South-East London Archives - Page 3 of 9

February 11, 2025February 11, 2025

Pirates exhibition in Greenwich will dispel myths and reveal realities

National Maritime Museum is set to host a major examination of buccaneer life both fictional and historic from March 29, 2025

Detail from The Bombardment Of Algiers by George Chambers - image by National Maritime Museum — Detail from The Bombardment Of Algiers by George Chambers – image by National Maritime Museum

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I loved The Great Piratical Rumbustification by New Zealand author Margaret Mahy and illustrator Quentin Blake as a kid.

The tale of retired pirate-turned-babysitter Orpheus Clinker, who descends on the unsuspecting Terrapin family with his mates for a riotous party, is clever, funny outlandish and overblown.

In some senses it’s a good metaphor for the whole topic of piracy.

We love the hyperbole in it.

Disney’s to blame, of course, for casting alcoholic rake Robert Newton to gurn his way through Treasure Island as the gravelly-voiced, one-legged Long John Silver in 1950.

It was such a popular turn he wound up getting the starring role in Blackbeard The Pirate in the film of the same name, before returning as Long John for another movie in 1952 and a miniseries.

Then you have the fierce passion and dashing acrobatic brilliance of Burt Lancaster in The Crimson Pirate, also in ‘52.

More recently there’s been the entertainment giant’s lucrative decision to employ a Keith Richards impersonator to carry a lacklustre franchise based on a theme park ride to financial success.

These glamorous portrayals are unsurprising.

Pirates have long been drawn as swashbuckling adventurers associated with lush islands, flamboyant dress and buried treasure.

But what’s the truth?

John Ryan’s cartoon Captain Pugwash first appeared in print in 1957 after 12 rejections - image by
Isabel Ryan / Estate of John Ryan — John Ryan’s cartoon Captain Pugwash first appeared in print in 1957 after 12 rejections – image by
Isabel Ryan / Estate of John Ryan

the reality of Pirates

That’s the question asked by a new major exhibition at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich.

Pirates promises to “deconstruct these myths and illuminate the realities” of life for the likes of Edward “Blackbeard” Teach, Anne Bonny, Mary Read and William Kidd – who ended his days at Execution Dock in Wapping and is immortalised in the name of a pub on the Thames.

Taking in stories from across the globe, the exhibition will look to the Caribbean and beyond with tales from the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean and the coast of North Africa.

Visitors will be able to see nearly 200 objects including loans from the National Archives, V&A and BFI.

The exhibition will be presented in sections with the first looking at the image of pirates in fiction and considering the impact of characters such as Captain Hook and Captain Jack Sparrow as well as Long John Silver.

This includes original illustrations from hapless cartoon pirate Captain Pugwash, by artist and writer John Ryan, who began life in a comic strip before starring in a children’s TV show.

Detail from Davy Jones’s Locker by William Lionel Wyllie – image by National Maritime Museum

dispelling the fiction

“Real Pirates” will go on to investigate tales of specific outlaws and their exploits on the high seas, inspired by A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson first published in 1724 as the golden age of piracy came to an end.

Then visitors will see “Global Pirates” with objects selected to showcase piracy around the world including the story of Chinese captain Shap Ng-tsai who was active in the mid-19th century.

Eventually Shap’s fleet of 27 junks was destroyed in a joint action by an Anglo-Chinese squadron under Captain John Charles Dalrymple Hay and Major General Hwáng in 1849.

There’s also a focus on Barbary piracy and the Bombardment Of Algiers in 1816, when a British-Dutch force attacked the city in an attempt to resolve the problem of naval crime in North Africa.

The action resulted in the release of 3,000 Christian captives, but came at a cost, as it was more deadly than the Battle Of Trafalgar.

While the exhibition might not rise to heights of a rumbustification, nor the need to pore through a dictionary to see which words are made up, it nevertheless promises to be a blockbuster.

Apt then that Orlando Bloom’s costume from the first Pirates Of The Caribbean flick will be on show.

The first edition of Treasure Island, which came out in 1883, featured a treasure map drawn by author Robert Louis Stevenson - image by National Maritime Museum — The first edition of Treasure Island, which came out in 1883, featured a treasure map drawn by author Robert Louis Stevenson – image by National Maritime Museum

key details: Pirates at the National Maritime Museum

Pirates is set to open at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich on March 29, 2025, and will run until January 4, 2026.

Adult tickets cost £15 and £7.50 for children. Entry for Royal Museums Greenwich members is free.

The exhibition is recommended for those aged 10+.

Find out more about the exhibition here

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January 24, 2025January 24, 2025

Greenwich Peninsula set for day of Lunar New Year celebrations

Events to mark Year Of The Snake include dragon and lion dances, craft workshops and plenty of street food from noon-4pm on February 1

Lunar New Year celebrations will come to Greenwich Peninsula on February 1, 2025

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Greenwich Peninsula is set for a day of events to mark the arrival of the Year Of The Snake on February 1, 2025.

Celebrations for Lunar New Year will run from noon-4pm with a host of free and paid-for activities scheduled.

Those attending can expect workshops, cultural performances, a paper lantern installation and dishes from Asian street food vendors in addition to offerings from Canteen Food Hall And Bar.

“We’re excited to see Greenwich Peninsula once again transform into a hub of celebration for Lunar New Year,” said Greewnich Peninsula director, Laura Flanagan.

“Our riverside neighbourhood is the perfect destination to experience art and creativity, and this year’s programme has something for everyone.

“With themes of connection, prosperity and renewal, we’re delighted to collaborate with so many talented performers, artists and experts to bring these experiences to life.”

Highlights on the programme include the return of the traditional dragon that will once again weave its way through the area as well as lion dance performances – new for 2025.

Through acrobatics, puppetry and rhythmic drumming, these spectacles aim to chase away bad fortune and welcome good luck for the year ahead.

A range of workshops and activities will be on offer

celebrating on the Peninsula

“Greenwich Peninsula boasts an unrivalled offer for anyone looking for a London less ordinary,” said Visit Greenwich chief executive, Barrie Kelly.

“Its Lunar New Year festival is just one of the brilliant cultural offerings enjoyable year-round, bringing community together through creativity.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with them and can’t wait to get involved with all the amazing events on offer.”

The area’s Lunar New Year programme is part-funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by the Greenwich Council and the Mayor Of London and in partnership with Visit Greenwich.

