A sizeable chunk of the centre of the Isle Of Dogs is set to be developed following the approval of a planning application by Tower Hamlets Council.
Mastmaker Court, a joint venture by landowner Pirin Ltd and developer Fifth State, will see two towers built on a site just off Mastmaker Road.
two towers?
That’s right. One will rise to 43 storeys and the other to 27. The larger one will contain 843 co-living apartments, while the other will house 153 affordable homes.
They have been designed by Squire And Partners architects, also known for Landmark Pinnacle locally.
The scheme includes landscaping at ground level – image by Fifth State
co-living?
Essentially the larger block will be rental only following a wider trend in the residential development market.
The offer is typically self-contained flats with communal facilities to encourage socialising.
These are usually marketed to young professionals and key workers.
While Fifth State has built out a couple of office blocks in Shoreditch, its projects in Bermondsey, Hampstead, Croydon, Southwark, Deptford, Hornsey and Leicester Square – spanning co-living student accommodation and affordable housing – have yet to be completed.
Its website promises that accommodation includes a shower room, a kitchenette, a double bed, storage space, high speed broadband and flexibility on length of stay with a three-month minimum.
While details of its Mastmaker Court scheme have yet to be released, the company says its projects include wellbeing studios and facilities with a programme of classes and events for residents such as seminars and debates, cooking classes, brunch and supper clubs, guided group meditation, circuit and weights workouts and more.
co-working?
Again, while specifics have not been released, Fifth State says co-creating spaces lie at the heart of its schemes with facilities such as artists studios, private desks, communal workspaces, recording studios and conference walls to be expected.
The scheme features Squire And Partners – image by Fifth State
what about the affordable housing?
For its Isle Of Dogs scheme, the affordable tower will house 121 properties for social rent and 32 earmarked as intermediate homes, which may be offered as below market rent or shared ownership apartments.
Around two thirds of the social rent flats will have three or four bedrooms aimed at families.
a new school?
Two existing warehouse buildings will be knocked down to make way for the towers.
At ground level the affordable housing block will include a 161sq m community facility facing onto a new 1,500sq m park located in the south-west corner of the site.
The plans also include outline permission for a new alternative provision school for up to 100 pupils in the north-west corner of the site, which could deliver up to 4,510sq m of educational space.
key details: Mastmaker Court
Planning consent has been granted for the two-tower scheme at Mastmaker Court.
“Our first students are in their last few months of the course,” said Dr Yahaya Alhassan, head of academic operations at the University Of Sunderland In London.
In line with the university’s consistently practical approach, the programme was developed after Yahaya spotted a gap in the market.
“It was while I was working as an external examiner for another institution that I realised people were offering trading courses,” he said.
“Some were delivering fintech elements, but these were usually add-ons to finance courses dealing with things like online banking.
“My understanding of fintech is that it relates to specific technologies – things like artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrencies and machine learning – and how you apply those to finance.
“I couldn’t find a programme like that, which also included trading so, following some market research, I decided to develop a course that would bring the two together.
“I defy anyone to find a similar offering – as of today we are unique.”
Based at the University Of Sunderland In London’s Isle Of Dogs campus at Harbour Exchange, the one-year course features a dedicated Fintech Lab created in partnership with the London Stock Exchange.
The London Stock Exchange Group Fintech Lab at the University Of Sunderland In London – image supplied by UOSiL
putting practice at the heart of the course
“The approach we adopt with the delivery of this programme is hands-on, practice-based, with a small number of students to ensure we give them a very good level of experience,” said Yahaya.
“We work with a number of prestigious partners, with those on the course also receiving certificates from them as part of the programme.
“Students learn how to trade and invest in stocks – which are doing well and which are not?
“But the reason we combine this with fintech is so they can use technology to make predictions based on the data flowing into the lab.
“In the past, traders have made decisions based on their own experience while looking at such information.
“But with technologies such as AI, once you have a lot of data, you can use it to start forecasting whether the price of a stock will rise or fall.
“With blockchain and machine learning, our students are taught how to model and to build apps, enabling them to potentially create their own fintech businesses.
“We also work with companies to ensure our courses are delivering what employers, such as those at Level39 in Canary Wharf, expect from someone with an MSc from this university.
“We also constantly look at the needs of the students and changes in the market.
“Our programmes come up for review every five years, which is when they get revalidated.
“But with technology developing so fast, we can’t wait that long so we’ve adopted an enhancement plan where we look at our programmes every two months to make sure we’re flexible and giving the market what it needs.”
The University Of Sunderland In London is based at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
from Ghana to London via Sunderland
Yahaya himself is a good case study for the way in which education and exposure to new ideas can have a profound impact on the direction of a person’s life.
Originally from Ghana, he began his career in the higher education sector at the University Of Development Studies in Tamale not as an academic but as a member of its support staff as an assistant accountant.
“One day I was in the vice chancellor’s office and I saw an advert in a magazine for an MBA course at the University Of Sunderland,” he said.
“The VC had been in the UK himself, studying and working in Nottingham before he was recruited back to Ghana.
“I’d never thought about travelling abroad in my life, but I decided I might give it a go – I applied and then, honestly, I forgot about it.
“About two months later, a letter arrived containing a provisional offer to go on the course.
“I was supposed to pay £13,500 but it was a lot of money and I had no idea where I would get that from.”
In the end, Yahaya’s employer awarded him a scholarship to go on the course and he wound up bound for the North East and arrived improperly dressed for the weather.
“Arriving in Sunderland was the first time I’d seen snow in my life and I didn’t have a proper jacket,” he said.
“I didn’t know how to get to the university campus and I couldn’t understand the accent of the first man I met.
“Fortunately, I found someone who showed me where to go. I completed my MBA and returned to Ghana in 2003.
“That was part of the agreement for my scholarship but, after about nine months I was feeling discontented.
“Everything was so slow.
“When I came to the UK people were working from 8am, but I realised in Ghana it was going to be difficult for me because of the difference in pace.
“I told my boss I had to go back to England, and he said he understood, so I moved to London in 2004.
