Tribe London Canary Wharf is rapidly becoming a feast for the senses.
Earlier this year, the hotel launched its Vinyl Club – a listening station for guests and visitors to enjoy the bump of needle in groove via a curated selection of records and even a specially released album entitled New Grounds.
Now its California-themed ground floor restaurant and bar – Feels Like June – is delivering on sight, unveiling a mural by artist in residence Lois O’Hara alongside specially designed drinks coasters.
“What we want to do is to show our hotels are not just a place to sleep,” said Filipe Avillez, general manager at Tribe London Canary Wharf.
“We want people who are staying with us or visiting to come down and use our social spaces.
“To encourage guests to do that, we try and activate these areas in different ways.
“That’s why I’ve always wanted to work with an artist in residence.
“Lois worked with us on the launch of Vinyl Club and then we invited her to come and create this piece.
“She stayed with us for a week and painted this mural and it looks fabulous. I love the finished piece.
“We’d seen some of her other works and I’m really proud that we now have one on our wall.
“We’re really happy with it and it deserves to stay in its place forever.”
The Vinyl Club at Tribe London Canary Wharf – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
realising the work
Lois’ work at the Water Street venue is about five metres high and acts as a backdrop to Feels Like June’s bar area.
She said: “It was quite challenging to get the crisp lines right because you’re painting on an uneven surface.
“It was physically demanding and I was working on a cherry picker to get to the higher areas.
“It took me a few months to design the piece because although I wanted to bring joy to the hotel and the restaurant area, I also wanted it to fit in with the existing interior.
“It’s a piece in my typical style, which is fluid, organic and joyful.
“I’ve used some of the colours, from Feels Like June’s interior here, but I also wanted the mural to feel like an explosion of drinks over the wall coming together in a really beautiful way.
“There are colours that I really like and often use in my pieces – pink, for example. But this is also a collaboration.
“I really hope people who are looking at this piece feel joyful – for me that’s represented in the orange circles, which are a perfect expression of joy.
“The whole work is intended as a journey towards that.
“But it’s also important that guests here feel comfortable.
“There are lots of pieces out there that make use of colour but they can be a bit too much, a little off-putting.”
Lois O’Hara’s mural at Feels Like June – image supplied by Tribe London Canary Wharf
from illustration to public art
Lois is based in Brighton and studied illustration before embarking on a career in art.
She said: “It’s really been in me since I was little – drawing and painting. It’s always something I wanted to do.
“But going to uni only pushed me further because I didn’t get much support there.
“The people running the course I did didn’t really understand how I could make money painting walls.
“But I thought there was definitely a way – I had an idea.
“I decided to give it a go and started doing small walls in local cafés and places like that.
“I’ve always been quite rebellious, I guess and I’m the kind of person who wants to get things done.
“If someone tells me I can’t do something, it just makes me want to do it more.”
It’s an approach that’s led to significant success with her work gracing the likes of W London, Wembley Park, Grand Designs Live and Magazine London.
“It’s going to be called The Tallyman,” said Anthony Pender, founder of Our Yummy Collection, as the business prepares to open a pub in Canary Wharf.
“Before the towers this was all docks, loading and unloading cargo.
“At the heart of that operation there was a person whose job it was to keep track of the stock going onto and coming off the boats.
“It’s a role that goes back hundreds of years.
“The captains of the ships, the customs officers and the workers all trusted the tallyman.
“The dockers got paid by how much they’d loaded or unloaded so it was his job to make sure they received fair wages.
“His role was to be an honest person in a noisy world.
“Although that job no longer exits here, it felt like an appropriate name for a proper pub, which should have that kind of honesty and authenticity about it.”
Our Yummy Collection founder Anthony Pender – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
something ‘a bit more daring’
Set to open on September 10, 2026, The Tallyman is currently being fitted out to serve customers.
Located in Chancellor Passage it will fill the spaces left by the relocation of the Post Office and the closure of Grateful Kitchen – transforming the long low structure beneath the DLR with its southern tip overlooking Eden Dock.
Canary Wharf hasn’t been without pubs over the years – The Henry Addington just around the corner from the new venue continues to do a brisk trade, as does The Gun, a little way off the estate to the west.
However, traditional venues have closed locally without being replaced – notably The Cat And Canary and it’s craft beer-focused successor The Merchant.
A little further south on the Isle Of Dogs, The North Pole and The City Pride were also lost to property development, although the former may well make a comeback.
None of this, however, has deterred Anthony.
After a spell working for Carlsberg, he went into business with two friends and spent 15 years running pubs as they successfully strived to establish food-led venues in the wake of the smoking ban.
After taking sole charge, Anthony turned Yummy’s focus to London and currently operates The Somers Town Coffee House near Euston, The Victoria near Mile End and a seafood restaurant called Faber in Hammersmith.
“We wanted to go for it a bit more, to be daring,” he said.
“We thought there were areas of London that needed pubs again.
“The costs are challenging, but there’s demand – our venues are busy and each one is fiercely independent.
“We’re not a chain, just a collection of autonomous people working together.
“We don’t have a mission statement or anything like that – our one mantra is to be authentic in what we’re doing.
“I started working in hospitality while I was at university – pot washing, bar tending, it was a real mixture.
“Then I started organising events in some of the nightclubs in Bristol and absolutely loved it.
“I saw the opportunity to offer good food in pubs and that’s what led us to open that first venue near Lingfield Racecourse.
“The reason we’re here is that Canary Wharf Group approached us as they were looking to introduce another pub on the estate. I saw the space next to the dock and loved it.
“CWG has been phenomenally supportive.
“If I come here and see a really eclectic mix of people in here then we’ll have done our job.
“This should be a place for local residents, students, teachers, people working in the offices and visitors to the area.
“I’d love it to be a diverse crowd all getting on with each other – for us it’s about longevity, not being a flash in the pan.”
The Tallyman’s menu will be driven by classic dishes – image by Our Yummy Collection
a traditional aesthetic
Visitors to The Tallyman will find themselves in an environment that whole-heartedly embraces a classic pub aesthetic, albeit with all the modern touches you’d expect.
There will be much wooden panelling, low cast lighting, a grand fireplace and even a piano.
“Firstly, we’re a pub, so there won’t be a concierge desk,” said Anthony.
