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
A s I walk into Hera in Stratford for the first time, I receive a warm, unabashed and vocal welcome from the staff.
While the interior of its expansive, double-height space has been filled with high-end decor, it immediately manages the challenging trick of coming off as welcoming.
Its owners might be from a different part of the Mediterranean, but they’ve successfully extracted the bonhomie from a bustling Athenian taverna and transplanted it to a ground floor restaurant at Stratford Cross.
Located off the main drag between Westfield and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Hera has opened its doors with a weather eye on the future.
It’s opposite V&A East Museum, which is set to become a major pull for visitors from 2026 and is right beside a new footbridge to the cultural and educational hub whose full complement of organisations will include the London College Of Fashion, BBC Music Studios and Sadler’s Wells East.
Visitors and students need to eat and drink and the owners are betting Hera, with its views over the park to the Hackney Wick skyline, will be well-placed to serve them.
Hera’s main dining room
elevating Greek cuisine
“There aren’t many options in London for elevated dining when it comes to Greek food,” said Stefan Petrushev, the establishment’s marketing manager.
“While we look in some senses like a fine dining restaurant, we wanted to make our food and drink accessible – Stratford Cross is a modern area and we wanted to reflect that.
“The menu is Greek through-and-through, using seasonal ingredients with beautiful presentation on the plate.
“With the menu, we wanted to reflect different aspects of Greek cuisine such as seafood, vegetables and meat, but to make the dishes a little more intricate and sophisticated than you’d find in a casual dining setting.
“For example, with our starter of melitzano salata, everything is made fresh. It’s about taking people’s expectations and going beyond them with the flavours and the way the dishes look.
“One of the wonderful things about Greek cuisine is that there’s a simplicity to it – you can really taste everything that goes in.”
Marketing manager at Hera, Stefan Petrushev
small plates at Hera
Hera’s menu is split into starters ranging in price from £4 to £9.
Beyond that, it’s essentially a small-ish plates place with dishes split into Cold And Raw, Garden, Farm and Sea.
There’s a bone-in sirloin for £40 and a whole grilled sea bass for £35, but the majority come in between the mid-teens and mid-20s.
The aim is to encourage sharing and sampling, with dishes arriving when ready rather than in sequence.
“In the run up to our official launch, we’ve tried to think of everything,” said Stefan, who grew up in Canning Town.
“It’s lovely during the day but at night it’s especially beautiful with all the lights visible through the window.
“The location doesn’t seem perfect yet, but it will be.
“With all of the openings at East Bank, we’re playing the long game.
“We’ll be right in the heart of it, especially with the unveiling of the new bridge, which will be the quickest way to reach the park from Stratford International station.
“In addition to the restaurant we will also have a winter garden which will be enclosed and fully heated in the winter and can then be opened up in the summer and that will be great.
“We’re also set on making sure we don’t replicate the formality of a West End restaurant.
“In terms of hospitality, we’re taking the things that work to ensure people get a professional service, but also the warmth of the Greek welcome.
“We’ll have the perfect lighting and the sexy groove of the music in the evening but without that intimidating atmosphere some restaurants can have.”
A warm, sweet pillow of Feta Saganaki, £13
indulging in drinks
Beyond the food, there are the drinks and Hera boasts an illuminated wall filled with colourful, inviting bottles.
“We felt there was a space for a really nice wine and cocktail bar in Stratford,” said Stefan.
“We only have our signature cocktails on the list alongside plenty of Greek wines – sparkling, white, red and orange.
“They’re so nice they can be a little dangerous to play with, especially the white.”
It’s a list designed to pair well with the dishes on offer, which feature a panoply of Greek flavours.
There’s a dish of baked feta, wrapped in kataifi and bathed in a rich bath of lemon honey.
Grilled octopus comes with a thick mashed swirl of fava beans, while beef meatballs are rich with mint and jazzed up by a little pile of tzatziki.
These are dishes to dip in and out of, a less stuffy and traditional take on a series of well-known classics.
Everywhere there’s honey, thyme and aubergine.
Stefan said: “If you’ve never really tried Greek food, we’re a great place to start because we focus on making things just that bit more special.
“If you’re going to a restaurant, you want to have an experience and that’s what we offer.
“We have an incredible space here and we want people to feel that personal touch – that this is food made by people who really care.”
Grilled octopus with fava beans at Hera, £19.90
key details: Hera
Hera is located on Arber Way at Stratford Cross and is within easy walking distance from Stratford International and Stratford stations.