Activities will include workshops from Yi Crafts, offering visitors the opportunity to try bamboo weaving, Chinese knot-making, woodblock printing and paper cutting.

There will also be an opportunity to learn or master Mahjong, guided by experts from Dear Asia language school.

Its free sessions at Bureau in Design District will also cover the game’s history and explore various strategies available to players.

Greenwich Peninsula is easily accessed from across east and south-east London thanks to North Greenwich Tube station, the London Cable Car and the Uber Boat By Thames Clippers river bus service.

The area boasts a wealth of attractions including the diverse architecture and creative businesses of Design District, the restaurants, shops and venues in The O2 and plentiful parks.

Visitors will find plenty of places for refreshment and entertainment including the independent street food traders at Canteen, Firepit Art Gallery And Studios and Oxygen Active Play and Hollywood Bowl at The O2 for kids.

There’s even the opportunity to try indoor skydiving with iFly’s 170mph vertical wind tunnel, for those seeking a thrill on their trip to the area.

Visitors will be able to try woodblock printing at Greenwich Peninsula

activities for Lunar New Year at Greenwich Peninsula

As Lunar New Year approaches, here’s a run down of Greenwich Peninsula’s activities and attractions on February 1, 2025, so you can plan your visit and avoid missing out…

>> when? Noon

Brut Tea Tasting – £5

Join Brut Tea founders Joyce and Raphael for an intimate tea-tasting session showcasing four blends from the company. Book online for this session at Design District’s Salon

>> when? Noon, 12.30pm, 1pm, 1.30pm

Chinese Knot-Making – £6

Yi Crafts will welcome visitor’s to Design District’s D4 building for a series of 30-minute interactive workshops exploring this intricate art form. Participants will create decorative ornaments. Pre-book online.

Dear Asia will be hosting two sessions of Mahjong

>> when? 12.30pm, 2.45pm

Play Mahjong – FREE (book)

Dear Asia will lead two 90-minute sessions where participants will play and learn about this ancient game. Ideal for beginners. Book a spot in advance for a game at Design District’s Bureau restaurant.

>> when? 1.30pm, 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm

Paper Cutting – FREE (book)

Take half an hour to immerse yourself in the delicate and festive art of paper cutting with Yi Crafts workshops. Participants will create decorative pieces during the sessions. Book ahead.

>> when? 1.30pm, 2.15pm, 3pm

Lion Dance – FREE

Perhaps the heart of the celebrations will be a pair of dances performed one after the other in Peninsula Square. First up, a dynamic lion dance will chase away bad fortune with vibrant costumes and powerful drumbeats.

>> when? 1.45pm, 2.15pm, 3.15pm

Dragon Dance – FREE

After the three lion dances, a traditional dragon dance will follow with the creature winding its way through the crowds under the careful guidance of the performers. The dragon is said to bring luck, prosperity and renewal for the year ahead.

There will be lots to see and do to welcome the Year Of The Snake

>> when? 2pm, 3pm

Bamboo Coaster Weaving – £10

These two workshops by Yi Crafts will see participants discover the techniques behind this traditional practice. Participants will use sustainably sourced bamboo strips to make their own coaster. The hour-long workshops, at Design District building D4, should be booked in advance.

>> when? 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm, 3.30pm

Woodblock Printing – FREE (book)

Also run by Yi Crafts at D4, these half-hour sessions are intended for those seeking “a creative and meaningful” Lunar New Year experience with those taking part learning traditional techniques to create their own printed works.

key details: Lunar New Year at Greenwich Peninsula

Lunar New Year celebrations at Greenwich Peninsula are set to take place on February 1, 2025, from noon-4pm.

While much of the festival is free to attend, some activities require pre-booking, while others are paid.

Find out more about the activities here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

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January 8, 2025January 8, 2025

In The Dark offers live listening with a twist at London music gigs

Founder and artistic director Andrea Cockerton on bringing performances to Cutty Sark, Trinity Buoy Wharf and St Bartholomew The Great

In The Dark founder and director, Andrea Cockerton

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In one important sense, or lack of it, In The Dark is a tough sell.

That’s because, despite positively fizzing with enthusiasm for the project, founder and director Andrea Cockerton can’t talk much about the actual content of its forthcoming performances in anything other than general terms.

To do so, would be to shatter the secrecy and ruin the experience.

What she can tell me is the basics.

In The Dark aims to do for music, what celebrated pitch black dining experience Dans Le Noir has been doing for food since the early noughties in Clerkenwell.

Audiences don eye masks for the hour-long performances without knowing what music they will hear – both measures that are intended to intensify the listening experience.

“In a way, watching people performing is a distraction,” said Andrea.

“You’re looking at them, at the other audience members, perhaps checking the time.

“I wondered what would happen if you took that away?

“When you can see, you’re processing a great deal of visual information.

“But, with sound surrounding you in the dark, your brain does all kinds of different things.”

Performers play in the dark, with audience members wearing eye masks to minimise distraction

the origins of In The Dark

Andrea, a pianist, composer, and arts entrepreneur, developed the idea initially for large-scale musical collective

We Are Sound, a group she founded in Cambridge that puts on “gloriously chaotic” gigs featuring more than 120 amateur performers.

“We’d done quite a few shows in London at Scala, Union Chapel, Bush Hall and loads in Cambridge,” she said.

“It was with that group that I was trying to think about what else we could do.

“So I told them we were going to do some shows in darkness.

“The idea was that it would be a really great experience both for learning music and for performing.

“I put the tickets on sale and they sold out within half an hour. We added extra shows and they just kept selling.

“Each performance was about 30 minutes and the feedback was phenomenal. Normally, with music you don’t get much but it came flowing back to us.

“People were saying it was the most extraordinary experience, that they would never forget it.

“Audiences found it profoundly moving.”

In The Dark's 2025 season includes dates under the hull of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich — In The Dark’s 2025 season includes dates under the hull of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich

pushing forward In The Dark

Just as Andrea, who studied music at Cambridge before spending time in the world of business, and the project was getting into its stride, the pandemic arrived and upset things.

“I knew by our final performance that I wanted to try In The Dark with professional musicians because I thought it had the potential for a wider run, perhaps in the West End,” she said.

“It’s taken five years for two reasons.

“Firstly, I was very sick with Covid and Long Covid and secondly I was diagnosed with cancer.

