If you want to see the genuine stuff, pop over to the British Museum where they have a vast array of real things dating back 3,000 years.
The Russell Square institution has more than 100 mummies alone and they’ll let you look at them for free.
Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition has perhaps a dozen, somewhat sorry-looking historic objects, plus a bunch of replicas in varying degrees of quality.
Somebody didn’t want to pay the extra cash for the King Tut mask with the inlays, so the colours are just painted on.
But this is because Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition is really all about spectacle.
The visuals are stunning, even if the narrative arc is far from clear – image by Jon Massey
a flurry of facts
Visitors are initially introduced to a series of museum-like displays offering info on the Boy King and the discovery of his barely-touched tomb in the 1920s.
These are pretty informative, presenting a drip-feed of knowledge.
There are teasing mysteries too such as the questions over Tutankhamum’s parentage – was his mum actually the famous Nefertiti, for example?
There’s quite a bit on archaeologist Howard Carter, his partnership with Lord Carnarvon and how their blockbuster discovery took the world by storm.
There’s some depth – just enough to get the neurons firing as we wander into a space grandly titled “The Treasure Room”.
But this is not a touring museum, it’s an entertainment.
The replicas that lie within – including a full-size mummy, the ersatz death mask plus the odds-and-ends collection of bits from ancient Egypt – are only an aperitif.
What this “exhibition’s” creators are really all about is digital.
Replicas in the exhibitions’ ‘Treasure Room’ – image by Jon Massey
Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition, a digital spectacle
First we enter a room with projections on all four walls and the floor. Here, a 30-minute looped video presents a visually arresting vision of – what exactly?
Golden geckos run around the floor, sandstorms act as screen wipes, followed by infestations of scarabs, scorpions and, at one point, an unstoppable cascade of golden jewellery.
Lightning flashes, deep voiceovers intone important-sounding words. If there is a narrative at all, presumably it’s the life of King Tut, but to be honest, that’s not the point.
It’s a surprisingly fun and engaging watch.
Imaginative in the extreme (Gods come to life, temple pillars telescopically retract for unclear reasons), it’s like an ancient Egyptian acid trip made flesh for our amusement.
This is equally true of the not one, but two VR experiences that follow.
The first takes place in a swivel chair and starts off as a tour of the tomb.
Reality is quickly left behind, however as we ascend to the afterlife, complete with lava, giant God statues and a heart weighing ceremony with Anubis.
The graphics aren’t amazing and the content is balderdash – Nefertiti is now definitely Tut’s mum, for example – but it’s diverting for seven minutes or so.
In the second one, we don headsets and wander around a room.
One minute we’re in the tomb, the next we’re on the dig site.
Then we’re half trapped under some poorly rendered sand.
Other guests are represented as the top third of a greyscale Howard Carter, which adds an extra level of silliness to proceedings.
Maybe there’s a plot but who knows? And frankly, who cares?
At about £25 a go the ride is amusing.
There’s a light shower of facts, followed by at least 90 minutes of solid nonsense that’s worth a watch purely because nobody seems at any point to have queried whether it’s a good idea to flood the screen with golden rings, just because you can.
Even what purports to be a serious holographic presentation of the mummification process features sky water, or something.
You have to see it to believe it.
4/5 ****
Columns are brightly coloured and sometimes bounce up and down like telescopes – image by Jon Massey
key details: Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition
Tutankhamun: The Immersive Exhibition is booking until June 29, 2025, at Excel London’s Immerse LDN in Royal Victoria Dock.
Tickets start at £22 plus booking fees and can be purchased via Eventim or Fever.
The exhibition is located about five minutes from Custom House station offering DLR and Elizabeth Line services.
Never before have so many people had access to such a wealth of content at the mere tap of a finger.
But with the vastness of a largely unregulated digital world comes the issue of quality.
With not only humans (who are bad enough) but AIs churning out swathes of answers, opinions and hallucinations as they whisper what it heard or saw, humanity is increasingly submerged in a sea of at best confusion and at worst falsehoods.
It’s not so very long ago that wellness blogger Belle Gibson fooled hundreds of thousands of followers and Apple with her tale of overcoming brain, blood, spleen, uterine and kidney cancers, mostly through exercise, healthy eating and a positive mindset.
In reality there’s no evidence the Australian social media personality was ever diagnosed with the disease – but that didn’t stop her developing an app, gaining widespread influence and being embraced by one of the world’s largest tech firms.
Her twisted story is especially relevant, given its use of cancer as a jumping off point.
About half of us will develop some form of the disease during our lives.
Cancer Awareness Trust is based at Canary Wharf tech community Level39 in One Canada Square – image by I-Wei Huang
searching for information
“At the point of diagnosis, the vast majority of people will go online to search for information, as do their loved ones,” said Daniel Woolf.
“But they can easily find themselves in the wrong place – TikTok or Instagram, for example.
“A short-form video of someone who is very charismatic may lead someone to go away and make life-changing decisions because they are looking for a glimmer of hope.
“But are they trustworthy?
“Something like one in three online sources is either misinformation or not pertinent to a particular individual’s diagnosis.”
That’s what the development of Cancer Platform is seeking to change.
As the organisation’s chief tech and data officer, it’s Daniel’s job to oversee the app’s development, a task he’s relishing after a long career in the NHS.
“I planned to be there for four weeks and ended up being there for 17 years,” he said.
“I’ve been an engineer, a data analyst and have directed a number of teams at regional and national level.
“But as I moved through the various national bodies, I found I couldn’t have the impact I wanted.
“There are so many layers and I felt insulated.
“With so many different governments the chairs were always being moved around.
“What I wanted to do was use technology to help improve people’s lives.
“The bureaucracy in the NHS was enormous and so, when it came time for a career change, I wanted something small with the feel of a startup where I could be hands-on, albeit in an organisation with huge ambition.”
the Cancer Awareness Trust’s ambitions
The Cancer Awareness Trust is aiming big.