It’s open daily from 11am-11.30pm. The winter garden is set to open in due course.
- 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
The translucent hues of a semi-precious stone much prized across Asia and readily imported over generations by the British, have given the latest phase of residential development London Dock its name.
Jade Wharf in Wapping is part of St George’s 2,000-home scheme and presents buyers with 99 apartments to choose from ranging in size from studios to three-beds.
Prospective purchasers can expect floor-to-ceiling windows and kitchens set out with oak herringbone flooring, stone-effect worktops, a choice of colours and integrated smart appliances.
There’s also a Curators Collection of apartments that feature add-ons such as app-controlled security and Alexa-controlled lighting and music.
Bathrooms will boast free-standing marble basins and stone floors.
St George, which is part of the Berkeley Group, will also be undertaking extensive landscaping for residents to enjoy, promising a “calming and tranquil” communal garden with water features, trees, plants and places to sit.
Facilities at the development include The Club, which boasts a gym, squash court, virtual golf suite, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room as well as a private screening room.
Properties at Jade Wharf feature balconies overlooking landscaped gardens
lounge around
Freshly launched alongside Jade Wharf is the scheme’s Mauretania Lounge, offering residents a wealth of facilities themed on a 20th century ocean liner.
Extending to some 6,000sq ft of space, these include a private dining room, an observation lounge, a drawing room and a Palm Room dedicated to relaxation.
St George managing director, Marcus Blake, said: “The London Docks was a bustling area of discovery and travel in its heyday and we have carefully honed this spirit into the creation of our latest collection of homes in Jade Wharf.
“The combination of artfully designed apartments, private gardens and hotel-style amenities, nestled between two of the largest financial centres in the world, creates a captivating offer for buyers.
“An established and friendly community, London Dock is already home to many residents who love the harmonious balance of living amongst 7.5acres of tranquil open space, just moments from the hustle and bustle of some of London’s most dynamic neighbourhoods.”
The Mauretania Lounge will open alongside Jade Wharf
building a community at London Dock
As a major regeneration project, London Dock already offers a selection of on-site amenities including established hospitality businesses such as Champagne Route, Urban Baristas, Slurp Noodles and Motherdough for pizza.
As well as a pharmacy, there’s E1 Crossfit and the recently launched Club Pilates (see Page 12) for those seeking to boost their fitness levels.
Located within walking distance of Shadwell DLR and Overground stations and Tower Hill Tube, the development also benefits from its proximity to the attractions of St Katharine Docks, Tower Bridge and the Tower Of London.
Residents can also easily walk to Whitechapel or Aldgate East for more restaurants, bars, shops and connections to the Elizabeth Line and District and Hammersmith And City lines respectively.
An artist’s impression of the main staircase at the Mauretania Lounge
key details: Jade Wharf at London Dock
Prices at Jade Wharf range from £715,000 to £1,335,000. Interested parties can call the sales team on 020 3966 6164, email sales@londondock.co.uk or visit the London Dock Sales and Marketing Suite at Arrival Square for more information.
- 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
First there’s a visit to the cloakroom where all coats and bags – yes, even the small ones – are surrendered.
Clutching my phone with the precious QR code ticket, I move on to the next stage where I am guided into a dimly-lit waiting area, with an array of tables, each with six chairs.
I sit down with my companion and the other chairs are slowly taken by strangers.
We exchange the odd nervous smile or titter while we are told a little about the experience.
Shoes and socks must be removed, there will be no speaking to each other but also no jump scares.
We then progress to the final stage where shoes are removed and headphones donned and our party waits nervously for the red light to turn on – an invitation to enter the experience.
Through the door we enter a small room with six chairs gathered around a pendant light.
We sit and a voice in my headphones tells me there will be periods of total darkness as we make our way through Viola’s Room.
Audiences explore Viola’s Room on foot
To test our resilience, the light goes out. It’s pitch black and my body’s reaction is primal as my other senses and imagination attempt to fill the void.
The hairs on the back of the neck stand up, confirming the stereotype.
The bulb comes back on and we’re told to make our way into the experience, to follow the light.
What happens next is like stepping into a fairytale.
The story – narrated by Helena Bonham Carter – plays out in front me as I wander through a series of different scenes.
The world is surreal and wondrous and while the plot isn’t complicated, it’s interesting enough emotionally to engage me.