“My first job was at a college in Greenwich, teaching English in 2005 and I remained there until 2011.
“That’s when I saw that the University Of Sunderland was opening a London campus and I decided to apply.
“At first I was working 10 hours a week, then 20 and, after a couple of months, full-time – teaching on its MBA programme.
“After a year, the programme manager was leaving and so I applied and got that job in 2014 before going on to become assistant head of academic operations.
“Now, as head of academic operations, I make sure all the teaching and learning at the London campus goes well, dealing with quality assurance and making sure everything is done in line with our academic regulations.
“I am part of the senior managers team as well and I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the London-based academic programmes.
“The courses are led from Sunderland and run down here, which is why our campus has programme managers rather than leaders.
“I never thought I’d be working where I am now. I even told my friends in Ghana I would be coming back in a year.
“I still have that vision, to return one day, perhaps to follow my father in a political career.
“When I’m teaching, I say: ‘Who knows, maybe I’ll be president one day’.”
In the meantime, Yahaya’s passion is continuing to help develop the university’s offering with a BSc in Fintech And Digital Finance now available.
The intention of this three-year course is to act as a pipeline for those seeking to study the MSc, providing them with the relevant skills and knowledge to prepare them for the postgraduate course.
Earwax. Right now, if you’re reading this, it’s slowly, imperceptibly flowing out of your ears.
The movement of our jaws and muscles in our faces is usually enough to create a gentle current that renews and refreshes this essential substance, whose role is to protect and sanitise our ear canals.
However, for a range of reasons, this smooth and natural process can go wrong.
Drainage fails and build-up occurs, potentially leading to hearing loss, earache, tinnitus and even vertigo.
“I was seriously ill with leukaemia and in hospital for about eight months,” said Tim Galvin, co-founder and director of EarLab.
“Sometimes I would wake up during that period and I wouldn’t be able to hear.
“When I was up, the wax would shift and I’d be able to hear again.
“I’m OK now, but one of the lasting side effects of that period is that my ears still block up quite regularly.
“While I was in hospital, a good friend of mine – David Walker – came to visit me.
“He happens to be an ear, nose and throat surgeon and he said I needed to get my ears micro-suctioned to remove the wax.
“He described the process as using a miniature vacuum cleaner to clear the ear canal.
“It’s the modern alternative to syringing – squirting warm water in there and hoping for the best – and it’s much safer.
“With the older technique, some people’s ears can be quite damaged by the pressure.
“I couldn’t get them suctioned in hospital but, when I got back home I tried to get it done locally but had to travel for the procedure.
“When I had it done, it was instant relief.
“I hadn’t realised that my ears were basically dirty, I’d just lived with it.
“Suddenly I could hear clearly.
“There was no muffling, it was just fantastic.”
EarLab co-founder Tim Galvin – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
the birth of a business
A couple of months later, Tim saw David again at a barbecue and the two got talking.
The NHS no longer provides syringing as a core service and GPs tend to advise using drops to tackle troublesome ear wax, but this does not work for all cases.
In some areas referral for micro-suctioning may be possible but long waiting times can be involved.
“Together, we realised there was a gap in the market,” said Tim.
“David had the medical qualifications and the expertise, but no time to handle a side business.
“I have a background in IT and experience in property, so we formed a 50-50 partnership, starting in 2022.”
It’s now set to open a branch at Canary Wharf in facilities at Cabot Place.
“We’ve found people are happy to pay £85 for an instant service and that’s what we’ve built our business around,” said Tim.
“Hearing is really important. Without it people can feel really isolated.
“Some of our clients tell us they feel like they’ve got their lives back after the treatment.
“One elderly gentleman said he couldn’t hear conversations but, once we’d removed the wax, it turned out he didn’t need hearing aids after all.
“We have lots of wonderful stories like that.
“When you wake up in the morning and you can’t hear, it’s horrible – you don’t want to wait six months, you want to get it done as soon as possible. That’s what we offer.”
EarLab is not the only business to offer private micro-suctioning, but Tim believes the service it provides has some key benefits not found elsewhere.
“The first is that our clinicians use surgical microscopes to look inside the ears and guide the procedure,” he said.
“These give you the best possible view inside the ear canal. The equipment provides binocular vision at a very great magnification under a very bright light.
“It doesn’t touch your body at all and it doesn’t hurt in the slightest, but it allows the practitioner to see everything they’re doing and to have both hands free.
“We use a small funnel-like device called an ear speculum that allows us full access to the ear canal, which is curved.
“Together with the microscope, this enables us to be very precise with the suctioning and to ensure we don’t touch the ear drum, which is very delicate, and to make certain we remove all of the wax.
“With the average case, there will be some build-up of wax there, but it might not be completely blocked.”
David clears England Rugby captain Maro Itoje’s ears – image supplied by EarLab
why EarLab employs medical professionals
In addition to precision, EarLab prides itself on the level of expertise its practitioners offer, employing qualified nurses and doctors to carry out the procedure.
“We’ve grown the business organically, often expanding when we’ve found a clinician to work with,” said Tim.
“Our criteria have always been that we offer these services in an excellent medical environment with good transport links so people can access it easily.
“With David’s background and reputation, we’ll never cut corners on the service we provide.
“Having highly qualified professionals working for us means we can offer the complete procedure in 20 minutes because the people doing it are so experienced.
“We’ve expanded to Canary Wharf for two reasons.
“Firstly, I knew the area because I used to work here and also one of our existing doctors recently relocated to Lewisham and said he would love to host a clinic here.
“We prefer to grow like this and the demand is obviously there.
“When we started, we honestly thought a few hours a week would be enough, but that quickly became multiple days as word spread and people came.
“Friends tell each other and we have husbands and wives coming together to get their wax removed.
“Over the four years we’ve been going, we’ve had some people who have come 12 times during that period.
“It’s a very personal business and we have a phone line which is answered by a human being.
“Everything can be done online, but some people like to call and ask questions.
“We pride ourselves on being able to offer that reassurance.”