“I’m OK now and I’m back up to full speed – I felt this needed to happen and I’ve never been someone who doesn’t follow my dreams.

“So then it was a case of finding some venues and a group of musicians.”

In The Dark, featuring Andrea’s Hush Collective, is set for a run of performances at St Bartholomew The Great in Smithfield, Trinity Buoy Wharf in Leamouth and a couple of shows under the hull of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich in celebration of Burns Night.

But why seek out characterful venues at all, if audiences can’t even see them?

“While the shows differ slightly in format depending on the venue, what’s common to all of them is that they are in beautiful buildings, beautiful settings,” said Andrea.

“People have a little bit of time to enjoy that before sitting down.

“It’s a calm, slightly visceral atmosphere.

“People are given masks and they put them on before the show begins.

“The acoustics are an important factor in the choice of venue too – it’s 99% unplugged so you need some kind of resonance.

“While the audience don’t see the performers, there’s quite a lot of movement too, which changes the sound and the experience for the listeners, so we need space for that to happen.

“There are no monitors, no metronome clicks for the musicians, no conductor – nothing – and that’s both risky and extraordinary for the performers.

“It’s all done through rehearsal – the players have to know the material well enough so they know exactly what’s going to happen and when.

“As an audience member you’re not seeing how you respond, and as a performer you’re not seeing how you perform – there’s this fantastic freedom and that’s why people have responded to it so well.

“It really is magical, I’d listen to a performance like this every night if I could.”

Audiences cannot see the musicians who are playing for them at an In The Dark performance

revealed at the end

Audiences only see members of the Hush Collective at the end of the performance, when details of the programme are also revealed.

Without endangering those precious secrets, we can at least say there might be elements of ambient, Scandi, nu-folk and experimental music with hints of electronic and classical thrown in for good measure.

Beyond the music itself, there’s another dimension to In The Dark, which Andrea hopes to develop and grow beyond this run of performances.

“If this goes well in London, the aim is to take it into Europe, especially the Scandinavian countries,” she said.

“Part of our ethos is to pay our musicians fairly – we want to do things right for people working on the project.

“Some years ago I set up The Dosoco Foundation to support music related projects and we’ve given out about £20,000 over the years to a variety of initiatives.

“We’ll be giving 5% of the profits from In The Dark to that organisation to help fund it.”

key details: In The Dark

In The Dark performances in east London are set to take place at St Bartholomew The Great in Smithfield on various dates and times from January 16, 2025, and at The Chain Store at Trinity Buoy Wharf in Leamouth from March 20.

Tickets start at £35.

The Cutty Sark will host two shows on January 25, 2025, at 7.15pm and 9.15pm.

Standard tickets for these cost £40.

Performances are suitable for ages eight and up.

Find out more about the concerts here

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December 16, 2024December 16, 2024

Gareth Gardner Gallery showcases architecture images in Deptford

How Gareth Gardner went from journalist to photographer and gallery owner in south-east London while searching for storage space

Gareth Gardner, photographer and architectural photography gallerist — Gareth Gardner a photographer and architectural photography gallerist

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A little like the exhibition space he runs in south-east London, there’s an upbeat openness about Gareth Gardner.

Originally from Warwick, he studied civil engineering in Southampton before taking a job as a journalist and moving to the Isle Of Dogs back in 1995.

“Mudchute was my first experience of living in London,” he said.

“I was working on New Civil Engineer, a big trade magazine at the time, and it was really good – we had 25 editorial staff, two staff photographers – it was just insane.

“They trained me really well, as they had a policy of employing half civil engineers and half journalists, the idea being that we would cross-fertilise our areas of expertise.”

More media jobs followed, before an opportunity to write one particular feature heralded a change in career.

“I was obsessed with photography from an early age, and I somehow managed to persuade my employer in my last job as a journalist to let me go for a one week course on large format film photography,” he said.

“The piece was about whether architects should be taking their own pictures.

“I loved it and that was it – I decided I was leaving my job and went to the London College Of Printing to study photography.

“That’s what I’ve done ever since. I’ve got a big client base for architectural design now, creating images for magazines and organisations.

“Mostly I photograph cultural institutions, galleries and temporary exhibitions – that sort of thing – and I love all of that.

“I do architectural interiors, getting commissioned by architects and designers to photograph completed projects.

“That might be reportage-style, or an interior that’s hyper-styled to within an inch of its life.

“These different approaches are interesting and enjoyable, I get to meet interesting people and work around the world.

“I quite like the idea that when I turn up to a shoot, I haven’t met the people before and have to make something happen on the day – try to create something to tell the story of their project.

“With my editorial background, I’m looking at the narrative, the story, what they are trying to say, what their marketing objectives are, what they are doing with the photographs.

“It’s quite a niche area of photography and requires specific equipment.”

Boundary Conditions at Gareth Gardner Gallery

the birth of Gareth Gardener Gallery

The latter requires space and that’s really what we’re here to talk about.

Having lived around the capital and in and out of the city, Gareth decided he’d like to move back to south-east London.

Seeking a place for storage and to use as an office, he found Enclave – a clutch of artist-run units in Resolution Way and decided to create something a bit beyond his initial brief.

“Paying large amounts of rent just to store things seemed a bit misguided – but here the whole remit is that you should have some form of public-facing activity going on,” said Gareth.

“I’d had a studio where I was living previously in Acton and needed somewhere to put everything.

“So this made me think that it would be a really good opportunity to do something I love alongside my more commercial work.”

Thus Gareth Gardner Gallery was born – to its owner’s knowledge the only space dedicated to displaying photography of architecture and place in the UK.

“Working frequently in museums, this actually relates to what I do,” said Gareth.

“I’m very interested in how things are curated and designed – I knew I wanted to open a gallery and there’s not another one like it in Britain as far as I can tell.

“It doesn’t show lots of glossy photos of newly-built buildings, – we’re not about flattering architects and developers.

“We try to do things that are an artistic and creative response to architecture and place, that capture the impact of humans on our environment by what we build.

“There’s also an aspect of social documentary too.

“The idea is also to try to make it as accessible to people who wouldn’t normally exhibit as possible.

“Putting on an exhibition can be an incredibly expensive undertaking – printing, framing, hiring the space itself.

“I have this optimised approach.

“We print everything here and we have frames people can use.

“We try to elevate all the stuff we have and try to make it look as high end as possible within the context of trying to keep it affordable.

