercharge Your Social Media from Kati Noakes, founder of KN Comms. The event will also host a Personal Development Theatre on both days.
Then, on the first day the show will also host the VA Content Stream for virtual assistants including VACT Limited’ s VA trainer and mentor, Amanda Johnson with a talk entitled Be The Boss Of Your VA Future and Shelley Fishel, founder of Tomorrow’s VA on Saving Money And Boosting Efficiency With Microsoft Tools For Virtual Assistants.
The second day will see the event host the EA Leadership And Progression Conference Stream offer sessions on Mastering Business Skills For Growth And Leadership from Clare Lucas of UK Ducks In A Row Ltd and From Uniform to Suit: Boot Camp For Executive Assistants by Claudine Martin, senior EA at BNY Pershing.
Marketing director at Mash Media, Charlotte Fewlass
register for The PA Show now
they say…
“We’ve added a theatre stream specifically designed for executive assistants aspiring to leadership roles,” said Charlotte Fewlass, marketing event director at Mash Media, organiser of The PA Show.
“These sessions will equip attendees with the strategic thinking, resilience, and communication skills needed to excel in today’s evolving workplace.”
who’s supporting?
In addition to Thorntons, the event’s 2025 headline sponsor will be train travel specialist SWR Business Direct.
It’s also supported by meeting and event space provider Convene and business travel management firm Corporate Traveller.
anything else?
The show’s sales and event director, Lisa Farnfield, said:
“The PA Show offers unparalleled opportunities for skill development, networking and career growth.
“Our exhibitors provide cutting-edge solutions tailored to executive support professionals, ensuring attendees leave with actionable insights and valuable connections.”
Sales and event director at The PA Show, Lisa Farnfield
key details: The PA Show 2025
The PA Show Spring 2025 is set to take place at Excel in Royal Docks from February 26-27, 2025.
Exhibition and Keynote Theatre passes are free for PAs, EAs, VAs and office managers.
Full access including all CPD-accredited content costs £199 for one day or £239 for two ex VAT.
Group discounts of 20% for five+ delegates are available.
The tale of retired pirate-turned-babysitter Orpheus Clinker, who descends on the unsuspecting Terrapin family with his mates for a riotous party, is clever, funny outlandish and overblown.
In some senses it’s a good metaphor for the whole topic of piracy.
We love the hyperbole in it.
Disney’s to blame, of course, for casting alcoholic rake Robert Newton to gurn his way through Treasure Island as the gravelly-voiced, one-legged Long John Silver in 1950.
It was such a popular turn he wound up getting the starring role in Blackbeard The Pirate in the film of the same name, before returning as Long John for another movie in 1952 and a miniseries.
Then you have the fierce passion and dashing acrobatic brilliance of Burt Lancaster in The Crimson Pirate, also in ‘52.
More recently there’s been the entertainment giant’s lucrative decision to employ a Keith Richards impersonator to carry a lacklustre franchise based on a theme park ride to financial success.
These glamorous portrayals are unsurprising.
Pirates have long been drawn as swashbuckling adventurers associated with lush islands, flamboyant dress and buried treasure.
But what’s the truth?
John Ryan’s cartoon Captain Pugwash first appeared in print in 1957 after 12 rejections – image by Isabel Ryan / Estate of John Ryan
Pirates promises to “deconstruct these myths and illuminate the realities” of life for the likes of Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, Anne Bonny, Mary Read and William Kidd – who ended his days at Execution Dock in Wapping and is immortalised in the name of a pub on the Thames.
Taking in stories from across the globe, the exhibition will look to the Caribbean and beyond with tales from the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the coast of North Africa.
Visitors will be able to see nearly 200 objects including loans from the National Archives, V&A and BFI.
The exhibition will be presented in sections with the first looking at the image of pirates in fiction and considering the impact of characters such as Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow as well as Long John Silver.
This includes original illustrations from hapless cartoon pirate Captain Pugwash, by artist and writer John Ryan, who began life in a comic strip before starring in a children’s TV show.
Detail from Davy Jones’s Locker by William Lionel Wyllie – image by National Maritime Museum
dispelling the fiction
“Real Pirates” will go on to investigate tales of specific outlaws and their exploits on the high seas, inspired by A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson first published in 1724 as the golden age of piracy came to an end.
Then visitors will see “Global Pirates” with objects selected to showcase piracy around the world including the story of Chinese captain Shap Ng-tsai who was active in the mid-19th century.
Eventually Shap’s fleet of 27 junks was destroyed in a joint action by an Anglo-Chinese squadron under Captain John Charles Dalrymple Hay and Major General Hwáng in 1849.
There’s also a focus on Barbary piracy and the Bombardment Of Algiers in 1816, when a British-Dutch force attacked the city in an attempt to resolve the problem of naval crime in North Africa.
The action resulted in the release of 3,000 Christian captives, but came at a cost, as it was more deadly than the Battle Of Trafalgar.
While the exhibition might not rise to heights of a rumbustification, nor the need to pore through a dictionary to see which words are made up, it nevertheless promises to be a blockbuster.
Apt then that Orlando Bloom’s costume from the first Pirates Of The Caribbean flick will be on show.
The first edition of Treasure Island, which came out in 1883, featured a treasure map drawn by author Robert Louis Stevenson – image by National Maritime Museum
key details: Pirates at the National Maritime Museum
Pirates is set to open at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich on March 29, 2025, and will run until January 4, 2026.
