Vision and Flow Extend Their Stay at Barking Riverside’s The Exchange with a Year-Long Programme of Food and Entertainment

Barking Riverside is set for another year of great events, live music and community spirit as The Exchange announces a 12-month extension through to Winter 2026. Since reopening under community group Vision and Flow in Summer 2025, the riverside venue has welcomed over hundreds of visitors and delivered a series of public and cultural events. The highlight of this series was the EFG Jazz Festival: Riverside Sounds, featuring a standout performance by Dele Sosimi, with funding provided by Barking Riverside Limited (BRL).

Alongside its public programme, The Exchange is also available for private hire. Among the groups making use of the space is Nice Bunch, a local community group that hosts sessions for local families. These sessions combine play and learning, while offering parents valuable respite in a safe, welcoming environment.

With the extension confirmed, The Exchange will continue to grow as a neighbourhood hub, rolling out a new series of events, consisting of community events, live entertainment plus new food and drink options all designed to bring people together throughout the year.

A short walk from Barking Riverside’s London Overground station and Uber Boat by Thames Clippers pier, The Exchange is run by proud resident Marcel Andrew, and has established itself as a popular neighbourhood venue across Summer 2025 thanks to its stunning views over the River Thames.

As part of its extended programme, The Exchange will introduce a new calendar of activities shaped with and for residents.

• Live Music Jams – a new, ticketed live-music series that will see local artists perform alongside The Exchange’s in-house band, bringing soulful, uplifting sounds to the riverside.
• Weekly community activities – in partnership with residents, The Exchange is collecting feedback through a community survey to help shape its weekly programme. Activities could include free family sessions, bingo nights, karaoke evenings and more – all designed around what the community wants to see.
• Food and drink – the venue will expand its food and drink offering to complement evening events.

The Exchange has already become an integral part of community life. Paul Roberts, Head of New Business and Innovation at master developer Barking Riverside Ltd, comments: “The Exchange has become one of the neighbourhood’s most vibrant social spaces, and this extension reflects the value it brings to our growing community. Marcel has created something special here – a welcoming place that celebrates local culture and connection. We’re delighted to see this next chapter take shape.”

Marcel Andrew, Manager of The Exchange, comments: “The Exchange has grown into a real cultural and community focused hub, bringing residents together while attracting hundreds of visitors from across London and beyond. Taking part in events such as Emerge East and the EFG Jazz Festival has shown the appetite for high-quality music, food and social experiences at Barking Riverside. Our focus is on building a year-round programme that feels welcoming, inclusive and exciting, and on creating a destination people want to return to again and again.”

Starting from January 31st, leading up to Summer, The Exchange will operate under the following hours, with occasional closures for private events:
• Friday: 6pm – 11pm
• Saturday: 1pm – 10pm
• Sunday: 2pm – 6pm

The venue is also available for private hire six days a week, offering a versatile space for parties, birthdays, community celebrations and corporate events. Booking enquiries can be made via an online form, with plenty of dates available, with the option to personalise the space for your occasion.

The Exchange is well positioned on the riverfront, just a short walk from the Barking Riverside Project Office. It’s easily accessible by multiple transport options: EL1 and EL3 buses stop right outside the Project Office, Uber Boat by Thames Clippers services stop at Barking Riverside Pier, and the Suffragette line runs from Gospel Oak to Barking Riverside, via Walthamstow and Leytonstone. Barking Riverside is only a seven-minute journey from Barking station, which connects to the District, Hammersmith & City and C2C lines.

The area surrounding The Exchange is fully wheelchair accessible, and Blue Badge Disabled Parking is available on-site. For those driving, a 200+ space pay-and-display car park is located just a five-minute walk from the venue.

Barking Riverside is one of East London newest neighbourhoods with a community of over 7,000 people, set along 2km of River Thames frontage and supported by transport infrastructure, green space, onsite amenities and more.