Canary Wharf

This article is about the business district. For the property development company, see Canary Wharf Group. For the landmark tower sometimes referred to as Canary Wharf, see One Canada Square.
Canary Wharf
Central business district
Canary Wharf is located in Greater London
Canary Wharf
Canary Wharf
Location within Greater London
Population 68,700 (Millwall, Blackwall and Cubitt Town, East India and Lansbury and Limehouse wards 2011 Census)
OS grid reference TQ375802
London borough
Ceremonial county Greater London
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town LONDON
Postcode district E14
Police Metropolitan
Fire London
Ambulance London
UK Parliament
London Assembly

Canary Wharf is an area of East London, England, located near the Isle of Dogs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Canary Wharf is defined by the Greater London Authority as being part of London's central business district, alongside Central London. Alongside the City of London, it constitutes one of the main financial centres in the United Kingdom and the world, containing many high-rise buildings including the third-tallest in the UK, One Canada Square, which opened on 26 August 1991.

Developed on the site of the former West India Docks, Canary Wharf contains around 16,000,000 sq ft (1,500,000 m2) of office and retail space. It has many open areas, including Canada Square, Cabot Square and Westferry Circus. Together with Heron Quays and Wood Wharf, it forms the Canary Wharf Estate, around 97 acres (39 ha) in area.

History

The Canary Wharf area in 1899 showing West India Docks and the Isle of Dogs
Plaque on commemorative sculpture of 1987 to the London Docklands Development Corporation as seen in 2021
East view from Cabot Square

Canary Wharf is located on the West India Docks on the Isle of Dogs.

West India Dock Company

From 1802 to the late 1980s, what would become the Canary Wharf Estate was a part of the Isle of Dogs (Millwall), Limehouse, and Poplar and was one of the busiest docks in the world. West India Docks was primarily developed by Robert Milligan (c. 1746–1809) who set up the West India Dock Company.

Port of London Authority

The Port of London Authority was established in 1909 and took control of West India Dock. The enterprise of Sir Alfred Lewis Jones, a Welsh shipping magnate who was a prominent figure in the Canary Islands, led to a constant stream of ships arriving into London’s South Quay Dock and the naming of Canary Wharf, after the ships' origin. It was named after No. 32 berth of the West Wood Quay of the Import Dock. This was built in 1936 for Fruit Lines Ltd, a subsidiary of Fred Olsen Lines for the Mediterranean and Canary Islands fruit trade. It is located on the Isle of Dogs, the quay and warehouse were given the name Canary Wharf.

London Docklands Development Corporation

After the 1960s, when cargo became containerized, port industry began to decline, leading to all the docks being closed by 1980. After the docks closed in 1980, the British Government adopted policies to stimulate redevelopment of the area, including the creation of the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) in 1981 and the granting of Urban Enterprise Zone status to the Isle of Dogs in 1982.

The Canary Wharf of today began when Michael von Clemm, former chairman of Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), came up with the idea to convert Canary Wharf into a back office. Further discussions with G Ware Travelstead led to proposals for a new business district and included the LDDC developing an inexpensive light metro scheme, the Docklands Light Railway, to make use of a large amount of redundant railway infrastructure and to improve access.

The project was sold to the Canadian company Olympia & York and construction began in 1988, master-planned by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with Yorke Rosenberg Mardall as their UK advisors, and subsequently by Koetter Kim. The first buildings were completed in 1991, including One Canada Square, which became the UK's tallest building at the time and a symbol of the regeneration of Docklands. By the time it opened, the London commercial property market had collapsed, and Olympia and York Canary Wharf Limited filed for bankruptcy in May 1992.

Initially, the City of London saw Canary Wharf as an existential threat. It modified its planning laws to expand the provision of new offices in the City of London, for example, creating offices above railway stations (Blackfriars) and roads (Alban Gate). The resulting oversupply of office space contributed to the failure of the Canary Wharf project.

Canary Wharf Group

In October 1995, an international consortium that included investors such as Alwaleed, bought control for $1.2 billion. Paul Reichmann, of Olympia & York, was named chairman, and Canary Wharf went public in 1999. The new company was called Canary Wharf Limited, and later became Canary Wharf Group.

