Proposals are being worked up to redevelop 77 Marsh Wall.
Currently office block Sierra Quebec Bravo sits on the plot, occupying the corner of Millwall Cutting and West India South Dock.
It’s also home to street food market Canary Garden and provides access to arts venue Theatreship.
Areli Developments, together with architects Patel Taylor, are currently engaged in a public consultation on their ideas to demolish the existing building and replace it with a tower.
While plans are at an early stage, the mixed use scheme could include a blend of co-living space, an aparthotel and apartments for private rent as well as affordable housing.
The mix of tenures will allow residents to stay for any length of time, whether that be one night, two years or more”.
Occupation will, however, be on a rental basis with no mention of apartments for sale in what will likely be the latest tall tower to arrive on the strip of land south of Canary Wharf.
900 residential units to rent
The consortium says its vision includes providing 900 residential units, offering flexibility for those moving in and aimed at attracting a range of inhabitants.
Alongside the accommodation, it promises to provide leisure amenities, green spaces, a lounge, gyms, shops, cafes and bars.
Early sketches show three connected towers set on a communal plinth that will have spaces for “residents’, community and public use”.
Public space will be partially sheltered, allowing people to spill out of the building at street level without getting wet.
The developer says the plans will create a new waterside destination on Marsh Wall, provide jobs both during construction and in the future, deliver opportunities for a programme of activities including a market and community events and deliver new cafes and restaurants.
The scheme aims to create “a place for people at all stages in life – for families, couples or individuals”.
Many developers have turned away from building homes for sale in recent years in favour of build-to-rent.
The advantage is these projects are often easier to finance with the promise of steady returns.
However, they can also lead to more unstable communities with people having less security over whether they remain in a property long-term.
key details: 77 Marsh Wall consultation
The public consultation on 77 Marsh Wall ends on March 31, 2025.
Interested parties are invited to have their say on the proposals via an online survey.
You can also email your thoughts to 77marshwall@kandaconsulting.co.uk
April 12, 2025, is set to be a momentous day at Cody Dock.
From 1pm-7pm, the east London ecological regeneration project will host its Spring Forward event – but things are going to be a bit different this year.
While the rolling bridge will be ceremonially upended, plants will be sold, workshops hosted and performances staged, there’s a wider triumph to celebrate.
Specifically, the Cody Dock visitors’ centre will be unveiled in its finished form.
Now named The Barn, the team has been working hard to install windows, doors, walls and ceilings, as well as raising the land outside the structure, ready for the event.
For those attending, it will be the first opportunity to explore the finished space – an amenity which will serve as the focus for the site, a public lodestone for those passing through.
Cody Dock heritage programme manager Bella Quirin – image by Jon Massey
getting ready for the launch
“It’s a wonderful event, celebrating the arrival of spring and the world shaking itself back to life with a real focus on ecology,” said Bella Quirin, heritage programme manager at Cody Dock.
“Spring Forward is all about helping people to reconnect with nature after the colder weather.
“Among the highlights will be Tails Of Migration, a really interesting workshop run by our education team.
“Lots of species return to the UK from warmer habitats at this time and it’s all about showcasing those journeys and getting people to interact with them.
“The idea is that participants will also think about their own journeys and the places they have lived before, whether those are across large distances or relatively small ones.
“From that, we’ll be able to capture people’s oral histories as part of our ongoing heritage work.”
The Cody Dock scheme is complex in its scope and events such as Spring Forward offer visitors an opportunity to get to grips with some of the many projects under its umbrella.
There’s its role as a place of work and study, with artists resident in its studios and collaborations with academics to study and respond to the local area a regular feature of its operations.
Then there’s its commitment to supporting and studying local wildlife as well as stewardship of the tidal Lea.
It’s a place for innovation and experimentation as much as conservation.
Local history is another major thread running through its fabric with Spring Forward visitors able to view progress on work to restore the Frederick Kitchen, probably the last boat to be built by the Thames Ironworks at the mouth of the Lea.
This craft will eventually be used as the roof of a heritage pavilion, which will host a succession of exhibitions about the history of the local area.
Flowers bloom at Cody Dock – image by Jon Massey
connecting to history at Cody Dock
“That’s set to open next spring and it will be a fantastic space,” said Bella.
“It will have glass walls, so visitors will be instantly connected to the water, even when they’re inside.”
The April event will also include a chance to view Cabinet Of Curiosity No. 1, the first of three artist commissions exploring local history.
The work focuses on the Thames Ironworks and includes verse from William McGonagall recalling the calamitous launch of the battleship Albion that saw more than 30 people lose their lives when a stage collapsed into the water.
It’s just one of the many ways that Cody Dock is seeking to nurture connections between past and present as its regeneration of the 2.5 acre site continues.
“One of the things about Cody Dock – especially The Barn – is that we really want people to feel there’s collective ownership of our spaces as well as them being an attraction,” said Bella.
“The visitors’ centre will be such a dynamic space.
“It will work for our school visits, our ecology team if they’re hosting workshops, but also as a place for performances.
“There will be a full lighting system and we feel that there’s already a really strong vision emerging for it. It will act as a beacon for the whole project – somewhere people can come together.”
While the building itself has been used at previous events, hosting musical performances, dances and a sonic excursion along the Lea with visitors’ feet immersed in sand, the addition of sealed windows and doors will allow for greater flexibility.
There are plans for regular film screenings, with directors invited to participate in Q&A sessions, although full details have yet to be revealed.
seeking a food and drink partner
Another major change will be the completion of The Barn’s kitchen, which will provide cafe and dining facilities for the site.
Cody Dock is currently inviting applications for a partner to run this part of its operation.
The aim is to both generate income for the project and Gasworks Dock Partnership – the charity overseeing it – and to draw more visitors to the site.