“People will go to the bar, buy their drinks and then choose their seats.
“Of course, if you want to be served at the table then we’ll look after you all night, but we also want people standing at the bar and meeting each other.
“It should be a little oasis, somewhere you can come to forget about politics, the world and work and just relax.
“There won’t be clocks on the walls to remind you that you should be back at work.
“We’ll have a fantastic outside area that’s a sun trap during the day.
“That will, like all good east London pubs, have a seafood shack, although we’ll be serving lobster rolls, oysters and affordable caviar rather than crab sticks and jellied eels.
“We’ll have a dining room in the back of the venue where we’ll serve an a la carte menu with classics such as burgers, pies, fish and chips and game.
“We’re even toying with the idea of pork scratchings topped with caviar – it really works.
“We’ll have specials and snacks in the bar too, always aiming to serve constantly evolving British fare.”
Oysters will be available next to Eden Dock – image supplied by Our Yummy Collection
quiz nights and live music
The Tallyman won’t have screens, as Anthony said Yummy’s pubs were primarily “about conversation and having a good time”.
There will, however be occasional live music as well as quiz nights when things are fully up and running.
“All of our pubs have their own identities and the people running them have the power to make their own decisions,” said Anthony.
“For example, we do stock some drinks in all locations but others are particular to the local market.
“One of the things I think is ready to make a come-back is cask ale.
“Everyone’s talking about Guinness at the moment, which is a great product, but interest will probably wane and ale will be there to take its place.
“I saw recently that they’re bringing Boddington’s back, but only on cask and we’re going to give that a go.
“The reason some of these brands have survived 300 years is because they’re really good products but in recent years the beer hasn’t been stored or distributed well so we’ll really be focusing on that.
“You have to look after those casks every day.”
The Tallyman will have a strong focus on seafood – image supplied by Our Yummy Collection
key details: The Tallyman
The Tallyman is set to open to the public on September 10, 2026, at Chancellor Passage in Canary Wharf.
“The aim of Tech Academy is to give people a crash course in the technical aspects of theatre production – hopefully to act as a springboard that will get them into long-term careers,” said Matthew Jameson, artistic director at The Space on the Isle Of Dogs.
The Westferry Road theatre and arts centre is running a two-day session for up to 15 people who are living in Tower Hamlets and are not currently in education, employment or training.
It’s intended as a gateway to working in the sector.
The pilot scheme, which is supported by the East End Community Foundation, aims to give participants a solid grounding in the key technical elements needed for a fringe theatre show – lighting, sound and stage management.
“Across two intensive days we’ll deliver an introduction to all things technical,” said Matthew.
“The staff here, including our executive director Sarah Reed, have a wealth of experience in the industry to pass on – we want to provide an environment where people can learn safely and fail safely so they get a real understanding of what it’s like to work in this environment.
“We cover vocabulary and terminology because it can be terrifying for people to feel out of their depth if they don’t know the right words to use.
“There’s a lot of jargon and we’re here to demystify and clarify what’s happening.
“We’ll also be showing people all the equipment, how to set it up, treat it with respect and use it in a safe and responsible manner.
“The course covers things like manual handling, working with ladders, hanging, focussing and programming lights.
“The idea is to cover everything to see a show through from setting it up, pressing the buttons to make it go and then clearing up at the end.
“It’s every single step you need to be aware of to work behind the scenes on shows at venues like ours or in bigger theatres.”
Artistic director at The Space, Matthew Jameson – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
opening doors to opportunity
While the course doesn’t lead to a formal qualification, The Space hopes it will result in opportunities both within its own programming and at other venues.
“We’d like this pilot scheme will develop into a longer-term programme at The Space in the future,” said Matthew.
“The uptake has been fantastic so far and there’s clearly potential to take it further, which is what we’d like to do in the future.
“There is an identifiable need here and we want to help people explore careers in this sector.
“We really hope these Tech Academy sessions are the springboard for participants to find a discipline they love and identify with.
“While the course covers a range of skills, for longer term opportunities people tend to gravitate to a particular area.
“They might prefer working with lighting to sound, for example.
“We hope these sessions will help participants discover those pathways.
“That might be more on the stage management side – learning how to mark up the props table and how to run a show safely and efficiently back stage.
“It can also be very important for theatre-makers, directors, writers and actors to understand how it all works – what’s possible and what roles everyone is playing when they’re doing the fluffier side of creating performances.
“In the end, all the departments have to work together to make something far greater than any of them are capable of individually.
“This is something I’ll always love about live theatre – that the planning and talents of a group of people can come together to create something extraordinary.
“That’s when performance is at its peak – a well-oiled slick machine, where actors are not bumping into the furniture, everything is exactly where it should be, the sound and lighting are perfectly in sync and the audience are responding to it.
“It’s just wonderful to see.”
Participants get a grounding in a range of skills including how to work safely at height – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
a grounding before specilisation
While the Tech Academy sessions are intended to deliver a good grounding, they’ve also been designed to test participants.
“We set up what we call obstacle courses up as part of what we’re doing and an element of one of those is where Sarah and I perform a short, two-page scene,” said Matthew.
“We’re going to be asking the participants to operate a series of sound and lighting effects based on the scene as though we were doing a real performance.
“But actors can be fallible. What happens if one of us makes a mistake?
“Maybe some things will go wrong. That’s just show business.
“One of the lessons we aim to pass on is that live theatre is unpredictable and anything can happen.
“We have to be prepared as theatre-makers to find a way through, to keep that audience there and engaged.
“It’s really important to recognise the power that technicians have and their responsibility.
“Theatre relies on the power of the imagination – the incredible acts of trickery by the people audiences don’t see so that sounds, music and light can help transport them and set their pulses racing.
“That making all of those happen at the right time for what’s happening on stage is also a performance and takes real skill.
“I hope that the people who participate in Tech Academy will feel that technical theatre is demystified and is a real and plausible career that they can consider.
“People should know that it’s not highly specialised, that you can learn the buttons to press and see the routes through to get gigs.
“Hopefully, this time next year, they’ll be preparing to go up to the Edinburgh Festival, and a couple of years down the line, they may be touring internationally.”
The sessions cover sound, lighting, stage management and more – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
key details: Tech Academy at The Space
The Space on the Isle Of Dogs is currently recruiting participants for its next two-day session – set to take place in August or September, 2026.
