East London Archives

February 15, 2026February 18, 2026

Investec Beyond Business programme seeks social entrepreneurs

Programme run in partnership with the Bromley By Bow Centre offers grants of up to £24,000 to help solve problems in society across east London

Amitava Guha, enterprise team leader at the Bromley By Bow Centre - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Amitava Guha, enterprise team leader at the Bromley By Bow Centre – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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For the last 14 years, financial services firm Investec Bank has been fostering social entrepreneurship in east London.

Run in partnership with the Bromley By Bow Centre, its Investec Beyond Business programme has seen scores of businesses created with the aim of solving social problems.

These operations have a collective turnover of nearly £10million since the initiative was started in 2011 and support some 430 jobs.

Now entering its 15th year, individuals and organisations are encouraged to submit their applications by March 15, 2026, for up to £24,000 of funding each.

Ideas must have a clear social purpose and support communities in Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham, Waltham Forest, Islington or Barking And Dagenham

“We are typically looking for entry-level startups, which are no more than two years old, that will generate profit and reinvest this money in what they’re doing,” said Amitava Guha, enterprise team leader at the Bromley By Bow Centre.

“You don’t have to have a registered company – you might have identified an issue and want to start something to help address it. We can work with that.

“For 2026, I think we really want to elevate this programme, to support big ideas.

“People often opt for the safe route, but I think you can’t really become a successful entrepreneur if you don’t take risks.

“You have to have determination.”

The Bromley By Bow Centre in east London - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The Bromley By Bow Centre in east London – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

mentoring, coaching and support

This is an area in which Amit is well versed.

Having founded and led digital consultancy Magicframe in India from 2006 to 2020, his own journey has been steeped in business development.

Having relocated to the UK and exited that company, he’s recently spent time coaching, mentoring and advising others on how to turn their ideas into viable operations.

“I joined the Bromley By Bow Centre in 2024 to take care of the Investec Beyond Business programme,” he said.

“Last year we received 148 applications, long-listed 30 and then short-listed 10 to present their ideas to the Investec panel, Dragon’s Den-style.

“Each year, we try to fund four or five enterprises.

“What’s essential is that, if you are called to make that presentation, you can explain your idea well so we can understand what you want to do because, ultimately, it will be you driving this change.

“Many of the ideas that are submitted have been quite good, quite interesting, but I think we can go further.

“We’d love to see some interesting thoughts coming out of Canary Wharf, for example.

“One of the important things to consider is that, while we understand people often come from a social action background, social action is not social enterprise.

“These ideas have to work as businesses.”

One of last year’s winners was Round Retail, a charitable resale platform for branded items where sellers get a third of the sale price and the balance goes to local charities and to fund expansion.

Feeling Social and TrailFam also won funding, providing mental health first aid training to organisaitons and offering trail running programmes to young people, respectively.

While Bamboo Bicycle Club is already an established business in Canning Town, the panel decided to fund its project to work with parents serving custodial sentences to build bikes for their kids to help maintain a tangible connection with their children.

Bamboo Bicycle Club founder James Marr received funding from Investec Beyond Business - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Bamboo Bicycle Club founder James Marr received funding from Investec Beyond Business – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

ideas with the potential to spread

Amit said: “We made an exception for this company because it was such a good idea.

“It was quite emotional for us and the programme has gone really well.

“It’s a good example of exactly the kind of projects Investec Beyond Business wants to fund.

“They can be small ideas that start in east London but have the potential to spread everywhere.

“We really like ideas that get people to think differently.

“They don’t need to be absolutely radical or outside the box and it can be something that needs some development.

“One of the key things for us is that the £24,000 is seed funding, to support the person or the organisation the idea has come from.

“We don’t restrict how that money is spent, but we do have quarterly meetings with the winner and produce a report.

vWe’re also on hand to mentor and support them and many previous winners also participate in the programme in this way.

“That’s a process that continues beyond the first year.”

With 50 applications already received, the 2026 programme of funding is set to begin in May, after shorlisting and interviews in April.

Issues typically addressed by applicants include social enterprises working in youth unemployment, social isolation and loneliness, mental health and wellbeing, community cohesion, the rehabilitation of ex‑offenders, food insecurity and environmental sustainability.

Those applying – and IBB especially welcomes applications from under-represented founders – are expected to demonstrate how their idea would benefit at least one of the six boroughs it operates across.

