LoveEast.59

Your East London: People, Food, Culture | 

Hello East London! How's everyone doing? 

As the quote on the cover says, 'There is nothing 

permanent except change' and that's certainly true. The 

past year has been tough for everyone, and with a third 

lockdown, it's time for me to pause, take stock and consider 

the future of LoveEast. 

With that in mind, this online edition will be the last for a 

while, as it's no longer financially sustainable. Hopefully 

that will change when life returns to some semblance of 

normal. 

Many thanks to everyone who has supported the magazine 

over the years - those who have advertised with us, 

those who have given their time and talents so freely by 

contributing articles, interviewing people, copy editing, 

providing shoulders to lean on... the list is endless and I'm 

forever grateful. 

I'll remain on twitter and instagram and I dearly hope to 

return to publishing in print at some point, but for now it's 

au revoir. 

Cheers, 

Kaz 

Inside 

East Life 

5 

10 

Mark Wincott talks music with 

the band Dishy Tangent 

Gabriele Bertucci is Turning the 

Tide for brewers 

Community 

14 

18 

Wellness 

12 

Bringing people together: East 

London Cares 

Barristas with a difference at 

Clarnico Club 

Meet holistic coach & therapist 

Lucy Stein 

Learning mindfulness at 

25 

Breathing Space 

It's art baby, art! 

12 

Leytonstone Photographer Jake 

Green 

Walk Hackney 

23 

A bit of roadside history from 

Sean Gubbins 

Food & Drink 

Bottoms up with Bula Cocktails 

24 

Editor 

Karen ‘Kaz’ Ay 

THE SMALL PRINT 

Copy editor 

Yolanda Powell 

Crafted by 

chomp.me.uk 

Cover image, this page and back page: Tod Kavonic 

Contributors 

Mark Wincott 

Sean Gubbins 

Tod Kavonic 

How to get in touch 

E: karen@chomp.me.uk 

T: 07590 609 557 

Socials 

W: loveeast.london 

T: @LoveEastMag 

IG: @loveeastmag 

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. 

LOVEEAST Jan/Feb 2021 3

Getting down and dishy with 

East London’s Dishy Tangent 

Mark Wincott 

catches up with the band 

4 LOVEEAST 


Thank you for doing this. Tell us a little bit 

about how you met and why you’re called 

Dishy Tangent? 

Louis: Dishy means good looking, but we’re trying to change 

it to cool, trendy and having a good time. Tangent, as we’re 

at a tangent to different genres, we fuse a range of influences 

in hopes of being unique, so like the tangent line, we touch 

the circle, but we don’t enter it. Also, a tangent is the part of a 

clavichord that helps make the noise. 

The name itself was an Xbox default name, Dishy Tangent 

69 or something like that. I was looking for a band name at 

the time with a geezer called Matt Kelsey, a talented multiinstrumentalist, 

who later went off travelling the world, but 

we already had the Facebook page and all that, so Wayne 

(guitarist) and I carried it on. What happened was, my old band, 

Panning for Gold, split, Wayne was in East End Promises at the 

time, but they also split. The Cockney Rejects then had me 

rapping on some stuff and Wayne was their guitar tech, so we 

started writing together. 

I had a solo gig booked at Caravanserai and Wayne’s riffs were 

all over the record, so I asked him to play. Del (bassist) was the 

sound engineer and played bass, so we just moulded on the day. 

We needed a name. I already had Dishy Tangent, no one else in 

the world has it. We already had the logo, socials and website. 

Iason, who was also in East End Promises (drummer) was 

actually in the crowd at that first gig, two years before he joined. 

I met Fitz at UEL studying music. He played keyboard amongst 

other instruments and joined four years into our journey. Finally, 

there are two layers of guitars in recordings; Wayne couldn’t 

physically do that, and we always knew Brett (MrBeeMc), and 

were fully aware of his skills on the guitar, so he joined just 

before lockdown. 

Dubois. The list really is endless; there’s tons more. Henry 

Cooper used to come in for a cup of tea. Even Stephen Fry has 

been through 60 minutes of hell with Martin. 

Your second record is called Jumping on The 

Bandwagon. Where did you record this? 

It’s all done here at Muscle Memory Musik, it’s our own personal 

studio which has been our headquarters for a decade. The 

writing itself takes no more than two days per song, but the 

recording took about a year, two or three nights a week. The 

more you rehearse and perform each song, your part evolves 

and you get more confident with it, so you end up wanting to 

re-record or change parts. 

Tell us the process of creating a tune. From 

the lyrics, the beat, how does it all 

go down? 

Louis: Usually me or Wayne will come up with a guitar riff and 

we develop the whole track from there. Then Del learns the 

bassline, adding his spin, same with Iason on the drums, Fitz 

on the keys and Brett on the guitar. I write all the lyrics and lay 

them on top of it. 

What kit do you use / guitars do you play / 

etc.? 