Applicants should be Tower Hamlets residents who are not in education, employment or training.
The course is free to attend and includes lunch and snacks.
It’s an archive that now extends to more than a million individual documents and images.
Frontispiece is the business he established in 1989 to trade in such items, later adding a framing service as a natural extension to its operation.
It – like Reg – continues to have a storied existence and deserves to be a natural point of exploration for anyone moving to this part of London and seeking something of the place they’ve relocated to.
It’s also a fantastic resource for interior designers seeking to bring an authentic connection to history in their creations.
Reg began buying prints and documents as a teenager, initially from dealers and then at auctions in lots of multiple items.
“I was interested in the history of east London when my dad was a lad in the 1890s,” he said.
“People didn’t really have things on the wall when I was growing up apart from stuff like ‘Jesus Saves’ or ‘Welcome Home’ – no artwork.
“But I’d put up these prints.
“A chap I used to buy from suggested I go to an auction and buy 500 prints in a single lot, keep the ones I wanted and then sell the rest on.”
Detail from Victoria Dock Canning Town and East India Docks Poplar antique map, 1902, £48 – image supplied by Frontispiece
from collector to dealer
However, it was some time before Reg would turn that enthusiasm into a business.
He worked as a “camera operator” for the press, snapping musicians and football games as well as garden parties at Buckingham Palace.
After about eight years of pressing the shutter, he “became fed up with that” and pursued another passion – the railway.
“I was a train-spotter as a kid,” he said.
“You’d be standing on the bridge and get swamped with smoke and steam. I became a fireman on diesel engines.
“You see things from the footplate you can’t see from the train. I loved it.”
After a spell travelling, he returned to the East End to work as a labourer at Truman’s Brewery, before deciding – on the advice of his brother – to apply to university.
This was despite having no qualifications, having left school at 15.
After successfully negotiating the entrance exam, he trained as a teacher, returning to east London to work in the classroom – a career that took him through to the launch of Frontispiece.
In his time, Reg has been a male model, photographed the likes of the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds and Duke Ellington and has been a magistrate since 1986.
He’s a Freeman of the City Of London, a former master of the Worshipful Company Of Poulters and has held the positions of deputy mayor of Tower Hamlets and trustee at Whitechapel Art Gallery. He also plays a mean blues on the mouthorgan.
Having originally opened at Tobacco Dock in Wapping when it became a shopping centre, Frontispiece relocated to Canary Wharf to become the first retail business to open on the estate in the early 1990s, trading successfully in the malls for many years.
Today both his antique maps and prints business and framing services continue to operate from rooms at Cannon Workshops close to West India Quay.
Reg in the process of making a frame for a picture – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
an extensive inventory at Frontispiece
Like his life, Reg’s business contains multitudes.
His files and shelves are filled with images, documents, clippings and maps that tell stories.
“I have a particular focus on Docklands,” he said.
“For example, I have more than 500 images of the Great Eastern – Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s ship, which was built on the Isle Of Dogs as well as pictures of the engineer himself.
“Those are some of the most popular items we have.
“People also like to have maps of the places they’re living in and images of how these places used to be.”
Frontispiece has digitised more than 6,000 items, which are now available through its website.
Those browsing there will find everything from pages from The Illustrated London News in the 19th century to prints of flower fairies, sketches of ladies’ fashions, maps and images of maritime history.
There’s also a strong focus on military history, with Reg passionate about The Royal Regiment Of Fusiliers – based at the Tower Of London – which his father served with during the First World War.
Detail from Pheasants And Peacocks antique print, published 1862 in Oliver Goldsmith’s A History Of The Earth And Animated Nature, £45 – image supplied by Frontispiece
fit for the wall
“We started offering frames while we were still at Tobacco Dock,” said Reg.
\“I’d met a chap at a trade fair who would come down from Bedfordshire with the sizes we needed.
“But he didn’t want to keep doing that, so he taught me and people started coming to us for that service.”
Whether for his maps and prints or a client’s own pieces, Reg offers a bespoke service in wood and metal.
One notable client is Sir Michael Caine’s wife, who had the actor’s medals framed for him from his time in the Fusiliers as a gift on his 90th birthday.
Frontispiece also created a golden frame for King Charles, who’d donated a copy of his favourite photograph of himself as a boy with his late mother to a charity auction, raising £35,000 for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.
“We’re more than happy to discuss any job and if we can help, we will,” said Reg.
“Most people these days want frames that are quite simple, although some want designs that are more grand.
“The cost depends on how big the item to be framed is and the materials we’re using – what moulding we choose.
“We have all sorts of woods and metals in stock to suit what people want, starting at 48p per inch.”
As for the prints and maps, prices vary depending on size and rarity, but many are listed around £35 or £45.
“When I was studying medicine, I spent a lot of time as a student sitting around watching other people doing things,” said James Nicopoullos.
“But then I did my obstetrics and gynaecology rotation and got to deliver babies.
“That was when I began to feel like I was going to be a proper doctor.
“Up until that point, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do within medicine, so I started training in that field.
“Many of the consultants I worked for had an interest in fertility and so mine started to grow.”
Today, following extensive training and the publication of a research thesis in the field, James is the medical director at HCA UK’s Lister Fertility Clinic.
He’s also the “person responsible” for ensuring it complies with the high level of regulation in the sector as overseen by the Human Fertilisation And Embryology Authority.
Offering initial investigations, monitoring and treatment preparation, it extends the reach of the hospital’s operation, which includes procedures such as egg collection and embryo transfer.
Lister Fertility Clinic medical director, James Nicopoullos – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
supporting multiple visits
James said: “Fertility journeys aren’t always easy ones and there are lots of things to consider.
“However, once a decision is made to proceed with treatment, that often results in multiple visits to our clinics.
“We know that juggling life and work against the emotional and physical impact of a fertility cycle is not easy.
“That’s why we’ve created these satellite units – we know that being able to go somewhere closer to work or home can be really important to people.
“One of the things to consider is that, to get the desired outcome, people may have to go through multiple cycles of treatment, so making the process easier is really important.”
Canary Wharf joins The Shard Outpatients, The Beaconsfield Clinic and The Portland Hospital on the list of satellite locations operated by the clinic.