“Architectural photography is very much the domain of white, middle-class, straight male, so it’s about trying to get different voices in.

“It’s difficult to get different perspectives.

“It’s all about getting new stories told about architecture, especially if there’s local relevance to what we do.”

Close To The Hedge at Gareth Gardener Gallery

from the past to the future

Previous exhibitions have included Boundary Conditions, with photographers capturing images of the Pepys Estate in Deptford, inspired by a series for The Architectural Review half a century ago and Close To The Hedge – an exploration of hedges which garnered national media coverage and that is set to be re-staged in extended form for the Royal Horticultural Society in 2025.

“The gallery is a small space, but we try to make the most out of it,” said Gareth.

“We try to have a lot of extra interpretational material to put the images in context.

“I’m also interested in getting involved in publishing again on a small scale.

“I’ve always enjoyed working on layouts with designers and art directors.

“We try to do four exhibitions a year.

“I also do portfolio reviews and anybody can apply for free to have their work looked at.

“I’ve been lucky to have had a lot of really nice things happen in my career and I think everybody deserves to have their work looked at.

“Some photographers have exhibited here as a result of that process – it’s great to pay it forward and people can buy the work, although we’re not primarily a commercial space.

“I’d love for the gallery to develop further.

“We’re always looking for ideas to reach as many people as possible.”

key details Gareth Gardner Gallery

Gareth Gardner Gallery is located in Deptford’s 50 Resolution Way in Enclave 10.

Further exhibitions will be announced online in due course for 2025.

Find out more about the gallery here

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December 4, 2024December 4, 2024

iFLY At The O2 indoor skydiving is like stepping into another world

How the indoor skydiving attraction on Greenwich Peninsula allows you to fly in 170mph winds

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There exists at The O2 an opportunity to literally step into another world.

Inside iFLY, four massive jet engines – two at the top and two at the bottom – pump air through a vertical cylinder to create winds of around 170mph.

The walls of the chamber might be transparent, but the conditions within are completely different to anything else at ground level.

It’s a place where physics no longer makes sense to one’s body, where extraordinary things are possible. It’s a complete rush for the senses, the mind and the muscles.

Apt then that the concept of indoor skydiving is a paradox.

Obviously it’s not possible to fall out of a plane while in a building.

But iFLY’s facilities offer the next best thing – an opportunity to experience some of the sensations of free fall without the need for an aircraft.

More than that, its flights don’t require parachutes, significant prep or, crucially, the massive time sink and expense of jumping out of actual planes.

There’s also a comparatively tiny risk of death.

Heading down to the Greenwich Peninsula to give it a go, I’m nervous.

It’s not often I’m invited to step out of my comfort zone in quite such a literal sense.

Having signed a waiver and headed up stairs the first thing I see is the wind tunnel itself – a glass tube inside which an instructor is watching a participant apparently defy gravity.

There’s that paradox.

The vertical wind tunnel allows those entering to float on the updraft and perform acrobatics

Even through the soundproofing, the roar of the air is constant.

After a quick safety briefing, during which our instructor reveals he’s a veteran of some 250 actual sky dives, we don helmets, goggles and baggy flight suits – loose to create more drag and make the flying easier.

In contrast our instructor is in a sleek, skin-tight number for maximum control and minimum drag.

It’s his job to stand, impervious to the wind, and guide the paying guests into the air.

Once we’re through the air lock into an antechamber, the noise makes talking impossible. Communication is via hand signals and I’m beckoned forth for my flight.

The directions are clear – flop forward into the wind, legs out and try to relax with outstretched arms.

That’s easier said than done with the relentless buffeting of the wind and the noise.

But there’s a strange feeling of lift and I’m basically hovering when, quite clearly, I should be falling to the floor.

It’s like no other sensation.

Wharf Life’s Jess Maddison takes to the air in iFLY At The O2

The instructor grasps me round the waist to start with and positions me in the rushing air, adjusting my position before gradually releasing me completely.

I’m flying, even if I’m unstable and have no control or ideas about how to manoeuvre.

After what seems like minutes, but is probably seconds of sensory overload, he pushes me back out of the tube and my feet hit the floor.

The adrenaline is surging. I’m euphoric. I understand why people want to go back again and again to taste that strangeness.

At the end, the instructor offers a showcase.

Bobbing up and down in the tube, he effortlessly executes flips and headstands, shooting up and down apparently at will.

It’s breathtaking and a tantalising display of the proficiency that can be achieved in this otherworldly realm.

Wharf Life Verdict: 4/5

key details: iFLY At The O2

iFLY’s current Black Friday 2024 deals mean an entry-level Kick-Start experience costs £32.99 per person.

The normal cost is £109.99. This includes two flights (lasting the equivalent of three real skydives), equipment hire and a flight certificate.

Numerous other packages are available including virtual reality at The O2 facility.

The most popular is currently £43.19 per person and includes photos and videos of four flights. This is normally £149.99.

Find out more about the experience here

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November 4, 2024November 4, 2024

Cockpit Arts Open Studios in Deptford set to welcome visitors

The makers and artists hub will open its doors at the end of November to showcase their work

Visitors will have the chance to buy items and discover their stories at Open Studios — Visitors will have the chance to buy items and discover their stories at Cockpit Arts Open Studios

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BY LAURA ENFIELD

Cockpit Arts in Deptford is set to throw open its doors this winter, to showcase the work of its makers.

Its 2024 Open Studios event offers visitors the chance to meet resident creatives, hear the stories behind the objects they have made and perhaps to do some shopping.

This year, Cockpit Arts will extend its opening hours, with sessions running from 4pm-8pm on November 29 and from noon-6pm on November 30 and December 1.

Visitors will be able to explore the studios where Cockpit – the UK’s only incubator for craft businesses – nurtures makers at the early stages of their careers.

It has more than 175 residents spread over sites in Deptford and Bloomsbury, working in disciplines from fine jewellery and ceramics to woodworking, fashion, textiles and even antiques restoration.

I sat down with Ashley Gerling, Cockpit’s head of marketing and digital, to find out more:

what’s the history of Open Studios?

It’s been running for nearly 15 years, providing collectors and lovers of fine art and crafts the opportunity to visit makers in the studios where they create their incredible work.

what’s new this year?

We’ll be welcoming back several Cockpit alumni who will be exhibiting and selling their work.

