“We are delighted to have completed Neptune Wharf and to be able to deliver highly specified new apartments in Deptford,” said Eli Dias, executive chairman and CEO of Galliard Homes.
Located on Grinstead Road, with Deptford Park to the north and Folkestone Gardens to the south, the scheme connects the two open spaces via a newly constructed public square, while providing more than 170 apartments spread over six buildings.
Currently on the market are 37 apartments for private sale, with Galliard recently unveiling a host of incentives for prospective buyers.
Four properties have been significantly discounted with price reductions of up to £135,000.
First-time buyers can look forward to having their Stamp Duty bills covered, while contributions to legal costs are also available for those using solicitors from a preferred panel to handle conveyancing.
There are also 100% mortgage deals available for those who meet the criteria, meaning even those who haven’t saved up a deposit could potentially purchase a home.
As for the apartments available for sale themselves, one and two-bedroom properties are available with some of the larger units laid out as duplexes.
The Galliard Homes development is located in Deptford – image by Galliard Homes
going inside: Neptune Wharf
Buyers can expect full height glazing with homes on upper levels offering direct views of Canary Wharf, the City and the surrounding open spaces.
Inside oak-style flooring, light grey walls and steel hardware present a neutral base with open-plan living areas and private balconies for all apartments.
Kitchens feature integrated Smeg appliances, navy base units and oak-style wall cupboards over stone worktops.
The homes come with a wealth of tech including LED lighting, in-built radio, TV and Sky-Q ports and kitchen taps that deliver hot, cold or boiling water on demand.
Main bedrooms boast built-in wardrobes, while bathrooms are tiled in porcelain and come with white sanitaryware, thermostatic showers and heated towel rails.
A total of 37 apartments are available for private sale at the scheme – image by Galliard Homes
The homes all achieve an Energy Performance Certificate rating of B and include central heating systems based on flat-panel white radiators.
Some apartments are available fully furnished.
Neptune Wharf is located around a 16-minute brisk stroll from three stations – Deptford, South Bermondsey and Surrey Quays – offering rail and Overground connections into central and east London.
It’s located about 15 minutes from Canary Wharf via bus and Tube.
The development is in an area that is set to see major regeneration over the coming years as schemes at nearby Canada Water and New Bermondsey, both bringing thousands of incoming residents, businesses and new infrastructure to this part of south-east London.
As an increasingly attractive part of the city, it’s therefore likely to bode well for those seeking capital appreciation as well as an interesting place to live.
Properties come with integrated Smeg appliances – image by Galliard Homes
key details: Neptune Wharf
A total of 37 private sale apartments are on offer at Neptune Wharf through Galliard Homes.
Prices start at £375,000 for a one-bedroom apartment. Two-beds, including duplexes, are also available. Viewings are by appointment.
“It’s about four or five different things all smooshed together, but somehow it works really well,” said James Ross.
The co-owner of Badger Badger in Deptford is talking about “everything game” Twilight Imperium – his preferred tabletop entertainment of late, albeit one that necessitates a full day off with sessions lasting up to 14 hours to actually play.
However, he might very well have made the statement about the south-east London venue he and business partner Calum Mackinnon opened five years ago.
Today it’s a heady blend of striped mammals, Japanese street food, craft beer, board games, cocktails and co-working, all smooshed together across two conjoined commercial units in a prime location on Deptford High Street.
On the afternoon I visit, its tables are strewn with laptops as day jobs are serviced.
Later, drinkers and diners will roll in and occupy the venue’s left side, while those seeking amusement, side quests, magic and strategy will head right, to a room lined with shelves holding some 800 board games alongside a horde of trading cards, paints and other hobby paraphernalia.
There’s more in the basement, apparently.
Badger Badger co-founder James Ross – image by Jon Massey
things coming together at Badger Badger
When talking to James you get a sense that Badger Badger’s success and its current form have come as something of a pleasant, perhaps serendipitous surprise to its creators.
“I’m not one to be fond of the future or regret the past,” he said.
“Initially the idea was just to do a pub. We did lots of walking around London, finding spaces we quite liked the look of.
“We walked past this building and found the last tenant had been evicted.
“They’d sub-let the space to some gangsters who were running a brothel in it.
“We found lots of things while clearing it out – pairs of high heels, an inflatable.
“At that time Deptford was already seen as really cool – a few businesses were doing really well and it had a good feel to it.
“The train links are insanely good and the architecture on the High Street is great. It has a really strong, lovely community with lots of local businesses.
“We were after a site near a train station – that was the gameplan.”
While Calum had embarked on a hospitality career post study – initially working for hotels and restaurants before making the switch to pubs – James tried his hand at sales but found himself “indifferent at it and certainly not enthused”.
He took a year out to write a sci-fi novel.
The pub is used as a co-working space as well as serving food and drinks – image by Jon Massey
a change of direction
“Then I needed money because I’d spent all my savings and went to pull some pints at The Mitre in Holland Park, which is where Calum was working,” said James.
“We both worked our way up at various venues and wound up running a place called Mirth Marvel And Maud in Walthamstow for a company called Antic, which was like the wild west.
“It was one of these old people’s palaces – a cinema and we had a lot of control.
“It was great fun, we had a bar, a theatre and a restaurant.
“By that time I was thinking of going into business with Calum, so the long rein they gave us was good practice.”
The duo managed to ride the waves of pandemic lockdowns and restrictions, opening Badger Badger in October 2020, inviting some friends to join them with a board game offering when the neighbouring unit became available after a few months, doubling the pub’s size.