Drawing funds and support from its creative brand Evamore Music – which has released works featuring the likes of Ozzy Osborne, Cillian Murphy, Glenn Close and the late Sinéad O’Connor – the organisation is supported by Canary Wharf Group, among many others, in its efforts to deliver Cancer Platform.
“The trust’s aim is to empower people to change the course of cancer,” said Daniel, who was born in Hoxton and grew up in east London.
“Having the artists, music, events and that creative spirit involved makes us unique – it’s very different from the technology side.
“With Cancer Platform we want to hold people’s hands through their journey after a diagnosis.
“We’re testing it this summer and we’re aiming to put it out there in 2026 and then to gradually build it up with more and more information.
“What we’re creating is a layer above the standard websites that are out there.
“Cancer Platform uses personalisation and AI to make the information highly relevant to each user.
“There is a lot of good information out there already, but it’s fragmented and often it’s left to the individual to find what’s relevant to them.
“Cancer Platform helps users to build up a scrapbook of information that helps them consolidate their knowledge and understanding from a trusted source.
“It’s about taking away the unpredictability of Dr Google.
“Cancer is complicated. Treatments may be available in certain regions but not in others. Ethnicity, background and age are also relevant.
“Our aim is to provide information and services that are relevant to each individual as well as relatable stories from people in similar situations, offering hopeful optimism where appropriate.
“A lot of medical information can sound cold and clinical – more about the cancer than the person.
“Our ambition is for people not to have to log-in initially.
“We want to build that trust first and some people might have a diagnosis they don’t wish to disclose – safeguarding is important to us and we won’t be selling their data.
“We also want people to be able to search for information that’s personalised to a degree, but then we’ll encourage people to sign up for an account so they can take the next steps and we can really hold their hands.
“They might come to Cancer Platform to ask about symptoms or a diagnosis and then what we’re doing in the background is pairing them up with relevant information, pulling it from trusted sources and feeding it back to them in an understandable way.
“The key thing is not just giving answers, but making sure we give them the right sources to guide people to specific charities. Then they are able to see the next steps.
“One of the things we’re trying to do is to inform people about the questions they should be asking when they next visit their oncologist such as whether they are entitled to a second opinion.
“Users will get responses, suggested prompts and stories of people like them so they can get an idea of what their own journey might be like.”
the process of assurance
Key to Cancer Platform’s aims will be ensuring the information it supplies to users is robust, accurate and clear.
This is one of the greatest challenges in its delivery and one Daniel and the team are already deeply engaged with.
“The assurance process is in development at the moment,” he said.
“It’s quite a new field. There are a number of academic papers, which are all looking at the area of trusted information.
“These include some principles and measures, which we’re then building our own assurance processes on top of as well as working with leading oncologists.
“We also have a team which is taking a granular approach in ensuring that the information we supply is accurate and comprehensive.
“For example, we have banks of questions from a wide array of sources, that say: ‘These questions are what people come to us to ask’.
“So we’ve taken those answers through our assurance process and then they’re assessed for their accuracy and fitness for purpose.
“It’s vital to get the balance right.
“We’ve got our oncology team working through that now and the results from them will show us what levers to pull next.
“Have we identified the gaps in our knowledge base?
“Do we need to tune the AI a different way to access and serve more information?”
a trusted source of information
Ultimately, the charity’s intention is for Cancer Platform to provide information on all forms of the disease, a project truly massive in its scope.
Initially, the plan is to focus on breast and prostate cancers before expanding out to other areas.
“Admittedly, our ambition is huge so it’s about constantly focussing on the next step,” said Daniel.
“A number of specific charities already exist in these areas, so we can build out from that and make sure it’s working for those groups of patients.
“It also helps us to co-design with those communities.
“One of the biggest challenges – because there are so many good ideas – is to make sure we’re hyper-focussed. That’s my job.
“Building a platform like this is hard but we’re at a crossroads moment.
“Until recently, much of the information we needed just wasn’t there but it is now.
“We want to make it available to people and to do that without selling their data. We’re a charity so there’s no profit motive.”
key details: Cancer Awareness Trust
You can find out more about the Cancer Awareness Trust, Cancer Platform and Evermore via the charity’s website.
On the northern edge of Bartlett Park, running along the edge of the Limehouse Cut canal, sits a vacant stretch of land.
This length of Cotall Street is fully pedestrianised – an expanse of under-used space paved in grey stone with its own waterside benches.
For nearby arts and community space, Poplar Union, it’s also an opportunity.
The charity is in the process of setting up a new market with the aim of providing extra income for its operations and a platform for entrepreneurs and creatives on a weekly basis.
“For many people in this area it’s difficult to get to a market, so why not have our own,” said Nahimul Islam, director of commercial enterprise at Poplar Union, who is leading the project.
“This organisation is a charity, but we have to think of ourselves as a sustainable business.
“Much of what we deliver is free of charge or heavily subsidised and it’s challenging to meet our costs and maintain the building.
“So we decided to come up with creative ideas to bring in revenue.
“It’s a win-win situation, with the income generated going straight back into the community.”
The market will feature food, drink, arts, crafts and entertainment, all beside the canal – image Poplar Union
a new market supporting Poplar Union
Cotall Street Market is expected to soft launch in June, 2025, with an official opening later in the summer.
It’s currently inviting traders who would like to participate to get in touch as it works up to opening.
“We want to make this a vibrant, community-driven market for entrepreneurs – established, brand new and aspiring,” said Nahimul.
“We’re creating a platform where people will trade for themselves while also supporting the community – a place for them to share their culture and experiences.
“I’d love to have different sections of the market – hot food, cold food, fresh produce and a massive craft section for artists to showcase their work.
“I’m a great believer in that because everyone’s work has a story and having the creator there to tell it is so important.
