London's Floating Restaurant & Bar
What's Their Low-Waste Approach!?

Barge East, a floating restaurant and bar on the River Lea in East London. Alongside the mooring area, it features a garden, making it a groundbreaking establishment committed to sustainability and low waste. What lies behind the scenes, and what are their next ambitions?

writer：Miyuki Sakamoto（ロンドン在住）

Hackney Wick: An area to watch!

Barge East is the realization of a dream shared by three childhood friends: Tomo, Ryan, and Brandi. They purchased a small vessel built 122 years ago from the Netherlands, transported it across the North Sea to this location, and moored it in Hackney Wick, London, opening it as a shop."

This explanation comes from Greg Swaby, Managing Director of Barge East. Incidentally, a "barge" refers to a flat-bottomed vessel used for transport on inland waterways like canals. Hackney Wick is an area located approximately 7 kilometers northeast of central London.

It adjoins the Olympic Park, built on the site of the main venues for the 2012 London Olympics, and is a district that underwent significant redevelopment following the Games.

The renovated spaces of the former warehouse district are filled with a creative atmosphere, favored by artists and designers who set up studios there.

In 2025, the groundbreaking "display storage" facility of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the "V&A East Storehouse," opened right nearby. Editor's note: The V&A East Storehouse is generating huge buzz, so be sure to check out its official website!