David and Tim with England Rugby’s Sam Underhill – image supplied by EarLab
clearing the ears of the England rugby squad
EarLab also has quite a significant claim to fame as it provides its service to the England Rugby Union squad, having been approached through the team’s full-time doctor.
“We’ve been to Twickenham three times now after David was asked to set up a temporary clinic there,” said Tim.
“The first time, we were expecting 10 players, then 20 were listed, but we ended up doing many more than that during the course of the afternoon, including the likes of Maro Itoje and Sam Underhill.
“Being able to hear clearly is an essential part of the game and they’d never had this done before.
“As a business more widely we have been surprised by the demand for our services, although there are things people do that can cause wax to build up.
“Normally, when your jaw moves during the course of a day it flexes the ear canal slightly and this creates a system where little flakes of wax are gradually expelled naturally and imperceptibly.
“That’s the natural order of things and, in a normal healthy person that’s exactly what happens.
“However, if you do anything to impede that process – using ear plugs or in-ear headphones – you interrupt that flow.
“The more you do it, the less wax can get out and the more likely you are to get a build up.
“It can get to the point where, when you’re putting the ear plug or headphone in, you’re pushing wax back down the canal towards the ear drum.
“We’ve also seen people who do a lot of swimming are prone to wax issues and others just have naturally narrow ear canals.
“Everyone is different, we’re all unique and just the shape of your anatomy can, unfortunately, cause problems for some people.
“Putting things in the ear like cotton buds is definitely not a good idea and, similarly, practices such as ear candling and using small plastic screw-like devices can be really dangerous.
“It’s so easy to cause damage with these methods because you can’t see what’s in there and you’re going in and experimenting.
“The ear is incredibly delicate and should always be treated with the utmost care by people who know what they’re doing using microscopes to guide them.
“At EarLab, we keep things simple.
“We just offer micro-suctioning and also expert advice because we can see what’s going on in the ear.
“We’re now right at the heart of Canary Wharf meaning people working or living in the area don’t need to travel to have this procedure.
“As it only takes 20 minutes, it’s easy for people to have it done in their lunch hour or even a break.
“That’s plenty of time to take the medical information we need and then to complete the treatment.”
key details: EarLab
EarLab is set to run a clinic in Canary Wharf’s Cabot Place, initially on Wednesdays, with scope to expand depending on demand.
A 20-minute treatment costs £85 and includes micro-suctioning in both ears.
Stories of Cleopatra VII – the last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom Of Egypt – have long echoed down the years, spun into great romances and decorated with Elizabeth Taylor’s vibrant eye shadow.
But, while Cleopatra: The Experience – an immersive exhibition that’s set for a 15-week run at Excel’s Immerse LDN in Royal Docks from March 26 – has its genesis in her enduring popularity, it’s been created with the aim of revealing the person at the heart of those tales.
“She’s a pop icon and there’s a legend behind her, but we wanted to show the real woman, drawing on what contemporary sources and classical authors said about her,” said Nacho Ares, scriptwriter and curator of the exhibition for its producer Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD).
Nacho, a broadcaster and Egyptologist isn’t new at this.
He first worked with MAD on Tutankhamun: The ImmersiveExhibition, which enjoyed a run at Excel last year and has now been seen by more than 2million people.
In similar vein, the new show uses technology – holograms, virtual reality, 360º projection and even scents – to bring Cleopatra and her world to life for visitors.
“I’ve been interested in Egyptology since I was a young teenager,” said Nacho.
“I read a history of archaeology – Gods, Graves And Scholars – and I fell in love with the history of the tomb of Tutankhamun.
“I was interested in anything related to ancient Egypt.
“I first visited in 1991 at the age of 21 and it was incredible. I became involved with MAD in 2022 through a friend who is a member of the Spanish Egyptology Association in Madrid.
“They were looking for a writer with experience of TV and so on – back then it was a company of four people and now we have 30.
“It was a dream to bring our Tutankhamun exhibition to Britain, the home of Howard Carter, who discovered his tomb – that was a lovely moment in my life.
“I think Cleopatra will also be a great success because there are so many mysteries and she’s an amazing character.
“We still don’t know where her tomb is – many people have looked around Alexandria and they are still searching today.
“She remains very popular and we’re here to present her biography.”
The exhibition aims to bring her story to life – image supplied by MAD
Cleopatra: The Experience – unlocking an audience
Part of the exhibition’s mission is to bring that story to a new audience.
Dr Chris Naunton, is a British Egyptologist, writer and broadcaster, acting as official ambassador for Cleopatra: The Experience.
He said: “I worked for the Egypt Exploration Society from 2001 to 2016, and was its director for the last few years of the period.
“My work nowadays is mostly writing, some of which has informed the content of this exhibition, which is a great honour for me.
“I think the technical side of it is amazing.
“It’s important for Egyptology to use whatever methods there are to reach a wider audience and Cleopatra is an obvious subject for that.
“While her story is superficially well known, that has more to do with her legend.
“There was a real woman and this exhibition grounds audiences very well in what the evidence really shows about her life.
“What people will see isn’t made up, it’s based on historical sources.
“The trouble with trying to present a story like this in a conventional way is that there are so many gaps.
“It’s difficult to tell the story of Cleopatra through objects, because we have so little – except classical sources, which were often written by her enemies, and aren’t all contemporary accounts.
“Sometimes they were written with particular intentions in mind.
“The exhibition treads the line very well.
“It’s not dry, which just presenting the evidence we have, might be.
“My sense is that the video game generation will not be engaged by a traditional exhibition.
“But what this exhibition gives us as Egyptologists, is the opportunity to reach people who would never leave their sofas to visit a museum.”
What we do know is that Cleopatra VII’s story is remarkable – one of finely balanced power and intrigue.
Audiences can expect a number of different experiences including chair-based virtual reality – image supplied by MAD
a skilled politician
“She ruled at the end of a period of 300 years, during which Egypt was run from Alexandria by a family of Macedonian Greek origin, descending from Ptolemy I,” said Chris.