Louis: We all sing on Shure microphones, SM58s and I play a 

Yamaha keyboard, a Yamaha Acoustic Guitar, Korg Keytar and 

my harmonicas are Hohner Rockit. 

Del: I play any bass. I’m not fussy really, I play anything. 

Wayne: Fender Telecaster, Boss ME70 multi-effects, a deluxe 

amplifier which is digital, Jim Dunlop picks. 

Iason: I’m a Mapex artist so I have a beautiful Mapex black 

panther design Lab “versatus system” drum kit, Istanbul 

cymbals, Big Fat Snare Drum accessories and a few other bits 

and bobs. 

Brett: I’m using a Gibson Flying V. My preferred set up would be 

a Fender Stratocaster and Marshall amps, but I’m blessed to be 

using these guys’ instruments. 

Fitz: I play Yamaha Keyboards and an egg shaker. 

When growing up, who were your musical 

influences? 

Louis: When I was younger, mainly Billy Joel, little bit of Van 

Morrison and Queen from my parents but I’ve always loved 

all music. The first rap song I remember hearing was Tupac’s 

“Changes”. Then a few years after getting into rap, Dizzy Rascal 

came along. While I was at school I was involved in the grime 

and garage scene. When I finished school, I was in rock bands 

and listened to a lot of Dubstep. I felt like listening to other 

people's music had a negative effect on my creativity as I was 

too influenced by other people and didn’t want to copy anyone's 

music, so I shut off from it all to write constantly, daily, for 

years… and I’m still going, drawing inspiration from the artists I 

work with. 

Del: for me bass – Bootsy Collins, Flea, James Jameson, always 

liked a bit of dance like Prodigy, all British stuff, anything that 

came out of the UK that was different and then American Funk. 

Wayne: I always listened to mum and dad’s vinyl like Elvis, 

Motown; that was my intro music. In school I liked rock and punk 

which made me pick up the guitar. I picked up the drums first, 

then went for the guitar, it’s a mash-up of genres for me. 

We fuse a range 

of influences in 

hopes of being 

unique. 

Fitz: I listened to a lot of variety of music like indie rock to 

grime to hip hop. I made a lot of beats and that got me into 

playing the keyboard. I can’t pin it all down. At uni, I only made 

Trap music. I’ve always played in my church band as well. 

Brett: A lot of blues; everything comes from that anyway, BB 

King, De La Soul, Sam Cooke, I split between the blues and 

grime; it has expanded and I try to listen to everything. As I got 

older, I appreciated other types of music. 

Iason: I enjoy hearing drummers like Thomas Pridgeon, Aaron 

Spears, Tony Royster Jr - all 

of them are ridiculous players. Growing up, it was hip hop and 

listening to John Bonham, Dave Grohl or breaks by Jazzy Jeff. 

Then I dove head-first into rock music. My dad is a musician, 

and he would have Turkish classical music around the house, 

as he makes film scores and has to know a little of everything. 

After college I was Metal until I die and wouldn’t want anything 

mainstream. At 25 years old I became more open minded with 

glitchy electronica like Aphex Twins and Squarepusher. Now I 

listen to anything from progressive instrumental to pop music; 

anything with a good hook. 

If I write on the guitar I sometimes come out with the whole 

song before I put the guitar down. Sometimes I’m inspired 

by emotion in life or a certain chord progression, it’s always 

different. Everyone chips in with different bits and ideas along 

the way; for example, Del actually wrote the guitar melody for 

“Monster” and Brett for “Unusual”. 

You practise above the world-renown Peacock 

Gym; are you able to tell us which boxers 

have passed through those doors? 

Louis: Floyd Mayweather Jr did an open session; he said he 

wanted the whole gym locked down, and the gym said "Nah, 

we will be open to members only” and then, the night before, 

Mayweather announced the open session on social media and 

the area was rammed. Many other known fighters have trained 

here, such as Lennox Lewis and Frank Bruno, or still do train 

here, like newly crowned British Middleweight champion Denzel 

Bentley, and of course, British Heavyweight Champion Daniel 

How do you feel you have moved on from your 

debut record? 

As a band we have achieved some amazing things since our 

debut record. We have played arenas, iconic venues, on national 

TV and (like Johnny Cash) at Warren Hill prison to a load of 

lifers, so it has been an amazing start to our journey already. 

Musically we are also flying. We rehearse a lot, we are here all 

the time, working on things and perfecting our craft. We have 

a new member, Brett, and we are evolving. We have so many 

songs; some we are still learning. We have about 34 original 

songs on the setlist and can play 20-odd. Learning new ones 

along the way keeps it fresh. 

6 LOVEEAST 


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

T H E U R B A N L A N D S C A P E 

S P E C I A L I S T S 

07453 421 377 

www.projectgreenthumb.co.uk 

Parting Shot | 

Best place to go for food in East London 

along with your favourite pie mash shop? 

Wayne: Maureen’s pie and mash in Crisp Street is Powerful! 