Amit said one area of focus he would like to see tackled was the pervasive effect of social media on both the young and old.

“I think there are a lot of problems around attention and interaction,” he said.

“Through social media and AI, we’re in danger of creating generations of people who have no idea what they’re talking about and can’t articulate their ideas when they go for an interview, for example.

“I worry these technologies are damaging our ability to think independently and I’d love to hear ideas around what can be done to address this.”

key details: Investec Beyond Business

Applicants to the Investec Beyond Business programme are invited to submit their ideas to the programme by March 15, 2026.

You can find full details from the Bromley By Bow Centre here.

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February 14, 2026February 14, 2026

Third Space Wood Wharf delivers contrast therapy via cold plunge

Brass Monkey technology complements sauna and steam room facilities in the club’s pool area as demand for icy immersion increases

Into the blue: Third Space is embracing contrast therapy for its wellness benefits - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Into the blue: Third Space is embracing contrast therapy for its wellness benefits – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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…my feet slip in first, breaking the gently shifting blue surface of the water, liquid so chilled it feels silken as I sink down into it.

Muscles tensing, heart-rate climbing, my breathing quickens as my body goes into full fight or flight mode in response to the unrelenting cold.

But I don’t lose it to the panic, I take deeper breaths, bringing the shock under control, then relax into the balm of the icy water, counting my inhales and my exhales.

The monolithic sensation of the chill is all I can think about – sensory overload – until a few minutes later it’s time to wake and emerge from the water…

Third Space mind and body master trainer, Clare Walters - image supplied by Third Space — Third Space mind and body master trainer, Clare Walters – image supplied by Third Space

some like it chilled…

“Contrast therapy and cold exposure are not new disciplines, they’ve been around since ancient times,” said Clare Walters, mind and body master trainer at Third Space.

“There has been a really rich culture of sauna and polar plunges in lots of the Scandinavian and eastern European countries and the practices in this country go back at least to Roman times with baths of different temperatures.

“However, there’s a growing recognition of their benefits in the wellness industry.”

Recently, in response to this demand, the luxury health club fitted a Brass Monkey cold plunge facility at its Wood Wharf branch, offering members who’ve heated up in its steam room and sauna, or who just feel the need for a profound full-body chill, a poolside option overlooking the dock far below.

“The brand is one of the leading providers of ice baths and they really know their stuff,” said Clare.

“The products are of a really high standard with the water constantly filtered to ensure its clean and that the temperature remains stable.

“That’s important, because you need that cold shock to get the benefits.

“Recovery and wellness is very much something we’re prioritising in our clubs and, for me, it’s a mission to help people regulate their nervous systems.

“We have lots of ways of doing that and cold exposure is an important tool we can use.

“We offer cryotherapy at our Recovery Spa in Third Space Canary Wharf, which some people prefer.

“It’s much colder than the water of a plunge could ever be, but it’s a dry cold for up to three minutes and you warm up quickly afterwards.

“You still get the benefits, but it doesn’t feel quite as intense.

“An ice bath can feel more dramatic and, because exposure is for a longer time, there’s an aspect of building mental resilience to it as well.

“When you go into the cold, you’re experiencing something which, in large quantities, could be very bad and possibly fatal – but is very beneficial for small amounts of time.

“Doing hard things you don’t necessarily want to do can help build mental and emotional resilience.

“It’s similar to training really hard in the gym.

“When you push yourself lifting weights, for instance, you know you’ve accomplished something and you feel really good about yourself.

“There’s also a neurological aspect to cold exposure.

“When you plunge or do cryo, you get a huge rush of dopamine into the bloodstream – around 200% higher than your baseline rate.

“Drugs may induce that kind of change but only for a few minutes whereas, a cold water rush can last for many hours.

“When I do a cold plunge, I can walk around the city for hours feeling happy.

“It can be really good for regulating mental health, particularly in the winter months, when it’s grey and dark and there’s very little Vitamin D coming to us.”

Ready and waiting, the Brass Monkey cold plunge at the Wood Wharf Club - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Ready and waiting, the Brass Monkey cold plunge at the Wood Wharf Club – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

advice on cold plunging at Third Space

Alternating between hot and cold is also widely thought to further boost these benefits with both environments having the added bonus of easing muscle pain and other physical stresses.

But how best to approach the icy depths?

Clare said: “First of all I’d say you should not aim for a long period of time in the water.