“He was one of Alexander The Great’s generals. During this period, the kingdom was influenced to some extent by Greek culture – the Greek language and script became the administrative language, for example – but it was still very much the Egypt of its traditional gods.
“Cleopatra comes in at the end of this dynasty, ruling initially alongside her brother, at a time when Egypt was very much part of an international scene.
“By the end of the Ptolemaic period in Egypt, Rome has become the most important power.
“The versions found in the movie and Asterix tell a story of a richly drawn character, a wily, beautiful woman.
“What all the ancient sources agree on is that Rome is increasingly important, exerting more influence on Cleopatra and her family.
“In making allies of Roman leaders Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, regardless of any romance that may or may not have happened, she was undoubtedly doing the right thing for Egypt.
“I think we can certainly say she was extremely skilful politically and she was a great survivor.
“It was a time of great in-fighting in the Ptolemaic family, a time of great intrigue.
“Her relationship with her brother, Ptolemy XIII, doesn’t work out very well – there’s a war – then her relationship with Caesar is disrupted by his assassination in Rome.
“Her relationship with Antony is only brought to an end by the irresistible force of Octavian, who defeats them.
“The threat of Rome taking over the whole of the Mediterranean had been coming for decades, something that could be seen as having been held back by her for quite a long time.
“There is a fascinating story to tease out, which I think is historically valid and goes beyond the Hollywood version.
“My take is she was a very successful politician.”
The story even includes the death of Caesar in Rome – image supplied by MAD
key details: Cleopatra: The Experience
Cleopatra: The Experience is set to run at Immerse LDN on the southern edge of Excel from March 26 for 15 weeks.
Tickets are on sale now, from £29 for adults and from £24 for children aged 4-15. Group packages and school bookings are available.
The experience lasts around 90 minutes and is open every day from 10am.
“The best thing about running Wapping Docklands Market is being able to connect people in a world that’s more and more isolated,” said Will Cutteridge, founder of The Market Network.
“It’s also having the ability to offer grassroots enterprises access to audiences and to get that instant feedback.”
Brussels Wharf was, in 2020, a disused car park – an irregular pentagon of earth, cobbles and quayside jutting out into Shadwell Basin, nominally described as a park.
But Will, having spent half a decade learning the ropes of commercial real estate before leaving that world to sell cheese on a market stall, saw an opportunity – a site that might be put to better use.
Wapping Docklands Market opened in 2021 and is now set to celebrate its fifth birthday in April, 2026.
There might even be a cake.
Wapping Docklands Market hosts a wide range of hot food traders throughout the year – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
creating a community
“The thing that’s really great is the community we’ve got here – the regular customers who come back week to week– that’s what really keeps us afloat,” said Will.
“They just happen to be lovely people, and it’s a nice place to be every Saturday.
“We have evolved over the years but hot food – which has always been the primary driver for us – has become more popular and we have live music and a pop-up pub.”
As we talk, pleasant jazz wafts over the assembled crowd played by gentlemen in attractive woollen hats.
Tables and benches are full despite the 6ºC February weather, with visitors keeping out the chill with toasty dishes from the food traders and mulled cider from the bar.
On the lower level of the site, traders sell fresh produce, plants and crafts, adding to the mix.
“It’s morphed over the years – we have up to 12 hot food vendors in the summer months and eight in winter,” said Will.
“One of our mission statements is to empower new and small food enterprises and, as we move towards spring, we typically get a lot of new businesses applying for pitches.
“Firstly what we’re looking for is passion – a reason that someone is doing what they’re doing that isn’t the money.
“Our newest food trader is Tito Vito serving Bocadillos, filled baguettes from the Canary Islands.
“Vito was persuaded by his partner because of his passion for cooking – she’s good with graphic design and created a brand for the business – and you could tell from day one that the food was amazing, that this was something he’d always wanted to do.
“That’s what we’re looking for.
“Then there’s Bahaa, a Syrian refugee who, along with his mother, runs Sojok.
“He serves up toasties filled with spiced minced meat and a savoury yoghurt drink called ayran on the side, which is made with water and salt.
“When he first started, he wasn’t doing so well but he’s evolved his product over time because he knew the market was busy so it was something he was doing that needed changing.
“Now when he’s not at the market, people ask where he is because the stall is so popular.
“My advice is to dunk the toastie in the drink – you won’t regret it.
“It’s also always a good tip, if you’re struggling to decide what to have, to know what the staff on the market enjoy for breakfast.”
Musicians entertain the crowds at the market – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
access to the Wapping Docklands Market audience
Community is really at the heart of everything Will does, ably supported by long-term operations coordinator Fabiana Da Cunha.
Together, they provide the foundation, marketing, support and curation that allows Wapping Docklands Market to continue, providing a platform for commerce, employment and interaction.
“It’s such a good feeling when you’re able to offer people with passion a way to get access to an audience,” said Will.
“I’ve learnt over the last five years that it’s unbelievably hard to run a business but also not to get so stressed and that everything will be fine.
“It’s really great when we see familiar faces coming here or when you spot people who meet at the market and then are back three weeks later having a beer together.
“We’re giving people the chance to get out of their houses and talk to each other.
“These are things that are important in the world and I wish we could do this more, in more places.
“We’re generating opportunities for new businesses, with our traders often living locally and we’re employing people.
“We have a 17-year-old working for us who lives locally and gets the London Living Wage because we believe that’s the right thing to do.
“We also pay our musicians, who need opportunities to play because venues are cutting live entertainment at the moment.”
Will’s journey has not been without its headwinds.
Operating markets can be a precarious business with limited security on short licences, predicated on the whims of landowners.
Wapping’s sister operations at Tower Hill and Canada Water have both closed, the former in favour of a Padel Tennis court and the latter due to a licensing dispute.
With the late winter sun beating down through the bare branches of the trees, finely crafted improvisation stealing over the crowd and traders serving queues of eager diners, it seems perverse not to support such endeavours.
The market is open weekly at Brussels Wharf – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
key details: Wapping Docklands Market
Wapping Docklands Market is open on Saturdays from 10am-4pm at Brussels Wharf on the edge of Shadwell Basin.