“We also want lots of music, for the market to be multicultural and diverse – a place where people feel at home.
“It’s a form of education really – a place to try food from different cultures and learn about what ingredients, spices and cooking methods people use.”
Poplar Union’s director of commercial enterprise, Nahimul Islam – image by Jon Massey
a business mindset
Nahimul himself has experience as an entrepreneur.
Born in Wapping, with a background in youth work, he co-founded Muscle Basin gym in Shadwell, which has since relocated to Stratford.
As such he’s clearly passionate about using his experience and skills to help others create businesses and to help other organisations.
“I realised community groups and charities were really struggling to generate income,” he said.
“Relying on grants isn’t always the best way to progress, so I reinvented myself to help them build revenues.
“I’ve been working with Poplar Union for a year now and am looking forward to growing its income.
“We want people to travel from afar to check this market out – for it to become a place that’s talked about.
“Then we want its expansion to be organic.
“The park is a great space – people will be able to get their food and then enjoy it on the grass and there aren’t many places you can do that around here.
“Tower Hamlets hasn’t always been seen as the greatest place to live in London, but I’m sure the outlook and vibe we create with this market will help to change what people think.
“In the future, we also plan to host events at Poplar Union when the market is on – we want people to come inside and enjoy what’s on offer here, to take part in the free and subsidised activities.
“We want as many people as possible to discover us and what we offer, to come and use this space.
“We’re trying to break down financial barriers, providing things that people may not be able to afford like music lessons, so we want them to be subsidised.
fostering ambition
As part of the Cotall Street Market plans, Nahimul and the team are also seeking sponsors to support pitches at the market for young entrepreneurs.
“It’s important that we look to the new generation to make their futures brighter,” said Nahimul.
“We’d love to create a section of the market for young people to come and trade for free – an entrepreneurial hub for local people.
“We’re looking for support to help establish that and would love to hear from businesses and organisations.”
key details: Cotall Street Market by Poplar Union
Poplar Union plans to host Cotall Street Market weekly on Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. Pitch prices will vary by space between £50 and £125 depending on size and service requirements.
There is some degree of flexibility on rates for new ventures.
The charity is currently welcoming expressions of interest from food vendors, artists and makers, suppliers of fresh produce and local businesses and community groups that would like to get involved.
The aim is to open the market for a soft launch on June 14, 2025, with an official opening later in the summer.
White Rabbit Projects is all set to pull another Canary Wharf opening out of its hat.
Founded by Chris Miller, the brands the company works with already have a significant presence in and around Crossrail Place.
Now Lina Stores is getting ready to join Island Poké, Kricket, Soma and Arc Community beside the waters of West India North Dock as the team works to open a branch of the Soho stalwart in June 2025.
Soft pale green stripes already adorn the windows of the space that used to house The Breakfast Club and inside serious work is well underway.
The colour is all important and, just before our interview, Chris has to pop off for a word with the site manager having spotted some tiles that aren’t quite the right hue and arrange for them to be replaced.
“It’s very clear for us what the brand’s identity is – quality first that’s affordable – and we’re here to ensure that this is protected and never compromised,” said Éadaoin, managing director at Lina Stores and COO at White Rabbit.
“When I look at the fresh food suppliers we have in London, we’re using the same companies as Michelin-star restaurants, but we’re not charging Michelin-star prices – people see that value.
“I’ve been involved with Lina for eight years now and we established its first restaurant in Greek Street in 2018.”
White Rabbit COO and managing director of Lina Stores, Éadaoin McDonagh – image by Jon Massey
growing Lina Stores
That expansion was the first milestone on a road that has seen the green stripes appear on eight locations in London and one in Manchester.
Canary Wharf will be Lina’s 11th UK site in addition to three in Japan.
But it all began with a love story.
Orphaned in Italy, Carolina Parisio moved to London in the early 1920s to work at the Italian Hospital in Queen’s Square as a live-in cleaner, with the prospect of a better future and to financially support her two brothers.
There she met Enrico Crippa, an engineering fitter from Lake Como and began a relationship that would last the rest of their lives.
By 1939, he was the proprietor of a wholesale business and the couple teamed up with business partners Alberto and Rita Seradi.
Operating out of Tisbury Court, the women ran the day-to-day shopfront, while the men worked behind the scenes.
Realising they needed bigger premises, they found space on a corner in Brewer Street and establishing the store that continues to trade there more than eight decades later.
Emilio named it Lina after the love of his life.
Lina Stores is set to open at Crossrail Place in Canary Wharf – image by Jon Massey
safeguarding the legacy
“It’s passed through four generations of Italians since then,” said Éadaoin, who left a career in teaching to work in the hospitality industry in New York and the UK.
“It was the first place in London you could get olive oil back in the day.
“The beauty of Lina Stores is that we have always had that we’re primarily and importer and have that direct relationship with Italy, where others might go through a distributor.
“We ship many of our products and ingredients over and taste everything regularly to ensure the quality is there.
“Our delicatessens are still the place to go for flavours and produce from Italy you can’t get elsewhere.”
It was Lina’s position as a Soho institution that first led Chris to approach the owners with an offer.
“I worked in Soho House in Dean Street for many years and, on the way home, I would regularly go into Lina Stores for meats and cheeses,” he said.
“It’s a very special place and I love it.
“White Rabbit is an incubator – a way to grow hospitality concepts – so I reached out to the families who owned the site with a view to collaborating.
“They wanted to do something with the brand to help keep it alive and they’d been approached by lots of people before – but having worked in and around the area for 15 years, I had a real love for Lina, and they said they would trust me to take it on the next journey.
“They are still shareholders in the business, they come to all the tastings, sign off on designs, so it’s a real collaboration, a real, personal promise to the family to say we will look after this.