This lack of complexity is especially welcome on the occasions when I’m awed by what’s happening around me and miss a couple of sentences.
The set itself is huge. I find myself at the head of our group, wandering through the labyrinth of walls made of sheets, waiting for lights to appear and guide me to the next location.
Sometimes I am too quick and hover at a crossroads in darkness, waiting for illumination.
At one point, I imagine this is how Lucy must have felt, pushing her way through fur coats in a wardrobe, then fir trees beyond as she entered the land of Narnia.
The darkness provides both a slightly unnerving atmosphere and serves to exaggerate the tingling feelings and emotions created by the story and the startling sets.
The lack of shoes, similarly, creates a certain vulnerability while giving another dimension to the experience.
When, even in the context of immersive theatre, do you ever reach down and touch the floor?
What’s fun about Viola’s Room is that while I know, logically that I am in a warehouse in Woolwich, part of my brain thinks I really have stepped into another world. I know I’m basically enjoying theatre performance, but it feels like I’m in a ghost story.
The experience lasts about an hour but feels much shorter time. I emerge, blinking, back into normal life and grinning at my companions.
It’s been a bonding experience, though no-one has said a word. Conveniently, Punchdrunk’s bar – The Prop Room – is right there for debriefs and cocktails.
It’s a halfway point to linger just a little longer in the fantasy before rejoining the real world. Who wouldn’t want that?
5/5
Viola’s Room: A Christmas Tale is booking now until December 23
key details: Viola’s Room
Viola’s Room: A Christmas Tale, which features an updated festive soundtrack alongside the original plot and narration, is set to run from until December 23, 2024.
Tickets for either show at Woolwich Works start at £28.50 per person.
- 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
“I’m hoping to meet other people, see the things that are going on here, hear stories and make work about them,” said the Forest Hill resident.
“I’ve already met the guys who are restoring the SS Robin and heard about their backgrounds in blacksmithing, cabinet-making and carpentry.
“That research will evolve into finished pieces and there will be an exhibition of those.
“Part of the project is also to run workshops too, although those are still being arranged.
“What is certain is that I’ll be hosting Stitch And Talk sessions at The Orchard Cafe.
“It’s about being here, meeting people, drawing, stitching and seeing what comes out of that.”
The stitching is key to Emily’s practice as she uses appliqué embroidery and silk organza to create her pieces.
Taught to sew by her mother, it’s a style that’s emerged from her background as a crafter.
Emily at work on one of her pieces
a journey through materials
“I grew up in a family of makers and designers and I was passionate about art and making growing up,” she said.
“I actually went to study wood, metals and plastics at Wolverhampton University and it was only in the third year of that course that I started making fashion accessories in textiles and metal.”
Unsure what direction she wanted to pursue, she dabbled in leather work and shoe-making but ultimately found the processes restrictive after the comparative artistic freedom of her university course.
Building on the success of her degree show she managed to secure funding to start a small business making high-end handbags in London.
“That really took off and it was very exciting,” she said.
“It was ironic because I’d been quite intimidated by fashion students when I was doing my degree.
“But I did well because I was interested in materials.
“My bags were featured in Vogue and other magazines, travelling to Paris and Japan.”
After a decade of making, Emily changed direction when she had children, taking a “convenient” admin job.
While the handbag trade was unpredictable, she realised how important having a creative outlet was to her and began making work about her family.
“I used silk organza that I had from making the bags, initially for my own pleasure – portraits in what I call flat-work because they weren’t three dimensional like the accessories,” she said.
“That evolved as well. I went on to do portraits of kids who lived in our street.
“Through Craft Central in Clerkenwell I reconnected with Bridget Bailey who had been on the fashion scene making hats and was repositioning herself as an artist too.
“We got chatting about doing a collaborative project and I wanted to make a portrait of her, but she was quite shy about that.
“That got us thinking about other ways you could depict an artist, so I made a self portrait of her and me by depicting our pin cushions.
“I then did a whole project with seven contemporary makers, meeting them, talking to them and making portraits of them through their tools.”
Emily’s art combines embroidery with translucent layers of silk organza
making work
Emily’s practice involves the combination of delicate stitches – each done by hand – with the translucent, ethereal finery of her chosen fabric.
“It feels really good to say that I’m an artist – I’ve now been doing it longer than the time I spent making the bags,” she said.
“It’s lovely to meet other makers and make work about them.