The location is around seven minutes’ walk from Wapping station on the Windrush Line or about 10 minutes from Shadwell DLR.
Wapping Docklands Market offers people the opportunity to support its operations by becoming a patron.
Friends pay £18 per month, which includes a number of perks including reserved seating at the market.
Members can pay £30 per month, getting all the same perks plus 10% discounts at The Market Tavern and Wapping Roots And Fruits grocery stall.
This is Stories Wharf by Hyde New Homes, located overlooking the Thames in North Woolwich.
The development offers a collection of properties available to buyers on a shared ownership basis.
With construction work now complete, buyers can move straight into them.
tell me more
Studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments are all available at the scheme.
Buyers can purchase an initial share of 25% or more of a home, then pay rent on the rest. They are free then to increase that share until they own 100% of the property.
One of the advantages of this scheme is that for those taking out a mortgage on the share they purchase, deposits are much smaller than those required to buy a property outright.
When combined, mortgage payments, rent and service charge on a shared ownership home typically come to less than it would cost to rent an equivalent property in the same area.
Studios, one, two and three-bedroom properties are all available at the east London development – image supplied by Hyde New Homes
what’s the area like?
Royal Docks is undergoing a period of regeneration that, even by the standards of east London, is profound.
Billions of pounds of investment are pouring into the area with flourishing communities emerging alongside more established neighbourhoods.
That means more housing, amenities and facilities locally, including plans to relocate Billingsgate and Smithfield fish and meat markets to Royal Albert Island and a scheme to give the waters of Royal Victoria Dock a significant facelift, both recently announced.
The area is already home to City Hall.
With exhibition and conference centre Excel London newly extended and extensive plans for further commercial regeneration, prospective buyers can look forward to moving into a part of London that’s set for at least a decade of improvement and attention.
The development features a communal podium garden – image supplied by Hyde New Homes
why Stories Wharf?
Hyde’s scheme is itself an attractive proposition.
Apartments come with fully fitted kitchens, integrated appliances, tiled bathrooms, a private balcony or terrace and built-in storage.
Communal facilities include a garden, a children’s play area and a rooftop terrace.
The scheme benefits from its own solar panels, designed to power public areas as well as secure cycle storage and the option for buyers to purchase parking spaces on selected properties.
The properties use open-plan design to maximise the use of space – image supplied by Hyde New Homes
what’s the transport like?
Stories Wharf is in a very singular position in the capital.
It’s close to King George V DLR, putting it one stop from both London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal (a short walk from the Elizabeth Line station).
But in addition to those links to international travel and rapid transport across the capital – Canary Wharf is eight minutes from Woolwich – Hyde’s development has a location few residential schemes can match.
Its proximity to the northern end of the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and the northern dock of the Woolwich Ferry mean it also benefits from unrivalled free access across the Thames on foot or by vehicle.
It’s also well served by buses.
and the local area?
The scheme is located within easy walking distance of Royal Victoria Gardens with the wider area offering a growing blend of cultural attractions at the likes of Immerse LDN and Silverworks Island.
The docks themselves offer a range of watersports including open water swimming, wakeboarding and an invigorating dockside sauna facility.
Further afield, the development is within easy reach of Woolwich, Canary Wharf, Stratford and the City all offering a succession of attractions.
Apartments at Stories Wharf feature private outdoor space – image supplied by Hyde New Homes
key details: Stories Wharf
Studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments are now available to move into at Hyde New Homes’ Stories Wharf scheme in North Woolwich.
Properties are available on a shared ownership basis with prices starting at £74,000 for a 25% share of a studio based on a full market value of £296,000.
It’s been 45 years since the Royal Docks ceased to function for their intended purpose.
Having survived the Second World War, they’d become the busiest facilities of their kind in the 1960s only for containerisation to render them redundant as global trade demanded deeper and more accessible ports.
Since their closure in 1981, they’ve lain relatively vacant as land around them has found new purpose as exhibition and events space, a university campus, housing and a home for businesses.
While the development of London City Airport in the late 1980s saw some of the water lost under its runway and, more recently, its new taxiway and aircraft stands, bar the odd pop-up and vessel of interest, little advantage has been taken of the surface of Newham’s largest liquid asset.
Royal Victoria Dock as it is today – image supplied by RDW
what are the plans?
In short, there are three main uses proposed for the 12 hectare stretch of water adjacent to City Hall – floating wellness, a floating park and floating homes.
Plans for the first include a lido, sauna, spa and expanded support for open water swimming in the dock.
The park will comprise a floating green space, art installations and cultural programming with the possibility of future expansion.
The homes will be provided via residential moorings and floating dwellings.
It’s unclear what will happen to existing watersports and hospitality facilities in the area including the Oiler Bar and WakeUp Docklands.
The plans feature a floating lido and sauna facilities – image supplied by RDW
they say
Scott Derben, managing director of Royal Docks Waterways, said: “This vision represents the biggest step change in the management and development of the Royal Docks since they were closed to commercial shipping at the end of 1981.
“Now, 45 years later, our goal is that the docks that used to feed London will be used to nurture its inhabitants.”
The proposals aim to encourage open water swimming – image by Emma Nathan
what now?
Naturally it’s consultation time.
RDW is seeking to engage with stakeholders and members of the public to help shape the detail of the plans as it begins to establish partnerships with organisations that will deliver them.
Britannia Village Hall will host exhibitions of the proposals on March 4, from 3pm-6pm, so people can view them and discuss the ideas.
Online sessions will be held on March 3 and 12 at noon and 6pm for those who can’t make it down in person.
Then, on March 7-8, Thames Sailing Barge Will is set to be moored at Royal Victoria Dock West.
Open from 10am-3pm each day, the 100-year-old vessel will be carrying a cargo of information boards and plentiful post-it notes for people to jot ideas onto.
At 100ft long, she’s the largest of her kind ever built and is well worth a visit in her own right.
Following the public engagement events, there will be further workshops and opportunities to get involved with – details to be disclosed at a later date.