GDP is hoping to attract a partner that aligns with its charitable aims, prioritising recruitment of local staff, paying the London Living Wage and using ethically sourced ingredients.
“The cafe will very much be central to our operation in many ways,” said Simon Myers, CEO of GDP.
“They will be most likely to come into contact with people passing through, so it’s really important that their aspirations and aims chime with our objectives.
“We’re about place-making and greater community cohesion so we need to be somewhere that’s really welcoming to everyone.
“We’re also an environmental organisation, so produce that’s served here needs to be sustainably sourced and, hopefully, the food and drink on offer will also reflect the diversity found in the local population.”
key details: Spring Forward at Cody Dock
Spring Forward is set to take place at Cody Dock on April 12, 2025, from 1pm-7pm. The event is free to attend, spots can be reserved digitally.
Cody Dock is easily reached on foot from Star Lane DLR station via Cody Road and South Crescent.
You can find out more about the many projects and initiatives based there online.
The public is invited to UCL East Marshgate – the university’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park campus that forms one fifth of East Bank – over the next few weeks to experience five installations.
A Place Of Our Making: A Multisensory Exhibition About East Londonshowcases the work of five partnerships between artists and UCL researchers, who have collaborated with east London residents for a project aimed at exploring ways to improve the lives of those in this part of the capital.
Free to view and experience, visitors can shake the hand of a seven-foot puppet and smell a bagel brick, amongst many other sensory wonders.
The installations have been created through UCL’s Trellis programme, which pairs up academics and creatives.
The breadth and scope of this fifth iteration of the scheme is too great to be comprehensive here, so instead we sat down with artist Laura Copsey, who teamed up with associate professor of palliative medicine in the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department at UCLH, Sarah Yardley, to create Rewilding Healthcare.
Central to their collaboration is water and its use as a metaphor for patients and those working in the care sector.
Associate professor of palliative medicine in the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Department at UCLH, Sarah Yardley – image by Jon Massey
Rewilding Healthcare: an investigation
“I’m always trying to investigate how we can make things better for people by being authentic and meeting people’s needs,” said Sarah.
“My research is about gaps between expectation and experience.
“When we were sounding out ideas with each other, we discovered we both had a love of sailing and all things maritime and nautical – the project really progressed from there.
“I am a sailor, but the metaphor came from some of my research – a study on how we conceptualise ideas of safety, risk of harm and what success looks like for people who needed palliative care and those with severe mental illness.
“Through that work, I interviewed and observed many sides of the healthcare system and I brought the study to Laura.
“Carers would talk about uncharted waters and stormy seas, while patients would talk about how it was impossible to navigate the system.”
Laura said: “We found common ground straight away because the work I do as an artist is generally very watery.
“I grew up with my dad who used to run a ferry on the River Deben.
“I describe myself as an illustrator of stories, but my pieces don’t tend to look like things people usually think of when they hear the word illustration.
“They’re more like a collection of objects that communicate meaning.
“You could call it a disembodied comic with lots of different fragments. I call it ‘hydro-fiction’.”
Artist Laura Copsey – image by Jon Massey
a multitude of metaphors
In the case of Rewilding Healthcare, the display includes images in portholes circled with rope, sewn flags and a fabric map suspended from sections of a boat’s mast, a reimagining of the Shipping Forecast, a specially created newspaper, an altered life preserver and even postcards for viewers to express their thoughts.
All have been made through collaborative workshops at ecological regeneration project Cody Dock, just down the Lea from UCL East Marshgate.
“We ran sessions monthly, each with a different theme,” said Laura.
“They were aimed at trying to start conversations about health based on Sarah’s research.
“We sewed to make signal flags, created boats, made collage, drew and took photographs.
“It was an experiment to see what sorts of activities would generate conversations – it turned out that pretty much all of them did.
“What people will see in our part of the exhibition are things you would associate with safety, but layered with new meaning or made to look a bit unusual.
“I hope our audience will see them as familiar, but then ask why they’re presented in this new way and what that could mean.
“Much of the work is subtle or works on multiple levels – waiting room chairs upholstered to look like rocks, for example.”
Part of Rewilding Healthcare at UCL East Marshgate featuring photography and materials from Cody Dock – image by Jon Massey
sparking conversations
Laura and Sarah had help from playground creator and APE director, John O’Driscoll, who is based at Cody Dock and supplied nautical props to assist with the project – helping make the maritime metaphors flesh.
“We were surprised from the very first workshop to see how the symbolism all this stuff – buoys, fenders, anchors – had with regard to people’s experience of healthcare,” said Laura.
“The conversation was rich. Initially I thought the experiment would be hard, but people got it immediately.”
Sarah added: “There were about 45 participants in total – some dropped in and out and around 10 were with us from start to finish.
“There are many layers and metaphors in what we’ve created together.
“Using nautical and maritime language expresses something about healthcare systems in a different way and we hope that this will allow people to open up and express what they think about their own experiences.
“All the way along, people have said to us that these are difficult conversations, which can be distressing, but we absolutely need to have them.
“For some people, Rewilding Healthcare might carry a really personal meaning, but for others – including medical colleagues – it could be to ask themselves what they can do to create the meaning people are looking for.
“When we do a workshop, I say to people, imagine we’re a lifeboat crew and we’re all together.
“On an island – and thinking about archipelagos has been a big part of the project – if the sirens go off, we’re all part of the crew.
“Sometimes you’ll be the person needing to be rescued, sometimes you’ll be the rescuer, but it will create a real dialogue.”
Laura added: “There are so many parallels between sailing a boat and healthcare. You have to work together and you need people with different skills, but you’re also at sea and you can’t control the weather.