In addition to providing treatment to help people conceive, the newly minted clinic also runs HCA UK’s Fit For Fertility health screening – a range of tests and a consultation designed to give them a picture of their reproductive health so they can make decisions for their future based on the best evidence available.
“This is a bit like an MOT,” said James. “In essence, it’s to look to see if there’s anything there which is prohibiting pregnancy now or that might do so in the future.
“For women, we take an ultrasound scan and a blood test to check for any physical abnormalities and to get an idea of the number of eggs she has.
“For men, we collect a sperm sample and look at the number and quality produced.
“Often fertility doctors are gynaecologists and focus on the female for obvious reasons, but it’s actually very common in the couples that come to see us that there’s a male factor when it comes to problems conceiving.
“If that might by an underlying cause we look at how we can improve the situation and what treatments are available.
“The majority of patients we see are people who have been trying for a certain period of time without success. Age is a really important factor.
“For many different reasons, people are seeking to have babies later in their lives at a point where fertility isn’t as good.
“Generally, the younger you are, the longer you can try before seeking help.
“Fertility remains relatively consistent in women up to the age of 35, for example, and then egg quality and quantity begin to decrease.
“From 37, that really accelerates and the chance of getting pregnant mirrors that. Also important to consider is that the same is true of IVF.
“If you’re sitting here at 30 and having a fertility assessment, and, even if you don’t get pregnant for two years, your chances of IVF working at 32 are still going to be very good.
“If you’re sitting here at 40 and everything looks OK, there will inevitably be a massive drop off in IVF success in the next two years.
“This is why testing is important – having early conversations gives people an idea about how quickly they might need to move on to IVF if they want to have a child and aren’t able to conceive naturally.”
The satellite clinic is based at HCA’s 40 Bank Street facility – image supplied by HCA UK
making informed decisions
Age can also play a big part in IVF success rates, which drop the older the donor.
“We are seeing more people nationwide who are thinking more about age, so are considering freezing,” said James.
“If you freeze a 30-year-old egg and then put it into a 20, 30 or 40-year-old, the outcome will be the same – the success rate is based on the age of the egg.
“There’s no guarantee IVF will work, but you are increasing your chances the earlier you freeze an egg. At age 30, it’s around 50% but it drops to 5% for women aged 45.”
For those just starting to try for a baby, James said lifestyle could be a factor in fertility, although people shouldn’t worry too much so long as they weren’t taking things to extremes.
“People shouldn’t be beating themselves up, worrying about an espresso they have in the morning or the two or three glasses of wine they have over the course of a week,” he said.
“Moderation is key, as is eating well, looking after yourself and limiting stress.
“I would say that smoking is definitely a negative factor – that’s also true for men when it comes to sperm production.
“Also for men, I wouldn’t want to see them spend five hours a day in a sauna, but having one once a or twice a week is not going to make a difference – it’s very unlikely that this is going to be the deal-breaker.”
Human eggs under the microscope
case study: Fit For Fertility Screening
Knowledge is always power.
To that end, the Lister Fertility Clinic’s Fit For Fertility health screening service aims to provide men and women with key information about their reproductive health to help them make decisions for the future.
To find out what Wharfers can expect from the service, we sent Isaac, 44, and Fiona, 39, to try out the heterosexual couple package, which costs £690.
For both partners, the service includes a 30-minute consultation where relevant medical history, lifestyle advice and body mass index are discussed.
In addition, Fiona underwent an Anti-Mullerian Hormone blood test to assess her egg supply, an antral follicle count scan to identify the number of egg-producing follicles in her ovaries and a transvaginal ultrasound scan to check for conditions like endometriosis or fibroids that might affect her womb.
Isaac provided a sample of semen for analysis to assess sperm count, movement and shape.
A sperm sample as viewed through a microscope
>> “I’d never really given much thought to the quality and quantity of my sperm before,” said Isaac.
“So it was really interesting to receive my results and hear what our consultant, Timothy Bracewell-Milnes, had to say about them.
“I supplied my sample at the Chelsea hospital, which was quick and efficient, although I understand soon the Canary Wharf clinic will be offering a service for patients to produce one at home, then drop it off.
“My count came back at 17million, 2million above average, although I was slightly below average on the quality.
“I had no idea only about 5% of sperm are capable of fertilising an egg.
“Timothy suggested taking a supplement to address this and was very thorough throughout the consultation.”
>> “Attending the clinic at Canary Wharf, the tests began with a series of questions about my cycle,” said Fiona. “I then had my vaginal ultrasound.
“Every effort was made to make me feel comfortable and relaxed.
“The radiographer kept me constantly updated with what she was seeing and the progress of the scan.
“They then took blood for the hormone test to check the number of my eggs.
“I found the experience to be friendly and the everybody was professional and reassuring.
“At the consultation, Timothy explained the impact that age has on fertility.
“He said I had an above average number of follicles in my ovaries for my age and that this was good news in terms of fertility, indicating a larger pool of remaining eggs.
“We also talked about other procedures on offer such as egg harvesting and freezing, the relative success rates and when they might be appropriate.
“Everything was handled very sensitively and it was really convenient to be able to access these facilities so close to where I work in my office in Canary Wharf.”
key details: Lister Fertility Clinic at Canary Wharf
The Lister Fertility Clinic at Canary Wharf Outpatients is located at the HCA Healthcare UK facility at 40 Bank Street.
It offers services including IVF, egg freezing, fertility testing and fertility treatments.
It wasn’t really all that long ago that ships coming from and going to Sri Lanka were frequenting the docks of east London.
Typically those trade routes saw cargoes of raw materials arriving in Britain while we exported tech and empire overseas.
The arrival of Isso Prawn Crazy flips that narrative, however.
This time it’s Sri Lanka delivering a fresh business model and cutting-edge tech into the Canary Wharf hospitality market.
Having built a brand back home, CEO and founder Apinash Sivagumaaran is now determined to make a splash in London, a city he considers the food capital of the world.
Born and raised in Sri Lanka, he studied banking and finance in Australia, working in restaurants and cafés while at college.
“I figured out my passion was in hospitality and so I went into hotels and moved to Singapore to train at one of the best schools in the world,” he said.