RDW is also looking to have private meetings with local stakeholders and businesses. Interested organisations should email rvdw@royaldockswaterways.com to set up dates.
A floating park would be open to the public – image supplied by RDW
then what?
Following the consultation, feasibility studies and other administrative gubbins, the first elements of the plans are expected to be delivered by 2030.
“If you’re still looking at your hands, you’re not playing music,” said Darryl Powis, founder of Kitchen Jam.
That sentence may sound a little daunting to rusty players or those who’ve never even tried to strum a guitar, but it needn’t.
The music school Darryl and his wife, Jennifer Barlow, founded more than a decade ago is here to help and it’s opening a second branch in Canary Wharf.
Kitchen Jam is the latest business to launch in Wood Wharf, thanks to a collaboration between Canary Wharf Group and Tower Hamlets Council, offering companies affordable commercial space.
On the food and drink front, Mama Li, Nora, Ong Lai Kopitaim, Cafe Seek, Lockdown, Supershakes and Signorelli are all now trading.
Other openings include floristry from The Flower Club, Wayne Hairdresser Salon, beauty salon Awe London, Pawsome Pet Grooming And Spa, The Island Reformer Pilates Studio and clothing repair business Omnifix.
Kitchen Jam, however, is something truly new for the area – the first time retail premises have been used to offer music tuition in the district.
As a kid, Darryl tried learning the violin and then had some piano lessons aged around 10.
Kitchen Jam’s Wood Wharf school is fully equipped for group lessons – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
obsessed with guitar
“My parents had been musicians in a former life – guitar players – so I was around music the whole time,” he said.
“I really got into guitar at the age of 15, as I was banned from computers because I was so addicted to them.
“I taught myself guitar and bass. My piano teacher, who also taught me some clarinet, came back when I was 15 because he could play guitar a bit.
“He’d sit with me for half an hour while I played and he’d talk to me about music. I did music GCSE, but they didn’t really want me, even at A-level.
“You had to study pieces from the 1800s, and I couldn’t read music or chords at that time, although I could play guitar really well.
“I always had a good ear, so I could listen and then play what I’d heard.
“I just knew it was what I wanted to do.
“I played in a couple of bands in my school. Then, aged 17, I became the lead guitarist in my brother’s band.
“He was older than me and at university already.
“That took many different forms and that was my education – getting gigs and playing to very few people.
“I moved to London in 2012 with my band Neon Nurse, determined to make it.
“We thought retro-funk was going to have a resurgence. It didn’t. In fact, I’m not sure there was really a ‘surgence’ in the first place.
“When I came to London, I played in a lot of bands, although it was all by ear.
“I still didn’t really know the notes on the guitar neck, but people would book me for gigs and said what I was doing was great.
“When I first started teaching, I was really fixing my own problems.
“Initially I thought I was going to support my music career, but I ended up falling in love with the actual teaching itself – seeing people grow.”
The school is one of a number of independent businesses now calling Wood Wharf home – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
developing a system of tuition
At first, Darryl taught students in the kitchen of the house he was sharing in Leyton.
More traditional methods of tuition follow graded exams as a way to mark progress and provide goals for players, but Kitchen Jam goes its own way.
Darryl said: “All the times I’d made progress as a musician were when I was playing in a band – it gave me something bigger to play for, like a gig coming up.
“So, I was looking for how I could give someone a personalised experience and that took me about six years to figure out.
“Once you get guitarists jamming in a room with others – people you may have thought you’d never spend time with – suddenly you all have something in common.
“It’s a community.
“I’ve been using the method I developed for more than a decade and we’ve had adults who couldn’t play the guitar at all go from that to fronting a band and playing gigs.
“Our approach is quite structured, but it’s intended to feel very fluid and be great fun.
“Everything you learn is in context and these are the milestones that unlock people’s abilities.
“We use a system of levels on the guitar so we can work out where people are before it then branches out into personal musical tastes.
“For example, someone might be able to play chords and some scales but doesn’t know how to solo.
“That’s a typical entry point at Kitchen Jam.”
Kitchen Jam comes complete with amps, guitar and a vintage Triumph motorbike – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
from a kitchen table to a school
With a sound philosophy established, the next chapter in the business’ story began with a new location.
“Jen, my then girlfriend, who’s now my wife, couldn’t believe it was actually working, that I was getting people to come for lessons in my horrible house,” said Darryl.
“I was already using a community centre across the road as a venue where I’d invite guitarists from around the world to come and do workshops for my students.
“But she said she would figure out how to get a proper space.
“We looked at loads of places but the first unit we viewed – in Stratford’s East Village – was the one.
“It was closer to the stations and was a safer walk, so we thought we’d get more people. When we started trading it just exploded.”
Having grown and expanded, Kitchen Jam now caters to students of almost any age with sessions for babies as young as four months, guitar and ukelele programmes for younger children, lessons for teenagers and lessons for adults of all levels.
Darryl’s oldest student is in his 80s. It even welcomes bass players.
“This whole thing is about creating the space for what people want to do,” said Darryl.
“It’s about how we can help people fall in love with playing – with trying to do this thing.
“The first session is free and it’s always on a one-to-one basis – people need to know that relationship is going to work before they commit.
“If you’re a complete beginner, we’ll teach you something.
vIf you’re more experienced, you’ll go through an assessment to find out what your skills are, where it is you want to go and then we’ll formulate a plan.
“We also ask people to go away and list 30 songs that they love so we can get a rounder picture of who they are as a musician.
“They might be guitar related or not.
“Mozart, Metallica and Eminem will all help us see where you may be going and what techniques you’re going to need to get there.
“It also helps us refine what we teach – we’re not going to force a student to learn power chords if they have no interest in music that uses them.
“Through this process, we produce a sheet for your teacher and that becomes the plan when you come to your first group lesson.
“Every class is an hour long and they’re themed so the student understands the context – it might be guitar theory, phrasing, soloing and so on.
“These allow players to build confidence by playing real songs and jamming regularly.
