LoveEast.58

Nov/Dec 2020 

ISSUE 58 

Free 

The future is 

uncertain...but this 

uncertainty is at the 

very heart of human 

creativity. 

- Ilya Prigogine 

Your East London: People | Food | Culture

At IK Constructions we pride ourselves on the 

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We offer basements, extensions, loft conversions, 

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We are based in Wanstead and cover all of London. 

Get in touch for a free, informal chat about your project. 

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| Your East London: People, Food, Culture 

Hello East London! How's everyone doing? 

What a year it's been, eh? We've got some great features 

to take your mind off of all the chaos though, including 

anniversaries for East Ham's Central Park Cafe and The 

Workshop in Victoria Park Village and an interview with 

the band Maryland Station. 

We also meet the ladies behind BIPOC Bookclub and 

Stephen Gillen, the man behind The Monkey Puzzle Tree. 

In addition to that, we have a feature on zero waste 

shopping with Walthamstow’s Top Up Shop, Some 

London Mural Festival images and, with the holidays 

coming up, Urban Makers provides some local retail 

therapy. 

Sadly, we say goodbye to our fitness guru, Roger Love, 

who has been with us since the E9 days and has been an 

absolute joy to work with. Thanks so much, Roger; we'll 

miss you and we wish you all the very best! 

Our regulars include The Gentle Author, who provides 

a bit of holiday nostalgia, Sean Gubbins with a piece on 

Regent’s Canal and Michele Scarr with some great tips on 

digestion. Sophie Downer provides a great winter recipe 

and we check out Forest Gate's Aromas restaurant. 

Let's say goodbye - and good riddance - to 2020 and look 

forward to what we all hope will be a more positive new 

year. We can make it better by supporting one another. 

After all, we're East London. It's what we do. 

Cheers, 

Kaz 

Inside 

East Life 

4 

8 

12 

Mark Wincott talks music with 

the band Maryland Station 

East Ham's Central Park Cafe is 

2 years old! 

Zero waste shopping: 

Walthamstow's Top Up Shop 

Paper Ships 

14 

BIPOC Bookcase: opening up 

an important conversation 

18 

Meet the man behind The 

Monkey Puzzle Tree 

It's Art, baby, Art 

16 

19 

The Workshop celebrates 45 

years in Victoria Park Village 

Caroline Locher explores the 

London Mural Festival 

Retail Therapy 

10 

Giftspiration: shopping local 

with Urban Makers 

Et Cetera 

22 Michele Scarr on nutrition 

24 The Gentle Author 

26 Sean Gubbins Walks Hackney 

28 Food, glorious food 

Editor 

Karen ‘Kaz’ Ay 

Copy editor 

Yolanda Powell 

Crafted by 

chomp.me.uk 

Printed in East 

London by 

Premier Print Group 

Cover image: Carolyne Locher 

This page: Tod Kavonic 

Contributors 

Carolyne Locher 

James Al-Mudallal 

Mark Wincott 

Michele Scarr 

Sean Gubbins 

Sophie Downer 

The Gentle Author 

Tod Kavonic 

How to get in touch 

E: karen@chomp.me.uk 

T: 07590 609 557 

Socials 

W: loveeast.london 

T: @LoveEastMag 

IG: @loveeastmag 

Advertise with us 

Get in touch to find out how we can promote your 

business; we offer affordable rates and we reach 12,000 

homes across East London. 

LoveEast are media partners with East London Radio and 

Trapped in Zone One and we are a member of the East 

End Trades Guild. 

THE SMALL PRINT 

LoveEast Magazine is produced and published by Chomp 

Creative Limited. While every effort has been made to 

ensure accuracy, we do not accept liability for any errors 

or omissions, nor do we endorse companies, products 

or services that appear in this magazine. ©2020 Chomp 

Creative Limited. All rights reserved. No reproduction can be 

made without permission from Chomp Creative Limited. Be 

kind to the planet; please recycle. 

LOVEEAST Nov/Dec 2020 3

| East life 

Maryland Station chats with Mark Wincott 

Having known one of the members of Maryland Station for a number of years, I’ve 

been hoping to get an interview with them for a while. And, at last, three members 

have sat down to answer a few questions for us here at LoveEast Magazine. Drummer 

Jonathan Brown (JB), acoustic guitarist/keys and producer David Wehinm (DW), and 

guitarist Charles Shittu (CS). 

Thank you for doing this. Tell us a little bit about how you 

all met and why you chose Maryland Station for the name 

of the band? 

JB: I met Charles at church; he was our first guitarist 

and played for a concert we had. I didn’t really talk to 

him, he was a bit of a loser - I know he’s gonna read this. 

(Grins) Then David’s sister went to my college and she 

was always trying to introduce me to him because he 

was a producer. I was like yea yea, producer schmoozer. 

I started talking to Charles and I didn’t even know that 

Charles knew David, so eventually David and Charles 

decided they wanted to make a band and Charles called 

me down and lo and behold the producer I came to see 

was actually the same David, small world, and that’s 

how I got brought into the band. 

We’re called Maryland Station because Charles 

and David are pretty lazy and the draw was 

between Maryland Station, the chippie or the 

laundrette. 

CS: Well I met David first, it was a bit of an 

awkward one because I didn’t really like him so 

much… I had started this open mic show in the 

café area of Stratford Picturehouse, where I played 

acoustic guitar with various singers I knew from 

churches I’ve associated with or from the gospel scene 

as, at the time, I was playing guitar for gospel events and 

the like, and when we’d finished the set we’d get a few 

free tickets to any movie on the day. Great times! 

So, during a set, David comes over while I’m doing my 

thing and starts advising me on my playing and showing 

me chords and stuff and all I could think was, “Great, 

thanks! GO AWAY!!” David has great chord knowledge so 

him coming over on my set was like, “Wow just show me 

up bro why don’t you!” 

When he finally walked off to see his movie, I thought 

that would be the last I’d see of him but I think we met 

each other again through a friend called Martin. I’m a 

bit hazy on the second meeting, the first meeting really 

stands out. 

I met Tega (our bass player) through a mutual friend, 

Priscilla, who told me she had a friend who needed bass 

lessons, so I started teaching him for like a month or so. I 

remember him being a real quiet guy back then - not like 

now, the man’s a bit wild now! 

He picked up real quick and continued to get better after 

our lessons stopped, so eventually I thought, why not 

bring him on some gigs to see how he holds up. 