“There are risks, but it’s often positive risk-taking.”
key details: Rewilding Healthcare at UCL East
A Place Of Our Making: A Multisensory Exhibition About East London features Rewilding Healthcare and is on show at UCL East Marshgate until April 13, 2025.
The show is open from 10am-6pm daily and is free to visit. The exhibition is also open until 8pm on Thursdays.
A series of workshops are set to be held focused on specific exhibits.
Without getting too technical, the IMO is an independent agency that sits under the United Nations and is tasked with creating regulations for global shipping – including those related to safety, security and environmental performance.
Currently, moving stuff around the world by boat accounts for about 3% of humanity’s total CO2 emissions thanks to the heavy fuel oil burned in the vast majority of ships’ engines.
Then there’s the methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, plus soot and particulate matter belched out by fossil fuel engines.
Some are directly contributing to the warming of the planet. Others are simply nasty pollutants.
With more and more goods being moved by sea, it’s a growing problem – so what to do?
The IMO’s 2023 Greenhouse Gas Strategy is for international shipping to reach net-zero by about 2050.
However, there’s disagreement about exactly how to do that.
Green Pioneer is designed to convey a message – image by Jon Massey
considering the solutions
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is easy to handle with existing infrastructure, but as a fossil fuel, it’s only 25% better than what we already have carbon-wise and also emits methane, a gas that’s worse than CO2 for warming the planet.
Biofuels – in theory – are carbon neutral, but require land and resources for production, a process that can also emit greenhouse gasses such as methane and nitrous oxide.
Methanol is easy to handle and use in existing engines, but the technology and infrastructure to capture the CO2 and make hydrogen using renewable resources are not yet available at scale.
Hydrogen will likely play a part thanks to high energy density, but it’s a flammable gas that requires special training to handle and needs to be stored at cryogenic temperatures so would require the industry to invest in significant retrofitting of vessels.
The message from the Green Pioneer and her parent company is very much that ammonia is the way to go – indeed, she’s been created as a proof of concept designed to advance that cause.
Fortescue believes speed is of the essence.
Head of green shipping at Fortescue, Andrew Hoare – image by Jon Massey
the message from Green Pioneer
“We’re here to show that the technology for ammonia is here – it’s not a new fuel, it’s an old fuel – and everybody needs to get behind it,” said Andrew Hoare, head of green shipping at Fortescue.
“We believe LNG doesn’t work – the industry hasn’t been very open and honest about methane emissions – and that if we’re not ready for ammonia, there will be a delay in decarbonising emissions.
“That’s why we’re pushing this project out now, because many things have to happen in parallel.
“You have to make sure you’ve got the infrastructure, the supply and people to handle the fuel. We can’t work on a sequential basis.
“That’s why we’re taking this vessel around the world – we know that in every port we visit there will be another discussion.
“Cities in the UK have been very welcoming so far because they want to make sure they are ready for this.”
Fortescue engine specialist, Tim Abetz – image by Jon Massey
a step on the journey
Green Pioneer is not a ship primarily fuelled by ammonia, but rather a step on the journey to that reality.
She’s equipped with four engines, two of which have been converted to dual fuel, burning a combination of diesel and ammonia.
“When we’re running on that mix the engine is designed to burn 30% ammonia, which means our carbon emissions are nearly a third down,” said Tim Abetz, engine specialist at Fortescue.
“That was our initial target but during tests on this system we’ve pushed as much ammonia in as we could and we’ve got up to 50%.
“The way this system is designed, we don’t have the pressure to go further than that but we’re confident we can get a lot higher in future.
“Realistically, we can get to 95% ammonia. As a fuel it’s harder to burn than diesel, which has its challenges but these can be overcome.
“Diesel combusts at 210ºC, while it’s 650ºC for ammonia.
“That means you need something in the cylinder to start the fire as a pilot fuel.
“During testing, the best option we had was hydrogenated vegetable oil, but the hope is there will be a greener solution for this too in the future.”
While ammonia emits no CO2 when burnt, that doesn’t mean it’s completely emission-free with nitrous oxide (N2O) – a highly potent greenhouse gas – and nitrogen oxides (NOX) produced in addition to the risk of ammonia itself making it though the engine without combusting.
Green Pioneer’s systems have been built as a test bed to measure these emissions in the field and find ways to minimise them.
Tim said: “Every combustion engine makes NOx but that’s largely due to the temperature at which the fuel burns.
“When burning ammonia the temperature is a little lower, so we make some N2O.
“If we heat it up we make NOx instead, which we know we can tackle using scrubber technology so that’s the next step – we’ve found the issue and it’s solvable.”
That’s really the point of the project. Green Pioneer isn’t the finished article, it’s a floating laboratory to show how things might be done.
One of the other issues she aims to address is the safe handling of ammonia, a corrosive, toxic gas.
Engineering manager for Fortescue’s Green Pioneer, Anthony Smith – image by Jon Massey
safe handling aboard Green Pioneer
“Ammonia is new as a fuel, but it’s old news on ships because ammonia carriers have been around a long time – vessels take it from terminal to terminal for fertiliser and so on and fishing boats use it in their refrigeration systems,” said Anthony Smith, engineering manager at Fortescue.
“We’ve got a fuel preparation room, where we can condition the ammonia for clean and efficient combustion, and at the back end we have what we call the scrubber – a kind of backstop or goalkeeper – if we need to purge any of our lines to prevent any ammonia escaping.”
While Green Pioneer isn’t designed for full-scale ammonia use, the shape of its systems is intended to demonstrate that the fuel can be safely handled and contained on ships going forward.
Anthony’s tour of the various systems is heavy on remote controls, leak sensors and pipes with double walls so any escape can be detected, contained and fixed without risk to the environment or crew.
While all the gubbins necessary to run these things safely isn’t an easy retrofit for existing vessels, it may well be a effort worth making to combat damaging emissions in the industry.