There are extensive gaming facilities at Badger Badger including more than 800 board games – image by Jon Massey
gaming and more at Badger Badger
“They then went on to other things, so we took over the gaming and now we have this weird hybrid of craft beers, gaming, co-working and events,” said James, who lives in Deptford.
“We always wanted a small line in cocktails and good wine.
“With the food, we could have done classics like fish and chips, but we couldn’t quite bring ourselves to do it.
“Instead we offer grilled yakitori skewers and salad boxes, bao buns and dishes such as tiger fries and kimchi bhajis.
“It’s American-Japanese fusion – meat and fried food, an idea our chef ran with.
“After Covid, we also thought people might still be working from home, but that they might get bored with their own four walls, so we launched co-working.
“Deptford is quite an artistic area so there are lots of people who can’t afford a gigantic flat but would like somewhere to come and work.
“People’s needs have changed from the old days when pubs were four deep at the bar.
“They want a more varied social life and that’s why we’ve had to diversify a bit. We have very loyal customers now.
“Whenever I walk in, I’ll recognise half the people in Badger Badger – we’ve created a community pub, albeit one that’s a bit unusual.
“It’s a healthy business and that’s why, nine months ago, we opened a second site in West Norwood, which also has a lovely high street.
“We’re doing very much the same thing over there and hopefully that too will build over time.”
The pub also sells trading cards, games and hobby materials – image by Jon Massey
key details: Badger Badger
Badger Badger Deptford is open 10am-11pm, Monday-Thursday, 10am-midnight on Fridays, noon-midnight on Saturdays and noon-11pm on Sundays.
The hours are the same for the West Norwood branch.
Both venues run regular gaming events and LGBTQIA+ socials with full listings online.
While the name Badger Badger has multiple influences, it owes a debt of gratitude to Badgers, an animated meme
by Jonti Picking (Mr Weebl), from 2003 featuring hype-building mushrooms and a terrifying snake. It was itself inspired by Whigfield’s Saturday Night, apparently
It’s a cold winter’s day when I visit The Shop in Deptford and Joshua Harvey is in need of the coffee he’s sipping from a mug that celebrates tinned seafood giant John West’s Alaska Salmon.
It’s been an early morning out scouring a car boot sale for stock and he’s still warming up.
Step into the space he operates jointly with fellow owner Kane Dobrin and it’s easy to see why such worm-catching activities are necessary.
Their railway arch in Resolution Way is piled high with stuff – a carefully selected horde of audio visual tech, music, instruments and curiosities – displayed to encourage a rummage.
The thing that’s really filling the space, however is unmistakeable. It’s excitement – the thrill of finding those bargains and then passing them on.
“It’s when you’ve gone to a boot sale, it’s early in the morning and you’re getting out of your car – you’re hopeful,” said Kane.
“You never know what might show up. It works as a business – we buy stuff for less than it’s worth, going to markets every week.
“You have to pick your area, learn everything about the products in it and be able to spot them quickly.
“When the trader tells you the price you have to be able to say yes or no quickly, taking no time to think.”
The arch is filled with audio visual technology for creatives to explore – image by Jon Massey
the thrill of the chase
Joshua added: “Some of the most exciting times of my life have been finding things at boot sales or markets that are rare or valuable and really shouldn’t be there.
“But you have to watch your margins and learn everything so you can make those decisions quickly.
“You need to know that if it’s a Mini DV camera it’s probably broken, that if it’s a tape deck the belt has probably gone.
“This morning I got a rare Sony Walkman Pro – it was standard issue for BBC reporters.
“It’s funny how much good stuff does come on the circuit but you need to be there at the crack of dawn.
“You have to be the first person to see it and that can mean going round with a torch while it’s still dark.
“You also need to be prepared. Never walk through a market without a tenner in your pocket to put down as a deposit, just in case.”
The Shop is in some respects a permanent manifestation of a business the pair have been engaged in for years.
“This sort of thing was in my family a bit,” said Joshua.
“They’re car people and so, growing up in the Midlands, I was surrounded by loads and loads of stuff. You just get into it.
“I met Kane while he was at university and a lot of what we do is based on our common interests.”
The Shop is located under a railway arch in Resolution Way, Deptford – image Jon Massey
opening The Shop in Deptford
Trading initially at the markets and boot sales of Brighton before moving on to Brixton and Portobello Road, their business grew from sheds and living rooms to storage units with The Shop a natural progression.
“A lot of our stuff would suffer on the market – especially the instruments and hi-fi equipment,” said Kane.
“We always thought that if we could put it in the right context and space, then people would dig it.
“There’s a shortage of places where you can go and try things – you can go to a boot sale but often you won’t know if something works or not or how it feels.”
Joshua added: “This is the first time people have been able to come and see stuff when we’re not on a market stall. It’s a bit like having a warehouse except that people come in and stop you doing things.
“It’s awesome really – it’s so cool when someone comes in, finds something and then buys it.
“Most of the things on the shop floor, unless they’re extra special, have probably been with us for less than three months.
“We like to price things on the cheaper side to get them moving and into the right hands.
“If it’s something we’ve had forever, then it’s probably because we want to hang on to it. It’ll be rare, interesting or mean something to us.”
The Shop sells hi-fi equipment, cameras, records, guitars, effects, film, digital accessories and more – image Jon Massey
buying, selling, swapping
The Shop buys as well as sells and offers swaps and part-exchange.
While the definition of its stock is somewhat open-ended, customers will broadly find creative technologies related to capturing or generating audio, images and video.
“We like functional stuff that’s high quality and made with the user in mind,” said Joshua.
“There’s a rule of thumb with objects, that, the fewer jobs they do, the better they’re going to be at them – computers, for example, do everything but they’re pretty terrible at it.
