Canary Wharf Group (CWG) is offering a package of support to 10 pioneering local businesses in Tower Hamlets
CWG is offering exciting opportunities for local entrepreneurs to join its lineup of rising stars in Canary Wharf’s new up-and-coming neighbourhood, Wood Wharf.
Situated on the historic grounds of West India Docks, Wood Wharf is an eclectic new neighbourhood in Canary Wharf that proudly carries forward the Docklands’ industrious heritage into the 21st century.
Nestled between Poplar and Canary’s Wharf’s main district, this 23-acre community offers an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, entertainment venues, workspace and homes. A stone’s throw from Montgomery Square, home to food stalls, ping pong and minigolf, Wood Wharf’s eastern border overlooks the Blackwall Basin with views across the Thames to the O2 Arena.
The busy district has already attracted a range of foodie hotspots, including popular burger joint Patty&Bun, mallow, a 100% plant-based eatery championing sustainability, and Emilia’s Crafted Pasta, serving Italian comfort food.
The public realm has been thoughtfully designed with lush green spaces, such as Harbord Square Park and Harbour Quay Gardens, complete with a picturesque, waterside boardwalk overlooking spectacular views of the South Dock and its colourful barges.
On the east side of Wood Wharf stands 8 Harbord Square, offering loft-style apartments for people moving into this new Canary Wharf neighbourhood. With sleek, exposed brickwork, concrete ceilings and large, Crittal-style windows, the striking 12-storey building blends the Docklands’ industrial heritage with a Manhattan-style, contemporary aesthetic.
Designed by leading architecture practice Karakusevic Carson Architects, it takes inspiration from the several warehouses that once populated the banks of the River Thames, making it a fitting dwelling for the business leaders of tomorrow.
But 8 Harbord Square isn’t solely residential. It also contains 10, white box retail units, specially curated for independent businesses to unlock their full potential in a thriving neighbourhood.
Having locally-grown businesses in the mix will be part of Wood Wharf’s success, according to George Chapman, Senior Retail Leasing Surveyor at CWG. He said:
‘We’re looking to find local, independent businesses that champion innovative spirit. Whether they’re going to become the best-in-class coffee shop, or they’ve got really cool up-and-coming artists, we’re going to work with Tower Hamlets and the local community to champion that innovative side of people.’
Such is their commitment to this vision that Wood Wharf is offering a package of support to attract hopefuls, providing an unprecedented opportunity for local entrepreneurs to join this flourishing creative district.
‘There are a lot of businesses within Tower Hamlets that have got great concepts, great ideas, and they are great operationally.
‘But in the past, there’s been a barrier to entry for some of these businesses. Whether that’s the cost of rent, or Canary Wharf might have been seen as something difficult for someone who works locally in Tower Hamlets to get into.’
As well as being the home of renowned institutions like Dishoom, Wood Wharf is a champion of rising star ventures. One example of a business that shot to success in the bustling district is 640East, an independent speciality coffee and craft beer bar, with a difference.
Chapman said: ‘They started around seven years ago with us, it was on the main estate, with just two container units that we popped down in Montgomery Square. It was just serving coffee and beers in the evening, and we looked at what they did and they already had that great community vibe.
‘So we thought, you know what, they’d be perfect for us in Wood Wharf to connect with the local community. So they’ve now taken a permanent site with us to call home at 8 Water Street.
‘As you walk in there, it’s not as if you’re walking into a standard Pret or Starbucks to get your coffee. All the staff bring you a welcoming smile and they get to know the residents’ names.’
Originally a temporary pop-up, 640East has found a permanent home in Wood Wharf, implementing itself in the heart of a bustling community.
But Wood Wharf is more than just a dynamic culinary capital. The flourishing neighbourhood is also home to cutting-edge creative spaces, including recording studio and live music venue Qube East, professional photography studio The Vow, and immersive, competitive socialising venue, The Cube, based on the hit TV show.
At Wood Wharf, up-and-coming entrepreneurs will find themselves at the heart of a collaborative network of creatives, where sources of inspiration and opportunity are constantly flooding in.
Last year, Canary Wharf welcomed 67.2 million visitors, a 25% increase from 2022. Every week, thousands of Londoners are drawn to its rich art and culture, whether that’s catching an impromptu Shakespeare performance atop the Crossrail Place Roof Garden or perusing over 100 pieces of modernist sculpture and murals across the neighbourhood.
Most importantly, Wood Wharf is a district defined by its diverse, local community. The masterplan for the blended neighbourhood entails over nine acres of public spaces, squares and green parks as well as 3,500 new homes, 25% of which will be affordable.
While Canary Wharf offers a vibrant community for workers, residents and visitors, the new district Wood Wharf provides community-led services, with its own health centre, kindergarten and two-form entry primary school, catering to the diverse needs of locals and allowing them to thrive.
‘It’s not just going to be office workers over there, it’s not just going to be visitors,’ said Chapman. ‘For the first time, we have three and a half thousand residents calling Wood Wharf home, set to almost double over the coming years. It’s going to be great to have that right on the doorstep of Canary Wharf.’
He added: ’You can go over there at any time of the day, you might walk down first thing in the morning and you’ve got the community coming in, drinking their coffee. Then at half ten, you might have the school mums that have just dropped their kids off to school and they’re on their way to Third Space to use the gym.
‘And then later in the evening, you might have families going out for dinner at Mercato, sat outside having a glass of wine, while the kids are running out in the park or around the green spaces.’
This summer, Wood Wharf is inviting small business owners from Tower Hamlets to join this growing hub of creative enterprise, ensuring its future as a centre of independent business and creativity.
Ten affordable retail units at 8 Harbord are now available for local, independent business owners looking to launch their East End venture to new heights.
The white-boxed retail spaces range between 235 square feet to 786 square feet and are available for a five-year lease. SMEs will be supported with a tailored marketing campaign for the collective launch and will receive expert assistance with business plans from CWG and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
‘It’s not just financial support that we’re offering here. It’s very much an all-round package to help businesses grow, get their feet off the ground and be the next big thing in the Wood Wharf community,’ said Chapman.
It’s not just a place for large corporates, there is space for the small community businesses to come in and be a part of the Canary Wharf and Wood Wharf journey.
GEORGE CHAPMAN, Senior Retail Leasing Surveyor at CWG
CWG have a long history of offering support to the local community through employment, education and training opportunities alongside their current Community Grant Programme but this is the first time they’ll be working with local entrepreneurs to help grow their businesses.
‘It’s not just a place for large corporates, there is space for the small community businesses to come in and be a part of the Canary Wharf and Wood Wharf journey,’ said Chapman.
‘We’re very much looking forward to working closely with Tower Hamlets and finding their next pool of talent that can really help this buzzing community feel within Wood Wharf.’
At its core, Wood Wharf is a neighbourhood with heart, pioneering up-and-coming SMEs and authentic, East End creativity. It’s not just affordable retail space on offer, but a gateway into an evolving hub of collaboration and community where your new business can flourish.
Find out more about joining East London’s new independent neighbourhood and submit your application here.
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