In 1997, some residents living on the Isle of Dogs launched a lawsuit against Canary Wharf Ltd for private nuisance because the tower interfered with TV signals. The residents lost the case.

Recovery in the property market generally, coupled with continuing demand for large floorplate Grade A office space, slowly improved the level of interest. A critical event in the recovery was the much-delayed start of work on the Jubilee Line Extension, which the government wanted ready for the Millennium celebrations.

In March 2004, Canary Wharf Group plc. was taken over by a consortium of investors, backed by its largest shareholder Glick Family Investments and led by Morgan Stanley using a vehicle named Songbird Estates plc.

Tallest buildings

One Canada Square was the tallest building in London and the only skyscraper in Canary Wharf in April 1995. Canary Wharf and Isle of Dogs panorama view from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.
One Canada Square surrounded by a cluster of skyscrapers, April 2022

In addition to being a leading global financial district in the United Kingdom, Canary Wharf is famous for a cluster of the tallest modern commercial complexes and residential high-rise buildings. Building from scratch in early 1990s, the district is home to the first tallest iconic skyscraper, One Canada Square, in the United Kingdom. In twenty years, Charf Wharf’s new rapid grown skyscraper cluster has dramatically transformed the London skyline with modern architectures.

This table lists completed buildings in Canary Wharf that are at least 100 metres tall.