“We chose to be in Deptford partly because there are lots of creative people here and we wanted to be close to them.
“We don’t list items online and you probably have a 50-50 chance of a response if you message us – really people have to come and see what we’ve got.”
There’s an element of sustainability to the business too.
By keeping such products in circulation, The Shop is reducing demand for new ones to be manufactured when older tech could do the job just as well, if not better, than modern equivalents.
“We used to just sell film cameras,” said Kane.
“They were in fashion but now customers are looking at older digital models again too.
“Social media has really helped with that because now so many people are posting images and everyone is looking for their own way to do that.
“With music technology, people have always wanted the old stuff.”
Joshua added: “It really led the way – as soon as much of it was invented, people wanted that specific sound and the tools to make it.
“Quality stuff holds its value – there’s always a bunch of weirdos who come out of the woodwork for it.”
key details: The Shop in Deptford
The Shop is open from 10am-6pm Tuesday-Sunday in Resolution Way, Deptford.
The owners can be contacted via email to infor@the-shop.xyz or by calling 07919 874 626.
A little like the exhibition space he runs in south-east London, there’s an upbeat openness about Gareth Gardner.
Originally from Warwick, he studied civil engineering in Southampton before taking a job as a journalist and moving to the Isle Of Dogs back in 1995.
“Mudchute was my first experience of living in London,” he said.
“I was working on New Civil Engineer, a big trade magazine at the time, and it was really good – we had 25 editorial staff, two staff photographers – it was just insane.
“They trained me really well, as they had a policy of employing half civil engineers and half journalists, the idea being that we would cross-fertilise our areas of expertise.”
More media jobs followed, before an opportunity to write one particular feature heralded a change in career.
“I was obsessed with photography from an early age, and I somehow managed to persuade my employer in my last job as a journalist to let me go for a one week course on large format film photography,” he said.
“The piece was about whether architects should be taking their own pictures.
“I loved it and that was it – I decided I was leaving my job and went to the London College Of Printing to study photography.
“That’s what I’ve done ever since. I’ve got a big client base for architectural design now, creating images for magazines and organisations.
“Mostly I photograph cultural institutions, galleries and temporary exhibitions – that sort of thing – and I love all of that.
“I do architectural interiors, getting commissioned by architects and designers to photograph completed projects.
“That might be reportage-style, or an interior that’s hyper-styled to within an inch of its life.
“These different approaches are interesting and enjoyable, I get to meet interesting people and work around the world.
“I quite like the idea that when I turn up to a shoot, I haven’t met the people before and have to make something happen on the day – try to create something to tell the story of their project.
“With my editorial background, I’m looking at the narrative, the story, what they are trying to say, what their marketing objectives are, what they are doing with the photographs.
“It’s quite a niche area of photography and requires specific equipment.”
Boundary Conditions at Gareth Gardner Gallery
the birth of Gareth Gardener Gallery
The latter requires space and that’s really what we’re here to talk about.
Having lived around the capital and in and out of the city, Gareth decided he’d like to move back to south-east London.
Seeking a place for storage and to use as an office, he found Enclave – a clutch of artist-run units in Resolution Way and decided to create something a bit beyond his initial brief.
“Paying large amounts of rent just to store things seemed a bit misguided – but here the whole remit is that you should have some form of public-facing activity going on,” said Gareth.
“I’d had a studio where I was living previously in Acton and needed somewhere to put everything.
“So this made me think that it would be a really good opportunity to do something I love alongside my more commercial work.”
“Working frequently in museums, this actually relates to what I do,” said Gareth.
“I’m very interested in how things are curated and designed – I knew I wanted to open a gallery and there’s not another one like it in Britain as far as I can tell.
“It doesn’t show lots of glossy photos of newly-built buildings, – we’re not about flattering architects and developers.
“We try to do things that are an artistic and creative response to architecture and place, that capture the impact of humans on our environment by what we build.
“There’s also an aspect of social documentary too.
“The idea is also to try to make it as accessible to people who wouldn’t normally exhibit as possible.
“Putting on an exhibition can be an incredibly expensive undertaking – printing, framing, hiring the space itself.
“I have this optimised approach.
“We print everything here and we have frames people can use.
“We try to elevate all the stuff we have and try to make it look as high end as possible within the context of trying to keep it affordable.
“Architectural photography is very much the domain of white, middle-class, straight male, so it’s about trying to get different voices in.
“It’s difficult to get different perspectives.
“It’s all about getting new stories told about architecture, especially if there’s local relevance to what we do.”
Close To The Hedge at Gareth Gardener Gallery
from the past to the future
Previous exhibitions have included Boundary Conditions, with photographers capturing images of the Pepys Estate in Deptford, inspired by a series for The Architectural Review half a century ago and Close To The Hedge – an exploration of hedges which garnered national media coverage and that is set to be re-staged in extended form for the Royal Horticultural Society in 2025.
“The gallery is a small space, but we try to make the most out of it,” said Gareth.
“We try to have a lot of extra interpretational material to put the images in context.
“I’m also interested in getting involved in publishing again on a small scale.
“I’ve always enjoyed working on layouts with designers and art directors.
“We try to do four exhibitions a year.
“I also do portfolio reviews and anybody can apply for free to have their work looked at.
“I’ve been lucky to have had a lot of really nice things happen in my career and I think everybody deserves to have their work looked at.
“Some photographers have exhibited here as a result of that process – it’s great to pay it forward and people can buy the work, although we’re not primarily a commercial space.
“I’d love for the gallery to develop further.
