Canary Wharf Group _______________________
Canary Wharf isn ’ t just the bit of footage you see at the start of The Apprentice ; it ’ s a place to live , work , and play ,” begins Alec Vallintine , Managing Director of Construction at Canary Wharf Group . “ It isn ’ t just a place for bankers and businesspeople . We ’ re a destination in our own right , with a staggering 54 million people visiting our parks , shops , bars , and restaurants in 2022 .” As one of the most iconic locations in the UK , Canary Wharf is defined as an area of East London that forms part of London ’ s central business district . But it ’ s much more than a place for business ; it ’ s a thriving urban hub with apartment living , retail space , cafes , bars , and year-round events . Some might even argue that it ’ s a new city within an existing one .
Originally London Docklands , the site was historically one of the world ’ s busiest docks , named after the constant stream of ships arriving from the Canary Islands . As cargo became increasingly containerised , the docks closed in 1980 and regeneration of the area began . However , in 1992 , work ceased as the group of American and Canadian companies filed for bankruptcy .
“ Canary Wharf Group was the phoenix rising from the ashes , taking over the estate in 1993 ,” Alec recalls . “ The redevelopment works recommenced , and I joined the company shortly afterwards and we ’ ve been developing ever since .
“ Although we ’ ve completed a few projects elsewhere , like Fenchurch Street and Southbank , our primary focus has always been on the Canary Wharf estate . With the acquisition of Wood Wharf , we ’ ve expanded to the east over the last ten years and we ’ re currently looking to expand north too . We ’ ve completed around 21 million square feet of property , and we ’ ve got another five million to go .
“ Initially , the biggest problem was bringing the focus from the City to Canary
Wharf , which was previously a wasteland with no infrastructure . We had to transform the site into a destination that people genuinely wanted to visit .
“ Fast forward to now , and we ’ ve got all the necessary infrastructure ; roads , rail lines , and transport hubs provide us with an extended network running 24 hours a day ,” he says . “ The Jubilee line runs directly through the site and the Elizabeth line was a gamechanger
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