Ranking
by
height		 Image Name Height Floors Completion date Notes
Metres Feet
1 One Canada Square 235 771 50 1991 The third-tallest completed building in the United Kingdom, the tallest being The Shard. Designed by Cesar Pelli, it was the tallest building in the United Kingdom upon completion in 1991. Multi-tenanted; occupiers include BNY Mellon, the CFA Institute, Clearstream, European Energy Exchange, Euler Hermes, the International Sugar Organization, Mahindra Satyam, MetLife, Moody's Analytics and Reach.
2 Landmark Pinnacle 233 764 75 2020 Residential tower. The tallest residential tower in the United Kingdom and the whole of western Europe. Awarded the Premier Guarantee Awards for Quality Recognition in 2021 and 2022, as well as the Excellence Award in 2021. Winner of the Best Luxury High Rise Living category at the 2023 Luxury Lifestyle Awards.
3 Newfoundland 220 722 60 2019 The first residential building ever built on the Canary Wharf private estate, which makes it stand out among the financial centers buildings. Known as "the diamond tower" due to its distinctive diamond-pattern steel exoskeleton design. Winner of the Residential High Rise Development at 2021 International Property Awards. Awarded Best Exterior Design (Silver) and Best Build to Rent Project (Bronze) at 2021 WhatHouse? Awards.
4 South Quay Plaza (Phase 1, Hampton Court) 215 705 68 2020 Residential tower. Also known as Valiant Tower Winner of the Best Garden/Landscaping Design at the British Home Awards 2022.
5 One Park Drive 205 673 57 2019 Residential tower. Wood Wharf’s flagship residential building. In 2021, won two British Homes Awards, and two Golds at the WhatHouse? Awards. In 2023, the penthouse at One Park Drive was named the Best Apartment at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards, and won gold in the Best Interior Design category in WhatHouse? Awards.
6 8 Canada Square 200 655 42 2002 The joint eleventh-tallest completed building in the United Kingdom. Occupied by HSBC as its global headquarters.
7 25 Canada Square 200 655 42 2001 The joint eleventh-tallest completed building in the United Kingdom. 25 Canada Square and 33 Canada Square together form a single complex known as the Citigroup Centre. Primarily occupied by Citigroup as its EMEA headquarters. Other tenants include Gain Capital, 3i Infotech, Crossrail, Instinet, Munich Re, MWB Group, FIS, Interoute, NYK and Wells Fargo.
8 Wardian London (East Tower) 187 614 55 2019 Residential tower. Awarded the Silver Award for Best Luxury Development in 2023.
9 Amory Tower (The Madison) 182 597 53 2019 Residential tower. Winner of Tall Building Award in 2022.
10 Wardian London (West Tower) 168 552 50 2019 Residential tower. (see Wardian East Tower)
11 One Churchill Place 156 513 32 2005 Occupied by Barclays as its global headquarters. Currently the eighth-tallest building in the United Kingdom, it was originally planned to be 50 storeys in height, but was scaled down to 31 after the 11 September attacks.
12= 40 Bank Street 153 502 33 2003 Multi-tenanted; occupiers include Allen & Overy, ANZ Bank, China Construction Bank, Duff & Phelps, Saxo Bank, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
12= 25 Bank Street 153 502 33 2003 Occupied by JPMorgan Chase as its European headquarters since 2012.
14 10 Upper Bank Street 151 495 32 2003 Occupied by Clifford Chance as its global headquarters. Other occupiers include FTSE Group, Infosys, Mastercard, Deutsche Bank, and Total.
15 10 Park Drive
Wood Wharf 		150 492 43 2019 Residential tower. The first new residential development to be built in Wood Wharf. Awarded a Gold award for Best Apartment Scheme at the 40th annual WhatHouse? Awards.
16 Arena Tower (Baltimore Tower) 149 489 45 2017 Residential tower. Winner of the Best Residential High Rise Award at the International Property Awards.
17 Pan Peninsula (East Tower) 147 484 48 2008 Residential tower. Pan Peninsula was arguably the first “Ultra Luxury” development in Canary Wharf.
18 Maine Tower (Harbour Central Block D) 144 472 42 2018 Residential tower. The center piece of Harbour Central development containing 7 buildings. Also see Harbour Central Block C (Sirocco Tower).
19 One & Five Bank Street 143 469 28 2019 Commercial tower. Bounded by water on two sides, this building marks the entrance to the Canary Wharf Estate. Achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating, making it one of the most sustainable buildings of its type in London. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development relocated its headquarters to Five Bank Street in 2022.
20 24 Marsh Wall (Landmark East Tower) 140 458 44 2010 Residential tower
21= 40 Marsh Wall (Novotel London Canary Wharf) 128 420 39 2017 Hotel operating as 'Novotel Canary Wharf'
21= 10 George Street
Wood Wharf 		128 420 35 2018 Residential tower. It is the first of three “Build to Rent” properties commissioned by the rental arm of the Canary Wharf group, known as Vertus. Won Gold for the Best build-to-rent (BtR) Project at 2020 What House? Awards.
23 Harbour Central Block C (Sirocco Tower) 125 409 36 2018 Residential tower. Sirocco tower waw the first built out of the 7 buildings planned on the Harbour Central site. Also see Maine Tower.
24 Pan Peninsula (West Tower) 122 400 39 2008 Residential tower. (see Pan Peninsula East Tower)
25 25 Churchill Place 118 387 24 2014 The building housed the European Medicines Agency from early 2014 until March 2019 when they relocated to Amsterdam and Ernst & Young from 2015.
26 Dollar Bay Tower 109 358 31 2016 Residential tower. Has won numerous housing and architectural awards, including: The Best New Iconic Scheme, and The Mayors award for Environmental Excellence, at the London Planning Awards in 2018.
27 1 West India Quay 108 354 36 2004 Floors 1–12 are occupied by a Marriott Hotel. Floors 13–33 house 158 apartments.
28 33 Canada Square 105 344 18 1999 33 Canada Square and 25 Canada Square together form a single complex, see above for details.

Listed Buildings

Quay Walls, copings and Buttresses to Import Dock and Export Dock
Warehouses and General Offices at Western End of North Quay

As at 12 February 2023, there are 16 listed buildings in Canary Wharf of which 2 are Grade I and 14 in Grade II.

Grade I Listed Buildings
  • Quay Walls, Copings and Buttresses to Import Dock and Export Dock: The original West India Docks consists of three docks. The Import Dock, the earliest, was opened in 1800–02, and followed to south by the Export Dock of 1803–06.
  • Warehouses and General Offices at Western End of North Quay: originally a range of nine warehouses was built 1800–04 at the western end of North Quay, West India Dock Road. Only two warehouses survived the bombing raid in World War II.

These docks with Nos 1 and 2 warehouses are now the only surviving examples of the first intensive period of London Docklands construction: 1800–10.

Grade II Listed Buildings

Most of the Grade II Listed buildings in Canary Wharf sit to the north-west of West India Dock North, and are located within the West India Dock Conservation Area. In addition to architectural values, “these buildings and structures are of significance due to their association with the development of the docks and the community that grew up around them”.