“We’re always looking for ideas to reach as many people as possible.”
key details Gareth Gardner Gallery
Gareth Gardner Gallery is located in Deptford’s 50 Resolution Way in Enclave 10.
Further exhibitions will be announced online in due course for 2025.
Its 2024 Open Studios event offers visitors the chance to meet resident creatives, hear the stories behind the objects they have made and perhaps to do some shopping.
This year, Cockpit Arts will extend its opening hours, with sessions running from 4pm-8pm on November 29 and from noon-6pm on November 30 and December 1.
It has more than 175 residents spread over sites in Deptford and Bloomsbury, working in disciplines from fine jewellery and ceramics to woodworking, fashion, textiles and even antiques restoration.
I sat down with Ashley Gerling, Cockpit’s head of marketing and digital, to find out more:
what’s the history of Open Studios?
It’s been running for nearly 15 years, providing collectors and lovers of fine art and crafts the opportunity to visit makers in the studios where they create their incredible work.
what’s new this year?
We’ll be welcoming back several Cockpit alumni who will be exhibiting and selling their work.
We’re also planning a cross-site exhibition of some of our makers’ most exciting new work and are offering half-price admission for local residents.
Cockpit’s studios are located at Creekside in Deptford
what can visitors expect to see?
An authentic look behind the scenes of a working makers’ studio – seeing the spaces where craftspeople work.
They’ll be able to discover pieces in progress and, in Deptford, visit our shared leather, weaving and woodworking hubs where makers have access to specialist equipment and the chance to work at scale and collaborate on new projects.
Open Studios is also a shopping destination, where you can buy pieces direct from makers while learning the stories behind each one.
why is the event important?
Open Studios is important as it not only provides our makers with a chance to connect with collectors, curators, buyers, students, other craftspeople and the public – it’s also a chance for Cockpit to share its work.
Cockpit is the only remaining specialist craft studios in London.
Despite having helped launch the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft, it remains a hidden gem.
Maker Darren Appiagyei shows members of the public some of his creations
are there any new makers?
Ten new makers have joined Cockpit since our last Open Studios, including leatherworkers, weavers, textile designers, basket makers, jewellers and a sculptor specialising in mould making and casting.
who’s your longest-standing maker?
Sally Lees, a jewellery designer and enameller has had a studio at Cockpit for more than 20 years.
Several of our Bloomsbury makers are coming up on their 30-year anniversaries.
which makers are creating a buzz?
Wood sculptor Eleanor Lakelin – a Loewe Craft Prize finalist, whose studio is at Cockpit Arts in Deptford – opened her first solo exhibition in London this summer and was commissioned by The Fine Art Society to create a series of vessels for its Extinction Collection using 875,000 year old wood found at Happisburgh beach.
One of sustainable fashion designer Phoebe English’s dresses was acquired by The Metropolitan Museum Of Art’s Costume Institute this year.
In other news, she recently showed her latest collection, entitled Cloud Cover, at London Fashion Week.
JIhyun Kim’s Salty Fairy Ring series at Cockpit
key details: Cockpit Arts Open Studios
Open Studios is set to run at Cockpit Deptford on November 29 from 4pm-8m and on November 30 and December 1 from noon-6pm.
A three-day pass for the event costs £25. General admission is £10, while visitors can get on the Friday for £5. Children, 16 and under, go free.
Cockpit Arts Deptford has undergone a £3.42million project this year to revitalise the former 1960s council office next to a railway viaduct on Creekside.
It came about after the site was under threat in 2015 from a mixed-use development plan.
Cockpit commissioned Cooke Fawcett to unlock the potential of the premises and the project won the support of Lewisham Council and the Mayor Of London’s Good Growth Fund.
Completed in June, it includes London’s first Craft Garden, a new public entrance and a café.
The garden was designed by Sebastian Cox and features furniture from his first outdoor dining range embedded into a textured landscape intended to emulate Deptford Creekside’s environment.
Plants have been selected for their use in craft processes, including willow, used in basketry, and madder, used in natural dyes.
The new entrance includes artwork Head, Heart, Hand created by Cockpit-based artist and designer Amber Khokhar, in collaboration with the local community.
It celebrates stories and characters from the local area across 1,300 hand-glazed tiles featuring nearly 100 hand-drawn illustrations as well as a series of tiles showcasing more than 40 locally spoken languages.
- 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 drink originated in the 18th century in the French West Indies – the parts of France located in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean.
Every drop served up in Deptford is handmade by Faziha based on an old family recipe that she has adapted and refined over the years.
Flavours on offer include pineapple, mango and passionfruit, plum hibiscus, vanilla honey cinnamon, banana, fig and grape, caramelised pear, lychee and summer fruits.
Faziha makes it using fresh-pressed sugar cane juice from Barbados, which has been slowly infused with fruits, herbs and spices.
And finding the different ingredients can be a fickle affair.
Faziha makes Catford Rhum Arrange, right, with sugar cane juice, fruits, herbs and spices
the right ingredients
“Recently, I made one with elderflower and nettle,” said Faziha.
“But you can only pick elderflower in the spring and I only use quality produce.
“So, if I don’t have enough quantity to last through the winter, I will have to wait until next spring to make more.”
The business started – as many do – by happy accident.
“I come from France and have family from Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, and I always used to bring back rhum arrangé when I visited,” said Faziha.
“Every family have their own recipes and think theirs is the best.
“It is a very old drink but is becoming extremely fashionable in France now and you will find it in bars and the supermarkets.
“But during lockdown I obviously couldn’t get any, so I had to make it for myself.”