Louis: I second that, you can be from anywhere; if you eat that, 

your kid is coming out with a Cockney accent. There’s a decent 

Robins in Chingford. Stevie Walder’s hot dog stand or Borras 

Kitchen. 

Iason: There’s Robins in Romford and the Thai place by the 

cable cars is nice. 

If you could describe the band…yourself…. 

your music as a cartoon character, which 

cartoon character would it be? 

Wayne: Johnny Bravo because he’s cool. 

Fitz: Rick and Morty, because Rick as a character is so out 

there. 

Louis: We were meant to play Royal Albert Hall with Chic and 

Nile Rodgers before lockdown, which has been postponed. 

We haven’t done anything like that since we supported UB40 

in Cardiff Motorpoint Arena and London O2. We did the Big 

Narstie show, our name was the last thing he said at the end of 

series 2. So, hopefully next year, more gigs. We did a socially 

distanced festival in Kings Lynn before this second lockdown 

and a gig in Hackney on the “last night of freedom”. The third 

album W.I.L.D. is coming out. We have a new video out soon, 

“Clear”. We want to do more videos, bigger ones, but we need 

loads of people for that and it brings too much risk at the 

moment. 

Del: We are thinking of doing livestream, we own our brand 

and also looking at making our channel. 

Louis: We’re contemplating having different artists share the 

stage on our livestream. 

Iason: Cranking up the listeners on Spotify. 

Brett: I’d say Pinky and The Brain. 

Louis: Yeah, definitely Rick and Morty. 

What’s your best lockdown tip? 

Louis: Stay productive, try something new. I built a shelf out of 

a guitar, then built an electric guitar and even had a baby. 

Wayne: It isn’t all doom and gloom it’s about getting the best 

out of the situation; you can’t be the best if you’re sitting there 

moaning and not doing anything. 

When life goes back to relative normality, 

what can we expect to see or hear from you? 

8 LOVEEAST 

Is there anything else you’d like to add? 

Del: Yeah, the future is bright. 

Louis: Keep It Dishy. 

WATCH 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxOmLFGPe0bAlxZs5V3A1mA 

LISTEN 

https://soundcloud.com/dishy-tangent 

FOLLOW 

https://www.dishytangent.com 

https://twitter.com/DishyTangent 

https://www.instagram.com/dishytangent/ 

https://www.facebook.com/DishyTangent/ 

Images courtesy of Dishy Tangent and where credited 

G A R D E N D E S I G N / D E C K I N G 

F E N C I N G / P A V I N G / L A W N - T U R F / 

A S T R O - T U R F / P L A N T I N G 

M A I N T E N A N C E 

@projectgreenthumbuk 

projectgreenthumb 


The last few months have been incredibly difficult for pubs; probably 

some of the hardest they have ever faced. We feel these stories 

need to be shared through contemporary media and with expert 

voices to bring about a greater understanding of people's struggles 

working in the pub and beer industry. 

Turning The Tide is a new project with filmmakers and creatives, who have 

teamed up to give life to a show that will help us share voices of the beer 

and hospitality industries at a time when they need to be heard most. It all 

began as a passion project, entirely self-funded so far, and consisting of five 

episodes of roughly 25 minutes each. 

The show is trying to raise awareness of all the difficulties pubs and bars 

face during the current pandemic, beyond the personal consequences it has 

for those behind the bar. We want to create a tighter community and get 

more appreciation for what pub culture means to people's day to day lives. 

Watching the show will offer an expert and unique insight into British public 

houses and explore how much the London pub culture is at risk during and 

after the pandemic. 

Be a part of our journey by supporting us 

We are now at a crucial point where we need help to have the first episodes 

of the show reach their fullest potential - we currently need extra funds to 

complete the final touches on post-production and promotional materials. 

We also have plans to start visiting more pubs around London and perhaps 

the UK (when the government allows), to find out how they are keeping and 

listen to their experiences. 

We are sure that Turning The Tide will contribute significantly to current 

anthropology, sociology and history studies and is of great public interest. 

We cannot wait to share what we've been doing up till now and appreciate 

your interest in supporting us in our endeavours. 

Please see our donation or reward offerings and consider backing us. If you 

envisage any other ways of supporting us, do please get in touch. 

It all began 

as a passion 

project... 

East life | 

What’s In The Glass? founder Gabriele Bertucci 

tells us about his new project Turning The Tide - 

An open miniseries that explores and documents 

testimonies & transformations of London beer 

culture during the pandemic period 

About What's In The Glass? 

What's In The Glass? is a genuine journey through the most turbulent months 

of 2020. With over ten years of experience in the beer business, WITG? has 

the knowledge and passion for building a platform where we tell stories 

about hospitality and the beer industry, and the people working in it. 

The team behind this particular digital project includes video makers, writers 

and beer experts, all of whom want to give voice to the UK hospitality and 

beer industries at this critical time. 