Photograph Building     Name    Construction Date Location (E14) Listing Date Description
10 and 12, Garford Street E14 1800s, early Garford Street 27 September 1973 Early 19th century pairs of stock brick houses. These cottages were originally built for the officers and sergeants who supervised the Docks.
14, Garford Street E14 1800s, early Garford Street 27 September 1973 Early 19th century stock brick house.
16 and 18, Garford Street E14 1800s, early Garford Street 27 September 1973 Early 19th century pairs of stock brick houses.
Entrance Gates to West India Docks 1800s, early West India Dock Road 19 July 1950 2 rusticated Portland stone piers with a capping of 4 dwarf pediments and acroteria.
Former West Entrance Gate to West India Docks with Curved Walling and Bollards 1900s, early Westferry Road 1 July 1983 Stock brick curved wing walls and Portland stone gatepiers. Modern brick wall blocks entrance. Two cast-iron obelisk pattern bollards with the inscription WIDC (West India Dock Company).
Railings to West of Main Gate at West India Docks 1800s, early West India Dock Road 30 September 1981 Cast iron railings approximately 70 yards in length.
Former Excise Office 1807 West India Dock Road 30 September 1981 Also known as Dockmaster's House, by the architect and engineer Thomas Morris.
Railings and Gatepiers to Former Excise Office 1807 West India Dock Road 30 September 1981 Contemporary iron railings with six rusticated stucco gatepiers on street front. The stucco decoration of the piers elaborated mid 19th century.
Quadrangle Stores at West India Dock 1825 West India Dock Road 30 September 1981 Also known as Cannon Workshops, by engineer John Rennie the Younger. A rare survival of an early purpose built illustrative of the workings of the Docks Company.
Salvation Army Hostel 1905 Garford Street 27 September 1973 Neo Georgian style building by architectural partnership Niven and Wigglesworth. Also known as: 20 Garford Street.
West India Dock Former Guard House 1803 West India Dock Road 27 September 1973 A one storey, small circular building designed by architect George Gwilt. It originally formed one of a pair built by Docks Company as a lock-up and armoury.
Former West Entrance Lock to South Dock, West India Docks 1803-05 Westferry Road 1 July 1983 By civil engineer William Jessop, built as the west entrance lock to the City Canal, later taken into the West India Docks system.
Fitch and Sons Works 1870-80 Westferry Road 1 July 1983 A good example of the smaller warehouses in the historical West India Docks, with built in retail outlet on ground floor, a now rare feature.
Cascades 1987-88 Westferry Road 18 April 2018 A 20-storey residential tower by CZWG.
  • An exemplary of the celebrated British Post-Modernist architecture practice
  • An important residential scheme of the late 20th century British town planning and industrial reclamation in London Docklands
  • An iconic local landmark building on the River Thames shore of the Isle of Dogs

Corporations and agencies

Canary Wharf contains around 16,000,000 sq ft (1,500,000 m2) of office and retail space, of which around 7,900,000 sq ft (730,000 m2) (about 49%) is owned by Canary Wharf Group. Around 105,000 people work in Canary Wharf, and it is home to the world or European headquarters of numerous major banks, professional services firms, and media organisations, including Barclays, Citigroup, Clifford Chance, Credit Suisse, Ernst & Young, Fitch Ratings, HSBC, Infosys, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, MetLife, Moody's, Morgan Stanley, Royal Bank of Canada, Deutsche Bank, S&P Global, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, State Street, The Economist Group and Thomson Reuters. Until 2018, Canary Wharf also hosted two European Union agencies, European Medicines Agency and European Banking Authority, that moved to Amsterdam and Paris respectively due to Brexit.

Leisure

Marina

West India Quays and Poplar Dock are two marinas that are used as moorings for barges and private leisure river craft and is owned by the Canal & River Trust.

Library

A local public library, called Idea Store Canary Wharf, is in Churchill Place shopping mall and run by Tower Hamlets Council which opened on Thursday 16 March 2006 as part of the Idea Store project and is the borough fourth Idea Store.

Cinema

Canary Wharf hosts two multiplexes (cinemas), one on West India Quay run by Cineworld. and another at Crossrail Place called Everyman Cinema.

