Duffy Boxing is one of the latest businesses to call East Wick + Sweetwater home. We caught up with founder Ciaran Duffy to find out more about the boxing gym and what visitors can expect.

Hi Ciaran, it’s great to welcome you to EW+S! Tell us more about Duffy Boxing

The idea for Duffy Boxing was initially discussed during a conversation with my friend Chris Kenning during the Covid pandemic. We then formed Duffy Boxing, with plans for both a physical gym and an online counterpart.

In the gym we offer the chance for everyday gym goers to be coached in a top-class boxing facility by high level professional coaches. The gym offers classes at every level, from beginner right through to more advanced sparring classes.

Within our first twelve months we’ve added legendary former boxing champions and Sky Sports presenters Johnny Nelson and Spencer Oliver to the team.

Visitors can expect an authentic, high-energy and friendly atmosphere in the gym. Boxing gyms can often come across as intimidating places for non-boxers and for this reason it is hugely important for us to create a friendly and enjoyable experience for everyone that attends our sessions.

How did you get into boxing?

I have been in and around boxing for as long as I can remember. My father was a former amateur champion as well as an amateur and professional coach, and the sport was ingrained in me from a young age.

I boxed as both an amateur and professional for 20 years, winning national championships in both codes and boxing internationally in many different countries around the world.

As a professional boxing coach I have trained boxers at every level, including championship boxers. I’ve been lucky enough to corner boxers in British, Commonwealth, European and World championships fights.

I am also a level 3 personal trainer and have been active in the fitness industry now for over 15 years.

What do you like about your new space at EW+S?

I absolutely love EW+S and the surrounding area. I always wanted to have a friendly community feel in my boxing gym and I really love the vibrant and diverse atmosphere that this area exudes. It’s full of interesting and creative people and I really believe it’s a perfect fit for my business.

The gym space is the perfect size – not too big, but big enough to have a high-level boxing facility without losing any of the authentic boxing atmosphere that can be found in a professional boxing gym.

I’m really looking forward to the boxing gym becoming part of the local community and also producing high level professional boxing champions that can hopefully be a further source of pride and inspiration to the surrounding area.

To find out more and to book an introductory session, visit: www.duffyboxing.com

After 14 years teaching everything from Spin, Pilates and Zumba, Chloe Redmond was ready to launch her own passion project The Body People.

This incredible new Fitness, Dance and Aerial studio is now open at East Wick + Sweetwater, giving visitors not only a great place to exercise, but somewhere to relax and meet other members of the community. We caught up with Chloe to find out more.

Hey Chloe! What’s the story behind The Body People?

The Body People is my baby! I’d been an Instructor and Personal Trainer for years and felt like some studios open up and just offer Spin, Pilates or Dance, but it was my dream to open up a space where we can do it all Dance, Fitness or swing from the ceiling if you like.  We’re a Fitness, Aerial and Dance studio, and we’re not just about exercise. We’re also looking forward to hosting spoken word events, pop-up markets, rehearsals and photography exhibitions if it fits with our vibe, we’re interested. Our visitors come from all backgrounds. Some people come along to complement their gym routines, whereas others come exactly because they don’t like a generic gym and they enjoy the communal element, chatting and relaxing with others whilst being guided through a big variety of sessions.

Aerial sounds interestingWhat’s that?

Aerial is anything above the floor, so imagine flying, and that’s it! If you’ve ever been to the circus you’ll also get the idea.  Our Aerial Sling and Silk classes are popular as they allow you to be weightless, which can feel really exhilarating, whilst also being a great workout.

What inspired you to start your own studio?

In the past I used to teach classes out of community halls, school halls and gyms, but I could never put my stamp on them. So, when I decided to start my own studio, I wanted to find somewhere where I could grow and expand and put my personal touch on it. Now people come in and tell me they can feel this is somewhere that’s really loved. People walk in and you can see their reaction, which is the best feeling for me. We’ve got an incredible team on board and our timetable is growing with additional Pole Dancing and Yoga classes added to the bill come and check it out!

How did you find EW+S and what do you think of the local area?

I grew up in Walthamstow and was trying to find a space there for years, but many of the newer buildings were occupied. Luckily, one of those venues connected me to the team at EWS. I’ve seen the growth of Stratford and Hackney being an East Londoner, and I feel like EW+S is in the perfect spot between the two. The area has a really nice mix of people from all backgrounds and it’s important to me as a black woman that I could create a space that’s for everyone. We’ve had a great mix of people putting their head around the door and coming in to find out more.