Johnboy was the drummer from my last church. I always 

tell him my first memory of him is him moaning at the 

choir about skill levels and professionalism and me 

thinking, “Oh he’s THAT guy in the choir.” We have a 

good laugh about that. 

I played with Tonderai (Mr T) Mbiba, the other bassist, 

in a gospel group called Gospel Touch that’s still going. 

Back then, around 2013, it was going by the name 

D.T.W.G. (Desire 

to Worship God). A 

lot of good 

musicians played 

in that 

liked T’s 

person, 

so I took 

a chance 

on him to 

see if he was 

interested in joining Maryland. I 

was kind of surprised he said yes, 

really! 

group, and I 

skill and his 

vibe as a 

How the name came about is a bit 

straightforward but funny. David and I 

were walking, thinking of a name for the band, and the 

idea to get inspiration for names from shop signs came 

up. So, we’re walking around looking at restaurants, 

shops and stores with signs like ‘Chicken Grill Hut’ or 

‘Negev’s Off Licence’ and messing with words, taking 

parts of their title, swapping with other titles. Suddenly 

I look up at the Maryland train station sign and as soon 

as I saw it, ‘Maryland Station’, I knew it had a ring to 

it and I definitely knew that it would be the best one 

we got that night. So, when I said it, David nodded his 

head, and after that nothing really better came along. 

We’ve messed with abbreviations and the like - MSTAT, 

MSTATBABY, MARYLAND - and I’m sure it’s a bit 

confusing to anyone watching. I’ve come to the point 

4 LOVEEAST

| East life 

that whatever anyone is comfortable calling the band, 

I’m cool with. 

DW: Charles and I have known each other for about 10 or 

11 years. We met through Tony Blaize, a singer. John and 

Charles played together at church. 

Charles and I formed the band during a conversation at 

Maryland Station, hence the name. 

You guys have toured and worked with artists such as 

Massive Attack, Azekel, Sway, Inderpaul Sandhu and 

Anthony Blaize. How did this come about and what was 

the experience like, what did you learn as a group and 

personally? 

JB: Tony (Blaize) was the first artist I played for with 

the band, and he was in a previous band called Dave 

Martin that David and Charles were in. He was going solo 

and was doing things with Chase and Status, so Charles 

kinda roped me in saying, “This guy’s gonna be going 

places, you wanna join?” and I simply said “Ok”. 

Tony was the first artist I played for outside of my 

church, and not playing to a church congregation is 

different because the people are not there to worship, 

they’ve come 

to see you as an artist. 

So the 

pressure was a little 

bit higher, 

relax 

but I learnt to just 

while playing and 

deal with things 

going wrong 

on stage: 

Tony might 

want to turn the 

music around or 

something might 

plug out. I really 

learnt how to flow 

with issues. 

CS: David and I 

knew Anthony 

from 

the band we 

were 

previously in called 

the Dave 

Martin Movement. 

It was the 

band that kind of 

sealed me 

and David as work 

buddies and friends. Anthony was the singer in the 

band whilst Martin Vito was the lead, but he rapped. 

The sound was like a mix of Outkast and soul coughing. 

When the band broke up, Tony wanted to work on his 

solo career and stayed connected with us as friends and 

it only seemed logical that we worked together to push 

Tony’s music. We got connected with Sway through his 

manager, who took a liking to Tony online, contacted 

him and then came down to a show. After seeing us, he 

put Tony on and, soon after, Sway had a BBC 1 XTRA 

gig lined up to promote his newest release and he took 

interest in us, probably from Tony’s recommendation and 

his own manager. Two rehearsals later, we were doing 

BBC 1 XTRA with him. 

Around the same time, Azekel was making a buzz in 

the underground scene and among music heads we just 

all tend to know and associate with, depending on the 

radius. When there were gatherings or small parties or 

jams, Azekel would tend to be around, so I got to know 

him personally through them. 

By the time Maryland were on the scene, Zeek (Azekel) 

was working with a few musicians that he did BBC 

Glastonbury Introducing Stage with, but I guess he 

didn’t feel that connection he needed with them. So, we 

reached out to him, like “Yo, we’re here for you bro, we’re 

ready!” Took a bit of time but we got together with him 

when the time was right. 

By the time we were officially Zeek’s band, he had 

featured, the year before I think, on Massive Attack’s EP 

on a track called Ritual Spirit. It’s good that they want 

the original artists from their tracks to actually perform 

with them live, so when Massive Attack came to do a 

European tour, they wanted to take Zeek with them to 

sing Ritual Spirit. Zeek was always down to perform with 

them but this time he wanted to support as well, which 

they were cool with, so next thing you know, we’re on 

tour with Massive Attack and Young Fathers. 

The experience on tour with those guys was mostly good 

vibes and jokes but, when it came to the work, the A 

game needed to be brought. We’d watch Young Fathers 

- guys we just chilled and had good convo with - on 

soundcheck and they just bring the heat on stage. So 

without doubt there was a personal feeling of pressure, a 

need to earn your keep, sharing a stage with these guys, 

and when it’s your set, the audience want to know, “Ok, 

why are you here?”, not only that, ‘Why are you here with 

Massive Attack and Young Fathers? SHOW US!!’ 

So, you have to bring it, if you get what I mean. After that 

you can rest. You can spend the night doing whatever 

you want, or it’s a night of being on the motorway to get 

to Moscow, to sign in at the hotel, get as much sleep as 

you can before you need to unload the gear at the venue, 

ready for the next concert. The concert becomes the 

centre of gravity and you can do anything you like before 

or after but be on time for load in and soundcheck. 

Loved it, even the pressure. 

DW: Working with Inderpaul came through Charles. 

Charles is the glue guy, really good at cultivating 

relationships. We toured extensively with Azekel during 

2017 and 2018, supporting the likes of Banks and Massive 

Attack. 

Will there be a Maryland Station record? If so, who would 

you like to work with? 

JB: Yes, we’re planning on doing a compilation record 

with all the artists we’ve worked with, hopefully 

next year. There’s no singer I would like to work with 

particularly, I just want to work with great vocalists, that’s 

all. 

CS: We throw a lot of ideas to each other and sometimes 

we’re in different seasons, where we think we wanna be 


| East life 

that kind of band that needs a permanent singer. But 

with the music we create, it would need to be someone 

special, not just a guy/girl with a great voice but a type 

of performance attitude and not just a person with the 

attitude but who also struggles, lives and gets dwarfed 

by the music. We’re still looking. When that person 

comes, we’ll know. 