Squares and Public Areas

Canada Square

Canada Square is one of the central squares at Canary Wharf. It is a large open space with grass, except during the winter when it is converted into an ice rink. The square is named after Canada, because the original developers of modern Canary Wharf, Olympia & York, wanted to reflect their heritage. Underneath the square is Canada Place shopping mall.

Westferry Circus

Westferry Circus is on the west side of Canary Wharf. It is a garden at ground level, and below is a roundabout allowing traffic to flow through. The garden is enclosed by bespoke hand-crafted ornamental railings and entrance gates by artist Giuseppe Lund. The area has a long history, dating back to 1812, when the Poplar and Greenwich Roads Company operated a horse ferry between Greenwich and the Isle of Dogs. It operated on the West Ferry and East Ferry Roads, which the names survived. Westferry Circus was chosen as the name for the roundabout and park by virtue of its proximity to Westferry Road.

Cabot Square

Cabot Square is one of the biggest squares at Canary Wharf, with a large fountain at the centre. The inner perimeter has additional fountains covered by trees. The square has large circular glass ventilation holes to allow gases to escape from the underground car park. The square is named after John Cabot and his son Sebastian, who were Italian explorers who settled in England in 1484.

Churchill Place

Churchill Place is an area on the east side of Canary Wharf. It is named after Winston Churchill.

Columbus Courtyard

A small square on the west side of Canary Wharf named after Christopher Columbus. The first phase of Canary Wharf was completed in 1992, 500 years after Columbus arrived in America.

Chancellor Passage

A passageway south of Cabot Square. Named after Richard Chancellor who sailed with Sir John Willoughby from Greenwich on their voyage through the White Sea to Moscow.

Wren Landing

Small area north of Cabot Square. Leads to North Dock footbridge towards Port East. Named after British architect Christopher Wren.

Montgomery Square

Located at the east end of Jubilee Park, Montgomery Square is a buzzy outdoor spot that’s made for socialising. With a regular roster of events from street food markets, beach volleyball tournaments, padel tennis competition, to free minigolf course, there’s always something happening in this convivial open space.

Parks and Green Spaces

Canary Wharf Group is enthusiastic about adding more green spaces and gardens to the dense urban environment. A total of 20 acres of landscaped parks, gardens and verdant squares complete with 1,000 trees, 4,000 shrubs and 70,000 seasonal plants are added each year. Visitors are welcome to explore these parks and green spaces, which are ideal places for relaxation, social gatherings, performances, viewing outdoor public art, as well as hosting outdoor events and festivities.

Jubilee Park
raised serpentine water channel at Jubilee Park

Jubilee Park is a 10,000m² roof garden located above Jubilee Place, a shopping mall, and Canary Wharf Jubilee Station, an underground railway station. The park, opened on 2002, was named in honour of the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II. Jubilee Park is a serene oasis located in the heart of the financial district of Canary Wharf, surrounded by towering commercial buildings. The park’s central feature is a raised serpentine water channel with rough stone walls. The curvilinear design of the water channel provides a striking contrast to the scale and straightness of the surrounding buildings, creating a sense of harmony between nature and architecture. The park is an ideal spot for a peaceful lunch break or a moment of relaxation amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. In 2023, Jubilee Park won the prestigious Green Flag Award, which recognizes Jubilee Park as one of the country’s best parks in the United Kingdom

Crossrail Place Roof Garden

A 4,160m² roof garden, one of London's largest, houses on the top of seven-storey Crossrail Place structure, which contains the Elizabeth line Canary Wharf station. Opened to public in 2015, it lies almost exactly on the Meridian line splitting eastern and western hemispheres. The plants originating from the eastern hemisphere are planted to the East of the Meridian line in the garden, with those from the Western hemisphere on the opposite side. The design and development of Crossrail Place Roof Garden was honored by winning numerous prestigious international and United Kingdom awards. Selected notable awards include: “Best Urban Regeneration Project” at 2016 MIPIM awards in France, the first prize for the best “Innovative Design of a Contemporary Garden” at the 2017 European Garden Awards in Berlin, and a Highly Commended accolade at the 2016 Landscape Institute Awards in the category ‘Design for a Small-Scale Development’.