It’s worth noting Fortescue has a vested interest in ammonia as a producer of the fuel.
But we are in a climate emergency and its “gunboat diplomacy” in bringing the Green Pioneer to London makes a strong case for ammonia being part of the mix.
key details: Green Pioneer
Green Pioneer is currently moored at West India South Dock at the top of the Isle Of Dogs.
At present, as a working vessel, she’s not accessible to the public, however that may change.
The survey found 31% were planning to invest more in an ISA this year to mitigate changes around capital gains tax and 29% intended to do the same due to proposed new rules around inheritance tax on pensions.
“We have seen a clear shift in investor behaviour since the autumn with more people moving their savings and assets into ISAs to minimise the amount of tax they may need to pay,” said Nutmeg head of financial advice and guidance, Claire Exley.
“No-one wants to pay more tax than they need to and having the right ISA strategy can help to reduce your overall tax liability.
“The beauty of ISAs is that they can be a simple and efficient way to build a portfolio and invest towards medium and long-term goals while minimising your tax.
“Even if you don’t have new money to put into an ISA, this can be a good time to look at any ISAs you may already have and make sure they’re working hard for you.
“Whether it’s transferring to a new provider or reviewing your balance of cash and investments, a little financial admin could serve you well in the long run.”
Nutmeg’s Claire Exley – image by Nutmeg
top tips: Nutmeg’s Claire Exley on ISAs
>> Review Your Contributions
“Also check how much ISA allowance you have remaining,” said Claire.
“You don’t have to maximise the allowance for it to make a difference: the more you have invested, the more you can benefit from compounding on any potential growth and not having to pay tax on any returns.
“If you can afford it, you should aim to consistently save or invest towards your goals – a little top up now could make a sizeable difference over time.”
>> Cash And Investments?
“Consider whether you want to drip-feed future contributions,” said Claire.
“If you have money to invest but aren’t ready to put it into the markets all at once, the Nutmeg 100% cash pot feature allows you to use your 2024/25 ISA allowance by making your contribution and then ‘drip-feeding’ money into an investment pot over time.”
key details: Nutmeg
Nutmeg is owned by J.P. Morgan, which has its European headquarters in Canary Wharf.
The digital wealth manager offers stocks and shares ISAs, pensions and general investment accounts.
Your capital is at risk when investing in stocks and shares ISAs.
Tax rules are dependent on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future
Spread over two floors at the base of 30 Churchill Place, with views over the dock to Hawksmoor, it extends to some 14,500sq ft.
But it’s what founders Elliot Godfrey and Chris Ingham have put in the space that sets it apart as something entirely different for the estate.
Firstly there’s the golf – Pitch’s primary function.
The venue boasts 11 simulator bays, the first physical Trendygolf shop for apparel and accessories and a PGA Academy.
This is a place where people who are serious about clubs and handicaps can play detailed renderings of the most famous courses in the world.
But it’s more than that.
The bays also offer arcade-style games and challenges where players compete to get closest to the pin.
Its bars and restaurant offer spaces to socialise and relax for those new to golf or who prefer to do their talking on the shuffleboard table.
Then there’s the record collection…
It’s an evolution of a business Elliot and Chris first started as a concession in a gym in the City.
Pitch founders Elliot Godfrey, left, and Chris Ingham – image by Jon Massey
from friends to business partners
“We’ve known each other since we were playing as teenagers – we’re both from Luton,” said Elliot.
“We’ve always been good friends and played golf competitively as professionals.
“We went our separate ways – Chris to Austria and I fell out of love with the game for a bit, perhaps because I’d played too much when I was young.
“At that time I was more into DJ-ing and so on.”
Both missed playing in the UK, however and, with Chris back, an idea for a possible business emerged.
“We were living in east London and the only golf club you could get to was Wanstead.
“When I came back from abroad, the new indoor tech was just coming out, but there were so few facilities for people to use.
“We thought we’d try setting something up now that the digital systems had made it possible.
“We thought we wanted to make the game more sociable with people playing in groups.
“We had our original site at Citypoint in Moorgate and we did that for about two and a half years.
“It was one of those bad-luck, good-luck situations.
“It was a concession within a gym, but it was taken over and we were homeless.
“We were having a good time there, and probably would have stayed as we had a good fanbase, but it was time to get out and take the next step – to go from a small centre to something bigger.
“We took over a place in Bishopsgate, which was the first iteration of the full concept.
“Then the pandemic hit and stopped everything.
“But we’d been successful and got through Covid with the support of our members, opening a branch in Soho in 2022, then Dublin four months ago and now Canary Wharf.”
The venue is spread over two floors and boasts two bars – image by Pitch
growing Pitch
Manchester, Birmingham and Brighton are all expected to open too, with an international franchising model for branches in Australia, Germany and America.
“Indoor golf is exploding, because of the convenience factor and the technology is so much better, with the AI tools that are about to come,” said Chris.
“We’re in the right industry and there’s a lot of demand for it, especially as indoor golf isn’t that common here.
“We use a technology called Trackman, which is the best in the world.
“On the system you can play 350 courses and one of the beauties of it is you can finish a round in an hour.
“There are also different games you can play, such as training games, social games, where you can have some beers and bring your friends for a round.”
With its expansive hospitality offering, the latter is a key offering for Pitch, which is hoping to tempt companies in for corporate events and groups in for parties alongside the more serious golfers.
Pitch in Canary Wharf has 11 simulator bays – image by Pitch
competitive socialising at Pitch
“The technology makes golf more accessible, and that’s one of the chief things for us,” said Elliot.
“It can be quite a hard sport to get into but here you don’t need to bring clubs and you can wear whatever you want.
“I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve been popular – anyone can just come down and play.
“One of the best things about this place is that you can walk in and see a group playing for fun with serious golfers in the next bay.