After returning to Sri Lanka he worked his way up to become a resort manager and then worked for a major operator overseeing the whole of one company’s South Asian operation by the time he was 25.
It was then that he spotted a niche.
Mutto rolls at Isso – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
finding a spot in the market
“Whenever I’d come back to Sri Lanka, I’d meet up with friends and go for food,” he said.
“There were a lot of new concepts popping up, but they were focusing on crab, which is quite expensive and not accessible for everyone.
“I talked to people and realised there was a middle income audience that wasn’t being served and there was an opportunity to develop a seafood brand.
“Everyone else was doing crab and lobster, but I’ve always loved prawns.
“As a kid, if my mum cooked a prawn curry, I’d give my father one, my sister one and I’d take the rest.
“So I came up with the concept of Isso – which means prawn in Sinhala, one of the languages of Sri Lanka – Prawn Crazy.
“We built a prototype restaurant, about 80sq m, with only 16 seats and we had lines of cars parked outside because we’d priced it correctly.
“We saw growth month on month and we even saw Ferraris and Lamborghinis pulling up to visit.
“Basically we’ve taken one of the best proteins you can find in Sri Lanka and we’re serving it to the mass market.”
from Sri Lanka to Canary Wharf
Off the back of this success, Apinash has expanded the business to five locations in Sri Lanka and has now opened in Canary Wharf.
He puts the company’s success down to a somewhat unusual business model.
“From day one, we’ve partnered with Alpex Marine in Sri Lanka, which gives us something rare in this industry,” said Apinash.
“Through them we work directly with 150 fishers in the north and north-east of the island who use small boats to catch prawns.
“They go out to sea for four hours, chill their catch and then we quick freeze it to -36ºC as soon as they return which means the shellfish you’re eating in our restaurant are as fresh as it gets.
“I call them the wagyu of the sea and when you eat at Isso, you’re supporting a fleet of sustainable, small-scale day boats in Sri Lanka because we import all the prawns we serve in the UK from them.
“We make sure we pay them fairly and I’d love to grow this business until we’re working with 1,000 boats.”
Visitors to Isso’s new 90-seat restaurant at 25 Cabot Square, a unit previously occupied by Vagabond, will find a menu centred around three core species – flower prawns and black tiger prawns, both caught wild at sea, and giant freshwater prawns.
The latter Apinash dubs “the lobster of the river”.
Giant freshwater prawns at Isso in Canary Wharf – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
small boats and robots
The space features an open kitchen, complete with robotic equipment to help speed up service, varied seating intended to encourage both formal and casual dining, a private dining room and a mural by artist Geshany Balder celebrating the main ingredient.
Inspired by the original Sri Lankan venues, the Canary Wharf restaurant’s menu features a central “combo” option, where guests choose the type of prawns they’d like, the style they’d like them cooked in and a side to go with them.
This ranges in price from £19 to £45, depending on the shellfish selected.
Diners can also choose from a series of starters such as mutton rolls featuring rich spice and slow-cooked meat, cuttlefish fritto tossed in sea salt and chilli flakes with a fruity dip and coconut prawns if you just can’t get enough. Each is priced at £12.
“Personally, my favourite dish is the great freshwater prawns cooked hot butter style with rice,” said Apinash.
“I also love the mutton rolls. My head chef, Karan Kashyap, has really elevated the whole thing.
“We use more meat in the dish and less potato and serve it with this amazing spicy sauce.
“We’re here to represent Sri Lankan food, take it to the next level and then take it across the world. London is the most exciting market on the planet.
“Most of the Sri Lankan businesses here are UK-born, but we’re offering something different.
“We want to be what the future of restaurants looks like – the supply chain, automation in the kitchens to make them more efficient.
“We’re creating value for everyone involved, our staff, the people catching the prawns and our partners.
“Sri Lanka has gone through a lot – a two-decade civil war, back-to-back recessions and political unrest.
“Back home, there isn’t a lot of time to dream big because there are many problems to focus on.
“For me, I want Isso to be a motivation for all of our entrepreneurs on the island.
“You don’t have to be born in New York, Paris or London to dream big.
“You can have those aspirations from Sri Lanka and take over the world.”
Isso Prawn Crazy will also be operating a month-long pop-up in Victoria Park at the Pavilion Cafe in east London throughout August, 2026, open from 2pm-10pm. Booking details are expected to go live in the third week of July.
Isso Prawn Crazy is located at 25 Cabot Square on the ground floor – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
key details: Isso Prawn Crazy
Isso Prawn Crazy is located at 25 Cabot Square and is open every day for lunch and dinner.
You can find full details including menus on the restaurant’s website here.
In 1951, tens of thousands of people poured into east London to visit the Lansbury Estate.
While the attractions on the South Bank and Battersea have perhaps had the most enduring impact as the government sought to generate a sense of recovery and progress in the wake of the Second World War, Poplar played a significant role as the site of the Live Architecture Exhibition.
Built on a bomb-ravaged tract of land between East India Dock Road, the Limehouse Cut canal and what’s now the DLR to the east, the estate was planned around the idea that it should contain everything people living there needed.
As a result, new churches, schools, shops, a covered market, pubs, open spaces and an old people’s home all linked by footpaths to promote walking, were created.
Three quarters of a century ago, these were new ideas and people flocked to see the likes of Chrisp Street Market, St Mary And Joseph’s Catholic Church and Trinity Independent Chapel (now the Calvary Charismatic Baptist Church).
It’s the 75th anniversary of this influx that provides the theme for this year’s Poplar Picnic – Festival Of Britain, set to take place on August 8, 2026, in Bartlett Park and at Poplar Union.
The event, presented in partnership with Poplar HARCA, will be the culmination of a summer of activities at the arts and community centre, celebrating the history of the festival and its impact on the area.
“Poplar Picnic really serves as an open day for us – we want to make everything as approachable as possible and free wherever we can,” said Paolo Florentini, director of programming at Poplar Union, who has been working with the organisation for a decade.
“It’s showcasing what we do and it’s an opportunity for us to expand out of our venue onto the streets, the park and the canal.
“It’s bringing people here, making sure they know that they have access to this space and the opportunities it provides.
“Each year it’s a big deal for us – we’re a small team, but we are able to manage this because we’re really passionate about what we’re doing.”