Harbour Quay Garden

A newly opened garden, located at the strand of Wood Wharf, features a boardwalk for waterside wandering. The garden also offers plenty of family-friendly picnic spots and outdoor fitness equipment on the green lawn, where visitors can relax, view outdoor public art, and watch the water. Just around the corner, it has access to a new garden square, Harbord Square Park.

Harbord Square Park

Harbord Square Park, the newest garden square in Wood Wharf, continues the great London tradition of garden squares. It is open 24/7 and offers green space available for mindfulness activities and to support nearby residents’ general wellbeing.

Shopping Center

Canary Wharf shopping center, ranked as one of the best in London, has five interconnected shopping malls: Canada Place, Cabot Place, Jubilee Place, Crossrail Place and Churchill Place. The malls provide over 102,193m² (1.1 million sq ft) of retail space, more than 310 shops from beauty, fashion, lifestyle, luxurious brands, health, and homeware, as well as 70 cafés, bars, and restaurants, 8 grocery stores, 5 health clubs and 1 cinema. There are also numerous bars, restaurants, and food halls at street level, alongside plenty of outdoor seating enabling visitors to see the stunning wharf and riverside views.

Local government elections

Further information: Canary Wharf (ward)

Every four years, residents of Canary Wharf ward elect two councillors to represent them on Tower Hamlets Council.

Canary Wharf (2) 2022 results
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Aspire Maium Talukdar 1,164 18.06 +5.51
Aspire Saled Ahmed 1,023 15.88
Independent Andrew Wood † 993 15.41 -0.42
Labour Co-op Adam Allnutt 885 13.73
Labour Co-op Shajia Sultana 846 13.13
Conservative Francis Germaine-Powell 492 7.64
Conservative Samia Hersey 408 6.33
Liberal Democrats Morgan Jones 363 5.63
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Hannan 270 4.19
Total votes 6,444
Rejected ballots 26
Registered electors 11,389
Turnout 3,676 32.28 -1.61
Aspire gain from Conservative Swing
Aspire gain from Labour Swing

† Andrew Wood was elected for the Conservative Party in 2018, but resigned to sit as an Independent in 2020.

Transport

Canary Wharf is served by London-wide, regional, national and international transport connections.

Rail

Canary Wharf is in London fare zone 2, and several stations can be found throughout the estate.

Canary Wharf tube station on the Jubilee line

Stations in Canary Wharf only offer direct connections to London and Berkshire destinations. Regional and national National Rail connections can be found elsewhere in London, including at Liverpool Street, Lewisham, London Bridge, Stratford, Stratford International and Waterloo.

Road

The A1020 Lower Lea Crossing, heading towards Canary Wharf. A shared use path for cycles and pedestrians also crosses the bridge.

Major roads near Canary Wharf include:

Air pollution

A large building heads up into the sky. Only a portion of the building is visible, as the top is engulfed in a thick fog.
Low cloud and fog at Canary Wharf

Transport for London (TfL) and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets monitor the air quality around Canary Wharf.

In 2017, an automatic monitoring station in Blackwall found that local air quality failed to meet UK National Air Quality Objectives, recording an annual average Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) concentration of 56 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre). The National Objective is set by the government at 40 μg/m3.

Alternative stations nearer Canary Wharf recorded cleaner air. Monitors at the Limehouse Link/Westferry Road junction and on Prestons Road recorded a 2017 annual average NO2 concentration of 40 μg/m3, which Tower Hamlets argue fails to meet the UK National Objective.

Buses

London Buses routes 135, 277, D3, D7, D8, N277 and N550 call at bus stops near Canary Wharf. Bus 135 links Canary Wharf directly to Liverpool Street in the City of London, and bus D8 to Stratford.

Canary Wharf Pier

Riverboat

Several Riverboat services call at Canary Wharf Pier, including:

Tower, London Bridge City and Blackfriars are in the City of London. Oyster Cards are valid for travel on TfL-coordinated riverboat services.

Airports

London City Airport is three miles from Canary Wharf. Over 4.8 million passengers passed through City Airport in 2018. The airport serves domestic and international destinations, including New York.

London City Airport is on the DLR. Passengers from Canary Wharf can change trains at Poplar for services to the Airport.