“If you’re new to cold plunging, you should aim for 30 seconds plus, but definitely try to get all the way in.

“I’ve seen so many people going in, getting to knee height, saying ‘no’ and getting straight back out again.

“Some get straight in and then out again.

There will be benefits, because you’ll be getting into your fight or flight response, but the real benefits come if you stick to it for a little bit longer.

“Doing it gradually can be real torture, so get in swiftly, but smoothly, not in a chaotic way.

“Get the water to neck height if you can – over you shoulders and to the back of your neck. It will feel more intense, but you’ll be able to calm down quicker.

“The gasp reflex is what we want – your sympathetic nervous system is triggered and your stress hormones are released.

“The heart rate starts to speed up and you get more blood flow around the body, but the longer we’re in the cold, we want to calm ourselves down – that’s when we think about breath.

“Focus on exhaling through pursed lips, which will force you to extend your exhale and start to calm down.

“Once you feel that’s happening, start to take an even, slow breath – breathing in for a slow count of four and then out for the same.

“Hold still. You can even close your eyes if you like.

“When I’m in the cold, my mind just goes clear, I just sit there and it feels amazing.

“Some people feel their extremities get cold – that’s because your blood vessels constrict and direct the blood flow to your vital organs to keep you alive.

“Combining a plunge with the sauna is great for this because in the heat your blood vessels open up and going between the two can be really good for circulation.

“Hands can also be kept out of the water for those who feel the cold in them.

“Ultimately a good rule of thumb to aim for is about one minute of immersion per degree of the ice bath.

“At Wood Wharf it’s kept between 5ºC and 7ºC.

“Typically women need less time, while men tolerate the cold a bit better.

“Conversely the opposite is true in the sauna.

“Across a week, we say 11 minutes of cold plunging and an hour in the sauna will give you optimum benefit for both, although not in a single session.”

The sauna at Third Space Wood Wharf – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

embracing contrast therapy

With the facility at Wood Wharf up and running, further change is coming to the Canary Wharf club, which is set to open a new Wellness Spa later in the year.

This will include a hydropool, a cold plunge pool, a steam room, heated loungers as well as two different kinds of sauna.

There will also be a sky garden for members to relax in.

We’ll bring you more news on this major development in a future issue of Wharf Life.

key details: Third Space membership at Canary Wharf

The Wharf membership at Third Space includes access to both its Wood Wharf and Canary Wharf clubs and costs £245 per month.

Group and Group Plus memberships, which include access to other sites are also available.

You can find out more here

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February 13, 2026February 13, 2026

Mama Li brings Cantonese roast meats to Canary Wharf site

Latest store will feature sit-down dining, noodle soups and a bar as well as takeaway option as brand expands to Wood Wharf location

Mama Li specialises in Cantonese roast meats - image supplied by Mama Li — Mama Li specialises in Cantonese roast meats – image supplied by Mama Li

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

“It was while I was working in finance in the City that I had the idea,” said Catherine Hua, founder of Mama Li.

“My mum has an extensive background working in Chinese restaurants and each day she would make me a packed lunch with Cantonese roast meats, rice and vegetables.

“I’d bring in food and heat it up because I didn’t really like the options around me – nowhere was offering the type of food or the quality my mum was making.

“Some of my colleagues noticed and started asking where I’d got my lunch.

“When I told them I was bringing the meals in from home, they asked whether they could get some too.

“That’s when I thought there might be something here.”

During the pandemic, Catherine’s mum was furloughed amid the uncertainty and the pair decided to start a business together, initially cooking takeaway orders from a small kitchen in Shoreditch.

“We named it after mum – it’s also what the chefs would call her in the kitchens that she worked in – and began with a small selection of rice, noodles and roast meats to see if people would like the food or not,” said Catherine.

“We had crispy pork, roast duck, soy chicken and our BBQ pork.

“We also had egg fried rice, a small selection of noodles, beansprout chow mein, Singapore noodles and a selection of other wok dishes.

“We were delivery only at that point – it was easier because we were testing an idea.

“Then, we opened our first store in Tower Hill about a year and half later.”

Mama Li founder, Catherine Hua - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Mama Li founder, Catherine Hua – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

expanding Mama Li to Canary Wharf

Since then, the business’ five-year journey has seen it open a second branch at London Wall in the heart of the City and now a third at Canary Wharf.