“We are growing and that provides real opportunities, but if you look at Soho, there are some really old institutions that over time have been forced out by rising rents and other pressures.
“What this collaboration has done is enable us to retain the original deli as it was. It’s been a really fun journey
“The only thing that’s changed is that it now has a bar in the basement, the first Bar Lina.”
The original Lina Stores in Brewer Street, Soho, which boasts a speakeasy-style bar beneath – image by Jon Massey
a hidden drinking spot
This cosy, speakeasy-style venue is regularly filled and has been the inspiration for the drinking offer for the other venues since it opened.
That includes Canary Wharf which will have its own Bar Lina to the rear with a menu packed with Negronis.
The Crossrail Place venue will also feature a full Italian deli (complete with correctly coloured tiles) and a more formal restaurant on its upper floor under an expansive curved ceiling.
“We’ll be doing breakfasts in Canary Wharf, including a new menu, so people can come in for a full sit-down meal in the morning, at lunch or for dinner,” said Éadaoin.
“We’ll have the delicatessen at the front where customers who don’t have much time can come in and grab panini or a salad to go.
“In the restaurant, guests can have just one or two courses and we know how customers in busy neighbourhoods need to have lunch in just 45 minutes, so we can provide fresh pasta with toppings that can be served very quickly.
“We also know that Canary Wharf has a lot of families visiting over the weekend and we’ll be ready to welcome all ages.
“Our bar will have an Italian style, based on the 1940s and 1950s and a late licence. In addition to the Negronis, people really love our Limoncello Spritz, which is made with our own liqueur.
“Working with Lina over the past eight years has been a really beautiful opportunity and I feel really protective of it and the people.
“The team we’ve built up over the years is very passionate and excitable and that’s really infectious.
“It started off with me and a couple of people I knew, but it’s extended and become the norm across the business.
“I love what I do and that’s driven by the people.
“With that number of branches we’ve opened we’ve grown a real entrepreneurial spirit in the teams to make everything better and better.
“They also know, that if we open another store, then it’s a real opportunity for them and that enhances the camaraderie.”
a boost for Lina Stores
It’s also good for that very first store.
As the brand has grown, the buzz has grown with each new opening creating fresh interest in the story of Lina.
“The original deli is much busier than it’s ever been, because people know more about it now,” said Chris.
“I think the starting point of its appeal is still value.
“We provide incredibly high quality at an accessible price point.
“We’ve been careful over the years, with massive inflation, that we’ve rarely had to touch price.
“We’re still seeing very positive, like-for-like growth, and that’s down to a value-for-money proposition.
“We picked Canary Wharf to open our latest restaurant because there’s so much development and opportunity here.
“I think the food scene in the area has changed dramatically over the last five to 10 years.
“When I first came to Canary Wharf, the super high-enders were well taken care of.
“What’s great now is that the premium quality is available to many more. It’s about value for money, but that doesn’t necessarily mean cheap.
“Lina provides a really flexible way to dine.
“You can come in for lunch and you can just have a bowl of pasta – you’re in and out very rapidly.
“Alternatively you can have starters, sharing dishes, pastas and more. It’s the kind of place where customers can also come for special events and they’ll get a great deal for their money.”
With Lina now gearing up to launch, it’s tempting to look at White Rabbit’s list of brands and wonder what else might benefit from a Canary Wharf branch.
Maybe it’s time the likes of Eve X Proper Slice expanded its pizza offering beyond Kensington.
key details: Lina Stores
Lina Stores is set to open its doors at Crossrail Place in June, 2025.
The ground floor will feature a delicatessen and bar, while the upper floor will house a restaurant.
This year, in addition to a selection of free activities, the festival will also feature an extended range of paid-for classes offering Wharfers the chance to experience discounted sessions from top brands.
“Wharf Wellness is a celebration of the health and wellbeing brands we have in Canary Wharf,” said Poppy Price, retail events and partnerships executive at Canary Wharf Group.
“This is the third time we’re hosting it – we held four-day events in 2023 and 2024 to showcase our diverse offering.
“It’s really grown in popularity and classes were selling out very quickly, so this year we wanted to extend it to a whole month, working with our partners for a longer period of time.
“We wanted to ensure as many people as possible could come here as we know there’s a real appetite for these kinds of events and activities.
“Workers can take a break from their desks for a taster session at Padium or Pilates with Third Space trainers at Eden Dock.
Canary Wharf Group’s Poppy Price – image by Jon Massey
“For our residents it’s an opportunity to try different things that are on their doorstep.
“For visitors, it’s a chance to discover a different side to Canary Wharf and to see what else is here.
“It’s about showing people they can really make a day here, participating in our programme of wellness activities, then making use of the offers our retailers are running throughout June.”
Retailers across the neighbourhood will also be participating in Wharf Wellness with June offers and experiences available from the likes of Aesop, Malin+Goetz, Jo Malone, Pure, Feels Like June and Get A Drip.
Pure is offering a 20% discount for the whole of June to customers mentioning Wharf Wellness at the till – image by Pure
Wharf Wellness, going deeper…
Poppy added: “We know wellness goes beyond fitness. It’s your mental health, self-care and the chance to spend some time with nature too.
“Canary Wharf offers all that. We’re really excited to be working with Arc Community on a series of talks during June.
“Arc is a contrast therapy space where people can engage in meditation, communal saunas and ice cold plunge baths.
“For Wharf Wellness the venue will be hosting three expert-led sessions in the beautiful lounge space they have.
“It’s a chance to both see Arc and also learn something. There’s one on hormonal optimisation, which is an area that’s growing.
“There’s another one on sleep too, which is a huge trend. We’re all so busy it’s about finding time to relax and take time out.”
Scroll down to find full listings for Wharf Wellness’ month-long programme and booking links.