We’re also planning a cross-site exhibition of some of our makers’ most exciting new work and are offering half-price admission for local residents.

Cockpit's studios are located at Creekside in Deptford — Cockpit’s studios are located at Creekside in Deptford

what can visitors expect to see?

An authentic look behind the scenes of a working makers’ studio – seeing the spaces where craftspeople work.

They’ll be able to discover pieces in progress and, in Deptford, visit our shared leather, weaving and woodworking hubs where makers have access to specialist equipment and the chance to work at scale and collaborate on new projects.

Open Studios is also a shopping destination, where you can buy pieces direct from makers while learning the stories behind each one.

why is the event important?

Open Studios is important as it not only provides our makers with a chance to connect with collectors, curators, buyers, students, other craftspeople and the public – it’s also a chance for Cockpit to share its work.

Cockpit is the only remaining specialist craft studios in London.

Despite having helped launch the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft, it remains a hidden gem.

Maker Darren Appiagyei shows members of the public some of his creations

are there any new makers?

Ten new makers have joined Cockpit since our last Open Studios, including leatherworkers, weavers, textile designers, basket makers, jewellers and a sculptor specialising in mould making and casting.

who’s your longest-standing maker?

Sally Lees, a jewellery designer and enameller has had a studio at Cockpit for more than 20 years.

Several of our Bloomsbury makers are coming up on their 30-year anniversaries.

which makers are creating a buzz?

Wood sculptor Eleanor Lakelin – a Loewe Craft Prize finalist, whose studio is at Cockpit Arts in Deptford – opened her first solo exhibition in London this summer and was commissioned by The Fine Art Society to create a series of vessels for its Extinction Collection using 875,000 year old wood found at Happisburgh beach.

One of sustainable fashion designer Phoebe English’s dresses was acquired by The Metropolitan Museum Of Art’s Costume Institute this year.

In other news, she recently showed her latest collection, entitled Cloud Cover, at London Fashion Week.

JIhyun Kim’s Salty Fairy Ring series at Cockpit

key details: Cockpit Arts Open Studios

Open Studios is set to run at Cockpit Deptford on November 29 from 4pm-8m and on November 30 and December 1 from noon-6pm.

A three-day pass for the event costs £25. General admission is £10, while visitors can get on the Friday for £5. Children, 16 and under, go free.

Find out more about the event here

Cockpit Arts Deptford: a regenerated facility

Cockpit Arts Deptford has undergone a £3.42million project this year to revitalise the former 1960s council office next to a railway viaduct on Creekside.

It came about after the site was under threat in 2015 from a mixed-use development plan.

Cockpit commissioned Cooke Fawcett to unlock the potential of the premises and the project won the support of Lewisham Council and the Mayor Of London’s Good Growth Fund.

Completed in June, it includes London’s first Craft Garden, a new public entrance and a café.

The garden was designed by Sebastian Cox and features furniture from his first outdoor dining range embedded into a textured landscape intended to emulate Deptford Creekside’s environment.

Plants have been selected for their use in craft processes, including willow, used in basketry, and madder, used in natural dyes.

The new entrance includes artwork Head, Heart, Hand created by Cockpit-based artist and designer Amber Khokhar, in collaboration with the local community.

It celebrates stories and characters from the local area across 1,300 hand-glazed tiles featuring nearly 100 hand-drawn illustrations as well as a series of tiles showcasing more than 40 locally spoken languages.

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

November 4, 2024November 4, 2024

Dick Whittington And His Cat set for Greenwich Theatre panto run

Anthony Spargo returns as writer and villain with a twisted tale of golden fortune in south-east London

Anthony Spargo returns to Greenwich Theatre as writer and villain in its annual pantomime – Dick Whittington And His Cat — Anthony Spargo returns to Greenwich Theatre as writer and villain in its annual pantomime

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Even before his final, rousing performance as the Evil Queen last Christmas, Anthony Spargo had begun grappling with Dick.

The veteran villain will, this year, be in his 11th season as the baddie at Greenwich Theatre’s annual pantomime, having also taken over writing the shows in 2022.

It’s a daunting task, with work beginning on the panto of Christmas future even before the curtain has fallen on the current offering.

“I was writing bits and coming up with ideas for Dick Whittington And His Cat, while we were doing Snow White in 2023,” said Anthony.

“What’s great about that is you’re in the right mindset and the physical space – you can start thinking about what we might do with next year’s story and then ideas spring to mind.

“Uncle Steve is in the dressing room with me and, between shows, we’re able to discuss those ideas and start work.”

Steve Markwick (the aforementioned ‘Uncle’) has been musical director for the annual pantos for the past 19 years and returns, alongside artistic director James Haddrell who, well, directs.

“Every year, the three of us sit down for a tete-a-tete and go through which pantos we’d like to do,” said Anthony.

“I’m already thinking tentatively about what we might do in 2025 and we haven’t even started this one.

“I just love it – creating the shows from the beginning. It’s great fun and it beats working for a living or doing a proper job.

“We get to escape into it for two or three months every year. It’s knackering, but it’s so enjoyable.

“We all have to look after each other and it becomes like a family.

“Acting in one of the longest festive runs does take a physical and mental toll.

“We have to make sure we take our vitamins, not have too many drinks and get our sleep.

“But you get into a routine and it’s lovely.”

Anthony as the Evil Queen in Snow White – this year he'll be King Rat in Dick Whittington And His Cat — Anthony as the Evil Queen in Snow White – this year he’ll be King Rat in Dick Whittington And His Cat

a twist on Dick Whittington And His Cat

While Anthony – who plays supervillain King Rat in the show – is remaining traditionally tight-lipped, audiences can expect a “mind-blowing” cliff hanger at the end of act one that takes the show in a completely different direction in the second half.

“When you start writing a panto, there’s the moral – what it teaches us and all that,” he said.

“Dick Whittington is a rags-to-riches story. Our hero comes to London with his cat to seek his fortune, because he’s penniless.

“Usually things go well and, after a bit of an adventure, he does do well.

“But I’ve always thought that telling kids everything will be OK if you can become rich and famous, isn’t quite right.

“So, I’ve mixed things up a bit.

“Act One is traditional, setting up all the characters and, while Dick does come to London to seek his fame and fortune, he realises that’s not the most important thing in life. It’s friendship and love.

“A person with a handful of friends is rich indeed.