Cycling

The Canary Wharf Group, London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Transport for London (TfL) provide cycling infrastructure in and around Canary Wharf. Several leisure and commuter routes pass through or near the estate, including:

Cycle Superhighway 3 passes to the north of Canary Wharf and links the estate to the City of London, Westminster and Hyde Park on a predominantly traffic-free route.

Culture

Opened in 2003, the Museum of London Docklands is one of the main attractions in the area.

Canary Wharf has been reported since 2017 as part of the Pokémon Go augmented reality game to being the home for the most wanted Pokémon gyms in London including Canary Wharf DLR station and Montgomery Square.

Canary Wharf Group published an official Pokémon map for PokéStop's and Pokémon Gyms, the managing director for retail Camille Waxer said in 2016 that Pokémon Go has serious potential to attract new audiences to the area, particularly food and drink outlets are seeing an increase in footfall.

Canary Wharf features in both the Doctor Who and Torchwood franchises as the fictional base of the Torchwood Institute, an organisation created by Queen Victoria to combat extraterrestrial threats. Canary Wharf features heavily as the staging post for the 2007 Cyberman invasion of Earth and is heavily damaged during a resulting battle between the Cybermen and the Daleks.

Thom Yorke of Radiohead, during their concert Live at the Astoria in May 1994, explained their song Fake Plastic Trees is about Canary Wharf.

Events and Festivals

Winter Lights Festival

Cabot Square during the Winter Lights Festival, 17 January 2019

Incepted in 2014, the Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival turns on January of the year. Public are free to visit a range of outdoor light art and interactive installations created by artists from around the world. The festival has awarded the Best Creative Lighting Event award by the [d]arc awards in 2017 and 2019. The 2023 Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival is described as the largest light art festival in London.

WaterAid Dragon Boat Race

It is an annual fundraising event organized by WaterAid, an international charity, in collaboration with the Canary Wharf Group. The funds raised through this event are used to combat the escalating water crisis that leaves people globally unable to access clean water and without a basic toilet. The Dragon Boat Race, based on a Chinese tradition dating back over 2,000 years, takes place in South Dock of Canary Wharf on summer, and is open to corporate teams of between 11 and 17 participants. In 2022, 15 teams participated the race, and the event raised £26,000. With 19 teams taking place in the 2023 race, the raised funds was increased to £31,744.

Festival14

Hosted by the Canary Wharf Group, the festival was a four-day event from Thursday 21st to Sunday 24th July 2022. It hosted over 60 live acts including music, theatre, dance, poetry, comedy, family funs and children’s activities throughout the estate. The majority of acts were free to attend, and the event transformed the Estate’s numerous parks, plazas, and open spaces as they hosted a stunning line-up of artists and performers from across the world. The second year of Festival14 is extended to a five day event from Wednesday 26th to Sunday 30th July 2023.

Open Water Swimming

Canary Wharf has partnered with Love Open Water to launch its first outdoor swimming since summer 2022. The venue, located in the 220-year-old Middle Dock, offers 600 square meters of open water swimming. Residents, workers and visitors can enjoy a unique experience of outdoor swimming in the heart of the London commercial district whilst taking in the stunning views of the iconic One Canada Square and Newfoundland residential skycrapper.

Outdoor Public Art

Main article: List of public art in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets § Canary Wharf
Couple on Seat by Lynn Chadwick, located at Cabot Square, Canary Wharf

The Canary Wharf Art Trail is the largest outdoor public art collection in London. People are free to visit more than 100 pieces of stand-alone sculptures, integrated architectural works, and outdoor art exhibiting outside buildings around the Canary Wharf area. Two printed maps are regularly updated by the Canary Wharf Group for visitors to discover and identify artworks permanently on display all over the estate.

  • Canary Wharf Art Map: over 100 pieces of artworks, with a brief description, are numbered sequentially as to their exhibition locations at Canary Wharf.
  • Children's Art Trail: a smaller trail of 12 sculptures and artworks for children.

Media

The East London Advertiser (formerly The Docklands & East London Advertiser) is a local newspaper printing weekly and also online.

Wharf life is a fortnightly publication of 15,000 copies for Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London. An E-edition is also available.


See also