Padium in Bank Street Park is set to run social events and introductory sessions in June as part of Wharf Wellness – image by Padium
a chance to win
In celebration of Wharf Wellness, Canary Wharf Group is also running a competition for one person to win a £500 gift card to spend on health and wellbeing on the Wharf.
Jun 2-8, daily, times vary, Freedom Clinics, Cabot Place, £49
The challenge – join Freedom Clinics for seven days of Pilates (or at least 3x a week) and experience the transformation this form of exercise delivers.
Every participant is entered into a draw to win a 10-class pack
Jun 2, 6.45pm-7.30pm, Arc Community, Crossrail Place Level -2, £35
This workshop provides multiple tools to optimise mental, physical, and emotional performance in our chronic burnout culture.
Through intention setting, education on the science of peak performance and self-assessment activities, you’ll gain actionable insights to enhance your performance sustainably.
Meet other padel enthusiasts in a fun, social setting where you’ll play a series of 15-minute matches, moving up or down a court based on wins and losses.
After the games, unwind and connect over delicious pizza in Padium’s mezzanine area.
Barry’s in Crossrail Place will be hosting two charity classes for Wharf Wellness – image by Matt Grayson
United We Barry’s Charity Class
Jun 14, 3pm-4pm, Barry’s, Crossrail Place Level -2, donations
Experience Barry’s legendary workout while supporting a worthy cause.
This special charity class offers the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself in their signature Red Room while contributing to their partner charity.
All proceeds go to United We Barry’s partner charity.
Docklands Sinfonia String Quartet are set to delight with a programme of classical chill-out, helping audiences relax to their favourite melodies. No booking required.
Making memories are what summer socials are all about.
As the mercury climbs, the great outdoors provides an ideal change of scene from the office or the home – a backdrop to shared experiences.
For those seeking something just that little bit different, Skuna’s BBQ Boats are all set for 2025’s summer months.
Based at West India Quay, these self-drive electric craft come with built-in BBQs offering Wharfers “an unforgettable way to eat, drink and spend time with others”.
BBQ Boats hold up to 10 people, with cruises lasting 100 minutes
BBQ Boats offer 100-minute cruises
The experience begins with a quick briefing before guests take the helm for 100 minutes of cooking and relaxing on the tranquil waters of North Dock.
Each boat holds up to 10 people, who can either bring their own food to grill or pre-order from Skuna’s freshly prepared food packages.
Drinks can be purchased from the on-site bar, which also sells captains hats for those who want to take a turn at the tiller.
“Our BBQ Boats offer the perfect dining on the water experience for summer,” said Stuart ‘Tommo’ Thomson, founder of Skuna.
“They are great for team bonding experience as you cook and sail yourself around the beautiful docks of Canary Wharf.
“This is a world away from the ordinary BBQ in the park or back garden – it’s summer dining, but not as you know it – and a bucket list activity to enjoy with friends and colleagues alike.”
The craft are a popular option for summer parties in Canary Wharf
key details: Skuna BBQ Boats
Skuna’s BBQ Boats are available during the summer months from their home on West India Quay.
Prices and details of the various food packages available can all be found on Skuna’s website, as well as booking links for its Sauna Boat and Hot Tub Boat experiences – also based in Canary Wharf.
In a vaulted brick chamber on the banks of the Thames, the lime green wheel of a massive steam engine is gently, powerfully revolving.
Picked out in vibrant red, yellow and black stripes, this stately machine is no longer powered by boiling water, but a marvellous industrial relic, animated for the benefit of visitors to Tower Bridge.
Originally there would have been eight such engines – four on each side of the river – used to pump water into massive hydraulic accumulators that were used to store energy to raise the crossing’s two huge bascules.
These would swing up and down, on average, 60 times a day to allow tall ships to sail up and down the river unimpeded.
The Victorian technology is, however, just one of myriad surprises awaiting those on a trip into this major landmark.
Perhaps one of the most startling is its age.
At 131 it’s considerably older than many of the buildings that surround it, but less than a seventh of the age of the neighbouring Tower Of London, which celebrates its 950th birthday this year and inspired the aesthetic design of the crossing.
One of the preserved steam engines at Tower Bridge – image by Tower Bridge
visit for £1
“Tower Bridge is London’s defining landmark, welcoming visitors from all over the world,” said Amy O’Rourke, marketing manager for Tower Bridge at City Bridge Foundation.
“We want to make it accessible to everyone, but particularly to people living locally so that they can feel it’s their local landmark.”
Amy, who joined the team at the attraction five-and-a-half years ago – after travelling down the Thames from Royal Museums Greenwich – is leading the charge to encourage more of its neighbours to visit.
To that end, Tower Bridge is seeking to highlight the fact that residents of the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Southwark – or those living in the City Of London – can get tickets to explore Tower Bridge for £1 per person.
Amy O’Rourke, marketing manager at Tower Bridge – image by Jon Massey
“We want everyone to feel welcome at the bridge,” said Amy.
“The story that we tell about its history is focused on the people – those who built it and those who have worked here.
“We have these lovely connections to the local community, the docks and the work that went on in this part of London, so we want people who are here now to know about them.”
Visitors with pre-booked tickets queue to gain access to the experience on the bridge itself then, following a quick security check, climb 200 steps or take the lift in the north tower to the crossing’s twin elevated walkways some 42 metres above the Thames.
There’s even a glass floor so people can look down on the bridge below.
The walkways were originally intended to allow pedestrians to traverse the river unimpeded given the bridge’s frequent openings, although in practice its operation was so slick most Londoners simply waited at ground level.
The crossing opened 131 years ago – image by Jon Massey
discovering Tower Bridge
“On the way up and in the walkways, you’ll learn about the history, why it was built – because of the need for a river crossing with the increase in traffic,” said Amy.
“You’ll also find out about the alternative designs for the crossing that were put forward, and how we got to the final design of the lovely bascule bridge we have today.