“There are a lot of artists in the world who may not be working in contemporary craft, who may be quite hidden, and I’m interested in those people.
“I did a nice project with a boatyard in Lymington because it had a really interesting apprenticeship scheme.
“There I took photographs of the people and talked to them, and made work about them.
“Since doing that, I’ve been trying to get a project where I’m embedded and get to know the people better, and see how the work evolves.
“That’s how I came to apply to Trinity Buoy Wharf – they really liked my work and the projects I’ve been doing and selected me for this residency.
“Here I feel there’s lots going on behind closed doors, and I’d like to know what that is.
“The really exciting bit is not knowing exactly what’s to come and what I’m going to make while I’m here, engaged in this project.”
A piece depicting a tradesperson’s tools
key details: Emily Jo Gibbs
Emily Jo Gibbs is artist in residence at Trinity Buoy Wharf for the next six months, culminating with a display of her work during London Craft Week in May.
Dates are yet to be confirmed.
Emily will be hosting drop-in Stitch And Talk sessions from 10am-noon on Tuesdays in November 2024 at The Orchard Cafe in Trinity Buoy Wharf.
These are for anyone interested in creating some art or finding out more about her practice and are free to attend. Materials and ideas provided.
- 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
“The success of our company is down to the success of our customers – if they don’t succeed, we don’t succeed,” said the CEO and co-founder of Bombe.
For Mike, delivering that success means using data.
Having spent much of his career crunching numbers and utilising tech to help boost political campaigns for the likes of Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan – inspired by Moneyball, a book by Michael Lewis and later a film that highlighted the importance of using metrics to drive a run of wins on the baseball field.
After working at the National Education Union for several years and running its campaign to improve teachers’ pay, he saw a commercial niche for the techniques and tech he’d developed to deliver results in the political sphere.
Bombe, named for Alan Turing’s codebreaking Second World War machine that deciphered Enigma messages, was born and Mike quit his job in March this year to run it full-time.
the basis of Bombe
“Our thesis is that there is a lot of data out there which tells you what people are doing, but it’s not that interesting for a lot of businesses because you want to know why people are doing what they’re doing,” said Mike, who is based at Level39 in Canary Wharf’s One Canada Square with his rapidly growing team.
“This kind of machine-learning approach has been absent from products I’ve experienced in my career in marketing.
“I’ve been using machine learning for well over a decade – people think AI is ChatGPT but that’s just a powerful iteration of it.
“The technology has been around for a long time.
“When setting up Bombe, which is strictly non-political, we looked at the market, did an analysis of where we would fit, then developed our data proposition, working with our polling partner Deltapoll.
“A lot of people are obsessed with technology, but it’s not about technology, it’s what you use it for.
“Our tag line is that we’re trying to build the best audience and data targeting model in the world and I think we’ve done that – so do our clients and that’s why they’ve chosen to use us.
“If you’re a business we can tell you for every postcode in the country the likelihood someone will purchase from you and the price they’ll pay for your product.
“Companies may have huge amounts of data, but they don’t necessarily know who is purchasing goods or services from them. That is a necessity.
“We’ve built a number of persona sets to reveal what is actually driving people’s decisions using machine learning.
“Those groups have been battle-tested with our clients and that has propelled our success.”
Commuters come in and out of Canary Wharf Jubilee Line station – image I-Wei Huang
delivering a return on investment
The idea in some senses is simple.
Bombe’s service tells businesses where best to concentrate their marketing to deliver the best return on their investment.
“What our clients are buying from us are models,” said Mike.
“We make our own data – we’re not buying it. It comes from interviews, from machine-learning models, from statistical techniques, from battle-testing and then spending hours making sure it all works.
“However, how we’re doing it is less relevant than whether it works for our customers. What matters is what’s driving their sales, their top line, whether you’re going up or down and how you can change that.
“What we do is tell our customers why their revenue is where it is.
“Some of our clients are seeing results that are 85% better with Bombe.”
Initially the startup is working with medium and large-scale businesses, but plans to launch products for smaller companies next year.
Bombe is open for business
“If you are selling to consumers, come and talk to us,” said Mike.
“Our mission is to help everyone who wants to engage with their audience to be doing it through us.
“We take great enjoyment and pride in doing that.
“We have a team of about 20 people, and we’re growing strategically, which is very important to us.
“We don’t want to grow too quickly, but we are offering something unique and different.