Kaltrina Pashtriku, communications and engagement manager, and Paolo Florentini, director of programming, at Poplar Union – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
a flavour of 1951 at Poplar Picnic
This year’s event is set to feature street food, a craft market, children’s fairground rides, a games corner for kids, arts and crafts activities, face painting, paddleboarding, bubbles, candy floss and clowns on stilts.
Placing a flavour of 1951 at the very heart of the event, there will also be a recreation of the Rosie Lee Tea Tent and the Lansbury Estate’s show home.
“The refreshment space will be run by a local artist, featuring tea and cakes,” said Paolo.
“There will also be poets, recordings and a display of local history including stories for local groups about the Festival Of Britain.
“We’ll also have an artist who will be inviting people to get involved in making a structure based on the installations on the South Bank in the early 1950s.
“The idea is to remind people what the festival was about – creativity, rebuilding after the war and a positive attitude about the future.
“From August 8 people will also be able to visit the show home – a recreation of a 1951 living room, which will be in place at Poplar Union until late September.
“The Lansbury Estate has endured long after the festival ended – the clocktower and some of the local churches were a part of it.
“People don’t always realise they’re living in the middle of history, an exhibit that 86,000 people came to see.
“We’ll have four actors in the show home space and visitors will be able to watch them going about their lives in the living room.
“We’ve been buying lots of small things from eBay, like 50s chairs, toys, books and magazines, textiles, just to recreate the space.
“It will be completely transformed with period wallpaper and flooring.
“The question for us is how you respond positively to something that’s so far in the past? For me it’s about displaying spaces and welcoming communities.
“Then we can approach the past in a way that’s playful and becomes part of the story around Poplar.
“It has a wonderful history to maintain and to share with the diverse groups that live in this area today.”
Poplar Union is a base for many community activities – image supplied by Poplar Union
bringing the community together
Kaltrina Pashtriku, communications and engagement manager at Poplar Union added: “This picnic brings everyone together.
“Sometimes people might not speak to their neighbours because they come from different backgrounds or feel unsafe to do so.
“But, at the picnic, everyone attending can feel free to enjoy themselves, have fun and maybe talk to somebody they don’t usually speak to.
“We are all humans, we can integrate and there is so much in Poplar that we want people to be proud of.
“With Poplar Picnic, we are celebrating the past, but also the future. I want the community to come out and really enjoy this area.”
Poplar Picnic offers a range of family-friendly attractions – image supplied by Poplar Union
young voices supported
Another facet to the picnic will be a space organised and curated by a group of young producers, engaged to help shape the festival and the events leading up to it.
“Inside we will be hosting an event involving 10 young adults who will run a series of different activities around the space,” said Paolo.
“They’re aged between 15 and 17 and the idea of the project is to give them an understanding of the complexity of delivering an event.
“They’re learning about things like working with artists, finances and health and safety assessments.
“It’s a complex project, because we generally don’t work with teenagers, but it is important for them to be involved in such an environment.
“Our hope is that we can collaborate with them again in the future.
“As part of this, they’re being mentored by singer songwriter Greentea Peng who has been working with Poplar Union for some time now.
“Her contribution is mostly around teaching them to create a space and what’s involved with that.
“She’s been very supportive in making sure that they understand timing, ensuring the stage is full and the need to plan for what happens if an artist doesn’t turn up or something else unexpected happens – all the minor details you need to consider to make an event successful.”
St Mary And Joseph’s Catholic Church – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
key details: Poplar Picnic – Festival Of Britain
Poplar Picnic – Festival Of Britain is set to take place on August 8, 2026, at Poplar Union and in Bartlett Park from 11am-5pm.
The event is free to visit and suitable for the whole family. There’s no need to book
“My go-to is always poke – the Honi Salmon with chilli garlic sauce, mango, edamame beans, pickled cucumber, spring onions, sesame seeds and smashed avocado,” said Richard De La Cruz, head of food at Honi Poke Group.
“I probably eat poke four times a week and that dish at least twice – it’s my favourite. We go through 150 tonnes of mangoes a year and there’s a reason for that.”
Richard’s advice isn’t to be taken lightly.
Born in Ecuador, he discovered a passion for cooking at a young age, training and working in his home country before travelling to Mallorca to study at the Ma Escola D’Hoteleria De Les Illes Balears.
A head chef by aged 19, he said: “I was well known for my bad temper back then”.
A career in Spain followed, cooking in a succession of Michelin-starred restaurants including with three-star Quinque Dacosta.
Moving to London in 2014 to follow through on his ambition to learn English, he worked at Coya for three years before his career took him to France and the Caribbean as an executive chef.
Somehow, in 2017, he found time between private gigs to sit down with Honi Poke founders Volodymyr Martynov and Kosta Varesko to develop and then refine the startup’s menu.
Poke, a Hawaiian dish roughly akin to deconstructed sushi, features diced, marinated raw fish served over rice or salad with a variety of toppings.
It became popular in London in the mid 2010s with the arrival of Island Poke, which opened its Canary Wharf restaurant in 2017.
Following the brand’s acquisition by Honi Poke, that site at Crossrail Place has now been relaunched with a new look and a fresh offering for Wharfers.
In addition to standardised poke bowls and the popular build-your-own option, the business serves up ramen, poke burritos, grab-and-go sushi and warm rice bowls with toppings of Miso Salmon, Gochujang Chicken and Chicken Katsu Curry.
“While we are in the process of converting our Island Poke shops, we will be preserving the brand within the organisation by keeping the Bow Lane branch,” said Richard.
“We don’t think of this change as replacing Island – it’s always been a great brand and we have a project to incorporate it into our stores more widely.
“Honi Poke has 35 shops now and we’re looking to grow a bit more as we rebrand the former Island stores.”
Richard’s favourite Honi Salmon bowl – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
always fresh, no compromise
Richard himself rejoined the business after spending time back in Spain with Quique Dacosta and then in London for the celebrated Spanish cook as group executive chef of Arros QD off Oxford Street.
“Although I’d created the original menus, joining in 2023 is when I first felt I was really working for Honi Poke – before I’d always been more in a consultative role,” he said.
“One of the things that still amazes me about the business is that the recipes have not been changed.
“We’ve added new things, but there’s been no compromise on the quality – that’s why it’s a great brand.