“At the time it was finished, in 1894, it was a marvel of engineering. Visitors finish the tour by descending in the south tower and making their way to the engine rooms, which are really the beating heart of the bridge.
“It’s my favourite place because you can really feel the hard work that would have been done there – blood, sweat and tears. It’s very special.
“When it was running on steam, about 80 people were needed to manage and maintain the crossing in working order.
“Throughout the visit we talk about their stories, including the likes of cook Hannah Griggs, who was born in Bermondsey and helped keep staff fed from 1911-1915. These are the people we want local residents to know about.”
There’s another aspect to Tower Bridge.
While the capital’s most easterly physical river crossing is rich in heritage, it plays many other roles too.
Hydraulic accumulators at Tower Bridge – image by Jon Massey
events at Tower Bridge
“Once the doors close at 6pm, things start to happen behind the scenes,” said Amy.
“We work with a partner called Social Pantry and have a number of spaces available for events of all kinds.
“For example, there’s a room in the north tower that can hold about 60 people for a wedding or small dinners.
“The walkways can also be used for photography, drinks receptions and dining.
“We are quite flexible on what we can accommodate – recently we’ve had jazz bands playing, gymnasts performing and acrobats showing off their moves.
“We can also offer dinner and drinks in the engine rooms, which are a more intimate space and great for engineering enthusiasts.
“We can change the lighting to match corporate branding, or events can be timed to coincide with sunset.
“It’s really special to be over the Thames, especially at night with the whole city lit up.
“We can also arrange special tours for guests so they get an enhanced experience.”
While Tower Bridge can be visited daily with slots from 9.30am-4.30pm, it’s worth trying to catch a bridge opening just for the sheer spectacle.
“When it happens London just stops for a while,” said Amy.
“It feels really special, standing there and witnessing it.
“Everyone’s normally rushing everywhere and I thought it must also be good for people’s wellbeing to just take a moment.”
Forthcoming openings are listed on Tower Bridge’s website and will take place most days in May.
The walkways include glass floors so visitors to the bridge – which is dog-friendly throughout – can look down to the Thames below – image by Tower Bridge
key details: Tower Bridge
Those living in Tower Hamlets, Southwark or the City Of London can get tickets to visit Tower Bridge for £1 per person.
Newham All Star Sports Academy (NASSA) is set to host its first networking and fundraising dinner – NASSA’s Next Generation – at Brick Lane Music Hall in Royal Docks this summer.
what is NASSA?
For 20 years the charity has been an engine of social mobility for young people in east London.
Engaging them through basketball, it supports their education and training, instilling discipline and ambition in some of the most deprived areas in the capital.
Its Carry A Basketball Not A Blade campaign has reached more than 100,000 young people, teaching them about the dangers of knife crime and working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police to tackle gang culture.
In short, NASSA saves young people’s lives and enriches them.
NASSA CEO and founder, Natasha Hart – image Matt Grayson
>>Natasha Hart MBE, NASSA CEO and founder, started the charity in 2005 after taking her two sons to a Newham park to teach them basketball.
Soon she was surrounded by young people keen to try the sport, which inspired the charity’s creation.
Natasha said: “Once you become part of the NASSA family, that’s for life.
“What started in 2005 as a way for young people to get outside and keep fit has grown into a bigger mission, working with the community to tackle violence and gang culture through sport and education.
“It’s incredibly moving to hear about the difference we’ve made in people’s lives. Now we want to reach even further.
“It’s amazing that we’re able to host this networking and fundraising dinner in our 20th year to help us continue that work.
“We’re so grateful for the support we’ve had over the years and would love you to join us on June 18, 2025.”
why NASSA’s Next Generation?
To continue in its work and expand its operations, NASSA needs to raise funds and is always looking for new organisations and individuals to partner with.
In celebration of its 20th anniversary, it has created an event aimed at bringing its supporters together with those who would like to get involved to network, to introduce the charity’s ongoing work to them and mark its achievements.
Networking and dinner will be followed by a show at Brick Lane Music Hall in Royal Docks
what will happen?
NASSA’s Next Generation is set to take place at Brick Lane Music Hall in Royal Docks on June 18, 2025, from 6pm-midnight.
The evening will start with a drinks reception with plenty of time for networking.
This will be followed by a three-course dinner and a music hall show, with further opportunity to socialise after the curtain falls.
who will be there?
The evening will be hosted by NASSA with support from the charity’s patron, Sir Stephen Timms MP, minister for social security and disability.
Excel London CEO, Jeremy Rees – image by Jon Massey
>>Excel London has long been a supporter of NASSA and its work.
CEO Jeremy Rees has brought local organisations together in an advisory capacity to help guide the charity as it continues to grow and develop, tackling some of the toughest issues in society.
Jeremy said: “What Natasha and the team have done over the course of two decades is incredible and deserves our attention and backing.
“This is an organisation that started with just £20 in its bank account and has now reached more than 100,000 young people.
“The NASSA’s Next Generation networking and fundraising dinner is all about how we can work together as businesses, organisations and individuals to help it continue these vital efforts and reach the next 100,000.
“The event will be a real celebration of NASSA – but we can’t do this alone.
“Support us on June 18 and we can do even more.”
The charity works to fight knife crime and gang culture through its Carry A Basketball Not A Blade campaign
how can I get involved?
Tickets to the event are now on public sale, priced at £220pp with all proceeds going to NASSA.
A small number of full tables (12 seats) and half tables, priced at £200pp are available too.
The tide has washed over the space set aside for major exhibitions at London Museum Docklands and left behind it a rich haul of finds, information and art.
Unveiled this month, Secrets Of The Thames is a hymn to the capital’s longest archaeological site – the river’s foreshore – and those who prowl the edges of the water in search of its treasures.
The exhibition, which runs until March next year, is a celebration and revelation of the long-observed practice of mudlarking – raking through stretches of land that are exposed as the tides reveal London’s beaches and mudflats twice a day.