“Instead, in our show, it’s King Rat who goes on the journey to find fame and fortune, but discovers it doesn’t really lead him anywhere – we’ve inverted things a bit.

“It wouldn’t be a Greenwich panto without a twist – last year it was the Seven Dwarves using a B-52 Bomber to melt the Evil Queen’s ice palace with salt from their mine.

“No-one remembers that from the original story.

“Fortunately, James is really cool and when I ask him whether we can do things that are weird and whacky, he usually says: ‘Great, we should do it.’.

“The audiences we get are amazing because no matter how mad we thought it might be when we’re making the show, they go with it, revel in it and that’s just so lovely.

“That gives you so much confidence to be silly and stupid.”

Louise Cielecki, seen here as Mutley in Robin Hood at Greenwich Theatre, will also be in the cast

familiar faces returning

Anthony has also relished writing for some familiar faces, who will return to Greenwich’s stage for the production.

“One of the characters is Tommie The Cat, who’s played by Inés Ruiz, fresh from her role in Beauty And The Beast at the theatre over the summer,” said Anthony.

“She’s Spanish and, while it wasn’t my original intention to have that as the character’s nationality, we’ve incorporated it.

“So now Tommie is Spanish, she’s got castanets and it adds another level to things.

“Louise Cielecki is also back as King Rat’s sidekick Muffy Mouse.

“I know her well now, as she played jester Muddles in Snow White and Mutley in Robin Hood, and it’s lovely to write when you can hear the words in an actor’s voice.

“I’m really looking forward to working with her again.

“I’m also looking forward to my scenes with the dame.

“I can’t tell you the name of the character because it would give too much of what we’re doing today, but we’ve cast a guy called Phil Yarrow in the part, who Uncle Steve knew from another production.

“He’s really good – an affable guy – and, rather than feeling the need to do a stand-up routine in the audition, he was all about the script and the character.

“That fits perfectly with what we do here – first and foremost we’re about story. King Rat has quite a few scenes with him and I’m really looking forward to those too.

“It’s such an intense thing to do, it’s important that we all get on whether it’s the musicians, the cast or the crew.

“Having had such a weird time over the Covid years when we had to pull back on set design and the cast, it’s wonderful to properly be back, following on from last year.

“We’ll be having the revolving stage back again, which we had last year – and that helps really make the show.

“We always get a lovely response from the audience and that was especially true last year for Snow White.

“As for next year, I can’t reveal which show we’ll be doing but we’ve been talking about Peter Pan.

“I’d also love to have a go at Jack And The Beanstalk, which would be great fun and nothing is set in stone.

“Until then, I can’t wait to take on King Rat.”

Anthony Spargo as the Sheriff Of Nottingham in Robin Hood

key details: Dick Whittington And His Cat

Dick Whittington And His Cat is set to run at Greenwich Theatre from November 22, 2024, until January 5, 2025.

Matinee and evening performances are available.

Tickets start at £15.50 with restricted view. Standard tickets start at £32.

Find out more about the production or book tickets here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

October 15, 2024October 15, 2024

London Performance Studios hosts celebration of feminist theatre

Dr Susan Croft has curated Radical Rediscovery: Feminist Theatre In Britain 1969-1992

Associate artist at the London Performance Studios, Dr Susan Croft

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“How important it is to know whose shoulders we are standing on – to appreciate, critique, address and revisit the past – and to realise how much we lose if we don’t,” said Dr Susan Croft, associate artist at the London Performance Studios (LPS) and co-founder of Unfinished Histories, a project dedicated to preserving and celebrating alternative theatre in Britain from the 1960s to the 1990s.

You’ll forgive the lengthy description of Susan’s background.

Placing her, her work and its intent in context, is both vital to understanding the point of LPS’ forthcoming exhibition, and somewhat reflective of the wider project it’s part of.

That exhibition is Radical Rediscovery: Feminist Theatre In Britain 1969-1992, which is set to run at the organisation’s Penarth Centre home in South Bermondsey from November 8, 2024.

For Susan, a performance she saw as a teenager by narrowboat-based touring company Mikron at the Boxmoor Arts Centre in Hemel Hempstead, was the spark that ignited a lifelong passion for alternative theatre.

The exhibition celebrates theatre made by women in the 20th century

something different

“This was different to the plays I’d been taken to such as Shakespeare for English A-Level, which I loved too,” she said.

“It was something else – working class, about building canals with lots of songs.

“That was my first experience but then I started to search for it.

“The other thing I was hunting for at the time were copies of feminist magazine Spare Rib – I’d describe myself as becoming a feminist from pretty early on.

“While I loved theatre, which was very transformative and I felt could be amazing and life-changing, I wondered where the work by women was.

“There wasn’t a lot of it about at the tail end of the 1970s and in the early 80s.

“So that became my mission – to find feminist theatre – which was a large part of the alternative theatre movement.”

As a writer, curator and archivist who has worked in the arts, academia and museums as well as independently, Susan has created an exhibition that aims to highlight women’s contribution to the dramatic arts in the UK.

Featuring organisations such as the Women’s Theatre Group, Monstrous Regiment, Bloomers Siren, Theatre of Black Women, Munirah, Hard Corps, Blood Group and many more, it paints a rich picture of a scene that flew in the face of convention.

A wide range of material will be on show at the London Performance Studios

fighting for access to the arts

“Directors and playwrights were assumed to be male, most roles, especially good ones, were for men, most companies male dominated,” said Susan, whose published work includes She Also Wrote Plays from 2001, which features more than 400 women playwrights going back to the 10th century.

“In 2024 Indhu Rubasingham is at the helm of the National Theatre and women writers and directors are everywhere.

“The change is huge, has been hard-won and should be celebrated.

“But we still need to work to keep hold of the progress we have made and fight to extend parental rights, especially when funding is tight and the arts are disappearing from the state sector.

“We must fight for access to the arts for all women, as makers and as audiences.”

Taking as its starting point the first Women’s Theatre Festival, held in late 1973 at the Almost Free Theatre in Soho, the exhibition charts progress made over the years and honours the campaigns and work of an earlier generation.

Visitors can expect to discover multiple links to east and south-east London including productions at The Albany and the Half Moon Young People’s Theatre.

Alongside the exhibition will be the publication of Radical Rediscoveries – a collection of rare and unpublished scripts with an introduction by Susan – as well as a two-day symposium bringing women theatre-makers together on November 29 and 30, 2024.