“Our monthly rate includes five classes plus a workshop at the end of the month which is a larger, three-hour jam session based around one song.
“We break it down and play it through. Then there’s space to hang out after.”
a different offering to online
Kitchen Jam also organises gigs, open mic nights and facilitates the formation of bands to give students as much real-world experience as possible.
Darryl is passionate about the benefits that playing in a group can bring, partly as an alternative to learning online in isolation.
“Playing with people or in a band on stage is completely different,” he said.
“You might end up learning really impressive things online – because that’s what gets attention – but they don’t always make sense when you’re jamming with a group.
“When you listen to the Beatles, for example, the musicianship is incredible but the individual parts probably wouldn’t get much attention on TikTok or Instagram.
“Real playing is about learning how to fit in with other musicians and understanding how the sounds are created and work together.”
The business’ latest branch feels like the ideal place to facilitate that understanding.
Fully equipped with high-end amps and walls dripping with mics, guitars, basses and even tools to keep the instruments in shape, it’s an impressive addition to the Wood Wharf street scene, not least because of the hefty (working) Triumph motorbike in the window.
With a drum kit that’s always set up, substantial rugs on the floor and walls painted black, it’s just waiting to be filled with the sound of strings strummed.
key details: Kitchen Jam
Kitchen Jam’s Canary Wharf branch is located in Wood Wharf’s East Lane on the ground floor to the rear of 8 Harbord Square.
Initial one-to-one taster sessions are free. Guitarists signing up before April 1, 2026, will also benefit from the Founders discount, with monthly rates at £200 for adults, normally £257.
Three, six and 12 month packages are also available.
The honeyed brick-built expanse of the Fireworks Factory at Woolwich Works is set to ring with the subtle clink of glasses and the sound of distilled liquids gently filling them, as Whisky Live And Fine Spirits London returns towards the end of March.
Over two days, around 3,000 visitors are expected to taste products from a wide range of distillers at the showcase, this year celebrating its 26th edition.
“It’s the ultimate whisky event,” said Jamie Brodie, media director at Paragraph Publishing – a company that founded WhiskyMagazine in 1997 and put on its first show three years later.
“We license Whisky Live all over the globe – in France, Ireland, Spain, Germany and many more countries – it’s gone from strength to strength.
“Visiting the event is a real journey of tastes and flavours from all over the world.
“For our 2026 London show we’ll have more than 50 stands with different brands – the best from Scotland, Ireland, Europe, America, India and Japan.
“We have visitors coming who are seasoned enthusiasts alongside beginners who are trying whisky for the first time.
“Whether you’re new or returning to the show, this is a chance for you to come to an event where you can spend a day talking to people about whisky and other spirits.
“It’s not just about tasting them.
“It’s finding out about their heritage, how they are created and made – things like the maturation processes, how long it takes and the differences between all the different brands and expressions.
“People coming have the opportunity to try whiskies from all over the globe, not just the straightforward single malts, but wheats, ryes, grains, blends – a real variety of different types.
“We’ll also have tequillas, vodkas and gins.”
The gathering will see enthusiasts and producers brought together in the venue’s Fireworks Factory – image supplied by Whisky Live
tastings at Whisky Live
The format is straightforward.
Standard ticket holders get unlimited whisky pourings in their Glencairn tasting glass over a three-hour period, with five-hour and six-hour packages also available, the latter with a succession of premium perks.
Street food vendors will be on hand to provide fuel for those who need it, alongside soft drink options and plenty of water stations.
“It’s very important for people to stay hydrated,” said Jamie.
“Whisky Live is all about enjoying these spirits responsibly – tasting them in the right environment and appreciating them.
“The show is for finding out more about whisky and making it accessible without being patronising, so people can understand what they’re tasting in a comfortable, welcoming space.
“We want people to take back some really strong memories and to have a fun day out.”
Brands represented include Glencadam, Tomintoul, Aber Falls, Green River, Fuji, Jura, Fettercairn and Crazy Cock.
The show will also feature entertainment from pianist and sing-a-long specialist Tom Carradine as well as plenty of movers and shakers from the world of whisky.
Masterclasses include the opportunity to blend your own whisky on the day – image supplied by Whisky Live
masterclass experiences
Jamie said: “You’ve got some of the great master blenders working today as well as the writing teams from Whisky Magazine on hand to share their expertise.
“We’re not about swilling whisky, we’re about sipping and talking it over.
“People who come to these events often want to take something special away with them and brands will be retailing throughout the two days.
“We’ll also be running a number of masterclasses – an opportunity for people to find out more about particular whiskies from the people who make them.
“For example we’ll have master blender Dan Callaway from Bardstown Bourbon Company in the USA and master blender Jota Tanaka from Fuji Gotemba in Japan running sessions and inviting visitors to taste some of their range.
“Whisky Magazine editor, Bradley Weir will be hosting a masterclass where people can learn to blend their own whisky.
“It’s something we’ve been doing for a number of years now and visitors can choose to have their whisky bottled and then engraved ready for collection the same day.”
Ticket prices include unlimited pourings during a set period – image supplied by Whisky Live
the world’s best at Whisky Live
In addition to the wide array of tasting options, the show is also an opportunity to sample some of the very best spirits the world has to offer.
“We run the World Whiskies Awards and the winners are set to be announced on March 25,” said Jamie.
“We’ll have those brands available on our World Whiskies Awards Premium Stand at Whisky Live for visitors to try.
“Those who opt for premium tickets get that experience included – the opportunity to try the very best across a range of categories.
“Some distilleries will also be bringing special casks produced specifically for the event along for people to taste – whiskies that are not available anywhere else on the planet.
“This will be our third time at Woolwich Works, which is easily accessible thanks to the Elizabeth Line.
“We deliberately keep it as an intimate show that’s designed to be very straightforward.
“It’s not overwhelming or intimidating.
“It’s not about the look, but about the flavour, whether you’re new to whisky or already enthusiastic about it.