To that end, curators have combined a vast array of finds with a recreation of the exposed riverbed, artworks and a technical window into how the museum works with the beachcombers to catalogue and preserve historic pieces rescued from the depths.
Today mudlarking is popular – it’s regulated by the Port Of London Authority, which issues 4,000 permits for enthusiasts each year.
It has suspended new applications at present due to a waiting list now exceeding 10,000.
But while 21st century archaeologists, artists and social media producers are driven to dig in the soggy stuff for a variety of lofty motivations, those who went before were often simply scratching a living.
The exhibition includes a recreation of the Thames foreshore for visitors to explore – image by London Museum
the story in the mud
“We tell the whole story from the earliest mudlarks who were first recorded in the 18th century” said Thomas Ardill, curator of paintings, prints and drawings at London Museum.
“It was probably going on long before that too.
“These people were just searching for useful things to sell – bits of coal and steel, for example.
“They were scavengers, sometimes children, sometimes women – but as they were finding useful objects, they were also digging up historical pieces.
“This was in a period when antiquarians were starting to get interested in London’s history and mudlarks found they could sell artefacts.
“In the exhibition we’re showcasing not just what objects were found, but also the people who found them.
“The earliest mudlarks were entrepreneurs, and they were creative and inspired by what they found.
“Some were conning the art world by creating fakes, but that also showed their creativity and ingenuity.
Thomas Ardill, curator of paintings, prints and drawings at London Museum – image by Jon Massey
“A lot of the mudlarks today are fantastic artists and it’s an exhibition that you see through their eyes.
“It’s about the joy of discovery as much as it is about the objects.
“About five years ago, we touched on mudlarking a bit and realised it had potential – Secrets Of The Thames has been a long time in the making.
“We’ve been working closely with Stuart Wyatt, London Museum’s finds liaison officer, whose job it is to record the finds made by mudlarks with permits.
“One of the things I really like in the exhibition is the finds desk. It reveals how we record objects and will feature rotating exhibits.
“At the moment, there’s an Italian ceramic water vessel, which is one of four or five discovered in a particular spot on the Thames over the years.
“There’s definitely something interesting going on in that location.
“Stuart thinks what might have happened is a box containing a shipment may have been broken and been dumped over the side of the ship that was carrying it.”
London Museum curator Kate Sumnall – image by London Museum
connecting to London’s history through Secrets Of The Thames
With brightly-lit cabinets full of deeply personal items – false teeth, rings, bones and even phallic fertility symbols – it’s also a chance for Londoners to get a sense of the city’s former inhabitants.
“We are lucky in London to have this amazing tidal river environment that has preserved so much of our past,” said London Museum curator Kate Sumnall.
“It is the longest archaeological site in the capital and here we find an unbelievably rich selection of finds, from beautifully worked prehistoric arrowheads to a small, ivory sundial used to tell the time.
“Thanks to the dedication and expertise of today’s mudlarks, we are constantly uncovering new objects that inform our understanding of history.
“Above all this exhibition is an exploration of love and desire, faith and loss, migration, community and culture – the stories of generations of people who have visited the city or called it home.”
With many mudlarks using their finds to create art, the museum has chosen to embrace their creativity and showcase their talents as part of the exhibition.
Printmaker, sculptor and artist Amy-Leigh Bird – image by Jon Massey
a mudlark’s tale
Amy-Leigh Bird is a printmaker, sculptor and artist who regularly scours the foreshore in search of inspiration and materials.
One of her pieces is included in Secrets Of The Thames.
She said: “I started mudlarking as a kid, inspired by going to see an exhibition by artist Richard Long at Tate Britain.
“There was a beautiful piece he’d made out of red bricks and so I went down onto the foreshore with my dad and made my own little piece there – that was my first work.
“Then I went to university and started collecting in the rivers in Glasgow, collecting ceramic and glass objects. I also found a gun.
“When I came to London, it just seemed instinctive to go mudlarking.
“At first I was just aimlessly collecting – stuff I was interested in, but that did include bones and teeth, and this grew more into my practice.
“Other mudlarks were looking for coins, pins, garnets and cameos – which are all beautiful and exciting – but I like objects that are uglier.
“We’re all made of bones and teeth come from the mouths of living, sentient beings.
“Animal bones and teeth in the river might have come from meat markets that would feed the people of that time.
“They link back to us, which is really beautiful.
“Coming from a small town, I find that London can be an assault on the senses – it’s relentless.
“When you go mudlarking, there is this wonderful moment, highlighted in the exhibition, when you leave the chaos and noise behind.
“Once you’re on the foreshore, the sounds are different.
“It’s the the waves lapping, the gravel beneath your feet. I end up being there for hours and the time just flies.
Amy-Leigh Bird’s Ancient Ruins 2020 – image by Jon Massey
“Finding something feels euphoric. It’s personal, it’s mine. I lost a lot of my childhood toys in a house move, which was sad.
“So when I find something mudlarking it’s a sign to me that the object has in some way chosen me, which is a beautiful experience.
“My favourite object in the exhibition is a neolithic bone.
“It’s such a simple object but it’s made me wonder how many of the bones I’ve picked up for my collection are neolithic.
“I originally started making work by finding things and making prints out of them.
“I’d put bones, clay pipes and things together, photograph them and then translate that image into a photo-polymer etching.
“In lockdown, when I couldn’t go out or mudlark, I was stuck at home with a big box of bones and started to think of how I could create work differently.
“That was a shift in my work as an artist, to go from 2D work to sculpture.”
Amy-Leigh’s piece, Ancient Ruins, 2020, is included in Secrets Of The Thames.
Mudlark Alessio Checconi explores the Thames foreshore at low tide in search of treasures washed up by the ever-churning waters – image by John Chase / London Museum
key details: Secrets Of The Thames
Secrets Of The Thames will be at London Museum Docklands until March 1, 2026 and is accessible during normal opening hours.