Me personally, I like the tone of Syd from The Internets. 

I got to meet her very briefly on the MA tour and we 

watched The Internets’ set. There’s also a singer who’s 

gone into writing nowadays who was with us for backing 

vocals for Anthony Blaize, and who had just got onto 

the 2015 Lemar tour, and we did two dates. Her name’s 

Amira @iamamiramusic. If I fully had my way and things 

went to plan, we’d be recording with her. 

DW: We’ve got a number of plans in the pipeline so it’s 

not something we’d rule out. We’re very open to working 

with a variety of people. 

What kit do you use / guitars do you play? 

JB: Anything and everything by Tamer. 

CS: My favourite question but I’ll try to keep it short and 

sweet because I could go on for days. 

I’ve got around seven electric guitars but I play regularly 

with four of them on 

a gig: a Blue PRS SE 

Standard , a cherry 

burst Gibson Les Paul 

Traditional, a Red 

Freshman F335RD (like 

a ES 335 copy, similar 

to the one Marty McFly 

plays on stage at the 

Enchantment Under the 

Sea dance), and an Ice 

Tea Vintage v100 Les 

Paul copy. 

That’s the weapons in battle. 

DW: I play a Roland Juno DI, a Fender Telecaster and a 

Faith Acoustic Guitar. 

John is an SPD (Sample pad demo) whizz, a real 

specialist. He also plays keys and does a lot of 

programming and sampling. 

Who designed the MSTAT logo and would you ever 

create a MSTAT comic book? 

JB: We collectively designed the logo; we decided we 

wanted to rebrand so we all chipped in and gave our two 

cents and in the future we will be releasing a comic. We 

tried it before, but we just weren’t ready. But we’ll be 

releasing one in the up and coming months, hopefully. 

CS: Ok I designed the first one, which was real corny. It 

was a cartoon train driver holding a bass guitar; it was 

relevant at the time, as the kind of band we were trying 

to be at the start was more for hire and possibly doing 

functions and events such as weddings and so on, but 

when we decided we wanted to be the best tour band 

for music artists that we could possibly be, and produce 

our own music, we knew we had to change it up. 

DW: The logo was a design from a logo website, and we 

all just seemed to agree it works. 

When growing up, who were your musical influences? 

JB: My musical influence was George “Spanky” McCurdy, 

the drummer for Tye Tribbet, Lady GaGa, Kanye West 

and P Diddy. When he wore a white shirt in a video, I 

wore a white shirt. When he bought Chuck Taylors, I 

bought Chuck Taylors. When he put his cymbals to the 

left in a certain way, I did the same. I ate, breathed and 

slept Spanky. He was an inspiration musically and his life 

outside of the music also, because I saw a lot of parallels 

between myself and him in terms of coming from the 

church and wanting to venture out, but getting a lot of 

people commenting at the time because it’s secular, so 

he was an inspiration playing-wise and life-wise as well. 

CS: For me the most influential music was the 90s 

grunge alternative scene. Bands like Stone Temple Pilots, 

Pearl Jam and Soundgarden ruled my music world as a 

teen. Wish I could have played guitar back then as I do 

now. In time, my taste has changed. Nu Metal to rap to 

even jazz and back round again, but the grunge scene 

had a long reign on me. 

DW: Fela Kuti, Tonex, Dr 

Dre, Quincy Jones… 

Favourite guitar riff? 

JB: My favourite guitar 

riff is from a song called 

These Sides by Anthony 

Blaize and the riff was 

played by Aaron Forbes. 

It was actually played by 

Charles. (Smiles) 

CS: Too many to answer, I 

couldn’t even break it down to a top five. 

DW: Hmmm I'll leave this for Charles to answer, he's 

definitely the riff sort of guy! 

What’s your favourite drum beat? 

JB: A song called Victory by Tye Tribbet. If you listen to 

that song, it’s THE drum beat. I think it’s a go-go type 

beat. It’s my go-to - the guys always make fun of me 

whenever we’re in soundcheck because I always play that 

beat, or whenever someone says, “just play something 

quickly”, to show off, that’s my go-to. 

CS: Sorry, same answer as the last. 

DW: Anything Tony Allen. 

Favourite lyrics in a song? 

JB: “Your love is my struggle; I’m fighting a losing battle”. 

The song was written by a really great singer/songwriter 

and friend of the band, Amira. 

CS: Not sure, but “Thousand suns go down before I 

forgive, we had to die so that I could live” from Anthony’s 

Eli’s song is a good one. 

6 LOVEEAST

| East life 

What does music mean to you? 

JB: Music for me was a spiritual thing until last year, and 

now it’s become science, so it’s less emotion and more 

deliberate calculation for me. It’s turned somewhat into 

cooking; you know, you put in a little bit of this, a little bit 

of that, you do it every time and you get a perfect cake. 

You know there’s no guess work in it for me, it’s not so 

much feeling, more a demonstration. 

CS: I know what music doesn’t mean to me. I’m not really 

into calling music entertainment. I think it’s lazy to say 

that and shows little appreciation for its worth. Like I’ve 

said to John, music has pulled me out of a depressive 

state once before in my life: it can stir love, hate, hope; it 

can save lives; you can honour God with it; it can change 

a person’s whole outlook on life. It’s one of God’s gifts 

to man. 

DW: It’s an expression of life, of living. 

What’s your best lockdown tip? 

JB: Stay busy and exercise, constantly exercise. It keeps 

your mind fresh, alert and it helps your self-esteem and 

keeps your body fit. 

CS: If you don’t shy from hardship now, you’ll get to 

enjoy later (apply where you see fit). 

DW: Fall in love with who you are and what you want 

to do. 

Who would you recommend for our readers to check out, 

musically? 

JB: Well, obviously, check us out on YouTube: Maryland 

Station Music. Other artists I’d say you should check out 

are Azekel, he’s an amazing artist, Tony Blaize, Inderpaul 

Sandhu. We actually have a project that should be out at 

the end of this year with him. 

Not to be a weirdo I’ll mention someone we haven’t 

played for before that I like......hmmmm to be fair, I don’t 

actually listen to new music that much, so I couldn’t 

really direct you but those artists I’ve given. 

CS: I’ve seen David’s answer on this and I like it, 

MARYLAND STATION. But hands down, if I wasn’t 

playing for the guy, Azekel would be one of my favourite 

artists, I love his stuff, check him out second! 

