BGP SPOTLIGHT ON… CANARY WHARF
Fifteen years ago, the only people getting off the train at Canary Wharf were gilet-clad office workers heading for glass skyscrapers.
Today, Canary Wharf’s dynamic, varied retail mix and world class F&B offering – bolstered further this month by major new openings from Kricket and Marceline, alongside established ‘grab and go’ office favourites such as Atis and Salad Kitchen – sit with a growing reputation for market-leading leisure and unique experiential events. Openings from leading leisure operators targeted at a wide catchment – along with the continually evolving event calendar – have increased footfall, dwell time, and given different communities whole new reasons to visit.
Let’s look at leisure. Earlier this summer, The Cube launched in Canary Wharf – an immersive live experience and cutting edge competitive socialising concept based on the TV show, with 21 glass cubes set in a jaw-dropping 23,000 square foot space in Wood Wharf. Established electric indoor go karting concept CapitalKarts opened it’s only central London venue in Canary Wharf in 2022. It sits alongside competitive socialising favourite Electric Shuffle in Cabot Place, with its regular team nights and summer terrace brunch specials drawing 7 day footfall – and premium indoor Padel club Padium, which takes Padel up a notch with leagues and tournaments. For families, Flip Out and Fair Game offer a range of weather proof activities. It’s a well curated mix of leisure concepts with appeal to a broad audience.
Then there’s the event calendar, which comprises well thought out, innovative initiatives targeted at the different work, living and leisure communities create year round news flow, buzz and activity. This month Canary Wharf hosted the UK’s first North Face Climb Festival – a sold out, ticketed event where athletes competed on a towering 16-metre wall over deep water – followed by the Dragon Boat Race, a charity event in association with WaterAid with fancy-dress-clad boaters battling it out in front of cheering crowds. There’s ongoing Open Water swimming sessions, free ping pong and mini golf – as well as the much loved Big Screens showing the summers sporting events.
It’s one of the best examples we have seen of a destination maximising the advantages of its unique location to bring diverse communities together – while driving footfall, increasing dwell time and introducing new brand concepts. We cant wait to see what’s next.