New visitors can claim their first class for free using the code FREE1. Find out more and book by visiting www.thebodypeople.co.uk

IG & TikTok @thebodypeopleuk

Born and raised in Italy, Antonio and Federica have always worked in the beauty world. Federica was brought up in her mother’s beauty salon, where she learned the tricks of the trade and developed her passion for the industry. Antonio, meanwhile, arrived in London and started working with VIP clients and celebrities, pampering them to the max.
Having been based in East London for the last seven years, the couple are now bringing Italian glamour to East Wick + Sweetwater, opening up Temptation Beauty London in the upcoming months. We caught up with them to find out more.

Tell us more about the business

Our passion for beauty comes from growing up in Italy, when Federica worked in her mother’s salon for many years. We’re a family run business, and we make it our mission to make sure every customer has the most exceptional service from us, always leaving feeling more special.
We pride ourselves on providing the warmest welcome to our clients, ensuring their visit is always memorable. Our team are all experts and passionate about beauty, so come to us if you want to feel relaxed and be pampered from the moment you arrive.

What type of treatments do you offer?

We offer most beauty treatments, including massages, facials and hydro facials, eyelash extensions, waxing, laser treatments, manicures and pedicures, nail extensions and much more. We also have tanning facilities with either sunbeds or spray tanning. Most importantly, we also have our champagne bar, where our clients can enjoy a glass of their favourite bubbles, or a cappuccino.

Why did you decide to move to EW+S?

We were looking for a prime location in east London to establish our first salon, and when we saw EW+S and the space that was available, we jumped in immediately.
We know the community here already and the people are amazing. Hackney Wick in general is a lovely area and is developing quick! We can’t wait to contribute to the local area, and to help EW+S continue to grow into an incredible new neighbourhood.

Head over to their instagram page for more info.

We’re very pleased to introduce our new commercial tenants… Curfew Grooming.

Ben Theophanous and his team at Curfew Grooming are shaking up the traditional barbershop model.

It’s not often that your hair stylist offers its own branded hot sauce, or collaborates with local brands, but that’s exactly the type of direction Ben’s pushing.

And it’s not just beards and hairstyles that they care about – some of the team have also been trained in Mental Health First Aid, after completing a course with the Lions Barber Collective (a mental health training course specific to the hair and beauty industry).

To find out more, we caught up with Ben ahead of him opening a new, larger space at EW+S.

So, what’s Curfew Grooming all about?

Curfew Grooming is a modern barbershop based in Hackney Wick and Brixton. We believe the traditional barbershop model is broken and does not focus enough on the customer. We provide modern services and products, and we’re bookings only – because we think people have better things to do than wait. We’ve also got barbers that are trained in Mental Health First Aid, because that’s really important to us too.

How did you first hear about EW+S?

We’ve been based in Hackney for almost two years now and we could see how EW+S has been growing. Now it’s time for us to expand, we reached out and started viewing units. We’re really excited to be moving literally across the road from where we are now and becoming part of the EW+S family.

What do you like about your new space?

A lot of our inspiration and style of barbering is about modernism. The unit we’re taking on features a lot of concrete and feels really on brand. It’s also about five times bigger than our current location too, so we can’t wait to get in and put our mark on it.

What do you love about Hackney Wick?

It’s been really interesting seeing the area change. Often, development or regeneration can negatively impact an area, but when developers are sensitive to the local environment – EW+S being one of those – it can often work to the benefit of the area, the residents, and businesses alike.

Hackney Wick is an eclectic mix of old and new. You see art and creativity everywhere, and it’s home to many creatives. We also feel like the local people tend to support independent businesses over big chains, which is a dynamic I hope never changes. It’s also got a buzzing start up scene. So, we’re proud to call it our home!

Who best to tell you what East Wick + Sweetwater is all about than some of the people who helped create it?

As co-masterplanners for East Wick + Sweetwater, architects Sheppard Robson have overall responsibility for creating the vision for the new neighbourhood. Working closely with many different partners and the local community, their designs have set the tone for the look and feel of East Wick + Sweetwater, from the style of the buildings to the new public spaces.