The new location recently opened its doors on Wood Wharf’s Union Square – one of a multitude of independent businesses that now call the area home thanks to a collaboration between Canary Wharf Group and Tower Hamlets Council to offer companies affordable commercial space.

In addition to Mama Li, those in search of food and drink can check out Nora, Ong Lai Kopitaim, Cafe Seek, Lockdown, Supershakes and Signorelli.

Other openings include floristry from The Flower Club, Wayne Hairdresser Salon, beauty salon Awe London, Pawsome Pet Grooming And Spa, The Island Reformer Pilates Studio and clothing repair business Omnifix.

Catherine, who recently moved to the Isle Of Dogs, said Mama Li has evolved with each opening and that the brand’s latest site was an opportunity to try something new.

Mama Li's new Wood Wharf store includes sit-down dining - image supplied by Mama Li — Mama Li’s new Wood Wharf store includes sit-down dining – image supplied by Mama Li

the evolution of a brand

“We call them stores because we were not offering a sit-down, restaurant-style table service in our first two branches,” she said.

“They’re more like a cafe. Customers order at our kiosk, go to the counter, get their food, find a seat, eat and then go.

“Of course, they can also get their meal as takeaway.

“This one is a bit of an evolution where we have introduced a sit-down dining experience with table service and a bar.

“That enables us to deliver a more extensive menu for those who want to spend a bit more time with us.

“Over the other side, we still have the to-go elements where people can order on the screens and either have a quick bite or grab their food and head off.”

Catherine remains in tune with her busy customer base, working full-time in tech as an analyst, while also running Mama Li.

Her mum continues as “the core of the business” overseeing its kitchens and operations.

“Without her, I don’t think there would be a Mama Li,” said Catherine.

“She makes sure we deliver and is constantly quality-testing to make sure everything is where it needs to be and everyone is doing what they need to do.

“She’s one of my biggest supports, as I am one of hers.

“Then there’s our incredible team, without whom we just wouldn’t be here.

“It is wild to see how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.

“I tell people this is still the beginning, but the journey has been incredible, the people we’ve met and worked with.

“I’m really grateful for the experience of building something together.”

Brightly coloured crockery stands ready at the new branch - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Brightly coloured crockery stands ready at the new branch – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

based on the data

With a growing Asian population, opening in Canary Wharf felt like a good fit for Mama Li, but the decision to open further east was soundly based on the numbers.

“I’m a data person – every choice I make has to be backed by data,” said Catherine.

“I noticed a lot of our orders came from this area, so I thought, why not open a store nearer to our customers?

“We’ve had a lot of requests to open new branches, especially from this area.

“The opportunity for this space came up, so we thought it would be silly not to take the opportunity and run with it.

“It does make sense to be here and it’s a step in the right direction.

“We wanted to extend our footprint out of the City and Canary Wharf was the natural direction to go in, both because of our current customer base, but also the office crowd too.

“I’d love to open more stores across London and perhaps beyond, but we’ll see how this one goes first.”

The Canary Wharf branch has an extended menu featuring a wide range of dishes including noodle soups - image supplied by Mama Li — The Canary Wharf branch has an extended menu featuring a wide range of dishes including noodle soups – image supplied by Mama Li

‘I want to see what they think…’

For Catherine, opening on the Wharf is all about watching the impact Mama Li has.

She said: “I’m excited to see people coming, for them to try our food – both those who have not been to us before and are eating it for the first time and those who have been before and are coming again.

“I want to see what they think and then use that feedback to do even better.

“We have a menu that caters for different groups. If you’re a meat eater, then we have our signature roast meats.

“These are hung on our meat display for everyone to see and you can see our chefs in action as well.

“Every meat order is chopped to order, so you know you’re going to get the freshest slices. Presentation is key for us too, we always try to make our dishes look nice and appetising.

“With our range of Cantonese roast meats, customers can have one, two or three different types paired with rice and vegetables, which is a complete, wholesome meal – my go-to is duck and crispy pork. It’s very comforting.

“In Canary Wharf, we’ll also be offering a new menu with noodle soups. The broth is made in-house and simmered for 24 hours for the flavour.

“Again, customers will be able to choose to have different types of meats and vegetables paired with either more traditional thin, flat noodles or with a chewier, rounder variety.

“I started Mama Li because I wanted more people to experience the lunches my mum made for me.