“We’ll look at what was gained then and what has been lost – how we can hold onto our history, and learn from the past and how we can explore, share and revisit some of the amazing work that’s been achieved and set an agenda for the future,” said Susan.

“Creating such an exhibition is a huge challenge.

“It’s about the wealth and variety we can show and planting seeds in people’s imaginations – bringing material back to life for them.”

The exhibition is part of a wider project to recognise key moments in alternative theatre

a wider project at London Performance Studios

That, in many ways, is also a distillation of the mission of FYFFI – Fifty Years Of The Fight For Inclusion – the umbrella project under which Radical Rediscoveries sits.

Over three years as part of Susan’s residency at LPS, she’s making use of Unfinished Histories’ extensive archives to mark three key anniversaries in the development of alternative theatre.

With the Women’s Theatre Festival in 1973 kicking things off, the first Gay Theatre Festival in Britain in 1975 and the publication of Naseem Khan’s report The Arts Britain Ignores, by the Commission for Racial Equality in 1976, will follow.

The plan is to research and revisit selected performances and companies relevant to those milestones via readings, workshops, this exhibition, symposium and publication.

“These were massively significant moments, but it’s not just what happened in those years, but all that has happened from them,” said Susan.

“We need to examine what’s happening now, what’s been achieved, what’s not been achieved, so it’s about both what are the priorities these days and how we remember that earlier work.”

The exhibition runs at the London Performance Studios from November 8 to December 1, 2024

key details: London Performance Studios’ exhibition

Radical Rediscovery: Feminist Theatre in Britain 1969-1992 is set to run at the London Performance Studios from November 8 to December 1, 2024, from noon-5pm. Entry is free.

The venue is located at the Penarth Centre on Penarth Street, within walking distance of South Bermondsey railway station and Surrey Quays and Canada Water for Tube and Overground connections.

Find our more about the exhibition here

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

October 7, 2024October 7, 2024

CRA French Bar And Cafe brings rhum arrangé to Deptford

How Faziha Zed and Sam Stewart have created a venue with spirit in south-east London

Faziha Zed and Sam Stewart of CRA French Bar And Cafe in Deptford

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BY LAURA ENFIELD

Harvest time is drawing to a close in England and many of us may have dabbled in picking fruit and foraging nature’s bounty.

We may even have fermented a few things or made some sloe gin.

But for Faziha Zed and Sam Stewart, the business of finding ripe produce is the backbone of their Deptford bar.

From the outside CRA French Bar And Cafe is a pretty unassuming venue, nestled among a row of shops on Deptford Broadway.

But step inside and you will find the UK’s first bar serving homemade rhum arrangé – offering a taste of the exotic in south-east London.

The drink originated in the 18th century in the French West Indies – the parts of France located in the Antilles islands of the Caribbean.

Every drop served up in Deptford is handmade by Faziha based on an old family recipe that she has adapted and refined over the years.

Flavours on offer include pineapple, mango and passionfruit, plum hibiscus, vanilla honey cinnamon, banana, fig and grape, caramelised pear, lychee and summer fruits.

Faziha makes it using fresh-pressed sugar cane juice from Barbados, which has been slowly infused with fruits, herbs and spices.

And finding the different ingredients can be a fickle affair.

Faziha makes Catford Rhum Arrange, right, with sugar cane juice, fruits, herbs and spices

the right ingredients

“Recently, I made one with elderflower and nettle,” said Faziha.

“But you can only pick elderflower in the spring and I only use quality produce.

“So, if I don’t have enough quantity to last through the winter, I will have to wait until next spring to make more.”

The business started – as many do – by happy accident.

“I come from France and have family from Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, and I always used to bring back rhum arrangé when I visited,” said Faziha.

“Every family have their own recipes and think theirs is the best.

“It is a very old drink but is becoming extremely fashionable in France now and you will find it in bars and the supermarkets.

“But during lockdown I obviously couldn’t get any, so I had to make it for myself.”

The Deptford venue has a strong local following

born in Catford

She began in her kitchen in Catford using kilner jars and, when restrictions eased, she took it along to parties and found it was a hit.

“People started to ask us about it and to make orders for some,” said Faziha.

“We weren’t sure at first if the nice things they were saying were true, but then we started selling it in some markets such as Greenwich and it sold out very quickly.”

The couple soon realised they wanted more.

“We started talking a lot about opening a bar when we were sitting in the markets,” said Sam.

“They were great, but can be quite limiting with the amount of money you make and they are only at weekends.

“So we decided we needed a bar in order to continue doing this full time.”

They found a vacant unit in Deptford and renovated it themselves on a shoestring.

Sam, who used to teach at Camberwell College of Arts, handles the day-to-day running of the establishment.

CRA French Bar And Cafe serves a small selection of food

opening CRA French Bar And Cafe

“We wanted to create an intimate space inspired by the small bars of France – a place where people feel welcome and comfortable,” he said.

“Deptford has a very strong community and we feel quite honoured to have been accepted so quickly into it.

“We get a lot of regulars coming in.

“And this area has a long history of rum being imported into the docks so it feels very fitting.”

Customers can enjoy the rhum neat, with a mixer as a cocktail or choose from a menu of Belgian beers, French wines and pastis and a small selection of food.

In the mornings, there is coffee from Drury and viennoiserie from Boulangerie Jade.

For lunch during colder weather, the bar serves homemade vegan soup and a variety of toasties.

In the evenings there is a choice of charcuterie, cheese and vegan and seafood platters designed to complement the drinks menu.

Faziha, who was previously a social worker, has kept her day job in SEN education and makes the rhum in the evenings and weekends.

Today, this takes place at a unit in Catford where the varieties of drink are made in vast containers and refined over months of tasting.

“It is a bit like wine from one year to another, you can use the same recipe but it will never come out the same,” said Faziha.

“We will test after three months and see if something is missing – maybe it needs more vanilla.”

The bar serves a wide range of drinks including Catford Rhum Arrange

a secret recipe

Exactly what goes into the rhum is a closely guarded secret.

Even Sam isn’t permitted access.

“He doesn’t know the recipe and never will – if we get divorced he will still know nothing,” said Faziha.

If she did decide to share the making, because of her day job, the couple would love to employ people with learning difficulties.

But they are undecided about whether to rock the boat by increasing production.