Adult tickets cost £15 and £7.50 for children. Entry for Royal Museums Greenwich members is free.
Cast of three will play some 19 roles as Jane Austen’s classic tale of love between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy arrives in east London
Sarah Gobran, Luke Barton and April Hughes disport themselves on stage in Pride And Prejudice – image Mark Dean
Over the course of a mere two hours, Luke Barton, April Hughes and Sarah Gobran will take on 17 roles, plus significant nods to a further two as the trio perform the tale of Pride And Prejudice on stage.
Coming to Wilton’s Music Hall mid March, the Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) is touring its 2024 adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel following the show’s successful debut last February and a run at the Jermyn Street Theatre in London last summer.
“It’s been one of those little gifts,” said Sarah, co-founder at GSC and one third of the multi-role cast. “I think it’s captured people’s hearts and that’s special.
“We did it first at Holy Trinity Church in Guildford and then in London – we’ll be in Ipswich this week, back to Guildford for two and then at Wilton’s before we take it on board the Cunard Queen Victoria cruise liner to Bermuda and then to an off-Broadway venue in New York.”
Tickets are already selling fast, so what’s the enduring appeal both of Austen’s story – published 225 years ago – and the company’s presentation of it?
GSC co-founders Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches – image Matt Pereira
the parts of Pride And Prejudice
“You’d think playing so many parts on stage wouldn’t work,” said Sarah, who adapted the book for the stage along with her fellow GSC co-founder Matt Pinches and director Abigail Pickard Price.
“But the idea came from the balls, where all these young people are constantly meeting and coupling off.
“However, in those days, you always had to have a chaperone present – people were never quite alone.
“That’s where the idea of the cast of three came from.
“It felt like an idea that might work – a circular feeling with the cast constantly swapping characters as they dance.
“Then we worked on turning it into a play and there’s something beautiful about the way it works.
“It’s a story that so many people know and we’ve been very true to the original language in the book – there are so many famous quotes and that’s because of how robustly Austen draws her characters.
“They are so clearly defined that it’s easy to dance across the ballroom, swap a bit of costume, adopt a different mannerism and suddenly become a different character.
“There’s one scene, for example, where I go from Caroline Bingley to Charlotte Lucas with scarcely a step across the stage.
“They are so different – Caroline is such a huge snob, very gregarious and very much a member of the upper class, whereas Charlotte is a modest young woman, not at all romantic, who simply seeks a marriage to someone with a comfortable home.
“It’s a real joy to be able to switch between all those characters, and you see the audience relish it.
“The book is very witty, very sharp – so there’s already so much humour in there, but having three actors play all the roles does have a comic element to it as well.
“That said, it’s about playing these roles with truth rather than sending the characters up.
“We’re in Regency costume in keeping with the setting, so it’s a nice blend of nostalgia and a story that reaches people’s hearts.
“I would like to hope it’s genuine feel-good theatre, which is true to the period but keeps things fresh.”
Sarah and April share a moment – image Mark Dean
from open air to the stage
The Guildford Shakespeare Company was formed 19 years ago after Sarah came up with the idea of putting on an open air show in the gardens at Guildford Castle and asked Matt to help put on the show.
Both actors, they’ve continued producing work and expanding GSC into a registered charity that stages productions and works extensively with young people.
Matt said: “We still lead the company and are, in the old-fashioned sense, actor-managers as we still appear on stage.
“We began with a very simple mission, to create exceptional theatre in extraordinary places, often working in a site-responsive way and typically not in theatres.
“Over the last 19 years we’ve used castles, galleries, museums, quarries, lakes, West Horsey Place, where they filmed Ghosts for the BBC and even a Boeing 747.
“Wherever it is, we encourage the audience to engage with the space and its history so the shows we produce are more than just something to watch.
“Originally Pride And Prejudice was performed in a Georgian Church where audiences felt they were like guests at the various weddings that take place.
“While Wilton’s will be different, we’ll be working hard to create that same kind of feeling in east London.”
“Our shows are also our shop window, the other part of the work we do is our outreach education, which works with 24,000 people – young and old, across our region in a variety of different settings.
“A large part of that is about engaging socially excluded and least advantaged groups in our community.
“Projects range from primary after-school clubs to families with teenagers living with mental health challenges.
“We have a young carers programme and last year ran a knife-crime awareness project called Put Up Your Swords around our production of Romeo And Juliet.”
The actors all play multiple parts in the production – image Mark Dean
playing favourites
And who wouldn’t want an evening of fun in support of an organisation engaged in such laudable activities?
After all, Pride And Prejudice is a richly satirical comic blast and while Sarah revels in the rudeness and snobbery of playing Caroline Bingley, there’s one character she especially enjoys inhabiting.
“It’s Mrs Bennet,” she said. “She’s such a treat. Her house is always so chaotic and filled with noise.
“She’s a whirlwind, bombastic and loud, but we have to understand she also has five daughters none of whom stand to inherit their father’s house.
“She has to think about what will happen to the family should Mr Bennet die.
“She’s got to get their children married and that ambition is perfectly understandable, given the way things were.”
key details Pride And Prejudice
Pride And Prejudice is set to be performed at Wilton’s Music Hall in Wapping on March 10 and 11, 2025, at 7pm.