About Gabriele Bertucci 

Gabriele, the founding member behind this historically poignant venture and 

production, is a beer guy based in London. Not only does he make hugely 

valuable contributions to the London beer scene, but he also holds equally 

useful titles amongst his peers in the industry. Gabs is an Accredited Beer 

Sommelier by The Beer & Cider Academy, a member of The British Guild of 

Beer Writers, has recently won the "Best Citizen Beer Communicator" award 

(silver), and also is founder of the digital community "What's In The Glass?". 

TO FIND OUT MORE 

Crowdfunding: crowdfunder.co.uk/turning-thetide-campaign 

W: whatsintheglass.co.uk 

IG: instagram.com/whats_in_the_glass 

LI: linkedin.com/company/whats-in-the-glass 

FB: facebook.com/whatsintheglassuk 

For more information, please contact Gabriele 

Bertucci at What's In The Glass?: 

E: contact@whatsintheglass.co.uk 

T: 07745 968697 

Images courtesy of Gabriele Bertucci 

10 LOVEEAST 


| Wellness 

Holistic Sports & Remedial Massage Therapist and 

Reiki Master Lucy Stein chats with Mark Wincott 

East life | 

Hi Lucy, thank you for doing this, please tell us 

a little about yourself and what led you to this 

path of helping others? 

Hi Mark, no problem at all, lovely to speak to you. I left my 9-5 

job eight years ago as I wanted more freedom and movement. 

I loved my job but I had developed neck pain; my body was 

telling me sitting at a desk in one place wasn’t for me. 

I realised I had always been a helper and a peace keeper. If I 

could help a person or a situation in any way then I would. I 

was offered a Reiki session by a neighbour and loved it, and a 

while later I thought if I have this calling to help people why not 

get attuned to Reiki and see if I can help that way? It then just 

happened I met someone 

soon after by chance who 

introduced me to a Reiki 

Master, as usually happens 

with Reiki. 

I was training and 

performing in circus so I 

developed a strong interest 

in the body and how to 

avoid injury. I travelled 

and performed and 

along the way I decided 

to also train in Massage 

Therapy as I wanted to 

help people avoid injury. I 

went on to complete nearly 

every diploma available 

and conducted my own 

research into chronic pain, 

trauma and yoga theory. 

As a Sports & Remedial practitioner I treat all types of pain 

every day. It’s wonderful to be able to help people in this way, 

especially in the current climate. 

How do you feel your body work will help people 

in the current climate? 

With the lack of physical connection and touch allowed at the 

moment, I think hands-on therapy is needed more than ever. 

During lockdown, some people hadn’t been touched or hugged 

by another person for three months, which has a big impact 

mentally and in turn causes physical symptoms. Humans are 

social animals; we evolved to connect with each other, and 

touch is an important part of that. 

We are all carrying high or low levels of anxiety at the moment, 

whether we realise it or not. A lot of people are having crazy 

dreams which are our worries coming out in the night even if 

we feel calm in the day. Anxiety comes from not knowing what 

will happen or not being able to control it, which is pretty much 

the current situation in the pandemic. 

Anxiety produces stress hormones which prime the body to 

‘Fight or Flight’. These literally pump up the muscle fibres so 

a person can run away from a physical threat or fight it. The 

brain sees all threats as physical danger, it doesn’t recognise 

the difference between physical and mental stress. Mammals 

in the wild, after being chased by a predator, shake to reset 

their nervous system by releasing the taught muscle fibres and 

rest to recover from the exertion. Humans don’t do this and 

we have many stressors throughout each day because of our 

responsibilities and endless thoughts. By releasing the tension 

in the muscles and soft tissue, we reset the nervous system 

back to its restful state. 

During our period of lockdown how did you keep 

yourself mentally safe? 

I realised that everyone was going through the grief 

process. After the initial shock when our lives got 

turned upside down overnight, the first stage of grief 

is denial. This helped me understand people who 

think the pandemic 

is a scam or deny it 

exists. The next stage 

is anger; when you 

look at the rise of the 

protests in the initial 

lockdown period and 

beyond you can see 

this emotion play 

out. Stages 3 and 4 

are bargaining - the 

what ifs’ and If onlys 

- and depression, 

which of course a 

lot of us may have 

experienced, then 

finally acceptance. 

I’ve seen a lot of 

regular clients in the 

acceptance stage since 

returning to work after lockdown, which is wonderful: 

there has been a lot less stress apparent in their tissues 

than before lockdown in some cases. Many people 

have used this time as a reset to examine what was 

and wasn’t serving them in their lives and have made 

positive changes. 

But remember grief can cycle, so we can keep going back 

through the stages many times and that’s ok. If you feel like 

your emotions are all over the place at the moment remember 

it’s completely normal, be patient and gentle with yourself and 

reach out and connect to others as much as you can. 

You’re based in East London, what areas of this part of town 

do you feel connected with? 

I live in Hackney Wick where my old clinic was. I love the area 

because I can constantly see the water and of course there’s a 

great community there. I love taking long walks in Victoria Park 

and the woods. I have now moved my practice to Stratford, so 

it’s still very near. 