DW: There’s this band called Maryland Station… 

Favourite venue to play or attend in East London? 

Jonathan Brown My church, because I’ve had a lot of 

memories there, that’s where I started, that’s where it all 

developed. That’s literally my favourite space to play in 

and I’ve played all over the world. 

CS: Probably say Troy Bar in Shoreditch to attend. 

DW: Victoria Park. 

Best place to go for food in East London? 

JB: Dixy right outside Charles’s house. 

CS: Right now, I’m hooked on Pepe’s Piri Piri. 

DW: Greedy Cow, Mile End 

If you could describe the band… yourself… your music as 

a cartoon character, which cartoon character would it be? 

JB: I’d say The Hulk because we rock out every song that 

we do, compliments of Charles. Every song that we do 

turns into a rock song and a heavy hitting song, heavy 

handed, no holds barred. It’s not technical, it’s not martial 

arts, it’s a punch to the face with all your strength. That’s 

what we’re like as a band. We’re not Hawkeye, you know. 

We’re not doing any precision licks and runs and stuff. 

We are just a ball of energy and passion. 

CS: The band is Mystique (changing in seasons). I’m 

Ray Stanz (technically there was a cartoon of the 

Ghostbusters, and only this character in the context of 

the band). The music is Dare Devil because, when there’s 

something out of the box that we know we should do, 

we don’t fear from it. 

DW: Tony Stark 

When life goes back to a relative normality, what can we 

all expect to see or hear from you all? 

JB: Pretty much the same as you’re hearing right now 

really, which is Mstat Mondays, our weekly upload of 

creative musical content. At the moment it’s game music 

videos. 

CS: Full live music arrangements of our own music 

blasted on social media, and a lot more collaborations 

with different artists. 

DW: You’re gonna need to jump on our socials! 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

JB: Yes, If, you guys are sick of conventional music, head 

down to our YouTube channel and check out some of 

our videos and we’d love to have you guys part of the 

movement. 

CS: Just a shout out to LoveEast Magazine for putting us 

on there. 

DW: East London, support your local touring band! 

TO FIND OUT MORE 

W: tutorcarlos.wix.com/marylandstation 

E: marylandstation@gmail.com 

FOLLOW 

T: @MStatbaby 

IG: @mstatbaby 

FB: @mStatBaby 

YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ 

UC02MPU1XAQ1s5Lrx1RlQY0g 

Mark Wincott is a born and bred East Londoner. A recovering grunger, 

music gives him peace of mind. He's a lover of pie mash liquor, likes the 

smell of rain and has written articles on music, MMA, Pro Wrestling and 

dealing with anxiety. "I'm unique and different just like everyone else". 

Follow Mark on twitter @Tattooed_Ginge and Insta @tattooed.ginge 

Images courtesy of Maryland Band 


| East life 

Having recently celebrated its second birthday, East Ham’s 

Central Park Cafe is looking forward to a tasty future. 

Images courtesy of Sophie Downer 

Located in Central Park and with the playground 

literally on its doorstep, the cafe has become a 

magnet for East Ham families in the two years it’s 

been open. Locals 

will remember that 

that space has been 

through several 

changes in recent 

years, opening only 

to be shut for long 

periods, so it’s been 

a welcome change to 

have some stability. 

Run by chef Sophie 

Downer, the cafe 

serves lovely fresh 

food and delicious 

home-baked bread 

and cakes. A trained 

chef, she has worked 

for Theo Randall 

and Gordon Ramsey 

as well as at The 

River Cafe and the 

Anchor and Hope in 

Waterloo. She also 

did a stint at the Hard 

Rock Cafe in Florida, 

and she even did an 

internship at Buckingham Palace. 

“It was really good fun – the kitchens are beautiful 

and enormous. So many people working in there. 

I cooked for the other staff mostly, but I did make 

the Queen sandwiches sometimes. You get to live 

there if you work there, so I lived in the Mews, with 

the horses!” 

Sophie also worked at Vinarius in Roman Road 

before opening up the cafe. Her ethos reflects 

what she learnt from Theo Randall; mainly, the 

importance of 

choosing the best 

ingredients and really 

knowing where your 

food comes from. 

“It’s a whole lifestyle 

about eating well.” 

All the cafe’s food 

is freshly made and, 

of course, seasonal. 

Sophie also employs 

students from the 

culinary school in 

Newham. In fact, the 

whole team is local 

to East Ham – and 

female. 

It’s heartening to 

know that the cafe 

has so far weathered 

the pandemic storm 

because it really 

is a much-loved 

community hub. 

Long may that 

continue! 


Central Park Cafe 

Bartle Ave, East Ham E6 3AJ 

Open 9am – 3pm 7 days a week 

FB: @easthambread 

IG: @breadclub1 

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| East life 

Walthamstow's Top Up Shop creates a perfect circle 

for home delivery 

Based in Waltham Forest, Top Up Shop is a zero waste, online delivery service aiming to 

change the way people shop in the local area and make sustainability as accessible as 

possible. The shop is the brainchild of local couple, Ava and Daisy, who between them 

handle all the day-to-day activities. In her own words, Ava does ‘all the fun parts’ - packing, 

order handling, admin, and deliveries, while Daisy, a freelance artist/graphic designer, 

puts together all of the shop’s graphics, aesthetics, and everything that makes their 

website and socials look beautiful. “We even made a Top Up Shop TikTok the other day... a 

TikTopUpShop, if you will...” 

Top Up Shop started 

because the couple 

recognised that, while 

most people want to live 

a much more sustainable 

life, shopping in a 

minimal impact way or 

getting out to the shops 

at all can be hard even 

at the best of times. 

Online ordering and 

home delivery were the 

obvious solution. 

Top Up Shop offers 

household essentials 

such as food staples 

(including pasta, rice, 

and pulses), cleaning 

liquids, toiletries and 

even some treats, 

like coffee from local 

supplier Wood Street 

Coffee. 

Food items are delivered in hand stamped 

Fairtrade cotton bags and liquid refills in recycled 

glass bottles. The service operates almost entirely 

like the milkman, delivering in reusable packaging, 

which is simply collected and switched out with 

shiny new products when customers are ready to 

reorder. By making the system totally circular, the 

couple have managed to ensure that they don't 

create even one unit of single use waste. 