Charles Scott leads Sheppard Robson’s masterplanning team and has been involved with East Wick + Sweetwater for nearly 10 years. We recently caught up with him to ask what makes a great masterplan, what inspired the designs at East Wick + Sweetwater, and how he hopes the neighbourhood will evolve in years to come.

Hi Charles, can you give us an overview of your work?

We’re cross-sector architects, which means we design everything from small scale interiors to large scale masterplans, including major buildings like universities, schools, workplaces or residential apartment buildings.

I’m lucky to have colleagues who design all kinds of interesting projects, which means when I’m designing a masterplan, it’s informed by a real knowledge of how these buildings get built and who will use them.

We don’t have a house style as a practice, which means we have a lot of flexibility evolving designs ourselves. This means we often get very attached to projects like East Wick + Sweetwater, because it’s been a personal journey for many of us. This is what we love as architects helping to form a place and feeling like we’ve made a difference.

So, what exactly is a masterplan?

Masterplans at their best should be a combination of people, place and time. We design places for people to live in, work in or to visit. It’s an approach, and a way of laying out the plans for future development.

When we design a masterplan, we’re asking ourselves questions like “Who do we want to use this place? What do we want it to feel like? What do we want it to be in the future as it grows and more people live in it or visit it?”

Importantly, masterplans need to be flexible and something that can evolve. A good masterplan should be able to cope with changes in living and working styles. However, you must be very careful not to try and rigidly fix everything; we don’t know how achievable things we’re drawing today will be in another 15 or 20 years, and that’s why they have to be flexible. Although, good masterplanning proposals must have overarching principles that have longevity through design evolution and implementation.

What inspired your designs for East Wick + Sweetwater?

I’ve been involved at East Wick + Sweetwater from the earliest design stages with the Joint Venture team (Places for People and Balfour Beatty Investments).

We wanted to create an exemplary new neighbourhood, based on the principle of creating different ladders of opportunities as people moved here. For example, you might arrive as a young professional, so we wanted there to be great homes to rent, as well as affordable opportunities like Shared Ownership. Then, a few years later, you might decide to buy one of the new apartments. Then again, if you find yourself with a growing family and in need of more space, you can move to one of the bigger townhouse-style homes as your life experience changes.

We really wanted East Wick + Sweetwater to welcome a diverse community with people from all walks of life be that age, incomes and working backgrounds because this mix of people is intrinsic to what makes a successful London neighbourhood.

Visiting today, what do you think?

Seven years on from our original masterplan designs, I’m delighted to see that this ethos is still here. Visiting today, you walk around and see all sorts of unexpected, interesting things, like different buildings and street scenes, which are growing together.

People cross over the canal from Hackney Wick into East Wick + Sweetwater, as they are now seeing it as a new neighbourhood with new facilities and services that are thriving and relevant. It’s becoming a part of everyday life and that’s really exciting.

You’ve also got the amazing evolution of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Now people are coming here not because of the London 2012 Olympic legacy, but just because it’s a great park. Then you’ve got East Bank coming with its amazing new occupiers, and I think this is going to make it an even more interesting place. It’s a great time to be moving here, and each week is more exciting.

Who better to tell you why they love the local area than locals who established their business there?

We caught up with Ed and Jess from Get Up Yesterday, who founded their sustainable vintage clothing shop Getup Yesterday in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Like many, they found their usual working worlds had been turned upside down. They hoped their fledgling fashion business would help them get by, but they didn’t know how quickly it would turn into full time jobs.

Now, based at Hackney Bridge in East Wick + Sweetwater, Getup Yesterday is flourishing. We sat down with them to find out more about the inspiration behind the business, and what drew them to be based in Hackney Wick.

Can you tell us more about how Getup Yesterday started?

We live locally in Leytonstone in East London but spend lots of our time here in Hackney Wick with our little dog Buffy.

During the first lockdown in 2020, we found ourselves either furloughed or unemployed, so we knew we had to try something different on the side to help. We were passionate about vintage clothing, so we looked around Hackney Bridge and loved the idea of a local community hub and space.

We saw an opportunity and we decided to take a chance on ourselves, opening our first ever shop. We were surprised at how fast the business started to grow and quickly realised we would need to dedicate more of our time to it!

What can people expect at Getup Yesterday?

We sell vintage clothes mostly from the 80s, 90s and early 00s and we try to promote a more sustainable and affordable way of living. We want to encourage people to do their part even if it’s just changing one outfit, as it all helps towards a better future.

How are you getting on at East Wick + Sweetwater?