W: re-volve.uk 

Image courtesy of Lucy Stein 

12 LOVEEAST 


During these uncertain times, local 

charity East London Cares is renewing 

its efforts to reduce loneliness in Tower 

Hamlets and Hackney 

14 LOVEEAST 

The charity brings together older people over 65 and 

younger people aged between 18 and 35 to share 

friendship and new experiences. Their programmes had 

been face-to-face but, in March this year, East London 

Cares radically re-invented its work to tackle lockdown 

loneliness and help people stay connected during the 

pandemic. 

Now, as the charity seeks to reduce loneliness and its mental health effects 

during a third lockdown, it is renewing efforts to bring people together online, 

on the phone and by post. 

The effect of lockdown loneliness on mental health is clear. One in three (34%) 

older people agree that their anxiety is now worse or much worse than before 

the start of Covid-19. (1) But It’s not just older people who are affected. Figures 

show that during the first lockdown in the spring, half of all workers experienced 

loneliness. 70% of those said their loneliness had a negative impact on their 

overall wellbeing. (2) 

East London Cares will seek to reverse the tide of loneliness throughout winter 

with a suite of programmes that create meaningful connections and lasting 

relationships between older and younger people in East London. As well as tech 

support to help older people get online, the charity will bring the community 

together online through Virtual Social Clubs, over the phone through a one-toone 

friendship programme and by post. 

Indrani, 69, who is matched with Sarah, 33, as part of the Phone a Friend 

programme said: 

"This is what I like about East London Cares: mixing the young and the old. So we 

can learn from each other. 

“For years after I retired I never joined any groups. When I tried groups, they 

were so depressing. It's so good to be with young people. I know I'm old, but I'm 

young, spiritually. 

"During this COVID period, it is a blessing to have Sarah our young volunteer on 

the other end of the line to check on me and vice versa. Yes, there are numerous 

programmes that East London Care host on ZOOM but nothing can replace 

a real one-to-one chat by phone with someone who cares and remains nonjudgemental. 

This has been a real lifeline for me. 

“I would encourage more volunteers and neighbours to participate. We need 

each other. " 

Meanwhile, Sarah said: 

"I love Indrani so much, we really helped each other throughout the lockdown 

and developed a great friendship since. 

“She’s full of incredible stories and also gives the best advice. I am very grateful 

for her and for East London Cares to have put us into each other’s lives.” 

East London Cares’ founder and Chief Executive Alex Smith, said: 

“Loneliness is a painful, insidious emotion that we all experience, but when it’s 

chronic as it has been for so many older and younger people in London this year, 

it can be even more harmful, with serious long-term health consequences. 

“More than that, when we withdraw from one another, we know one another 

less well, and that can lead to divisions which are unsustainable for our local and 

national social fabric. 

“I’ve been so inspired by how East Londoners have mobilised to show that, in 

these parts, we do not leave our neighbours forgotten, lonely and left behind – 

not in a pandemic, not ever. 

About East London Cares 

The charity is 

now seeking new 

older and younger 

neighbours to get 

involved to help 

stem loneliness in 

the community. 


• East London Cares is a community network of younger and older neighbours reducing loneliness together. 

• Local people can find out how to support East London Cares by visiting Eastlondoncares.org.uk/home 

East London Cares Covid-19 support: 

East London Cares is renewing its efforts to bring people together online, on the phone and by post. Its re-invented 

programmes are: 

• Phone in and Zoom Social Clubs – large and small group parties and discussions taking place online and by phone. 

• Phone a Friend – one-to-one friendships through which older and younger Londoners call one another up several 

times a week. 

• Tech Support - one-to-one support with how to create and/or use an email account or one-to-one support to 

download and navigate the Zoom app. 

• Outreach – East London Cares is running its tenth annual Winter Wellbeing project this year. Through the project, 

older neighbours at risk of isolation are invited to be part of its group and one-to-one programmes, 

• #AloneTogether – over 1,200 older East Londoners will be sent creative activities in the post designed to fill time 

and distract attention from the pandemic, co-created by older and younger people together. 

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 

Images: The Cares Family 

16 LOVEEAST

Images: Clarnico Club 

Clarnico 

Club and the 

SEND Coffee 

Programme 

Located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Clarnico Club 

opened its doors this past October. Named after the Clarnico 

confectionery company that once operated in the area, Clarnico 

Club is a multipurpose space - a speciality coffee shop and an 

events space but, first and foremost, a training site for SEND 

coffee. 

SEND coffee is a social enterprise that trains young adults 

with special educational needs and disabilities to be speciality 

baristas. Over the course of 36 weeks, learners work 1:1 with 

their mentors, who are also experienced baristas, to learn about 

everything from independent travelling and making small talk 

with customers, right up to pouring latte art and V60 brewing. 

This training programme operates as a course offered by 

Newham College, allowing learners to choose this hands-on, 

practically-based course as an alternative to their classroombased 

lessons. 