The Deptford venue has a strong local following
born in Catford
She began in her kitchen in Catford using kilner jars and, when restrictions eased, she took it along to parties and found it was a hit.
“People started to ask us about it and to make orders for some,” said Faziha.
“We weren’t sure at first if the nice things they were saying were true, but then we started selling it in some markets such as Greenwich and it sold out very quickly.”
The couple soon realised they wanted more.
“We started talking a lot about opening a bar when we were sitting in the markets,” said Sam.
“They were great, but can be quite limiting with the amount of money you make and they are only at weekends.
“So we decided we needed a bar in order to continue doing this full time.”
They found a vacant unit in Deptford and renovated it themselves on a shoestring.
Sam, who used to teach at Camberwell College of Arts, handles the day-to-day running of the establishment.
CRA French Bar And Cafe serves a small selection of food
opening CRA French Bar And Cafe
“We wanted to create an intimate space inspired by the small bars of France – a place where people feel welcome and comfortable,” he said.
“Deptford has a very strong community and we feel quite honoured to have been accepted so quickly into it.
“We get a lot of regulars coming in.
“And this area has a long history of rum being imported into the docks so it feels very fitting.”
Customers can enjoy the rhum neat, with a mixer as a cocktail or choose from a menu of Belgian beers, French wines and pastis and a small selection of food.
In the mornings, there is coffee from Drury and viennoiserie from Boulangerie Jade.
For lunch during colder weather, the bar serves homemade vegan soup and a variety of toasties.
In the evenings there is a choice of charcuterie, cheese and vegan and seafood platters designed to complement the drinks menu.
Faziha, who was previously a social worker, has kept her day job in SEN education and makes the rhum in the evenings and weekends.
Today, this takes place at a unit in Catford where the varieties of drink are made in vast containers and refined over months of tasting.
“It is a bit like wine from one year to another, you can use the same recipe but it will never come out the same,” said Faziha.
“We will test after three months and see if something is missing – maybe it needs more vanilla.”
The bar serves a wide range of drinks including Catford Rhum Arrange
a secret recipe
Exactly what goes into the rhum is a closely guarded secret.
Even Sam isn’t permitted access.
“He doesn’t know the recipe and never will – if we get divorced he will still know nothing,” said Faziha.
If she did decide to share the making, because of her day job, the couple would love to employ people with learning difficulties.
But they are undecided about whether to rock the boat by increasing production.
“There’s the potential to upscale, expand and produce and sell that more, “said Sam. “But to do that we’d need a bigger place.
“At the moment what we’re doing is a success and no-one else is doing it.
“Opening another bar would be a lot of hard work.
“So, for now, what we want is to continue to enjoy it.
Faziha added: “We quite like having a small bar. It has its limitations – but do we really want to expand and make more money just for the sake of making more money?
“At the moment we are living our dream, enjoying the moment and following the flow.”
key details: CRA French Bar And Cafe
The bar is open Wed 10am-4pm, Thurs 10am-11.30pm, Fri 10am-12.30am, Sat 10am-12.30am, Sun 11am-10pm.
- 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
Alistair has a long history with Laser Quest and there’s a sense he’s lost none of the enthusiasm he first felt for the game and its atmosphere.
Born in Bolton, he began playing aged 14 and started working part-time at his local branch while studying at college.
“Apart from the games it was also a bit of a social scene,” he said. “Inevitably I got a job and a foot in the door.
“I lived up there until my mid-20s when I hit a bit of a glass ceiling as one of the managers, so the next step was to own my own centre.
“There was an opportunity for me to get some premises in Croydon and open up.
“So I sold my house and raised some capital to get it up and running as a licensed operation, similar to a franchise.”
The Laser Quest Greenwich alien
opening his first
That first venture was a success, with Alistair getting stuck in to establish the business.
“Once that had happened, all I could think about was opening a second one,” he said.
“Being a northern lad, I was drawn to some opportunities in the north and so I opened the next one in Sheffield.
“That was next to a leisure complex and a cinema, so that worked very well too.
“From there it was a case of me, having understood how the business model worked, copying and pasting the next one and eventually I found myself with eight or nine sites.”
That trajectory may well have continued had the pandemic not arrived in 2020, which forced the closure of his businesses.
However, Alistair leaned into an opportunity.
“I had the chance to buy the whole of Laser Quest, which develops, supplies and licenses the equipment,” he said.
“The owner was coming up to retirement age and I got on with him quite well, so that opportunity was there.
“I figured that, if we didn’t recover from Covid, I was screwed anyway, so I put all my chips on the business.”
Laser Quest GB managing director Alistair Dawson at Laser Quest Greenwich
bouncing back
The man who’d fired his first laser at 14 now owned the company that was ultimately responsible for his first ever job.
“It was bizarre,” he said. “At first there was a lot of pressure and I did question whether I’d done the right thing.
“But then there was a bounce back after Covid – people had been starved of fun.
“When all the centres were open and trading again, there was renewed interest from other leisure operators too – such as Flip Out – so it’s proved to be quite a good decision and I hope it will continue.
“At the moment we’ve got about 60 centres in the UK and I own about 10 or 12 of those sites.
“The others are licensed operations.”
In response to renewed interest, the company has been increasing its operation in Greater London with branches in Bromley, Brent Cross, Kingston, Barking and Romford.
It has just opened Laser Quest Greenwich, tucked away in a basement at Merryweather Place just off the Deptford End of Greenwich High Road.
“We’ve realised there’s a big demand in the capital and we’re now getting round to fulfilling that,” said Alistair.
“Traditionally, the business has always been a venue for children’s birthday parties.
“We do packages that include food, drinks and everything people need for that.