“There’s the potential to upscale, expand and produce and sell that more, “said Sam. “But to do that we’d need a bigger place.

“At the moment what we’re doing is a success and no-one else is doing it.

“Opening another bar would be a lot of hard work.

“So, for now, what we want is to continue to enjoy it.

Faziha added: “We quite like having a small bar. It has its limitations – but do we really want to expand and make more money just for the sake of making more money?

“At the moment we are living our dream, enjoying the moment and following the flow.”

key details: CRA French Bar And Cafe

The bar is open Wed 10am-4pm, Thurs 10am-11.30pm, Fri 10am-12.30am, Sat 10am-12.30am, Sun 11am-10pm.

Find out more about the venue and the drink here

All images by James Perrin

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com

September 11, 2024September 11, 2024

Hamro Maya Nepali street food startup founded on passion

South Bermondsey-based business trades at Canada Water Market, Wapping Docklands Market and Tower Hill Market

Image shows a selection of street food from Hamro Maya on a wooden table in cardboard bowls — Nepali dishes cooked up at Hamro Maya – image James Perrin

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BY LAURA ENFIELD

There is a reason we have so many songs about supporting the one you love – Wind Beneath My Wings, You Lift Me up, Lean On Me. I could go on.

It is because following your dreams can be scary, endlessly exhausting and surprisingly confusing.

Those who succeed almost always have someone cheering them on along the way.

For Laxmi Gurung, that person is her partner Kiyam Lin.

“I’ve always had this passion of having my own restaurant or cooking, but he was my backbone and gave me the confidence to do it,” said the founder of fledgling food startup Hamro Maya.

The business can currently be found at Canada Water Market in Deal Porters Square, every Sunday serving up “under-represented Nepali cuisine”.

“Hamro Maya means ‘our love’ in Nepalese and the business really did start from that, as cheesy as that sounds,” said Laxmi.

Born in Nepal, she moved to the UK with her family aged 12. Kiyam was born in Hong Kong and came here aged two.

The couple, both 31, met in September 2020 and bonded over a “shared passion for food” but were quickly parted again due to the Covid lockdowns.

Love still managed to flourish, however, and Kiyam said it was clear from the start where Laxmi’s future lay.

Image shows Kiyam Lin, left, and Laxmi Gurung of Hamro Maya – a man and woman wearing a grey hoodie and a white top and black apron, respectively — Kiyam Lin, left, and Laxmi Gurung of Hamro Maya – image James Perrin

Hamro Maya – born of a passion for food

“When we first met, I could see she was so passionate about food and suggested she should start a business,” he said.

“But she said: ‘No, I definitely don’t want to’. So, I left it on the back burner.

“But after a while it became really obvious that she really loved making amazing food for all of our friends.

“Every time they came around, she’d make something new and, over time, she realised this was actually a thing that she could really do.

“She’s got the ability, the talent and the passion for it, so I said she should just give it a go.

“Sometimes you need someone else to tell you to just go for it.”

He was also starting his own new chapter, beginning a research fellowship job at UCL in April after studying theoretical physics and completing his PhD.

Laxmi said: “He’s been supporting both of us.

“I left my job in January so I could attend courses and get the business going and I was at the point of breakdown at times.

“I wasn’t sure if I could do it and he’s just been there to support me so well.”

While this encouragement was key, it was that little voice inside Laxmi that finally prompted her to change career.

“I worked in a homeless department at the council and had to talk and listen to people every day about their sorrow – what they’re going through,” she said.

“It made me feel that I am more privileged and also lucky enough to be where I am, just thankful.

“One day I realised I needed to do something about my life.

“I already had what I wanted to do in the back of my head and I just knew I had to make it come true.

“It just hit me that I needed to go ahead and grab that idea and proceed with my passion.”

Hamro Maya trades at three markets in east and south-east London – image James Perrin

from the pans of the father

Her love of making food came from her father, who was previously in the Indian Gurkha army and moved his family to the UK “for a better future”.

“My dad was the main cook of our house,” said Laxmi who grew up in Plumstead.

“Whenever we came home from school or wherever he would be asking: ‘What do you want to eat? What kind of food do you want?’.

“We would pick and he would make it for us.

“He taught us to respect food and what we have been given.”

Laxmi began experimenting with cooking when she went to University in Bath to study biology and business management and then a masters in human resources management.

She went on to work for McDonalds and then Greenwich Council.

Once she decided to leave her office job, she began looking into how to start a business and discovered a free course offered by the Greenwich Co-operative Development Agency (GCDA).

“It was really eye-opening and helped me develop what my aim was, my values,” she said.

“It helped me understand my own business and my own idea better.”

Her menu was developed from home at first, but then she stumbled across Karma Kitchen, which provides space for food production and delivery and has a facility in South Bermondsey where Laxmi lives.

Since July she has been using its shared kitchen space for four days a week to create her dishes, with the aim of transporting customers from the snowy peaks of the Himalayas to the aromatic spices of hillside treats and the bold flavours of the Terai Here.

They include a range of handmade dumplings known as Momo – based on her mum’s recipe – and classics such as chowmein, fried rice and chatpate, inspired by what her dad taught her.

market traders

Hamro Maya launched at The Market Network’s three markets at the start of August – Tower Hill Market, Wapping Docklands Market and Canada Water Market.

Laxmi said the business had quickly become a seven-day job and she was already considering hiring more staff.

“Canada Water is probably the most popular because we have a lot of people from the South Asian community there,” she said.

“But its also been a real pleasure to introduce what Nepali cuisine is to new people.”

Some of her biggest fans are, of course, her parents.

“They’ve been raving about it and bringing their friends and family,” said Laxmi.

“My dad approves my food, but always wants it be more spicy. We do offer our spicy sauce on the side – not everyone can handle it.”

Then there is Kiyam, who had never even tried Nepali cuisine before he met Laxmi.

“Going down to the markets and seeing people paying money for her food and loving it is honestly so crazy,” he said.

“I feel so proud that it’s successful.

“She is flourishing in this new way she’s never done before and it’s amazing.”

key details: Hamro Maya

Hamro Maya is at Tower Hill Market from 11am-3pm on Thursdays, Wapping Docklands Market from 10am-5pm on Saturdays and Canada Water Market from 10am-4pm on Sundays.

Find out more about the business here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

Subscribe to our free Wharf Whispers newsletter here

- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com