“Over the years I’ve been approached by suppliers saying things like: ‘You must taste this frozen salmon..’ but that sort of thing is not negotiable.
“It has to be fresh or we’re just not doing it.
“I always remember my father telling me that you have to learn from the lessons of others. We’ve seen other companies who have taken shortcuts crash out of business.
“That’s a mirror and one we always have to be looking in.
“Fortunately, now we’ve grown and so, because we are bigger, we can negotiate better prices – you can’t always charge people more when costs rise.
“There are lots of competitors in Canary Wharf, but we see that as something very healthy. This is a place people come for good food now.
“Hopefully they decide to try us – I think there are enough customers for everyone.
“While the build-your-own-bowl option is the most popular, we also make it easy with a range of signature bowls.
“We’ve tried to create something to suit every customer who walks through the door, so if they want poke, they can have it or grab some sushi if that’s how they’re feeling.”
Honi Poke in Canary Wharf’s Crossrail Place – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
a specific, Pacific partnership
Becoming a bigger brand also means more opportunities and Honi Poke is now partnering with the likes of Disney.
To mark the release of the entertainment giant’s live action version of Moana, limited edition Find Your Wave poke bowls will be available until July 31, 2026.
“It took us six months to make sure this collaboration was right and we’re very pleased to be representing this launch,” said Richard.
“We’ve tapped into Polynesian flavours to create the bowl to match the story of the movie.”
Priced at £12.95, those ordering will get fresh tuna, a green coconut curry sauce, mango, edamame beans and smashed avocado on a base of coconut rice all topped off with coriander, coconut flakes and lime.
Visitors to Honi Poke stores during the promotion will also have the chance to win up to £1,000 in credit with the brand.
While 2026 has largely been a time of consolidation for the brand, following its acquisition of Island Poke, Wharfers can expect to see more branches in future.
“This year we went easy on expansion, although on Monday I was asked by my founder to take a look a some new sites,” said Richard.
“Of course our goal is to grow a bit more. Island Poke has nine shops in France, which are now part of our group and so we’re looking into conversion here.
“We’ve also always had a lot of requests for franchises.
“At the moment, all of our shops are run by us directly, but there could be potential in the future for us to listen to that market too.
“It was not the original purpose of the business – that was to grow the core company – but the franchise model is now something we’re looking into.”
key details: Honi Poke in Canary Wharf
Honi Poke’s Canary Wharf branch is located at Crossrail Place.
The restaurant is open from 11am-9.30pm, Monday to Thursday, from 11am-9pm on Fridays, from noon-6.30pm on Saturdays and from noon-4pm on Sundays.
Isle Of Dogs based childcare offers minibus connection to the estate for summer holiday club that prioritises open air activities and adventures
CEO at The Dockland Settlements, Lorraine Cavanagh and centre coordinator at Calder’s Wharf, Tommy Tracey – both part of the Parkview Outdoor Play team – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
Parkview Outdoor Play has a long history of supporting parents through childcare on the Isle Of Dogs.
Running after-school clubs for pupils at local primaries and holiday play schemes, the organisation is well known for looking after kids aged 4-11 from its base at The Dockland Settlements at Calder’s Wharf.
Now it’s trying something new, extending its outdoor sessions to parents working in Canary Wharf to lend a hand over the summer holidays.
“One of our parents said how nice it would be if they could bring their children into work with them – where we would be waiting to pick them up, take them out for the day and then drop them off back in Canary Wharf,” said Lorraine Cavanagh, CEO at The Dockland Settlements, a charity that’s been supporting communities in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Southwark for more than 130 years.
“We thought that sounded like a great idea – something that would stop parents at work worrying if they were stuck on trains, anxious about being there to collect their children on time.
“We’ve got a fleet of five minibuses, so we’ve decided to offer a morning pick-up and evening drop-off service.
“What we say about Parkview is that it’s where memories are made.
“Our focus is always on playing outdoors – we aim to take the children out every single day for experiences they wouldn’t normally have.
“Our programme allows them to test themselves within a safe, supervised environment so they can understand what it’s like to take risks and develop resilience.”
The scheme offers trips to a wide range of locations with a focus on adventure – image supplied by Parkview Outdoor Play
a day spent at Parkview Outdoor Play
Days begin with breakfast and free play with a range of activities on offer at the Calder’s Wharf centre.
Then, around 10.30am the kids are placed in groups and board minibuses with parent-provided packed lunches and head off on that day’s adventure, returning at 4.30pm – some for parents to pick up and others to stay at the centre for an evening meal and then pick-up or drop-off at 6pm.
“We have two age groups – four-sevens and eight-11s,” said Tommy Tracey, centre coordinator at Calder’s Wharf, who’s worked at The Dockland Settlements with Parkview since he was 17.
“It’s all about understanding what the individual child is capable of and finding what will be challenging for them, without pushing them too far.
“A lot of the time for the younger ones that’s simply letting them run around in a supervised environment so they can burn off their energy and just have fun.
“For the older children we’ll organise activities with a bit more structure so they’re learning skills to take away and use again while also enjoying themselves.”
Youngsters on a trip to the beach with Parkview – image supplied by Parkview Outdoor Play
making memories on trips
The day rate for Parkview Outdoor Play for supervision is £35 for a 4.30pm finish and £40 for up until 6pm.
The daily trips mostly cost extra and vary in price depending on the destination, although some excursions are provided at no extra fee.
Parkview is also able to negotiate reduced rates at many attractions, as it’s a frequent customer and a group client.
“We don’t allow mobile phones, tablets or other similar devices,” said Lorraine.
“It’s all about them making relationships.
“Those are things that can last a lifetime.
“For example, we take them to the Forest School at Mudchute Park And Farm where they learn to make their own fires and to toast marshmallows.
“When I’m talking to adults about what we do, those are the experiences they remember from their own childhoods – those smells and tastes.”
An outing to play Laser Tag – image supplied by Parkview Outdoor Play
a focus on fun and adventure
Parkview prides itself on putting on a wide range of activities with a strong focus on exercise and adventure in a variety of locations.
“One of our most popular locations is Nuclear Races in Brentwood,” said Tommy.
“It’s like an assault course, not too physical, but there’s plenty of mud and you know everyone will be going home tired and chilled out.