“We don’t just want our learners to be good baristas. We want 

them to be amazing, with all the skills, knowledge and expertise 

to excel at what they do and help them overcome the prejudices 

they face,” says SEND coffee founder, Harry Graham. “Clarnico 

Club is so important for us as a site as it completely challenges 

the idea of what a shop operated by non-profit looks and 

feels like.” 

After their year of training, the SEND coffee graduates are 

supported by Head of Alumni, Dominique Spencer, to find jobs in 

coffee shops across London. Dominique supports them with CV 

writing and practice interviews as well as after they have found 

jobs. 

“As Clarnico Club has only been operating for the past few 

months, it really has been a learning curve for everyone on 

the team as we all try to find our way through,” says Elizabeth 

Brockman, owner of Clarnico Club. “Throughout this time, our 

SEND training mentors Monica Barnard and Ty Jemmi have 

been working with three learners each. Even in such little time, 

it’s been amazing to see how much progress has been made by 

the learners as they have become comfortable in the space and 

get more and more comfortable with talking to customers and 

essential coffee training. Exposure to this kind of environment is 

something that you just can’t replicate in a classroom.” 

To find out more about the SEND coffee programme, head to 

www.sendcoffee.co.uk or pop into Clarnico Club to meet the 

team. 

Clarnico Club 

1 Tandy Place 

Hackney, E20 3AS 

18 LOVEEAST 


| It's Art baby, Art! It's Art baby, Art! | 

An interview with Leytonstone photographer Jake Green 

this take to collate and why….what made you come up 

with the idea? 

The Pie & Mash London project is such a hidden 

gem. It first started out as a short film in 2014. At the 

time I was working with Simon Poon Tip (Director & 

Executive Producer) and we had started making projects 

documenting little narratives in and about London. He 

suggested documenting the Pie & Mash shops, so we 

filmed each one with a London postcode. At the time I 

always had the idea that the project would work well as a 

book and become an interesting document. Every edition 

of the book evolves and changes in some way, adding 

shops and different editorial content. 

You recently did Pie and Mash Live, featuring the Hak 

and Cooke family. How long did this take to put together 

and how did it all come about? 

Every edition of the book is celebrated by a pie and 

mash lock in party at the Noted Eel and Pie House in 

Leytonstone. This wasn’t possible this year – so I took 

the opportunity to share the project in a different way. 

I’d recently done a different event of a similar nature 

to launch my book Kunywa Jasho Langu: Coffee Kenya 

– people really enjoyed the virtual launch. Pie & Mash 

LIVE worked as a way to connect people from all over 

London to people online in a global celebration of pie 

and mash. Connecting pie and mash fans with fans of 

photography and vice versa. In much the same way as 

the pie and mash lock in connected people from different 

communities locally. 

What were Matt Johnson of The The and John Rogers 

like to talk to? 

I’ve known John Rogers for a while, since he wrote for the 

first edition of Pie & Mash London – it is always enjoyable 

to have an excuse to chat with him. I’m a big fan of his 

work and YouTube channel. We’d recently done a postlockdown 

Pie & Mash Q&A event at The Wanstead Tap in 

Leytonstone which sold out within a day, so I felt that it 

was a good opportunity for anyone who had missed out 

on that event to see what he had to say on the subject. 

Matt Johnson was very different – we’d never spoken 

before – I’m aware of how much of a legend he is. 

Once he got started reminiscing about pie and mash, 

everything just fell into place. Originally, I had planned 

to do an interview with a regular customer of Noted Eel 

& Pie House to get their view and it just so happened to 

turn out to be Matt Johnson. I’m reading his dad’s book 

Tales from the Two Puddings now. It is great to engage 

in the local history and community – especially with 

Hi Jake, thank you for doing this, how are you? 

I’m really well thanks, Mark. Hope you are too. Thank you 

for your continued support. 

How has lockdown and tier confusion impacted you and 

your art? 

Since March 2020 there has been a massive reduction in 

commercial photography work, which has been a struggle 

for my business and many others in the same position. 

What this has done is given me the time to focus entirely 

on my own projects – planning new work and celebrating 

existing projects and collaborations. 

Can you tell us a little about how you became a 

photographer? 

I gradually became a photographer over several years, 

starting out with a cheap, second hand camera from 

a charity shop. I was intrigued by the photographic 

process. Over the years I’ve consistently developed my 

understanding of different areas of creative production, 

image making and art direction. 

What inspires you? 

I’m inspired by projects that either feel misrepresented 

or underrepresented. Most of my ideas and creative 

inspiration come from reading books or visiting art 

galleries – I try to put myself in a position where my mind 

can wander. 

For the knowledgeable people out there what 

equipment do you use? 

I use a range of cameras depending on the project. My 

main work horse camera is a Canon MK4 with optical 

viewfinder and a series of manual focus Zeiss lenses, 

25mm, 50mm and 85mm. 

Is there anyone out there who encouraged you to 

continue on this path? If so, who and how did they help 

you? 