“We’ve seen the market reaction to that and that’s helping us to make sure our product is the best.
“We have to have the best data and we think we do, but we can’t rest on our laurels – the market is changing so quickly and we want to make sure that our customers continue to come to us.
“We think we’ve got an incredible team and Bombe would be nothing without the people working for it.
“Starting the business was a leap of faith.
“It’s hard, it’s tough, there’s always a challenge, always something to solve and always something more to do.
“You’ve got to be level-headed, have a strategy and a team to deliver it and I think we do.
“That’s really where our success has come from.
“Our clients need to see that they’re getting value, seeing an increase in their revenues from our product and that’s when we succeed.
“That’s what drives me to make sure that’s happening.
“I work extremely hard and don’t do much apart from that and look after my young son at the moment.
“If you want to start a business, you’ve got to be all-in.
“Your staff, your investors and your customers need that. If you’re not prepared to do that, don’t start a company.
“I don’t think there’s been a learning curve with Bombe, it’s just hard work. Success is 1% idea and 99% hard work.
“We want the best for our customers, so we’ve got to keep pushing. I like my work so I have no problem with that.”
success and growth
Bombe has attracted clients through the reputation of Mike and his team as well as press exposure.
The company also hosts webinars to showcase its data.
“Most of our work has come from people coming to us,” said Mike.
“We’ve got a growth strategy team who have significant commercial experience and they’re doing a really good job.
“We’re doing a number of webinars over the coming months to showcase what we do via LinkedIn.
“The first will be on November 19 at 11am with Joe Twyman, co-founder of Deltapoll and will reveal key insights into the shifting patterns of Londoners’ transport habits, using the latest data from TfL.
“It should be really interesting for readers.”
Transport links played a part in Mike’s decision to join the tech community at Level39 in Canary Wharf too.
“It’s a really buzzy area,” he said.
“I came to Level39 a few times before I took space here and they’ve done a great job with it.
“It’s a really interesting environment, with so many events and the view is fantastic.
“The wider area is also great – the shopping is amazing and the food offering here is the best in London.
“It’s incredibly accessible, too with the Elizabeth Line.
“It has changed the way a lot of people behave in the capital and between it and the Jubilee Line, pretty much anyone can get here, so that makes Canary Wharf good for recruitment, good for the company and good for clients.”
setting goals
It’s also not a bad environment from which to target fast growth – former Level39 startup Revolut is set to put its name atop YY London in Reuters Plaza in the not too distant future.
“Our objective is to be the best in the world,” said Mike. “We believe we have the best data, and we think that means the market will respond to it.
“Our ambition is to grow rapidly as a business, if that happens and we have the investors backing us and the team to do that.
“We want to be a name that rings out alongside the other market leaders in the space, and we think we’ll do that.
“Perhaps people reading this will be sceptical.
“There are thousands of data companies in this country. What I would say is come and talk to us to understand how we are different.”
key details: Bombe
Bombe is based at Level39’s One Canada Square offices in Canary Wharf.
It currently offers a one-off Targeting Package for businesses priced at £5,000 aimed at telling clients where and what they should be saying and who it should be directed at to best reach their audience.
The firm’s £25,000 yearly package includes monthly reports specific to the client’s industry and access to its platform and AI dashboard on an ongoing basis.
At £5,000 per month, clients also get a strategy manager to run campaigns on behalf of their business.
Those interested in its services should email contact@bombe.io for more details or visit its website.
- 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
“I hope it will feel welcoming, but I also really like the idea of visitors wondering if they’re really allowed access to all these space, that maybe they’re somewhere they shouldn’t be,” said Tim Reeve, deputy director and COO of the V&A and chair of the East Bank Board.
We’re talking about the first of two sites that the museum is set to open in Stratford as it expands its offering across the capital.
V&A East Museum is set to launch in spring 2026 at East Bank and will celebrate making and the power of creativity to effect change in the world.
V&A East Storehouse, however, goes far beyond conventional displays and promises something entirely new.
Housed at Here East about a 10-minute walk across the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park from East Bank itself, the V&A is creating a vast publicly accessible facility where its diverse non-display collection and archives can be looked after for the next century.
Spread over some 173,000sq ft, it is set to arrive first, opening its doors to the public on May 31, 2025.
V&A COO and deputy director Tim Reeve – image Jon Massey
a second site
“While we were engaged in the process of working out what V&A East Museum would be – how it would be distinctive and reflect the local geography and demographic of the people around East Bank – we were also talking to the Government about the future of Blythe House,” said Tim.