Top Up Shop began in April in the absolute eye 

of the coronavirus storm, which Ava says gave 

them a unique responsibility as a delivery service, 

“It meant we were able to help some of the most 

vulnerable members of the local community still 

12 LOVEEAST 

receive the products 

they needed most 

but in an entirely 

sustainable way. It has 

also meant throughout 

the crisis that our 

customers can shop 

confidently knowing 

they're not further lining 

the pockets of huge 

corporations but helping 

out a whole supply chain 

of local gems who are all 

feeling the heat at the 

moment.” Top Up Shop 

works with some of 

the best local suppliers 

offering British-grown 

and -made products, 

such as artisanal pasta 

from Pastificio Carleschi 

based in Leytonstone. 

Since the shop began, it has saved over 500 

pieces of single use plastic waste from ending up 

in the bin with its reusable Top Up service. The 

couple are proud of the initiative they have created 

in Waltham Forest so far and grateful to have 

developed some incredibly committed regular 

customers. Ava adds, “Most importantly I couldn't 

have done it anywhere but in the community I call 

home and grew up in and I'm so glad they have 

welcomed Top Up Shop with open arms.” 


W: topupshop.co.uk/ 

Top Up Shop currently delivers to E4, E7, E10, E11, 

E12, E15, E17, E18, and E20

Branch On The Park is packed full of gorgeous stock for 

Christmas and is also taking commissions - if you're quick! 

Anoop Necklaces 

18ct gold plate with 

labradorite, chrysoprase and 

moonstone 

£175 

Anais Earrings 

Made in 18ct gold plate 

with a mixture of semi 

precious gemstones 

including pearls, 

topaz, tourmaline and 

amazonite. 

£125 - £155 

Courtesan Rings 

Made in 18ct gold, silver, with 

a selection of salt & pepper 

diamonds, tourmalines, 

tanzanite, lapis lazuli, turquoise 

and emerald. 

£950 to £3,500 

227 Victoria Park Road, E9 7HD T: 020 8533 7077 W: branchonthepark.co.uk IG: @branchonthepark 

Caroline Bousfield Gregory 

potter 

77A Lauriston Road E9 7HA 

020 8986 9585 

www.carolinebousfield.co.uk 

pottery workshop & shop 

selling stoneware, greeting cards, 

toys & terracotta flowerpots 

Open: 10:30am to 5:30pm 

Tues & Wed & Fri & Sat 

and by appointment 


| Paper ships 

Let’s talk about race… 

The death of George Floyd made the complex topic of race a pertinent issue to discuss. Moreover, BIPOC 

Bookcase co-founders Liz Folarin and Vee Kalesha noted that there was a yearning on both sides of the 

racial divide to discuss issues of race and how their white counterparts could be better allies. Hence, the 

birth of The BIPOC Bookcase. 

BIPOC stands for Black Indigenous People of 

Colour, a term the founders believe to be more 

inclusive than the predecessors BME and BAME. 

They have a simple formula and believe 

that language plus openness builds 

resilient communities. There are three 

strands to the organisation: 

MAWS Reading and Discussion Group 

Every quarter, The BIPOC Bookcase 

runs a free, online reading and 

discussion group. The group focuses 

on the book Me and White Supremacy by Layla 

Saad. The time commitment is 90 minutes, once a 

week, over four weeks. 

Open to all races, the group provides a safe space 

to discuss the racial concepts in the book and to 

reflect upon where each individual is at on their 

own anti-racist journey. The cohorts have been 

widely successful, and the third cohort began in 

mid-October. More dates will be announced in the 

new year. To register interest in the upcoming 

cohorts please email: info@thebipocbookcase. 

org 

The BIPOC Bookcase Bookclub 

The virtual book club’s mission is to “offer a 

space for people of all hues to come together to 

collaborate, champion and celebrate fantastic 

literature by peripheral writers” and it includes 

members in the UK, mainland Europe and 

Australia. 

The Bookclub also features interviews from BIPOC 

authors from across the globe, who often feature 

as the book of the month. 

A small membership fee is charged with 10% 

of profits going to organisations and charities 

that support people of colour. The most recent 

donation was to Hackney Migrant Centre. Visit 

www.patreon.com/thebipocbookcase.org to join 

the bookclub. 

Education 

Liz and Vee are passionate about anti-racist 

education and practice, and deliver such 

educational programmes to private and public 

organisations. They also run online masterclasses 

on topical issues on race. Their next masterclass, 

Cultural Appropriation vs Cultural 

Appreciation, will be held on 11 

November 2020. You can book your 

place at www.thebipocbookcase. 

eventbrite.com. 

About Liz and Vee 

Liz and Vee are two Black British 

female anti-racist educators and 

mental health professionals who are 

embedding anti-racism education and practice 

across organisational structures and communities. 

They aim to bridge the gap between the races by 

providing a safe and collaborative space to discuss 

race. 

Liz is a registered social worker with extensive 

experience in child and adult 

social care. She is also a visiting 

lecturer, teaching antiracist 

practice and research, and 

is currently a Safeguarding 

Lead within an NHS trust. Liz 

is passionate about books with 

diverse leads based in cultures 

that differ from her own. 

Vee is a registered Occupational Therapist. 

Currently a Lead Clinician in the 

NHS working on a project 

promoting mental health in 

schools, she has specialist 

training and experience in 

group theory and a particular 

focus on increasing BIPOC 

engagement in mental health 

services. Vee, like Liz, is an avid 

reader who particularly enjoys African literature. 

You can follow their journey on Instagram: 

@the_bipoc_bookcase 

or for general enquiries email them at: 

info@thebipocbookcase.org 

Images courtesy of BIPOC Bookcase 

14 LOVEEAST

Urban Makers 

Shop Small Online 

Shop from over 200 independent designer makers this Christmas - urbanmakers.co.uk 

Stronger, Fitter, Faster 

Lose Weight, Get Fit, Improve Quality of Life 

1 to 1 Studio Space 

We're Back! 

Find us in Central Park 

Bartle Ave, East Ham E6 3AJ 

@easthambread 

@breadclub@central_park_cafe 

Michelle Crawford Bsc(hons) psyc, Dip Sports Psyc 

Fighting Fit Studio 

36 Gossamer City Project, London E2 9FN 

Tel: 07805 612127 

michellept.wordpress.com 

@Fightingfitbow 

@fightingfitstudio 


| It's Art baby, Art! 

How time flies when you're having fun! 

Ceramic artist Caroline Bousfield reflects on 

celebrating her 45 th year at The Workshop 

in Victoria Park Village 

It really is 45 years ago this autumn when I first came to Hackney from Bow, 

and set up my pottery workshop. I was then teaching ceramics in further 

education, and also teaching woodwork/furniture making for Hackney Adult 

Institute. 