My parents always gave me the freedom to find my own 

way. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but 

creatively I’ve never had any restrictions. My main, more 

recent inspiration and encouragement has been my 

partner Kerrie; we discuss the projects I’m working on 

and how they will develop. She has always given me the 

confidence that all the research work and personal work 

will be worthwhile and mean something. Kerrie proofs all 

of the book editorials and oversees the final edits of the 

books and exhibitions. 

I first heard of you due to your impressive photo book of 

pie and mash shops still open in London. How long did 

20 LOVEEAST 


| It's Art baby, Art! 

personal accounts and relationships. Sharing these stories 

is inspiring and helps me to promote the subjects of 

projects that are important to me. 

You created a photo story of the coffee trade in South 

America and Africa; what did you learn, how has this 

experience affected your life? 

The series you mention is called Drink My Sweat – it’s 

an observation of specialty coffee production which 

embodies ethically traded and sustainable coffee, 

meaning that the coffee is of a higher grade and 

sells for a higher price as a result. I saw first-hand the 

inequalities of life from our western coffee consumption 

to the manual labour required to produce coffee. When 

I returned from Colombia, my first trip in the series, I 

couldn’t consume coffee in the same way. The reality of 

where it came from weighed heavily on me. I wasn’t sure 

how best to communicate what I had seen, but I knew I 

had some amazing images that could draw attention to 

the subject. The trip has made me appreciate the coffee I 

drink more and to pay tribute to the different people and 

organisations that dedicate their lives to the process. 

Who would you tell the readers to look out for, as in 

short movie maker and a photographer? Also, why 

would you recommend them? 

Henry Jay Kamara is an exceptional young photographer 

who I’m observing. I’ll be interested to see what he 

is producing in 5-10 years’ time. JaQuel Knight is a 

choreographer and creative director that I have worked 

with for a number of years, he has immense vision and 

has started directing. The next step for him is to produce 

a full feature – rather than a short. I can’t wait to see that. 

You are based in East London, what do you love about 

the area? 

I’m not just based in East London, I was born and raised 

here. The area has a great feel to it. Growing up here has 

meant being surrounded by so many different cultures. So 

much so that in fact that diversity becomes a culture that 

we call our own, unique to our area of London and not 

seen in the same way anywhere in the world. You mostly 

notice the eclectic mix of people when you move away or 

visit other areas. 

"I’m inspired by projects that 

either feel misrepresented 

or underrepresented." 

What are you working on next? 

I’m currently putting the finishing touches to a 

photography exhibition in Walthamstow of Kunywa Jasho 

Langu: Coffee Kenya at the Frank Ison Space from 5 Jan 

to 7 Feb 2021. It’s a continuation of the book launch 

and a progression from the virtual event to a physical 

exhibition that can be viewed from the street in a socially 

distanced way. It has been designed to be very accessible 

and includes the option to scan a QR code to listen to an 

audio recording and description of the work. The prints 

are beautiful and the show is supported by an exhibition 

booklet that gets posted out for free. 

The next chapter in the coffee series is Central America – 

which focusses on El Salvador and Honduras. Other than 

that, I’d like to expand the Pie & Mash book to include 

every pie shop in England. I’ve got a few other projects 

I’m waiting for the right moment to explore and develop 

– but all in good time. 


W: jake.green and leytonoflondon.com 

Images: John Green 

Before there were LTNs 

Walk Hackney with Sean Gubbins | 

Today’s Hackney has thousands of roads, currently being patterned into Low Traffic 

Neighbourhoods. 250 years ago, there were only about 20 roads in this area. Some 

carried local traffic down the ‘main drags’ of the different villages, e.g. Homerton High 

Street, Hoxton Street, Stoke Newington’s Church Street. Others connected Hackney to 

the outside world: Lea Bridge Road took traffic east into Essex; until the 1870s, when 

Graham Road was completed to Mare Street, Dalston Lane, first recorded in 1553, 

was the only route west from Hackney to Islington. Some roads linked the different 

settlements: Lower and Upper Clapton Roads connected Stamford Hill, via Clapton, to 

Hackney village. Only two were through roads carrying national traffic. Both had been 

Roman roads: Ermine Street, heading north out of the City via Shoreditch, Kingsland, 

east of Stoke Newington, to Stamford Hill and beyond, and Old Street bringing traffic 

from Colchester. 

Since the 1300s the Crown had helped pay for the maintenance of roads carrying 

national traffic. Otherwise, roads were the parish’s responsibility. Parishioners had to 

provide four days’ labour annually to maintain them. Carrying cattle, carriages and 

wagons, the roads became deep in mud in winter, dusty and rutted in summer, leading 

to accidents, loss of goods and costly delays. They were so bad that in 1713 some 

Hackney farmers switched to transporting potatoes using a pannier slung over a horse, 

which was easier than using a cart. 