“People can choose to taste and ingest or taste and spit – the important thing is that they have the opportunity to try unique whiskies that they wouldn’t normally get to sample and they find something they like.”
key details: Whisky Live And Fine Spirits London
Whisky Live And Fine Spirits London is set to take place on March 27 and 28 at Woolwich Works.
Tickets start at £61.91 with entry times varying depending on the level of access.
Readers can get 10% off all tickets to the show by using code LDN26 when booking.
…my feet slip in first, breaking the gently shifting blue surface of the water, liquid so chilled it feels silken as I sink down into it.
Muscles tensing, heart-rate climbing, my breathing quickens as my body goes into full fight or flight mode in response to the unrelenting cold.
But I don’t lose it to the panic, I take deeper breaths, bringing the shock under control, then relax into the balm of the icy water, counting my inhales and my exhales.
The monolithic sensation of the chill is all I can think about – sensory overload – until a few minutes later it’s time to wake and emerge from the water…
Third Space mind and body master trainer, Clare Walters – image supplied by Third Space
some like it chilled…
“Contrast therapy and cold exposure are not new disciplines, they’ve been around since ancient times,” said Clare Walters, mind and body master trainer at Third Space.
“There has been a really rich culture of sauna and polar plunges in lots of the Scandinavian and eastern European countries and the practices in this country go back at least to Roman times with baths of different temperatures.
“However, there’s a growing recognition of their benefits in the wellness industry.”
Recently, in response to this demand, the luxury health club fitted a Brass Monkey cold plunge facility at its Wood Wharf branch, offering members who’ve heated up in its steam room and sauna, or who just feel the need for a profound full-body chill, a poolside option overlooking the dock far below.
“The brand is one of the leading providers of ice baths and they really know their stuff,” said Clare.
“The products are of a really high standard with the water constantly filtered to ensure its clean and that the temperature remains stable.
“That’s important, because you need that cold shock to get the benefits.
“Recovery and wellness is very much something we’re prioritising in our clubs and, for me, it’s a mission to help people regulate their nervous systems.
“We have lots of ways of doing that and cold exposure is an important tool we can use.
“We offer cryotherapy at our Recovery Spa in Third Space Canary Wharf, which some people prefer.
“It’s much colder than the water of a plunge could ever be, but it’s a dry cold for up to three minutes and you warm up quickly afterwards.
“You still get the benefits, but it doesn’t feel quite as intense.
“An ice bath can feel more dramatic and, because exposure is for a longer time, there’s an aspect of building mental resilience to it as well.
“When you go into the cold, you’re experiencing something which, in large quantities, could be very bad and possibly fatal – but is very beneficial for small amounts of time.
“Doing hard things you don’t necessarily want to do can help build mental and emotional resilience.
“It’s similar to training really hard in the gym.
“When you push yourself lifting weights, for instance, you know you’ve accomplished something and you feel really good about yourself.
“There’s also a neurological aspect to cold exposure.
“When you plunge or do cryo, you get a huge rush of dopamine into the bloodstream – around 200% higher than your baseline rate.
“Drugs may induce that kind of change but only for a few minutes whereas, a cold water rush can last for many hours.
“When I do a cold plunge, I can walk around the city for hours feeling happy.
“It can be really good for regulating mental health, particularly in the winter months, when it’s grey and dark and there’s very little Vitamin D coming to us.”
Ready and waiting, the Brass Monkey cold plunge at the Wood Wharf Club – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
advice on cold plunging at Third Space
Alternating between hot and cold is also widely thought to further boost these benefits with both environments having the added bonus of easing muscle pain and other physical stresses.
But how best to approach the icy depths?
Clare said: “First of all I’d say you should not aim for a long period of time in the water.
“If you’re new to cold plunging, you should aim for 30 seconds plus, but definitely try to get all the way in.
“I’ve seen so many people going in, getting to knee height, saying ‘no’ and getting straight back out again.
“Some get straight in and then out again.
There will be benefits, because you’ll be getting into your fight or flight response, but the real benefits come if you stick to it for a little bit longer.
“Doing it gradually can be real torture, so get in swiftly, but smoothly, not in a chaotic way.
“Get the water to neck height if you can – over you shoulders and to the back of your neck. It will feel more intense, but you’ll be able to calm down quicker.
“The gasp reflex is what we want – your sympathetic nervous system is triggered and your stress hormones are released.
“The heart rate starts to speed up and you get more blood flow around the body, but the longer we’re in the cold, we want to calm ourselves down – that’s when we think about breath.
“Focus on exhaling through pursed lips, which will force you to extend your exhale and start to calm down.
“Once you feel that’s happening, start to take an even, slow breath – breathing in for a slow count of four and then out for the same.
“Hold still. You can even close your eyes if you like.
“When I’m in the cold, my mind just goes clear, I just sit there and it feels amazing.
“Some people feel their extremities get cold – that’s because your blood vessels constrict and direct the blood flow to your vital organs to keep you alive.
“Combining a plunge with the sauna is great for this because in the heat your blood vessels open up and going between the two can be really good for circulation.
“Hands can also be kept out of the water for those who feel the cold in them.
“Ultimately a good rule of thumb to aim for is about one minute of immersion per degree of the ice bath.
“At Wood Wharf it’s kept between 5ºC and 7ºC.
“Typically women need less time, while men tolerate the cold a bit better.
“Conversely the opposite is true in the sauna.
“Across a week, we say 11 minutes of cold plunging and an hour in the sauna will give you optimum benefit for both, although not in a single session.”
The sauna at Third Space Wood Wharf – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
embracing contrast therapy
With the facility at Wood Wharf up and running, further change is coming to the Canary Wharf club, which is set to open a new Wellness Spa later in the year.
This will include a hydropool, a cold plunge pool, a steam room, heated loungers as well as two different kinds of sauna.
There will also be a sky garden for members to relax in.
We’ll bring you more news on this major development in a future issue of Wharf Life.
key details: Third Space membership at Canary Wharf
The Wharf membership at Third Space includes access to both its Wood Wharf and Canary Wharf clubs and costs £245 per month.
Group and Group Plus memberships, which include access to other sites are also available.