“Other people will just be listening to music and having some food or cocktails – it’s that mix we want in our venues.
“We do have bays with orange curtains for the more serious players, but there’s congregation in the middle – a social area where everyone comes together.
“The important thing for us is that Pitch doesn’t just offer golf.
“We’ve brought in Des McDonald of Insight hospitality to help create our menu which features Asian flavours – there are plenty of things to do if you don’t want to play golf.”
While anyone can book a bay at Pitch, the company also offers a range of membership options aimed at taking the best elements of traditional golf club membership and updating them in line with the venue’s cutting-edge tech.
The venue is ideal for large events and also has shuffleboards for guests to enjoy – image by Pitch
‘everyone’s a potential customer’
“The breadth of our offering here in Canary Wharf is ideal because everyone is a potential customer whether they’re into golf or not,” said Chris.
“We are super proud of what we’ve created here and it’s great to see it working.
“It’s taken a lot to get on the estate, there’s been a lot of planning but there are a lot of golfers in this area and for those who don’t play, we have a great bar and restaurant.
“It’s good to create a bit of dwell-time in the venue and it will be fantastic for corporate events.”
Elliot added: “Sometimes we forget to stop and assess how far we’ve come and remember that we’re actually very proud of what we’ve achieved.
“From those early days in the City a decade ago, it’s taken a long time for us to reach our final vision of what we want Pitch to be and our Canary Wharf venue is a really good representation of that.
“There isn’t an abundance of golf facilities in this part of London, but the area is changing and evolving with lots of major hospitality brands opening here now.
“It’s a blend of office workers, visitors and residents now and the estate has become much more of a destination.”
Pitch itself is one of a new breed of venues that have opened in Canary Wharf in recent years, joining the likes of Hawksmoor, Marceline, Dishoom and Mallow as visitors increasingly head to the eastern end of the estate.
With a new theatre coming, a host of openings down toward Harbord Square and established offerings such as The Cube, MMy Wood Wharf and Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, there’s no shortage of attractions.
Pitch also houses a Trendygolf store – the brand’s first bricks and mortar offering – image by Pitch
key details: Pitch
Pitch Wharf is located at 30 Churchill Place with entry via the dockside concourse.
It’s open daily although hours vary so check with the venue when planning a visit.
Payava is the story of courage in the face of adversity.
Valentyna Vierovkina and Olesia Lutsenko never expected to be in Royal Docks.
But when Russian tanks rolled across the border into Ukraine almost exactly three years ago, they made a decision.
“We were living in the northern part of the country, which borders Russia and Belarus,” said Olesia.
“On the third day of the most recent invasion, our city was surrounded – there were Russian tanks just 20km from our houses.
“We were bombed by Russian planes.
“It really wasn’t pleasant and we decided to leave – we both have daughters who are 10 years old and it was for their safety.
“That was our priority. Valentyna left first with friends and we stayed in touch. I followed a little later.”
Both women were bakers in Ukraine and had successful businesses which the war forced them to leave behind.
Examples of Payava’s signature printed biscuits – image Jon Massey
They’d long been friends and supporters of each other, while serving different sectors of the market.
So when Valentyna decided she wanted to do more with her time in the UK than just work as an employee in a bakery, further collaboration was a natural next step.
Payava means “existence” in Ukrainian – but spelt to honour its three owners, Pavlo and Yana Kovalenko and Valentyna.
With Olesia in the role of head baker – bringing with her a wealth of expertise in cakes and desserts – the team was complete.
“My first thought in all this was to bring my daughter to safety,” said Valentyna.
“Then, a year after coming to the UK, I decided to go back to the Ukraine to see what was left of the business I’d invested 11 years of my life creating.
“I’d still been paying to rent the industrial space for the bakery despite the fighting but the building had been bombed and there had been looting.
“Nevertheless, I managed to get inside and salvage some of the equipment, which I brought back to the UK to help start Payava.
“It was difficult to find premises, but we found a unit at Expressway.”
Payava is based at Unit 53 in Expressway – image Jon Massey
rebuilding with Payava
Having sunk savings into the startup, Pavlo and the team worked tirelessly to bring the space up to Valentyna’s exacting standards.
Today it’s a light and functional bakery, all stainless steel with wood and marble counter tops, ready and waiting to produce sweet treats for customers.
“The main focus of our business is printed biscuits,” said Olesia. “These are Valentyna’s speciality. We have the technology – special food grade printers that work with edible inks – to put any design, picture or text on these biscuits.
“Customers can order just one, a box or 100 online. In fact in Ukraine, Valentyna’s biggest order was for 140,000.
“Companies can put logos on them or people can use then as business cards, with QR codes that can be scanned.
“We already have sign-off that these have a shelf life of three months and we’re currently awaiting a decision from the lab on six months.
“They’re tasty, they look fantastic and they don’t need any kind of special storage so they’re easy to order and keep for when they’re needed.
“We can make these with a traditional sugar biscuit, but we’ve found our Ukrainian recipe is also very popular with English customers.
“This is a honey biscuit with a touch of spice – cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger – but it’s delicate. It’s soft and mild. We use honey and spices not only for taste, but also it ensures a long shelf life.
“Children love them and we did some samples for people when we launched it.
“We’ve had amazing feedback on the new recipe – the cookies themselves are soft, while the icing is quite crunchy, which is a special texture in the mouth.
“The spice is there, but it’s not a crazy, strong taste.”
The bakery produces a range of cakes and other sweet treats
building up the business
Despite the years of experience behind it, as a startup, Payava faces the tough trading conditions experienced by new businesses.
“In Ukraine, we’d been established for more than 10 years,” said Valentyna.
“Here we’ve been open for six months so it’s tough.