To address the situation, turnpike trusts were set up to collect tolls at gates and 

supervise repairs with income raised. 1713 saw the first in Hackney: the Stamford Hill 

Turnpike Trust for Stamford Hill to Shoreditch. A second trust was set up in 1738 for 

Stamford Hill via Clapton, Mare Street and Hackney Road to Shoreditch. Making this 

route ‘safe and passable’, Hackney Vestry hoped, would attract people to occupy the 

120 houses of ‘considerable value’ in the parish lying empty because of ‘the badness of 

their roads.’ 

Two other trusts were established: Old Street and Lea Bridge Road. In all, Hackney had 

nine toll-gates, where traffic had to stop to pay to pass through. These roads, now ‘A’ 

or ‘B’ roads, were also residential. Hackney started to develop into a London suburb 

through ribbon development: building homes along existing roadsides. From the end of 

the 1700s, bricks and mortar spread north-eastwards from the City fringes to cover all 

the once open fields of Hackney. As new roads were laid out, more gates and bollards 

were installed to prevent toll evasion, which had become widespread by the 1850s. 

Clapton Gate, at today’s Lea Bridge roundabout, was the first to go; the last at Lea 

Bridge in 1872. Whilst the turnpikes have gone, some things never change: road users 

in 1838 had to contend with ‘the quantity of water injudiciously suffered to run to waste 

upon the roads’ - caused by one of Thames Water’s predecessors. 

Due to current social distancing guidance, Walk Hackney’s walks have been suspended until 

further notice. Please check for resumption at walkhackney.co.uk 

22 LOVEEAST 


| Food & Drink 

Fancy a cocktail but everything’s shut? 

Bula Cocktails delivers! 

Hackney based Bula Cocktails is a home 

delivery service that brings cocktails to your 

door, and, not only are they delicious and 

freshly made, they’re also affordable! 

Having always loved cocktails and having 

tried and explored the flavours in bars and 

speciality spots, the team behind Bula soon 

realised the difference between a good 

cocktail and an AMAZING cocktail. In their 

words, “We thought there has to be a way to 

have a luxury cocktail experience at home.” 

And so the concept was born. 

With increasing demand from friends and 

family, the team transformed itself into a 

company to offer a unique home experience. 

And, once life returns to something 

resembling normal, they can also cater for any 

occasion, including weddings, anniversaries, 

hen or stag parties, birthdays and corporate 

events. 

We all need a bit of 

Breathing Space right now… 

Breathing Space London is the London Buddhist Centre’s 

health and wellbeing project. It runs secular courses that teach 

techniques, tools and tips on mindfulness. The courses are open 

to anyone and you don’t need any interest in Buddhism to join in. 

Breathing Space was founded in 2004. Since then, it has helped 

thousands to manage and sustain positive mental health. Now, 

given the Covid-19 crisis, its courses are taken by people from 

all over the world online; in fact, the first, on how to cultivate 

compassion, was followed by more than 1,000 people worldwide. 

Courses are intensive, twice-weekly and in the evening. They 

include practices, meditations, exercises to continue at home, 

interactive groups, and plenty of time to have questions answered 

and share experience. People on the courses often comment that 

they feel more connected afterwards. 

UPCOMING COURSES 

Wellness | 

12 January - four-week course on Resilience Training: How to 

cultivate real resilience to respond to a changing, unpredictable 

world. 

To book: https://londonbuddhistcentre.com/post-15221/ 

8 February - four-week course on Staying Well: A Mindfulness 

Intensive for Positive Mental Health. 

To book: https://londonbuddhistcentre.com/post-15251/ 


Breathing Space London 

51 Roman Road 

Bethnal Green, E2 0HU 

T: 020 8981 1225 

W: https://londonbuddhistcentre.com/mindfulness/ 

Every delivery comes with a letter detailing 

the ingredients and allergen information for 

each cocktail or mocktail, and, where your 

cocktail is best topped with a garnish, they 

include these too! 

Each of their boxes comes with a coolant 

pack, keeping your drinks perfectly chilled 

on arrival. The coolant pack is not for 

consumption butit can be reused, which is a 

little bit kinder to the environment. Just pop it 

in your freezer. 

Handcrafted cocktails and non-alcoholic 

mocktails are delivered locally in and around 

Hackney via Uber Eats and Deliveroo, and are 

an absolute bargain, considering one cocktail 

in a bar usually sets you back at least a tenner. 

And, I can attest to the fact that they're also 

very, very tasty. 

Bottoms up! 

Individuals from £9.95 

includes two generous servings per 

container 

The Miniature Collection £22.00 

includes three cocktails 

Bula Box from £50.70 

includes 6 cocktails 

Bula Cocktails 

M: 07426 789397 

E: info@bulacocktails.com 

W: bulacocktails.com 

IG: @bula_cocktails 

FB: @bulacocktails 

Images: Bula Cocktails 

Image: Breating Space 

24 LOVEEAST 


| Parting Shot 

Thanks to all who have supported 

and enjoyed LoveEast over the years. 

We hope to return at some point in 

future. In the meantime, stay safe 

and shop local. 

Au revoir...

LoveEast.59

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