Clay is the most wonderful, responsive stuff in one’s hands, until fired in the kiln, when 

it becomes durable and the objects all strong and usable. I am inspired by experimenting with the variety 

of ceramic techniques, by cooking and serving food, and by my lovely customers who come and make 

comments and requests and then enjoy the results in use in their daily lives. The user 

completes each pot with content and emotion. 

My life has evolved and revolved happily around the roundabout, with my 

friendly neighbouring businesses and residents, with my children at nearby 

schools, with local choir/book/walking groups, Well Street Common and 

gardening on the roundabout. 

It is a pleasure to be here still; the workshop is now open again on my usual 

days. Though I cannot have a party or offer hospitality in the current times, I 

hope you will celebrate with me when you take your next sip of wine/coffee/gin - 

wherever you may be. 

16 LOVEEAST


Images courtesy of Caroline Bousfield 

Caroline has also tended the garden 

in the Victoria Park Roundabout 

for many years. Find out the story 

behind how it came about on www. 

spitalfieldslife.com/2012/07/18/ 

caroline-bousfield-craftsman/ 

What inspired you to become a ceramic artist? 

Since a child I always wanted to make things. After 

discovering both wood and clay at art college my 

future was set. I taught ‘woodwork for women’ classes 

for 20 years, alongside my pottery workshop. 

In terms of making, do you have a favourite piece 

that you enjoy making more than others? I think my 

favourite projects are bowls and dishes: there is just 

such a variety of possible sizes and shapes and uses. 

Some close in around the contents keeping them 

secret, and some open out to display what is inside. I 

am inspired by all the ways pots can 

be used for storing, serving and 

presenting food. 

Have you always made 

your own glazes or is that 

something that evolved 

over time? My work is all 

stoneware. I have always 

developed and mixed my 

own glazes so that, knowing 

the ingredients, I can experiment. 

Glazes are often applied over blue 

and green slip decoration applied 

with brushes and cut sponges. 

I am especially fond of semimatt 

surfaces. 

What do you love most 

about working with clay? 

I love its malleability and 

flexibility when wet and then 

its permanence and hardness 

when dry and fired. I enjoy the pace 

of work: coming back to a piece over a period of days, 

and then returning to glaze it later. It is very satisfying 

to have such a tangible result to one’s labours - and 

very pleasing to hear how my pieces play a part in the 

lives of the users. I do take commissions. 

Any advice for someone wanting to learn the craft? 

Don’t hold back, have a go - all you need is your 

hands, some clay and eventually access to a kiln. 

Finding a class will give you confidence. 


W: carolinebousfield.co.uk 

FB: @carolinebousfieldsworkshop 

Or visit her workshop for a chat! 

Hours:10:30 - 5:30,Tue/Wed and Fri/Sat or by appointment. 


Images courtesy of Stephen Gillen 

| Paper ships 

A once-feared London gang boss has written a memoir, 

recounting the sequence of events that led him to turn his life 

around. 

18 LOVEEAST 

Stephen Gillen began writing The Monkey Puzzle Tree: An 

Inspirational Story of Transformation and Redemption, “a 

really cathartic experience”, while still in prison. The book 

went on sale in September and is being made into a major 

feature film in 2021, with a preliminary budget of £27million. 

Kieran Suchet, son of broadcaster John Suchet and nephew 

of Poirot actor David Suchet, is writing the screenplay, and, 

although the film is still in preproduction stage, there are 

rumours that Hollywood A-listers, including Tom Hardy and 

Johnny Depp, could be in line for the lead role. 

During my recent interview with Stephen Gillen he told me 

something of his life and experiences. 

Stephen was born on the outskirts of London but moved 

to Ireland in 1971, when he was just nine months old. He 

lived in Belfast with his aunt and uncle at the height of ‘The 

Troubles’, until the age of nine when he moved back to 

London. He described himself as an anxious child but also a 

rebellious one. Involvement in street crime began when he 

was very young and he was first put into care when he was 

only 12 years old. 

In 1992, aged just 22, Stephen was arrested and convicted of armed robbery and spent the next 11 years and 

nine months as a category A prisoner. Classed as “one of the most dangerous prisoners in the UK”, he spent 

three years locked up next to Charles Bronson, said to be Britain’s most violent prisoner. Most of his sentence 

was spent in special secure units with some of Britain’s most notorious inmates “inside prison within prisons”. 

“I really did not believe I would get out of that prison. It took some time but, thankfully, I realised in the 

last few years of my prison sentence that I was only destroying myself,” he said. Stephen was released in 

2004 and came home to Bethnal Green, but after only 20 months of freedom he was arrested for 

possession of a firearm and served another two and a half years in prison. 

His release in 2009 was the start of his transformation. From working as a labourer, 

then as a supervisor, Stephen moved on to running a contract on the Isle of Wight 

with 25 men. Within only 18 months, aged 39, he was starting his own first business. 

Six years ago, he completed a business degree at the London School of Business. 

Alongside a successful career as entrepreneur and businessman, Stephen Gillen became 

a public speaker and humanitarian, going back into prisons and speaking to prisoners 

with the aim of improving the futures for those who had travelled down the wrong path 

in life. 

Stephen has now become an awarded Peace Ambassador and was recently nominated by 

the Universal Peace Federation for the ‘Sunhak’ International Peace Prize in South Korea. 

“I’ve done unbelievable things. We learn in life by falling down and getting back up again,” he 

explained. 

The Monkey Puzzle Tree, Filament Publishing (September 2020), available from major book stores and from 

www.stephengillen.com 

James Al-Mudallal is a freelance writer, DJ and journalist for East London Radio. He's also a massive creative 

and motion picture addict who is always interested in film news from Britain to Hollywood. 

T: @Jamesalmud IG: james.al


David Shillinglaw - London Mural Festival - -25 Scrutton St, EC2A 4HJ 

Image courtesy of Global Street Art 



Luke Smile 

Photographer Carolyne Locher had a meander through the inaugural London Mural 

Festival, now open to the public. Over 200 artists painted murals from Walthamstow 

to Wembley Park throughout September and October, with 75 plus large-scale murals 

and activations, most of which will last for years to come. You can download the latest 

map and go and explore murals: londonmuralfestival.com/map 

Global Street Art Agency works with organisations around the world on a multitude of 

mural projects. W: globalstreetart.agency 

20 LOVEEAST 

Camille Walala


Mad C 

Marija Tiurina 

Carolyne Locher is a Londonbased 

freelance photographer and 

writer. She has travelled extensively 

and loves the democracy of street 

art, having seen inspiring largescale 

works in places like Buenos 

Aires, Malaga, Paris and Bristol. 