“But it also appeals to all ages – for some there’s a nostalgic feel to it.
“Someone in their 40s, for example, might remember going to parties as kids.
“It’s a fun activity and people get excited just talking about it.
“We still do score sheets for each player so you can see who you zapped, who zapped you and what percentage of your shots were on target.
“Being just down the road from Canary Wharf, we’d love companies to use the facility – we do offer exclusive hire with unlimited games.
“We’ve got a 4,500sq ft arena that can accommodate up to 40 players.
“Catering can be arranged or groups can make their own arrangements – we like to be really flexible.
“We also intend to get the venue licensed so we will be able to serve alcohol to adult players.
“That means we’ll also be fitting into the competitive socialising market, which is really taking off.
“We’ve also introduced something completely new for Greenwich – an attraction called the Laser Maze.
“It’s like something out of Mission Impossible, where players have to navigate their way through a room filled with beams.
“Break one of them and you’ll get penalised.
“We hope it will become really competitive.
“Also on-site, we have an array of video games to keep people entertained.”
Party business: Laser Quest Greenwich is perfectly equipped for kids’ parties
looking to the future
As for the future, the fact that Alistair is now in charge of the wider business means he has oversight on the development of the brand, its equipment and what its future will be.
“As a business we own the trademark and produce the packs necessary to play the game,” he said.
“The great thing about owning the company is that I can help develop new equipment, features and systems to make it even better over the coming years.
“One of the things we want to do is to bring out a Laser Quest app, so photos and scorecards from the game can be downloaded.
“That would also allow us to do members’ leagues.
“We’ve got some really exciting things coming over the next couple of years.”
Will you take on the Laser Maze?
key details: Laser Quest Greenwich
Laser Quest Greenwich is open now from 4pm-9pm on weekdays and from 10am-9pm at weekends, for school holidays and on Bank Holidays.
The standard rate for a single, 20-minute game is £10.95. A go on the Laser Maze costs £3.
Party packages start at £29.95 per guest.
Exclusive hire of the whole venue starts at £350 with a capacity of 40 people.
Corporate hire starts at £795 for one hour with unlimited games included.
- 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
Having endured three years of precarious leases and a reduction in space, following the arrival of new managing agents, Tristan has taken the decision to move on – well, actually just up the road.
Head along the railway line from the existing bar down Resolution Way and, just beyond Villages Brewery, a new wonderland has been created.
Under much larger arches, Tristan has created essentially four venues in one.
Little Nan’s creator Tristan Scutt
four venues in one
“First of all there’s Little Nan’s 2.0, which has Flat Butcher above it – a space that can be hired, inspired by Pat Butcher from EastEnders,” said Tristan.
“Then there’s the Grown Grandkids Play Den with air hockey, table football and arcade games.
“Aunties Ballroom is on two levels with a custom-made glittering anchor to celebrate Deptford.”
If that sounds a lot, it’s because it is.
Four times bigger than the Deptford Market Yard space (and with four extra toilets), Tristan has one setting when it comes to interior design and that’s just to go for it.
Everywhere there are display cabinets packed with things.
Fabrics and colours clash amid a riot of leopard print, neon and fake ivy.
The entrance to Little Nan’s 2.0 in Resolution Way, Deptford
extreme maximalist kitsch at Little Nan’s
“It’s an expression of extreme maximalist kitsch,” said the founder and grandson who has an MA in fine art from Goldsmiths.
“Our decor is nostalgic – there are a lot of nods to Deptford history including the anchor plus cabinets filled with memorabilia and toys.
“It’s a reference to Deptford Vintage Market, where many of the items were sourced.
“It’s also a celebration of local stores from back in the day like Abstracticus, the Second Time Round shop in Lewisham Way and Aladdin’s Cave.
“I hope it’s somewhere people will feel at home.
“They’ll have seen what we can do over the road and here we can do even more of it and on a longer term basis.
“Anything too empty scares me.
“Our AirBnB holiday home is like this in Weymouth and my flat is like this in Deptford – this is really how I live.
“When I look back at photos of the original pop-up I think it was a little simpler – perhaps I was worried 11 years ago how people would feel.
“Now it’s just: ‘Go for it’.
“I love stuff, I’m a massive EastEnders fan and I’m addicted to Deptford Market, so this is a great reason for me to trawl all the local shops and the stalls to fill the venue.”
Little Nan’s 2.0 is packed with toys, vintage furniture and memorabilia
pleasing the customers at Little Nan’s
“Our cabinets are obviously full of things I like, but I’m also always looking at and listening to what our customers are into,” added Tristan.
“Initially all our cocktails were named after members of the Royal Family.
“Then I realised not everyone was quite as big a fan of the Windsors as I was, so we changed things.
“We have got rid of our Prince Andrew, although we still have a Prince Harry, which dates from before the whole book thing.
“It feels nice to have created these new venues. It’s been a mad couple of months and we’ve had some great guys doing the build.
“My mate, Matt Sargent, has made all the fabrics and then I’m responsible for the rest of the decor.
“Weirdly, it’s been a calming process.
“I think after what has been a stressful couple of years this has wound up being such a great move for us.
“You always have to turn stuff into positives and, perhaps, this was the kick we needed to find a better space.
“That’s why it feels great. We’d never have been able to do what we’ve done here in our original units.”
When Pam St Clement (Pat Butcher) visited Little Nan’s
Little Nan’s 2.0 is up and running
Excited to welcome guests, Tristan has been slowly opening sections of the new venue while the build has been going on.
This is partly, I suspect, because he can’t resist sharing the new spaces.