“The kids especially love it when the staff get involved – you see them egging us on and it’s lots of fun for everyone.
“One of the best things for me is when I see a child hesitate and then go on to try something that they discover they love. It’s amazing.”
Other activities include watching films at the cinema, exploring Diggerland, bowling, roller skating and even crabbing and the beach at Canvey Island.
“There are summer clubs that take the children out once a week, but with us they’re out every day doing things like canoeing, laser tag and visiting parks,” said Lorraine.
“One of our favourites for the younger ones is a trip to Monkey Bizness, which is a soft play centre, but it’s really high and they love that extra adventure.
“They’re usually all asleep on the bus on the way back.”
The activities are intended to help youngsters build relationships and get away from screens – image supplied by Parkview Outdoor Play
key details: Parkview Outdoor Play
Parkview Outdoor Play is based out of The Dockland Settlements at Calder’s Wharf on the Isle Of Dogs right next to Island Gardens.
The new service will pick children up from Bank Street in Canary Wharf and drop them off again at the end of the day.
Get Clive Lyttle talking about Ensemble Festival and, before long, he’ll be overtaken by a surge of enthusiasm and anticipation.
As artistic director of Certain Blacks, the company behind the free summer event, there’s a sense he almost can’t believe the variety, quality and mischief he’s about to unleash.
Gearing up for its seventh edition, the programme is once again a celebration of circus, dance, comedy and theatre that promises to be “bold, joyful and thought-provoking” while remaining suitable for all ages.
“This one is going to be a bit of a treat,” said Clive.
“It’s bigger this year and we’re lucky to be stretching out our footprint with performances outside City Hall and all the way round the docks to include Cris Clown’s Unidentified Flying Object (In Female) who’ll be suspended in the middle of a public space, interrupting the everyday with absurdity and surprise.
“What we want to do is to reach out to everybody to come along. In troubled and worrying times, come down and have some really good fun over the weekend.
“We’re working in partnership with the Royal Docks Team and the festival coincides with the launch of the Royal Docks Summer Splash free lido and the T100 Triathlon at Excel.
“I live locally in Royal Docks and we’re all mates – we all talk to each other and it’s in everybody’s interests to make the area a really happening place.”
Certain Blacks artistic director Clive Lyttle – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life
new commissions through Without Walls
Originally a jazz guitarist, Clive founded Certain Blacks after 17 years working for Arts Council England with the aim of supporting a wide range of diverse artists.
This year’s Ensemble Festival is no exception with a free weekend programme that features five new commissions through partner Without Walls which specialises in helping artists to make new work and then perform it in collaboration with 35 festival producers including Certain Blacks and the Greenwich And Docklands International Festival.
Clive said: “I was recently asked by a group of young black men where I was from – ‘Are you from Somalia? No. Are you from Jamaica? No. So you think you are British? Why? You aren’t from here?’.
“I was born in Lewisham Hospital, the same place my mum worked all her life and where she died, so this is where I’m from.
“The work in the festival touches on this conversation of identity and what it is to be diverse, or different or care about the world.
“There are so many highlights, but I’m really looking forward to a collaboration between Talwa Theatre, Fubunation and Sonia Hughes called Fragments Of Us.
“It’s a piece that asks questions about how you react when you see a group of black boys, black men – about people’s inner fears.
“But it’s fun too, it’s not just heavy – it puts these topics into a contemporary outdoor theatre context.
“Then we have a show called Garbh, which means womb.
“It’s by Shyam Dattani and Mirat Salat and mixes contemporary and Gujarati folk dancing to give voice to an under represented ancestral form using sound and movement.
“Something I’m very pleased with is our joint commission from Daughters Of The Wire.
“It’s called ElevateHer and features female artists on tightropes.
“It asks lots of questions about women’s roles in society and there aren’t many female high wire artists so it’s wonderful to host a group like this.”
Garbh by Shyam Dattani and Mirat Salat – image by Anne Tetzlaff
building artists up at Ensemble Festival
The commission is also evidence of Ensemble Festival helping artists flourish.
One of the co-founders of the collective, Poppy Plowman performed a smaller solo work at last year’s event and appeared as part of Gorilla Circus in 2023.
While she’s not appearing in this show, Clive said he was delighted the company had gone on to win a larger commission.
“Out final show in partnership with Without Walls is The Torch by Nigel ‘Kobby’ Taylor, which is all about whether he’s going to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather or be a bit more realistic about life in Hull,” said Clive.
“It uses afrobeat, hip hop and storytelling to explore heartbreak and displacement and it’s got a really fantastic female bass player.”
But the festival doesn’t stop at these commissions, offering a wide selection of attractions to see over the two days.
Other highlights include Stick And Stone by Ferdinando + Bernstein, which uses physical comedy and imagery to “confront the loss of all wild things” and Balance by Brainfools, where performers use beer kegs, bottles and planks to create a playground and explore attitudes to drinking.
“This year we’re also bringing over three shows from Catalonia, which includes Cris The Clown,” said Clive.
“Each year, I visit Catalonia for a showcase of performances from all around the world as well as work by local artists and we’ve selected these to be a part of Ensemble Festival.
“One of the shows is called Domte, by Nacho Flores, which is performed by a street circus duo and features live music as well as playing with mythology.
“It has real echoes of Don Quixote and is about tilting at the modern world, the slowing down of stuff and the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
“The other piece we’re bringing over is called Water Silhouettes, by Teatro En Movimiento Callejerx.
“It’s about water waste and we’ll be finding a few thousand plastic bottles to use as part of the show.
“It brings together Spanish contemporary theatre with ideas of conservation and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Also performing at the festival will be Cormac Mohally, whose Captain C-Man show promises audiences the chance to help him achieve “the greatest and most dangerous juggling trick in the universe”.
Famous as one half of Britain’s Got Talent contenders Lords Of Strut, Cormac is all set for a performance that comes out of a suitcase and aims to act as a showcase of skills as its eponymous hero spreads the appeal of circus far and wide.
Fragments Of Us has been commissioned for the festival through Without Walls – image by Ciara Hillyer
key details: Ensemble Festival
Ensemble Festival runs from noon-8pm on both July 25 and 26, 2026, at various locations around Royal Victoria Dock.