She is thrilled that London is getting 

on the international street art map, 

hosting the inaugural London Mural 

Festival' 

W: carolynelocher.com 

E: carolyne@carolynelocher.com 


| Wellness 

10 ways to improve your digestion 

Have you spent lockdown cooking and eating more than usual and now you’ve developed some tummy 

discomfort? Do you have bloating, gas, cramps or perhaps you are feeling heavy and uncomfortable? 

Maybe one minute you can’t go to the loo and the next minute you can’t get off it? 

The likely cause is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). 

It’s incredibly common. According to Guts UK, 

a charity set up to promote awareness of and 

funding for digestive problems, it affects up to a 

third of people at some stage or another and it is 

one of the main reasons people visit their doctor. 

The following suggestions are very basic but 

surprisingly effective at improving symptoms of 

digestive distress. 

DO 

Try a cup of hot water or ginger tea before meals 

to stimulate digestion. Apple cider vinegar (with 

the ‘mother’) also works – take 1tsp before a meal. 

Think about your food before eating it – the 

thought and smell kick-start the digestive process. 

Make sure you’re chewing properly. If you had to 

spit out the mouthful, no one should be able to tell 

what you’ve been eating. 

Try a few cubes of pineapple or papaya before a 

meal. These contain enzymes that can boost your 

digestion. You might also consider taking a natural 

digestive enzyme supplement from a health food 

store to support your body’s natural digestion 

process. 

Take a 15-minute walk after eating if you can. This 

lowers blood sugar levels and improves digestion. 

DON’T 

Eat at your desk at work. Getting up and out 

is important for so many reasons. In this case, 

checking emails while you are also eating may 

have you gulp down your food or not chewing 

properly. Neither is good for your digestive health. 

Try to eat on the go or when you’re stressed out. 

You won’t digest your food properly or absorb the 

nutrients. This is the quickest way to get heartburn. 

22 LOVEEAST 

Eat fruit after a meal. Fruit likes a quick passage 

through the digestive system. It can get stuck 

behind other foods that are digested more slowly 

and then ferment, causing gas. 

Drink too much water or other fluids with your 

meal as this dilutes the stomach acid needed to 

digest your food properly. 

If you’re sick of feeling bloated, gassy, crampy 

or going to the loo too much (or too little), book 

in for a free 30-minute digestive health mini 

consultation at www.nutritioneast.london/contact 

and choose a convenient time to talk. 

Michele is a registered Nutritionist, Health Coach and Lecturer. 

To book a complementary health and nutrition session go to nutritioneast. 

london/contact and choose a convenient time. 

W: nutritioneast.london FB: @nutrition.east.london 

E: nutritioneast@gmail.com IG: @nutrition.east.london 

Amanda Lins via Unsplash Louis Hansel via Unsplash 

Image: Tristan Gevaux via Unsplash

From Christmas trees 

and holly, to festive 

flowers and mistletoe, 

AG Price has just what 

you’re looking for. 

A.G. Price Florist 

217-219 Well Street, E9 6QU 

T: 020 8986 0250 

W: agpriceflowers.co.uk 

I: @agpriceflorist 

Effective for treating all illnesses such as 

chronic disease, mental health, anxiety, 

skeletal issues and much more. 

Distant Healing also available 

Web: www.rebelalchemy.net 

Email: info@rebelalchemy.net 

Tel: +44 (0) 7788 377 180 


| The Gentle Author 

Spitalfields Market Parties of Yesteryear 

The van drivers of the 

Spitalfields Market 

certainly knew how 

to throw a party, as 

illustrated by this 

magnificent collection 

of photographs in the 

possession of George 

Bardwell who worked in 

the market from 1946 until 

the late seventies. George 

explained to me how 

the drivers saved up all 

year in a Christmas Club 

and hired Poplar Town 

Hall to stage shindigs 

for their families at this 

season. Everyone got 

togged up and tables 

overflowed with sponge 

cakes and jam tarts, there 

were presents for all and 

entertainments galore. 

Then, once the tables were 

cleared and the children 

safely despatched to their 

beds, it was time for some 

adult entertainment in 

the form of drinks and 

dancing until the early 

hours… 

Images courtesy of George Bardwell via The Gentle Author 

24 LOVEEAST

| The Gentle Author 

The Gentle Author writes daily about the culture of East London at 

spitalfieldslife.com. 

You can also follow @thegentleauthor on twitter. 


| Walk Hackney with Sean Gubbins 

The Regent’s Canal at 200 

8.5 miles long, ‘The Cut’, as locals called it, took eight years to dig, connecting the Grand 

Union Canal at Paddington to London’s docks at Limehouse. 

Images: 1. Old Ford Lock, 1907 © London Canal Museum. 2. Eagle Wharf 

courtesy of Sean Gubbins. 3. Boats turning at the Hertford Union Canal 

entrance having unloaded timber 1965 © London Canal Museum. 4. Book 

cover, East End Canal Tales by Carolyn Clark. 

26 LOVEEAST 

As you walk along the tow path of the canal, past lines of moored 

house-boats and dodging runners and cyclists, you can easily see 

remnants of its past: some regenerated factories and warehouses; 

ramps used to walk fallen horses out of the 1-1.5m deep water; 

grooves in stonework caused by ropes, turned abrasive by wet and 

grit; locks with one of their pair, now surplus to requirements, turned 

into a weir. Beside them stands the cottage for the lockkeeper, 

armed in the early days when he collected tolls. 

Almost as soon as completed through open fields, the canal 

attracted industry. The first to come were gas works. Soon the 

canal was lined with iron foundries, saw mills, chemical works, 

limeworks, tile kilns, dye houses, all sorts of factories as well as a 

wharf importing ice from Norway. The air carried scents of spices, 

perfumes, cut timber, worked metal, gas and not so pleasant aromas 

of glue and pickle factories. Workers and their families lived close by 

the canal, described as a ‘girdle of poverty’ by Charles Booth in 1889. 

Coal, needed to produce gas, became the main cargo with timber, 

other house building materials and manure, produced by London’s 

hundreds of thousands of horses, as well as almost anything else: a 

passing barge full of sheep, carrying a snooker table or a grand piano 

would be no surprise. In its heyday the canal transported 2m tons of 

freight. 