Extended facilities go deeper than the bathrooms and entertainment areas.
2.0 will have room for a proper kitchen and there are plans to invite chefs in for pop-up collaborations in due course.
While Aunties Ballroom can be set out as extra hospitality space, it also lends itself to performances beneath the rich satins, silks and quilts that coat its walls.
“We’ve now had our first event there – a comedy night called Your Friend And Mine hosted by poet and comedian Jack Scullion, which went really well,” said Tristan.
“We especially want the ballroom to be multi-purpose.
“There’s no static furniture so we can have it set up in so many different ways. It can be used for performances or decked out with tables and chairs.”
Little Nan’s 2.0 is filled with nostalgic items including a bust of Pat Butcher as Queen Victoria
whole venue hire
“Here, all of our spaces can be opened up and used as one or sectioned off,” said Tristan.
“People can hire the whole thing or, for example, we might have Little Nan’s open and a workshop up in Flat Butcher.
“I’m excited to see how people use the space over the summer and how it evolves.
“It’s the start of a new chapter and I think we’re really ready for it. It’s 11 years since Little Nan’s started and it feels good to be doing this in Deptford.
“We’d been looking for a new space for a while. It’s been an opportunity to really think about what we’re doing after 11 years of Little Nan’s.
“Before the eight years in Deptford Market Yard, we’d done the pop-ups.
“Our new location is a nod to everything we’ve done before.
“It’s all that we have learnt about how to put on really good events for customers’ birthdays, hen-dos and other celebrations.
“That’s what we’ve done under these two huge arches.
“With the move, we wanted to have somewhere we could really spread our wings and express what we want to do and that’s what we’ve done.
“We know our customers love our outdoor space and we have that here as well, but we have so much more inside too.
“I’m really excited to see people come in.”
With things in a fluid state as the venue gets fully up and running, the best place for updates is Little Nan’s Instagram feed, which can be found @littlenansbar.
Stay tuned for news of opening hours and future events.
Aunties Ballroom is on two levels and can be configured in many different ways as there is no fixed furniture
key details
Little Nan’s 2.0 is located in Deptford’s Resolution Way.
Hours are subject to change as things get under way, but the venue is currently open Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm-12.30am.
- 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
We wanted a name that represented bravery, humility and honesty,” said David Caetano, co-founder of Baldr CrossFit in Deptford’s Childers Street.
“It’s named after the Norse god Baldr because I lived in Norway for about four years and my mum is still there.
“Everything Baldr does is good, but he doesn’t brag about it, so it’s representative of what we’re trying to create here.”
The virtuous son of chief deities Odin and Frigg, is a firm favourite in Asgard in contrast to the deceptive Loki and bombastic Thor, often because of his calm sweetness – not perhaps the most obvious allegory for the sweat and grind of a south-east London CrossFit gym.
But Baldr’s whole reason for existence is to do things differently.
“Above all, this is an inclusive space,” said David, who founded the gym with his partner Ben Wilson, opening the doors earlier this year.
The Deptford gym has a wealth of of equipment for members to use
“People come in, see the Progress Pride Flag hanging in the window and feel comfortable. This is a place for everyone.
“I came to London from Portugal at a time where there was still stigma around being part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Here, there was anything and everything.
“I became comfortable with my sexuality about three years ago but what I’d noticed was that, when you go to gyms, there wasn’t always representation there. Some do have it and, as soon as I’d walk in, I’d feel safe.
“At Baldr, because we’re LGBTQIA+ we’re more outspoken about this and so people are happier being themselves, speaking about their partners and things like that.
“I really felt there was a need to create something within fitness to change the conversation so we’re not talking in terms of men and women, but about individuals.
“The way we do that is to get away from CrossFit’s weights for men and women and just talk about percentages when we come to the bars and levels of resistance.”
Baldr is located around 10 minutes’ walk from both Deptford and New Cross stations and offers a range of classes for up to 10 people.
Alongside its core CrossFit offering these include weightlifting, gymnastics and Capacity, a barbell-free class designed to improve an individual’s ability to recover from high intensity exercise.
Monthly memberships start at £159 for three classes a week. There are also drop-in packages starting at £20 for a single class as well as small group and one-to-one personal training.
Baldr also offers free trial sessions to new clients so they can get a feel for what the gym offers.
“CrossFit is all about functional movement,” said David.
“Every time you squat, you’re sitting on a couch. The idea is that everything you do in the gym can be transferred to the world outside.
“What we’re trying to do with our programmes is to hit those functional movements so that when you’re 80, you can get off a chair without having to roll over or needing someone to help you.
“We constantly vary the sessions across seven areas of exercise so people will never get bored. The idea is an all-round one so members can say they can lift weights, run a mile and do a certain number of pull-ups.
“We keep the group training small, so we have 10 max in a group, and this makes sure that everyone gets attention in the session, and they get a little bit of personal training in a group setting too.”
The gym is located in Deptford’s Childers Street
With Ben, who works for Deutsche Bank looking after the business side of operations, it’s an offering squarely within David’s area of expertise.
“I was always into fitness and wanted to be good at everything,” said David.
“I originally came to London to study architecture, but sitting in front of a computer all day wasn’t really what I was looking for.
“I started doing CrossFit and then decided to train as a coach – that was about seven years ago.
“After working at my first gym and helping to run it for a few years, I joined Third Space in 2019, working in Canary Wharf.
“The CrossFit gym taught me a lot about running a small fitness business, while working at Third Space enabled me to look at the bigger picture – the language we use in classes and the impact this can have on members.
“I was also able to take a lead and get involved with developing new coaches and instructors, so that experience was really key for this project.