“We’ve been knocking on doors but it’s hard to get clients because we’re still a new business, although we have been very successful within the Ukranian community.
“We never planned any of this, but we’ve had to adapt and we’re ready.
“Before all this, I was looking at expanding into Europe and I would love the business to grow here, to take on more employees and to make that happen.”
It’s perhaps that resilient drive that shines through here. Valentyna and the team seem clear.
It’s not enough for Payava to simply exist – it needs to thrive too, which explains the bakery’s plans to further use its space for cookery classes, children’s parties and to introduce a small shop so customers can order its more perishable goods through the likes of Uber Eats.
While it’s not born of a situation of the owners’ choosing, Expressway could well end up being the starting point for sweet success.
And if that involves the likes of Olesia’s honey cake, richly layered with plums and cream, becoming a more common sight on British tables, then it’s only to be welcomed.
this article features translation from Natasha Hart of NASSA
key details: Payava
Payava sells a wide range of baked goods from its Royal Docks base at Expressway including bespoke printed biscuits, cakes, cookies, brownies and desserts online.
The bakery is open weekdays from 9am-6pm and from 11am-6pm.
Contact via WhatsApp to +44 7443 440 137 or email info@payava.co.uk for enquiries.
Care and honesty sit at the heart of Kelsey Bailey’s business – something that should come as little surprise given her career.
Born and raised in Poplar, she spent nearly a decade and a half as an NHS nurse much of it on the Royal London Hospital’s Acute Assessment Unit ward in Whitechapel.
“AAU is chaotic,” she said. “It’s where patients go while we figure out what we’re going to do with them – where they will be sent for further treatment.
“It’s a stressful environment and staff often don’t last long there, but I loved it. I was there for nine years.
“I had two kids during that time and it got to the point where I needed to start thinking about what I was going to do because of the long hours and the shift patterns.
“I moved into practice nursing in 2019 at Aberfeldy Village and went from being on my feet all day to sitting in an office.
“That felt more like organised chaos, but I had this feeling the whole time that I wanted to do something.”
KB Aesthetics London started as a side hustle in 2022, with Kelsey offering medical grade beauty treatments in rooms rented through other salons.
“It was all word-of-mouth, but I could feel the momentum,” she said.
“My husband, Ricky, could see I had some energy built up inside me that I needed to get out – I really wanted to try something.
“I knew it would be a risk and it took about six months to make the decision to leave nursing. What if it didn’t work?
“I wouldn’t have that security blanket any more. I felt conflicted, but I needed to take the risk – if I didn’t try, I’d never know.”
Kelsey’s clinic offers a full range of services from premises on South Quay – image KB Aesthetics London
taking KB Aesthetics London to the next level
Kelsey took the plunge and built her dream – a facility with multiple treatment rooms on South Quay, just over the dock from Canary Wharf.
With help from Ricky, it’s a space she’s filled with soft brushed gold, warm whites and neutral tones, drawing on her passion for design and, of course, aesthetics.
“I wanted a calm environment – coming to a clinic like this can be nerve-racking and I just wanted everything to be chilled,” said Kelsey, who lives on the Isle Of Dogs.
“I’m very relaxed in my approach and I wanted everyone to be comfortable so they are happy telling me the truth about themselves rather than telling me what they think I want to hear.
“I’ve always liked looking after people. For every single person who comes through the door, we do a free consultation, which includes a skin scan.
“It may be that their skin is actually really good and they just need some retinal rather than Botox. We always talk about a journey.
“It’s important not to pay too much attention to one thing.
“For example, a woman in her 30s might see a line and focus entirely on that.
“But if she treats her skin as a whole with a really solid regime, the individual line might well not bother her any more.
“It’s about setting the bar lower in terms of what and how much you want to do.
“The trick with having aesthetic treatments is a light touch, which is a skill in itself. If someone has had Botox, they shouldn’t look as though they have.
“People should just be saying that they look well.
“I want people to understand that it’s not scary when you age.
“You might look in the mirror and see things that start to bother you, but it’s all right. It’s not about just getting loads of fillers.
“You can’t stop ageing, but there are things we can to do to make you feel better about yourself and those don’t have to cost a fortune and they don’t need to be invasive.
“Sometimes, if someone has a good skincare regime, all they need is the reassurance to carry on doing what they’re doing and some advice.
“Wherever possible, the natural side is the way to go.
“Our approach is holistic. I’ve known a lot of my clients for a long time.
“We’re really trying to do something different in the industry.”
Kelsey and husband Ricky have worked together to decorate the space
forging a team
Joining Kelsey on that mission are Louise Mitchell, R-Marni Aguilar and Trudi Gibson who bring a wealth of experience to the clinic.
Having grown the business largely through word-of-mouth, the plan is now to make a bigger splash and build on that solid foundation.
“It’s really down to my clients that I’ve come this far,” said Kelsey. “They’re the ones who helped give me the confidence to take that risk.
“Since we’ve put up our signs, people now know we’re here and it feels great. I’ve trained the other three on the team and we’ve really grown together.
“Before this I’d never owned a business – I’m a nurse – and starting a company on your own as a woman can be difficult.
“I wanted to do it with people who get me and that’s made it enjoyable for all of us.
“That connection means we all put more in for each other.
“As a business, we’re a bit more relaxed and that’s good for the team and clients.
“People often say it’s like a spa when they come here, which it is, but it’s built on a strong medical foundation.
“The aesthetics industry is not regulated at the moment and I always make sure people know about our medical training and the standards we set.
“Our approach is about keeping people safe – we always start with the client.
“First of all, my advice is to not spend money on things that aren’t bothering you.
“It would be wrong for me to find stuff you should be bothered about – it should never be about what I think a person needs.
“Often, following a good skincare routine will yield the best results.