Barges were worked by tiller men who steered the boat and 

drivers on the tow path who led the horses pulling 

the barges. Drivers carried a whip, not for the horse, but to crack as a signal 

when approaching a bridge or alert the keeper to open a lock. To replace 

the horse with an engine would have taken up valuable cargo space; not until 

the 1950s did tractors start to supersede horses. 

Steps by bridges allowing public access were not installed before the 1970s. 

The canal had been fenced off, trespassers fined. That did not stop locals 

hopping over to fish or gamble at ‘pitch and toss’ under the bridges, risking 

being nicked by ‘The Cut Runners’, the canal’s police force. 

Local kids, mostly boys, learned to swim and generally larked about in the warm 

waters produced by water taken in to cool canal-side works and then pumped back 

out. The more daring stood on the bridges mooning at passing traffic. 

Festivities planned this summer to celebrate The Cut’s 200 years have been rescheduled, COVID 

permitting, for July 2021. Fascinating stories of its past can be read in Carolyn Clark’s The East End Canal 

Tales, my source for much of the above. Intriguing oral histories and film clips are available at 

www.regentscanalheritage.org.uk. Also, well worth 

a visit is www.canalmuseum.org.uk. 

Due to current social distancing guidance, Walk 

Hackney’s walks have been suspended until 

further notice. Please check for resumption at 

walkhackney.co.uk

P R O J E C T G R E E N T H U M B 

07453 421 377 

Affordable Counselling 

& Psychotherapy in E11 

Christopher Rolls 

UKCP, EATA Trainee Therapist 

T H E ' U R B A N G A R D E N ' 

S P E C I A L I S T S 

www.projectgreenthumb.co.uk 

@projectgreenthumbuk 

Project Green Thumb 

christopher.rolls@metanoia.ac.uk 

beingtogethertherapy.com 

M ICHELE S C ARR 

CNM DIP NUT CNHC mBANT 

I help people struggling with 

energy, hormones, weight & 

and attractive again. 

www.nutritioneast.london 

nutritioneast@mail.com 

(+44) 7984 149089 


| Eating in with Sophie Downer 

Sweet potato, squash and 

cannellini soup 

I like to use dried beans in this soup, haricot or 

cannellini, soaked overnight in water and boiled with 

garlic, sage and a couple of fresh tomatoes, but you 

can use tinned beans to speed things up. 

This is such a simple and tasty soup. Start with the onions and garlic in a heavybottomed 

pan, soften in olive oil, season with salt and pepper. 

Then add your sweet potatoes and pumpkin and sprig of sage. Cook for 10 

minutes or so, stirring regularly till soft, add enough water to just cover, and 

cook further, until squash and sweet potatoes are completely cooked. Cook 

the kale separately in salted boiling water until tender, drain and add to 

soup along with the beans. Keep your soup on the stove for a few minutes 

longer so all the ingredients come together. 

Serve in a bowl with lots of really good olive oil - I like parmesan grated on 

top too – and, of course, good bread. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 onion, chopped 

3 peeled cloves of garlic 

2 or 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and 

diced 

1 butternut squash, deseeded and 

diced (peeled or not, whichever you 

prefer) 

Sprig of sage 

Cooked beans or tinned 

A couple of large handfuls of kale 

Salt and pepper 

Good olive oil 

Images clockwise from top: 1. Melanie Hughes via Unsplash 2. Sophie Downer 3. MockUp 

Graphics via Unsplash 4. MockUp Graphics via Unsplash 5. Brian McGowan via Unsplash 

Sophie is a trained chef and runs the Central 

Park Cafe in East Ham's Central Park. Follow 

Sophie on Instagram: @breadclub1 and on 

Facebook: @easthambread. 

28 LOVEEAST

| Eating out 

Aromas Restaurant: a firm Forest Gate favourite 

Located in the heart of Forest Gate, Aromas is a cosy restaurant run by the Gaire family 

and specialising in authentic Nepalese and Indian cuisine. Originally from Nepal, the 

family of five grew up eating fresh food straight from the farms and their motto, “Serve 

what we eat”, reflects their desire to bring that authenticity and freshness to their dishes. 

Aromas is very popular with Forest Gate locals and has also 

won a Time Out Love London award. “It’s not fancy but 

friendly, not huge but cosy” is the perfect way to describe 

this place; it’s an ordinary place with extraordinary food, run 

by people who have a passion for what they do and who do 

it well. 

With nearly 30 years of experience under his belt, father and 

Head Chef Annath Gaire began cooking at the age of 24 when 

he honed his skills in some of Delhi’s top restaurants. He’s also 

worked as a chef in Thailand, Singapore, Bosnia, Scotland and, 

of course, now here in East London. The family takes pride 

in the quality of their food and Annath’s daily trips to market 

to source the best vegetables, meat and chicken ensure all 

ingredients are fresh and of the best quality. 

Images are from Aromas' Instagram feed 

Aromas offers an array 

of traditional Indian 

curries, including 

vegan and vegetarian 

options, as well as their 

signature Nepalese 

dishes. They also 

have a wide range of 

drinks to complement 

their food, including 

Nepalese and Indian 

beers and Soul Tree, a 

made-for-curry wine, 

which comes from 

Nasik, India, known as 

‘The City of Grapes’. 

As the Aromas family 

says, “you can stick to 

your regular French 

wine (which they do 

offer) or go exotic.” I 

say, go exotic. 

AROMAS 

172 Forest Lane 

Forest Gate E7 9BB 

W: aromasrestaurant.co.uk 

Tel: 2036746043 

E: info@aromas.com 

T: @aromasfoods 

IG: @aromasfood 

FB: @aromasrestaurant.co.uk 

OPENING HOURS & DELIVERY 

Mon - Sun: 5pm - 11pm 

(be sure to confirm closing time in 

lieu of current govt guidelines) 

Free, contactless home delivery to 

Forest Gate, Stratford, West Ham, 

Wanstead, Manor Park, Leyton, 

Leytonstone, East Ham and Plaistow. 

Aromas is open for safe, socially distanced dining 

(reservations are preferred) as well as contactless take away 

and delivery, and they also offer catering services. If you 

fancy an authentic, home-made curry in a warm and friendly 

atmosphere, this place is hard to beat. Namaste! 


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30 LOVEEAST

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LoveEast.58

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