“Ben’s background is in business, finance and accounting, so he handles that side of things whereas I’m on the product side, looking after coaching, development and what we deliver for our members.
“This is perfect because it means we don’t cross over when we’re working together.
“We live close by and were aware there was nothing like this in Deptford, so we started looking to see if there was a space up for rent.
“Then Ben put together a business plan, looking at the area and why Baldr might be needed here – asking what the brand is and what its target audience will be.”
The pair found a space vacated by a fashion manufacturer and set about kitting it out with gym hardware, gender neutral toilets and, of course, the big pride flag.
The gym has been conceived as a safe space where all are welcome
The dream for Baldr is to expand with gyms in a number of parts of London and perhaps beyond.
David said: “We would like to have several locations so that we can attract people living in different areas.
“We are aware gyms can be quite intimidating, especially for people not always comfortable with their sexuality, so we like to chat with them and point out it’s their space, their workout and that we’re here to support them.
“We want to make sure that everyone has a good experience in the community and make sure they get that one-to-one experience in a group setting.
“We are loud and proud, so if you need a space like ours, then we are here for you.”
- 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’ve been writing since I could first hold a pencil and dabbled in various things when I was a teenager in school,” said the artist, currently based at Art Hub Studios in Creekside, Deptford.
A career as an advertising creative and then manager of agencies saw her work first in her native Canada, then North America, Europe and India.
“I’d done what I set out to do – to work internationally in a multi-country environment and I was successful,” she said.
“I wanted to go back to my creative roots – that was 10 years ago – and so I got myself a little studio in Deptford and started to take pictures.
“I also had a lot of photographs from my travels – but I didn’t want to be a straight photographer.”
Instead, Alice taught herself to paint her photographs digitally with the aim of creating something new.
The body of work she has created is varied and extensive, with images that are colourful, monochrome, three dimensional, two dimensional, photographic and almost entirely abstract.
Red from Alice’s Love On The Rocks series
“I never change the composition of the original photograph – it is what it is, it’s like a canvas,” she said.
“When choosing the ones to paint, I have a vision in my head – sometimes I achieve that and sometimes I can’t.
“Sometimes I can do it in several different ways – it’s always possible to repaint images.
“Each time I create an image, it goes back to being a writer, because I’m telling a story. There’s no absolute point where they’re finished.
“I just have to ask whether I’m satisfied with it and whether it says what I want it to say.”
The word, perhaps, for Alice’s creativity is “instinctive”. She looks at a photograph or a collection of objects and imagines what they could become.
“I have a series called Love On The Rocks,” she said.
“I took the images in Iceland – it was cold and raining while I was taking photos and my husband said he was going for a walk.
“There was a volcanic hill behind us and I took pictures of him as he walked along the ridge. He couldn’t see it, but I could see the outline of a woman in the shape of the hill.
“For another series, I’d always wanted to do something with layered hills.
“In Portugal I got to a summit and just saw this amazing vista in front of me.
Eastern Hunt from Alice’s series The King’s Lodging
“So I started snapping away and, after I’d painted them digitally, I realised there was a romantic story in there, so I called the series The King’s Lodging.
“Each piece within it has its own title and the idea was to tell a story by displaying them together so the viewer could create the narrative in their head.”
Alice’s latest project has been to create a second digital book of her work, based on the Chinese Zodiac.
“I have a friend – John Vollmer – who is an Asian scholar,” she said.
“He sent me a picture of a snake from some archive in celebration of the year of the snake and I thought we could do a better job.
“We started collaborating for the year of the horse – I painted a photograph of the animal and he wrote the text. I wrote a story to go with it and once I’d done that I knew I wanted to do all 12 animals.
“Then John told me about five, which is an important number in Chinese philosophy. That led me to create Five: Wuxing Elements In Art And Words with a foreword by him.”
Alice’s latest digital book features 81 artworks, about 25% of which were made specifically for the project.
Rebirth from Alice’s series The King’s Lodging
“While there are no stories in the book, I have written a poem for each of the elements. I want readers to really respond to the art in Five.
“I love landscapes and seascapes and ‘seeing’ is important to me. I want people to see things in a different way – familiar, but unfamiliar.
“It’s fantastic to have people look at and talk about your work because they see things in it that you don’t.
“For example, I made a piece from a photograph of the tailpiece of a stringed instrument and people saw a boat in the final work.”
While the majority of Alice’s work is created digitally, she also creates sculptures, including recent pieces using found objects.
Nightlife In Blue
“I don’t like sitting at a computer all day long, but my paintings don’t get made if I don’t do some of that,” she said.
“I’ve always loved working with my hands and I have an idea that I will also make collages from my finished digital paintings.
“With the wall hangings, I had some different kinds of rope and just started to play.
“The fairy stones – ones you find that have natural holes – are from the Mediterranean and Ramsgate.
“I’d had them for years, having collected them, and I thought I’d do something with them that has different textures.
“I’m fascinated by texture in all my work. I try to make a big thing of that in my paintings because we live in a world that’s anything but flat.
“First, it’s about the photography. I have to go out and take the image. If I didn’t do that, you wouldn’t have the picture.
“Then the paintings sit within a range – a set of dimensions.
“That means I can achieve results that are more photographic while others are more in the middle or much more abstract.
“I often strive for the sweet spot between those two things that combines them both, but sometimes the painting won’t let me go there.
“They take varying amounts of time – it really depends on the picture and on me.
“I have a painting from India that took me 10 years because I kept going back to it.
“It wasn’t saying to me what I wanted it to say, so I put it away and would bring it out every couple of years and try again until it was finally complete.”
- 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