“There may then come a day when you need something sorted out and then we can look at treatments and options. Then it’s about your needs.
“It’s important to keep up with what’s happening in the industry.
Kelsey wanted to create a calm, welcoming environment for her clients
“We’re not a clinic that’s machine-led – in this business it’s definitely possible to get too much stuff.
“I currently have one skincare machine – the Sofwave – which I’ve been working with for a couple of years and is non-invasive.
“I regularly attend conferences to see what’s out there and listen to the evidence and the claims.
“But for me it’s equally important to talk to people in the industry to find out what they actually do in practice.
“My clients are real people with busy lives. They don’t want there to be down time after they come for an appointment.”
Kelsey said running her own business full-time had been an opportunity for personal growth, alongside professional expansion.
“It’s been life-changing,” she said. “I never thought I’d have my own business and it’s an emotional roller-coaster.
“You have to have stamina, but I love it.
“I remember going to Canary Wharf as a kid – it’s so different now – but I really feel a part of it now and I almost can’t believe that.
“With all my family here and having grown up in the area, I feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds.”
key details: KB Aesthetics London
KB Aesthetics is located at Parker House in Admirals Way on South Quay at the top of the Isle Of Dogs.
The clinic’s full range of services is available online.
“It was quite random that I came to London – I just stuck a pin in a map, although I did have friends here too,” said Wayne Zukauskas.
Originally from Lithuania, the east London resident had spent 11 years playing professional basketball before a back injury prompted a change in career.
“The doctors said I had to stop – I could have continued my journey as a basketball coach but I wasn’t really interested if I wasn’t playing,” said Wayne.
“So I took a break for a year and three things came into my mind. Either to be a chef, a hairdresser or a DJ – I decided to try training as a stylist.
“Everyone, my friends and family, were shocked. I liked to do my own hair, but there wasn’t any particular reason for choosing that path – I just felt I wanted to do it.
“I studied for around 12 months, which was intense – you pay more money on a course that length, but it’s way quicker than going to college.
“Then I worked a little bit before moving London – it was the right place because I wanted to learn the language – then everything started to happen career-wise.
“Within a month or two, I was working – first in Notting Hill for a small independent salon and then for a bigger brand in London Bridge. I learnt a lot.
“My English got a lot better and I spent around five years there.”
But Wayne began to think about the future and, bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, he started to do some research.
“I was getting very interested in the business side of things – reading books and talking to people to find out how it all worked,” he said.
“Then, once I started getting interested in that, I began looking for opportunities.
“There was the chance to manage three salons in Zurich, but, at the last minute, I decided not to go to Switzerland.
“Instead I teamed up with a business partner here and we ran salons in Royal Wharf and Limehouse for nine years.
“When my daughter was born, I decided it was time for a break because I wanted to be there for her and running a business can be stressful.
“As a family, we had a really nice year and a half, travelled a lot with the baby – even though she won’t remember all the places she’s been.
“But I’m someone who needs challenges so we came back to London. I began talking to Canary Wharf Group about 8 Harbord Square.
“I knew it was coming – I’ve always lived in east London – in Westferry, Limehouse, next to City Airport and now close to Excel – so I’m always around Canary Wharf.”
Wayne Hairdresser Salon is set to open its doors at 8 Harbord Square in March 2025 – image Jon Massey
a new chapter: Wayne Hairdresser Salon
This brings us to the start of a new chapter for Wayne, as owner of one of the independent businesses that’s set to launch in Wood Wharf in the coming weeks and months.
“My idea was to create a boutique salon for this lovely area,” said Wayne.
“It will blend in with the New York style of 8 Harbord Square, with a modern look.
“We will have a dark brown, red and white colour scheme complete with a coffee bar inspired by a traditional British telephone box.
“In the future we’ll look at putting in a kids play area to keep them entertained while parents get their hair styled.
“We’ll be offering cuts for young ones too, which not every salon likes to do, but we love it.
“We’re expecting regular haircuts to be popular, as well as colour treatments such as highlights, balayage and ombre.
“I already have a client base in the area and we think we’ll mostly be serving the residential population, although workers in Canary Wharf and visitors to the area will be very welcome too.
“This will be a place that offers a luxury atmosphere and an experience to match – somewhere people will really enjoy coming.”
In fact, the salon will offer a comprehensive range of treatments and services drawing on Wayne’s 15 years in the business.
Brands the salon will be working with include Oribe, Goldwell and K18.
Wayne said: “I’ve recruited a really experienced team to deliver these services with a boutique feel.
“It’s all about quality rather than quantity. If a customer comes through the door, it has to be a good service and then, if they live locally, they will keep coming back.
“I’ve learnt a lot from my years running a business.
“With this opening, I want to take things easy, start slowly and see what happens. I hope the business will grow steadily and the team will expand.
“Then, perhaps, I’ll open more salons but we’ll see.
“What I’ve learned from running businesses is that it’s challenging and it can be an unhealthy balance.
“Before, one of my salons was very large whereas this will be more boutique – somewhere that people will feel relaxed coming to and enjoying at a slower pace.
“The plan when I first came to London was only to stay for a few years – but I’m still here because the journey is going the way I wanted it to.
“I always had the idea to move somewhere hot with a beach, but you can always go on holidays.
“In the end, wherever I go with my wife, we always end up missing London. It’s where my daughter was born and she will grow up here.
“Opening a business in Canary Wharf feels great. The look of the buildings and the people that live around here are the right fit for what I’m trying to do.”
8 Harbord Square is set to welcome several independent businesses in the near future including florist and gift shop The Flower Club and nail salon Awe London.
Drawn from east London, Canary Wharf Group is supporting them as they launch on the ground floor of the residential tower.
key details: Wayne Hairdresser Salon
Wayne Hairdresser Salon is set to open its doors on March 15, 2025, at 8 Harbord Square.
