Why Canary Wharf is a Great Place to Work and Play

Are you working in Canary Wharf for the first time? Or perhaps you’re looking at offices in Canary Wharf and are wondering what amenities are there for you and the team? Well, the good news is there’s plenty on offer.

Canary Wharf is no longer made up of blocks of offices that were buzzing on weekdays and quiet on weekends, but is now the place to work, play and even live. An iconic part of London’s skyline and home to a number of global heavyweights — including HSBC, Barclay’s, Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse — Canary Wharf also hosts events and activities throughout the year, as well as some of the best restaurants London has to offer. With apartment blocks, schools, open-air cinemas and ice skating regular fixtures, Canary Wharf is swiftly becoming one of the capital’s most coveted neighbourhoods.

Commuting To Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf stations

Canary Wharf Underground Station, Zone 2
Elizabeth Line, E14 5AJ
Jubilee Line, E14 5NY

Canary Wharf DLR Station, Zone 2, E14 4QT
Heron Quays DLR Station, Zone 2, E14 9DB
Poplar DLR Station, Zone 2, E14 0AF
West India Quay DLR Station, Zone 2, E14 4ED

Canary Wharf busses

277, D3, D7, D8, N550

London City Airport

London City Airport DLR Station, Zone 3, E16 2PX
15 minutes by car
20 minutes by train

Things To Do In Canary Wharf

Whether you’re working around or looking for offices in Canary Wharf, you’re never going to be short of things to do. As well as a thriving commercial centre, the Canary Wharf area is home to many of the modern amenities you’d expect from a growing residential area. The up-and-coming Wood Wharf, for example, is just one of the few places on offer that is specifically aimed at London professionals, who are happy to work, grow, play, relax and live in the area.

Here are a few of the attractions in the area:

Jubilee Place

Jubilee Place is one of the two main Canary Wharf shopping centres (the other being Canary Wharf Shopping Centre). It runs from Montgomery Square to Heron Quays DLR station and boasts many high street chains, high-end clothing retailers, independent artisan food shops and not-to-be-missed sweet treats. It’s a great place to grab some lunch before heading to the nearby Jubilee Park for an outdoor break.

Canary Wharf ice rink

Employees want to feel more connected to the areas they work in, with walkability featuring high on their wishlists. Canary Wharf has the added attraction of ‘skateability’, with the 1200 square metre outdoor covered ice rink in Canada Square Park offering ice skating beneath the twinkling lights throughout the festive season. If you’d prefer not to get your skates on, however, an alpine-themed bar provides excellent views of the rink from a safe distance.

Canary Wharf outdoor theatre

In the warmer weather when ice skating just isn’t feasible, the same area of Canada Square Park transforms into a relaxing outdoor theatre and cinema throughout the summer. With live theatre performances, you can easily enjoy the arts after work as the sun sets. The area also hosts an outdoor cinema during the summer months, airing major sporting events like the Ashes, Wimbledon, the Tour de France, the Open and more. And best of all, it’s all free.

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Best places for team building 

Company culture makes your business what it is. Without the right culture — or worse a bad company culture — employees can be left feeling burnt out and uncomfortable being themselves at work. Combat this with regular meetups, days in the office and the occasional team lunch. There are plenty of places in and around Canary Wharf that create the perfect environment for mixers.

Big Easy

For a truly laid-back affair, you can’t go wrong with the Big Easy, which brings American BBQ and lobsters to the London skyscrapers. Perfect for a team lunch, the menu offers exclusive daily meal deals as well as a la carte options. Or head to the bar after work for boozy slushies on the sun terrace while enjoying the live music.

Pergola on the Wharf

Pergola on the Wharf offers fresh food and drinks set against lush, green backdrops by the river. The pared-back aesthetic partners well with the ‘natural’ theme that Pergola is based on, and you can be certain to enjoy fresh produce with expertly blended drinks.

Best places for out-of-office meetings

Sometimes, it helps to have a change of scenery and pace, and taking meetings out of the office is an easy way to achieve that. Maybe you want to meet a client for lunch rather than have an official meeting, or perhaps you have an annual appraisal meeting you want to conduct informally with an employee. Here are our picks of restaurants perfect for those out-of-office meetings.

One Canada Square

Not just the famous skyscraper that is sometimes known as the Canary Wharf Tower, One Canada Square is also home to the restaurant, Shutters, which is more reminiscent of an upmarket hotel than a city office block. All-day dining and a complete drinks list set against a sophisticated, cool backdrop make Shutters perfect for celebrating new business with new clients.

Goodman

Perfect for both work and play, fine dining at Goodman makes it easy to arrange a lunchtime catch-up with clients or go for a celebratory meal after work. And if you want a little privacy, you can arrange for private dining for you and your guests, away from the hustle and bustle of the public restaurant.

Best places for wellbeing

Looking after yourself and your team should be a top priority. After all, happy employees are productive employees. For a dense part of the city, Canary Wharf still manages to offer residents and commuters plenty of green, open space, and the local gyms available to commuters are second to none.

Jubilee Park

For a quick breather, quiet reflection or a picnic lunch, head to Jubilee Park, right by the Underground station. The stretch of grass provides a tranquil getaway right by the station, perfect for a picnic lunch in the summer.

Crossrail Place Roof Garden

Get lost amongst the foliage in the roof garden at Crossrail Place, which is free to visit and open daily, with plenty of exotic plants and benches nestled away on hidden pathways. Follow the path to switch off from the busy working day and take some time for relaxation.

Canary Wharf gyms

If health and wellbeing are a priority for your team, the Canary Wharf area is home to numerous gyms where you can work up a sweat or get some R&R. Head to Third Space Canary Wharf, located in the Canary Wharf Shopping Centre for a more intense workout. With all the equipment you could possibly need, set over 100,000 sq ft of training space, a dedicated cycle studio and a climbing wall, this is the gym for serious fitness fanatics.

Just a short walk from Canary Wharf station, you’ll also find the Canary Riverside Health Club. There, you can practice your stroke in the 20m waterside infinity pool or destress in the luxurious spa.