Tickets are cheaper if booked online in advance and start at £16 for adults.
The largest creatures on Earth have inspired countless works of art and fiction, often used to draw attention to matters of importance.
In the Hebrew scriptures, Jonah finds redemption in the belly of a great sea creature, having turned back to a righteous path.
There’s Moby Dick and Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan too, but we needn’t get bogged down with revenge, obsession and highfalutin social philosophy.
More recently, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home saw Captain Kirk and crew forced to time travel back to 1986 on the silver screen to pick up a pair of humpback whales, thereby averting ecological disaster after an alien probe comes seeking the ocean giants, only to find them extinct in 2286.
That’s almost as far-fetched as everyone running around with hand-held communication devices and tablet computers…
Recently unveiled on Water Street, Whale On The Wharf, then, belongs to that proud tradition of leveraging the largest animal on the planet as a lodestone for attention and it’s exactly what StudioKCA’s intallation does.
Leaping from the waters of the dock close to Marceline and Dishoom, the 12-metre high sculpture successfully breaches the consciousness of passers-by.
StudioKCA have also created similar pieces in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and in Bruges, Belgium.
The whale’s skin is made from plastic waste reclaimed from the ocean – image by Jon Massey
the story Whale On The Wharf tells
“We’re telling the story of how we live, what we use, where it ends up and what we should do about it,” said Jason Klimoski, who along with his wife Lesley Chang run the Brooklyn-based art and design studio that created the piece.
“It’s about the 150million tonnes of plastic in the ocean and the 8million we add to that each year.
“A lot of that is hidden, so bringing some of it here hopefully helps people visualise it.
“The plastic used in Whale On The Wharf comes from the Pacific and the Atlantic. We worked with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund to collect about five tonnes of plastic.
“We cleaned it, organised it by how long it had been in the water, sorted it by colour and cleaned it piece by piece.
“We chose to make a whale because, pound-for-pound, the plastic in the ocean weighs more than the total of all the whales on the planet.
“We thought it would be the perfect metaphor to help people understand the scale of the problem.”
The sculpture is supported on a recylced steel frame and concrete foundations made with biochar from spent coffee grounds collected from Canary Wharf – image by Jon Massey
a sustainable foundation for Whale On The Wharf
While the leaping creature is the public-facing portion of the work, Whale On The Wharf is also a creation of significant depth.
Canary Wharf Group’s commission is about a lot more than adding to its extensive public art collection.
Wharfers sipping coffee on the estate and then discarding their cups in its waste bins have contributed to its construction.
The sculpture sits on a foundation of concrete made with biochar, a material that replaces sand in the mix and is made from those discarded grounds.
This also prevents CO2 being released when the coffee breaks down and reduces demand for the extraction of traditional raw resources from the Earth.
“We understand the power that art holds,” said Sophie Goddard, director of environment, social and governance at Canary Wharf Group.
“It can provoke emotion and it can create change.
“With this project we’ve really pushed the boundaries of what can be achieved.
“We thought about how we can take the principles of the circular economy and push those forward.
“We’ve locked up spent coffee in the foundation and we’ve been able to do that through the efforts of our in-house waste management team.
“They hand-sort the rubbish that goes into our bins and their work means we’ve sent no waste to landfill since 2009.”
Whale On The Wharf is free to visit and stands 12 metres tall – image by Jon Massey
a strong steel core
On top of the concrete, Whale On The Wharf is supported by a braced steel structure made from recovered and reused steel to further reduce its environmental impact.
Jason said: “Inside the sculpture there’s a steel spine that supports the structure and aluminium armature to make the shape of the whale.
“Onto that we attached each of the pieces of plastic using steel ties and screws.
“We really want people to see the things they use every day, to recognise them and then wonder what happens to them. How did the things that make up this sculpture get here? What was their journey?
“There’s a car bumper, a kid’s toilet. It’s really the items that relate to children I find both funny and sad.
“Hopefully there’ll be a conversation at home after, especially with the kids, about how we use plastic and what we do with it afterwards.
“When we were building it, we were focussed on the scale of the issue, not necessarily on the thing itself.
“We have a son and so we have to think about the stuff we buy him and what will happen to it.”
Now Canary Wharf has both a head-turning artwork and also a constant reminder of the consequences of unbridled consumption on our planet.
As well as its role in drawing attention to environmental issues, the installation is a significant addition to the estate’s sculpture collection – the largest publicly accessible collection of outdoor works in the UK.
“The whales is a landmark, it’s visually stunning and it really stops people in their tracks,” said Lowri Harries, associate curator of public art at Canary Wharf Group.
“That’s exactly what we want. Since our initial call with Jason, the installation has involved pretty much every part of our business.
“Construction, development, sustainability, marketing and communications as well as all the external contractors that have worked on the project.
“It’s taken a village to make this happen and we’re really thankful to everyone involved.”
An Ode To Never Fitting In, 2024, by Ashley Cluer is seen at Refuse in Broadwick Studio – image by Jon Massey
Visitors can expect to see a selection of sculptures including a vast chain made from medicine blister packs and vibrant lime green shapes made from cement, newspaper and recycled wood.
Free to access, the exhibition is on display at Broadwick Studio.
Perhaps when prompted by all these signs, we might take more notice of the way we’re living as a species and even avoid alien annihilation in the future.
PS, at Wharf Life we’re calling the Whale Bruce. You didn’t hear it from us…
key details: Whale On The Wharf
Whale On The Wharf is located on the corner of Water Street and Park Drive in Canary Wharf’s Wood Wharf. The installation is free to visit.
Refuse is in place until April 26, 2025, and is open from 10am-6pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at Broadwick Studio on the corner of Water Street and Charter Street in Wood Wharf.