“When I was a lot younger, I had an obsession with Canary Wharf,” said Kamden Monplaisir.
“Aged nine, my mum brought me to the estate, because she’d noticed I had a major interest in numbers, money and counting – maths was always my strongest subject in school.
“I was inspired by the suits and the culture – it felt like a different world when you stepped into it.
Soon she’s set to expand her operation to 8 Harbord Square in Wood Wharf as one of a cohort of independent business launching in its commercial units over the coming weeks and months.
“When I was starting out, I used to work at Aquascutum in Canary Wharf, but the company went into administration,” she said.
“That’s when I moved on to Burberry.
I have a degree in international finance and I was working for their corporate finance division.
“After pursuing that for about five years, I decided I wanted to start my own business – The Esther Academy – an organisation working with young women to support, inspire and nurture them in their future endeavours.
“That continued until the pandemic hit and business died down. I already had other things going on creativity-wise and I started Awe London in 2019.
“I’m also a mum and about to be again, which is a big pride and joy of mine and just as important as my entrepreneurial life.”
The business Kamden’s running now was born out of need – a desire to offer a better service than what she’d experienced.
“I’ve always been obsessed with getting my nails done,” she said.
“But I felt disappointed by the salons I was going to compared with my expectations.
“I’d visited businesses in the West End – the prices were three times as much, but it was a different atmosphere and I wondered why that couldn’t be available in other places.
“When you go to a spa, you want to experience that ‘wow’ moment, but many nails salons in the UK were just about getting in and getting out – I wanted to change that.
“Our first branch was in South Woodford and we were there for about four years.
“It was a beautiful community to work in as a residential area.
“Then my ambitious side set me wondering how I was going to grow this business more, which had been quite difficult in such a small area.
“We were popular on social media and I noticed that a lot of my clients were coming from London for our services, so I packed up and moved to Shoreditch.
“It was a tough decision because I knew we’d lose some clients but it was a great move and many of our customers travel in to see us there.
“The new location gave us more exposure and we were able to cater for tourists, commuters and residents.
“There was a much bigger footfall and more of a lively vibe and we’ve achieved what we wanted to, which is amazing.”
As thoughts of further expansion emerged, the stars aligned to bring Kamden’s twin obsessions – Canary Wharf and creative nails – together.
It made the decision to say yes to Canary Wharf Group’s team an easy one.
“I was contacted by them while they were looking out for small east London businesses that might be interested in a second location,” she said.
“It came at the perfect time.
“I’d built the team and the infrastructure and I had just started thinking about growth and that suggestion really tapped into my love for the Wharf.
“When I was considering areas, Canary Wharf had always seemed like a dream – when I walked through the malls, I always thought it would be great to be here.
“Then, this new opportunity at 8 Harbord Square made that a bit more attainable so I pursued the opportunity and around seven months later we had the keys.”
8 Harbord Square is set to be home to a collection of independent businesses including Awe London – image by Jon Massey
the difference at Awe London
For Kamden and her team, success is all built on the customers experience – the key reason her clients keep coming back to indulge in Awe London’s extensive range of services.
“It’s about the care you get from our people,” said Kamden.
“If you come to us we’ll always aim to brighten up your day.
“At Canary Wharf, clients will come to Awe London, feel relaxed and enjoy lovely beverages – getting your nails done should never feel like a chore.
“Some customers get a treatment because they need to look their best for an event or to maintain their appearance, but here we also want them to enjoy the process.
“It is a luxury and we want people to feel they are having a good time while they are with us.
“One of the things I’ve fallen in love with about Canary Wharf as it has changed is the community aspect to the estate.
“There are opportunities to network and to meet loads of people. We’re offering a service, of course, but we also want to build our client base.
“In our businesses, we have the opportunity to build a rapport with our customers and learn about their lives.
“In some cases we see them going from their first job, the next step in their career, marriage, a new house and beyond.
“That’s really lovely.
“I’m so excited for the future and what can come from this opening.
“The exposure we got from Shoreditch was good, but this will be a new level of opportunity for us.
“This kind of project to support small businesses is unusual.
“It’s tough for small companies to break through but being in an area alongside big brands and having the chance is great and I’m so grateful for it.
“We’re really looking forward to opening.”
While Awe London’s Canary Wharf branch will be an extension of Kamden’s brand, she said the new nail salon had been designed to have its own personality to reflect the area it would be operating in.
“I like each salon to look like and represent a bit of the place it’s in, so none of them are exactly the same,” she said.
“You’ll know it’s an Awe London salon, but I wanted the contemporary feel of Harbord Square to be present when people walk in.
“I saw the brickwork, the appearance of the apartments upstairs and thought: ‘this is me – modern, contemporary, with an industrial feel, but also with a bit of plush velvet, beautiful smells, flowers and the feminine touch.”
As for further expansion, Kamden has big plans and a model she feels is ready to grow.
“There can be a bit of apprehension when you expand – we’ll have double the number of staff with this opening, but I’m not afraid,” she said.
“We’ve built really strong infrastructure in the business and I’m excited to work with new people.
“Running businesses isn’t how I thought it would be at all.
“I hoped I’d become rich, go on holiday every other month – all glitz and glamour.
“I didn’t understand the magnitude of it or the hard work you need to do.
“But I’ve got a great support system in place, a great family and I’m a woman of faith.
“That all helps manage the stress.
“I take time out for myself – you have to believe in balance if you don’t want it to completely take over your life.
“If I could go back with some advice I’d tell myself to relax – to remember that I was built to do this and that I can get over any hurdle that comes my way and to have faith that the plans I’ve made will work out.
“In the future, I’d love to expand Awe London globally and partner up with people all over the world. You have to have passion to grow a boutique nail salon.