“That’s the place in West Kensington where we stored all our non-display collections – about 250,000 objects, 350,000 books and 1,000 archives.
“It was made clear to us, along with the Science Museum and British Museum – which also use it as store – that we needed to leave because the building was to be redeveloped.
“That was a pain, because you don’t want to be moving a collection of our sort more often than you have to, due of the delicacy of the objects and the expense.
“However, it was also a clarifying moment for the V&A East project with the idea that we could find a place for our Blythe House objects, books and archives and that we could create two sites in east London.
“We just needed to find a space big enough and close enough to East Bank to make sense. Looking at the two sites together, you get a complete 360-degree view of the contemporary museum world.”
An artist’s impression of V&A East Storehouse – image Diller Scofidio + Renfro
tucked away: V&A East Storehouse
While V&A East Museum, with the dramatic angles of its purpose-built home at East Bank, will be the more visually striking, in content it will probably feel the more familiar of the two with galleries, exhibitions, a cafe and a shop.
Somewhat tucked away in the former Media And Broadcast Centre built for the 2012 Olympics, V&A Storehouse is deliberately radical.
Storehouse will be a place where our objects live and where we look after them,” said Tim. “We know people want to see what they’ve been told they can’t – where the magic happens.
“So V&A East Storehouse has been created to facilitate people’s exploration of the bit of our organisation that would normally be hidden – a visitor experience that’s self-guided and free every day of the year.
“We have an absolutely enormous, amazing space, where we can fit everything in, with some space to spare as the collection grows.
“We’re building some of our showpiece objects into it such as architectural fragments from the Robin Hood Gardens estate and we’ve come up with a public network of spaces intertwined with the collection.
“That will be a 60 to 90-minute, self-guided tour of exploration as people burrow their way up through the building and arrive in this incredible atrium.
“From there you can keep exploring and see how far you can get – it’s been designed to allow visitors to get as far as possible.
“Moving all our stuff from Blythe House is incredibly expensive, so we thought we might as well create a new world with it and that’s what we’ve done at Storehouse.
“The idea is you will breathe the same air as the objects we hold.
“A visit is the start of a journey and we hope people will come back when they realise they can browse as much as they like.
“Here East is a warehouse, an industrial building – not a marble-clad museum. It’s humble and we want as many people as possible to visit.
“It’s also a source to be mined and returned to, constantly changing as it’s also a working building with objects going out on loan or for conservation.”
A section of the Robin Hood Gardens estate is installed at Storehouse – image by V&A
east London influence
Designed by architects Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, Storehouse will be home to an extensive and varied collection including creative works from The Glastonbury Festival Archive, PJ Harvey and Elton John’s costumes, vintage football shirts, Dior and Schiaparelli haute couture, Roman frescos, samurai swords, mid century furniture and the iPhone.
A dedicated David Bowie Centre will showcase artefacts from the musician and performer’s archive with rotating displays set to open in September.
More than 100 miniature displays on the ends of storage systems will highlight specific exhibits including those relating to this part of the capital.
“There will be lots of east London influence in the way we’re displaying and interpreting the collection,” said Tim.
“Our piece of Robin Hood Gardens was the first thing we installed here because it’s so enormous.
“It’s one of the first things visitors will see when they climb the stairs.
“Our collection is international and so we want to bring out its full splendour, depth and range and there are some really wonderful east London stories we want to showcase, drawing inspiration from the connections with the local community we have built.
“I think walking in on opening day will be a really emotional moment.
“Colleagues across the institution have poured so much time and energy into it, through some really tricky moments, of which we’ve had more than our fair share.
“It’s the most important thing I’ve done in my professional life, and will probably be the most important thing I ever do.
“I feel I’ve been really lucky to be involved in creating such a project since 2013.
“You have a light bulb moment and think what it would be like to see it happen – to be around from beginning to end.
“There were moments when it felt like it might never happen.
“But as an institutional lift, it doesn’t get any better.
“And we are here for the long term.
vWe have a 100-year lease at Here East and 200 at East Bank.
“One of the biggest treats for us is seeing people who were here before the Olympics realising that these things are being created for their benefit.
“The interplay between the different types of organisations at East Bank make the future very interesting – a special destination.”
An artist’s impression of the David Bowie Centre – image by IDK
- 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