We live local to the area and enjoy going on long walks, so we saw construction starting in the early days and watched the new buildings develop. There is an amazing community feel to the area and lots of things always happening. It has a great vibe and we feel at home here.

Have you got any local tips or recommendations?

We would definitely recommend the Bar and Kitchens at Hackney Bridge; it is a great little venue and hang out spot with lots of food options to cater to everyone’s needs. We also enjoy venturing into Hackney Wick after work to visit some of the amazing bars. One of our favourites is Howling Hops who have amazing craft beers and Colombian inspired food by Maize Blaze. And check out Four Quarters, a cool little bar with loads of old school arcade games and Cake Cult, where you can get the best vegan cakes going.

Keep up to date with them on their instagram or head over to their website to bag yourself some very cool vintage pieces.

Who better to tell you why they love living at East Wick + Sweetwater than from someone who recently joined the family?

We caught up with Jade to get her views on why she decided to buy at EW+S and why she thinks it’s such a great place to live.

What made you decide to buy at East Wick & Sweetwater?

I had spent the last few years travelling around the world with work but always used Hackney as my base whenever I spent time in London. Last year, realising I was going to be based more permanently in London, I decided I wanted to make a home in the capital so began searching in and around Hackney.

East Wick + Sweetwater immediately jumped out and after discovering the different tenures offered at the scheme, I contacted the Home team to book a viewing and was sold as soon as I had been given the full tour.. The Shared Ownership scheme is a fantastic help I honestly couldn’t believe I could buy my own home in Hackney, it’s a dream come true.

What did you like about your new home?

So many things drew me to my new home, but the modern finish is great; the fittings are really high-spec and the amount of storage I have is incredible this was definitely a huge selling point having accumulated so much stuff from my travels. I love the fact I have my own balcony and cannot wait to have friends over for drinks on sunny days and to enjoy the views over the beautiful communal gardens.

What is it about Hackney Wick that makes it so unique?

For me, the location is second to none, you have all the local amenities you could want on your doorstep from green spaces to bars and restaurants. The atmosphere is so fun and such a great place to socialise with friends. I think my favourite spot must be the canal, it’s the perfect combination of calm but with some lovely eateries and drinking spots to enjoy too – it’s an unbeatable place on a sunny evening.

Keen to make a move too? Find out more about our currently available homes here.

The EW+S Future Fund core aim is to support young Londoners reach their aspirations. We are particularly keen to see the promotion of inclusive growth and young talent being nurtured. The Future Fund will assist in bridging the gap and examples of projects being developed will focus on entrepreneurial skills, job creation such as internships, apprenticeships, kick start scheme or freelance work creating social and economic impact.

We are excited to announce details of our new community organisation partners following on from our call out that took place last year. A total of £35k worth of funds will be channelled to our preferred social entreprise partners that are doing some incredible and impactful work.

Previously, EW+S partnered with Social Ark, a grassroot charity that provides capacity building to young people and supported 8 budding social entrepreneurs from the heart of East London. A total of £10k worth of funds were injected into their business and our investments were worth every penny – we can’t wait to do it all over again and start mobilising!

Below a short synopsis of our partners:

• Deafroots

Located in Stratford, Deafroots has been operating since 2000, supporting the hearing impaired and deaf community to access employment and training opportunities.

Their programme proposal ‘Digital Hands’ is designed to raise awareness on potential career paths with potential job and freelancing opportunities for those that do not hold an academic degree level qualification. The project will nurture 15 young people, who will be recruited and trained on areas such as content writing, basic coding, user experience, social media and more. They will be offered a 6 to 8 week work placement to assist them in securing employment within this sector. The programme will be widely accessible including the hearing community who wish to train and develop their digital online skills.

Find out more about Deafroots here

• Coffee Afrik CIC

Located in the E3 area and operating in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, Coffee Afrique has been operating since 2018, for the community, by the community.

Coffee Afrik’s mission is aimed at building the capacity of disadvantaged communities and individuals to create the change they want to see by empowering them at grassroots level.

The project being proposed ‘Growth, Resilience and Recovery’ covers three elements: mental health, food co-op and business mentoring. A hook with a clear journey for 8 young people that will be recruited onto the programme. The project will support young people with their mental health, followed by a food co-op which will be managed by the young people and finally there is a strong focus on capacity building and employment support through mentoring.

Find out more about Coffee Afrik here

We’ll be posting more information and look forward to working with these amazing non-profit organisations. There will be updates on the website and our social media channels keep an eye out!

More information on the Future Fund or our social value work, feel free to drop us an email.

Who better to tell you why they love living at East Wick & Sweetwater than from a resident who rents here?

We caught up with Dominie, who recently moved into her one-bedroom flat, to chat through her reasonings for choosing East Wick & Sweetwater for her new home, and what she loves about the area.

What made you decide to move and choose to rent at East Wick & Sweetwater?

I had lived in Shoreditch for three years in a flat share – I loved the whole experience but since working from home has become the norm for most, I decided I wanted to live on my own to ensure space for a desk and somewhere I felt I could really call home. I wasn’t originally looking at new builds, thinking they would be too expensive. However, when I found the flat at East Wick and Sweetwater, I couldn’t believe my luck. I booked a viewing straight away and was sold from the moment I saw it.

What is it that you love most about your new home?

The size of the flat is fantastic; I love the high-quality specification of the interiors and all the little touches like the fitted appliances, as it’s made moving in so much easier to have everything already in place. The balcony is such a treat I have never had any private outdoor space and am revelling in the evening sun. I can’t wait to enjoy sunny evenings out there this summer!

What do you like about the area?

I just love the surrounding area, it has so much to offer in my opinion you couldn’t live in a better place. I can step out of my door and find bars, restaurants, breakfast clubs and yoga studios all within a moments’ walk; it’s so exciting having so much on my doorstep the vibe is constantly buzzing. I also have access to plenty of green spaces, which is great as I love running.

Hackney is such a creative and buzzing area; I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Hopefully I will be able to buy in the future and I absolutely would purchase at the development.

Keen to make a move too? Find out more about our currently available homes here.

We’re very excited to introduce our first commercial members, East Wick Kids!

Husband and wife team Vilius and Dovile have lived in Hackney Wick for 15 years, working at Montessori nurseries before setting up their own childcare provision to serve the local neighbourhood.

Now the duo are set to open East Wick Kids – East Wick and Sweetwater’s new nursery – at the beginning of 2022. We caught up with them to find out more about their plans, and also asked about the changes they’ve seen throughout the area in the last decade or so.

So, what’s the story behind East Wick Kids?

We’ve lived in Hackney for 15 years and we love it here. When we first moved, Dovile started working in childcare, then moved to a Montessori nursery.

After a few years of experience in Montessori education we set up a little home nursery with the help of an assistant. Vilius joined the business and became a registered childminder too and both of us have received Outstanding reviews from Ofsted.

The demand for childcare grew and grew and we’ve had a long waiting list for many years, so we started thinking about how we could grow the business and open the nursery.

We were looking for new and appropriate premises in the local area for around five years, but outdoor space was key, and we couldn’t find anything that matched our philosophy and business needs, until we came across East Wick and Sweetwater. The new nursery will be called East Wick Kids and we plan to be open by January 2022.

What type of learning do you use?

We both have backgrounds in Montessori and Forest School teaching principles, which encourage lots of outdoor learning. We’ll be combining these principles for a holistic learning approach within the new nursery as we don’t want to keep children inside all day.

We’ve got two great outdoor spaces at East Wick Kids, and we also hope to carry on running Forest School sessions in Wick Woodland.

We try to make our learning environment as sustainable as possible, with plastic-free toys and organic food, where we can, passing a message on to the children and their families about living in a more eco-friendly way.
We’re also developing plans to work with our neighbour, Mossbourne Riverside Academy, so our kids can use some of their playing fields for planned sports activities.

How do you think the area’s changed in the time you’ve lived here?

We’ve literally seen the buildings come out of the ground at East Wick and Sweetwater, whilst the entire Park has changed so much since the London 2012 Olympics.

The area has really grown and improved a lot over the years – thanks to the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics better transport links and major shopping centers have attracted lots of people here. We love the area because the people are very friendly here, we’ve made so many friends thanks to the amazing sense of community and it’s such a diverse and inclusive area.

As the neighbourhood and community at East Wick and Sweetwater grows, we might also be lucky to open a second nursery in Sweetwater. Lots of people are moving here now and we know that as and when more people come to the area, there’ll be more demand for quality nursery education.

Find out more or register your interest on eastwickkids.com

Interested in one of our retail + commercial spaces? Head over here for more info.