“Having something to connect with is really important – when we were starting out, people would message us and tell us the food reminded them of home and that’s exactly what we wanted.

“I hope people will continue to connect with us and get that comfort from what we’re doing.”

key details: Mama Li

Mama Li is located on Union Square in Wood Wharf’s 3 West Lane building.

Full details including menus and opening times can be found on the brand’s website here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

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February 13, 2026February 13, 2026

Dr Alessandro Ferrazza on blending business theory and practice

International Business Management programme manager at the University Of Sunderland In London explains how its approach benefits students

The University Of Sunderland In London's Dr Alessandro Ferrazza - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The University Of Sunderland In London’s Dr Alessandro Ferrazza – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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“When I first went to university, it was all about theory,” said Dr Alessandro Ferrazza.

“Working in industry, I’d have to ask how to transfer that theory into practice.

“The ideas sounded good in the book, but I didn’t know how to apply them in reality. What we try to do here is to break down those barriers.”

As senior lecturer and programme manager for the MSc International Business Management (IBM) course at the University Of Sunderland In London, Alessandro is perhaps perfectly placed to take on that task.

A long career in industry – interwoven with a consistent thread of study and personal development – preceded his move into academia, after he enjoyed guest lecturing at the University Of Sunderland In London, following completion of an MBA in business administration, management and operations there in 2017.

Going full-time in 2019, initially as an associate lecturer, Alessandro completed his doctorate in business and remains passionate – alongside the wider team – about continuing to develop the university’s IBM offering.

And, frankly, who better to teach international business?

Born in Switzerland, Alessandro grew up in Rome, completing a diploma from the Institute For Hospitality Management in the Italian capital.

The University Of Sunderland In London is based at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The University Of Sunderland In London is based at Harbour Exchange on the Isle Of Dogs – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

starting out in hospitality

“I started off washing dishes in Guernsey and I hated every single minute of it,” he said.

“After one week, I packed it in and walked out. They didn’t even pay me.

“My lecturer in hospitality had told me I needed to speak English, so I’d moved to the Channel Islands and, after I’d quit my first job, I walked into the hotel next door.

“I hardly spoke any English – I couldn’t even read the name of the place – but I said I wanted to see the manager.

“It might have been luck, but this Italian guy came out.

“We got chatting and he agreed to take me on.

“My first job was to take the dirty dishes to the kitchen, so already it was a step up.

“My career took off from there.”

Moving to mainland UK a couple of years later, Alessandro built his career in hotels in London and rediscovered education.

He said: “I met someone really clever, the then manager of the Cavendish Hotel, and he suggested I should go to university.

“That sounded really good and, in those days it was free, so I signed up at the Ealing College Of Higher Education, which is now West London University.

“On the first day, I sat down in the lecture room on the first floor with my pad and pen out. The lecturer came in and said: ‘Good Morning’.

“After that, I couldn’t understand anything else, so I left.

“But then I took elocution lessons for a year and a half, went back and completed my degree – I was very proud of that.

“One of the things the Cavendish’s manager did was put in my head the idea of personal development.

“It’s something I tell my students. Annual reviews are really bizarre things in business.

“Your boss sits you down once a year and points out where you’re going wrong.

“But what I tell my students is they should go to those meetings armed with what they want. It should be a two-way conversation.

“Do you have all the training and tools to achieve what they want you to do?

“If the answer is yes and there are issues, perhaps the role isn’t right for you.

“But, if the answer is no, then you must ask for what you need to bring your work up to the level the firm expects.”

The university offers wide range of courses, including an MSc in International Business Management - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The university offers wide range of courses, including an MSc in International Business Management – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

connecting with the University Of Sunderland In London

Having spent many years working in the hospitality sector in London, Switzerland, Italy and France, Alessandro joined catering giant Compass Group in 2001, initially as a general manager before rising through the ranks to become regional account director.

There, with contracts across England, Italy and Switzerland through his contacts, he had responsibility for more than 500 employees, with the company also sponsoring him to pursue first an MSc in strategic management and leadership and then the MBA that led him to the University Of Sunderland In London.

Today, Alessandro continues to use his links to industry to enrich his students’ experience by inviting senior contacts including CEOs of top companies to participate in their programmes.

“It gives them hands-on knowledge,” he said.

“They get to understand what it’s really like to be in an international managerial setting, running operations remotely across the world.

“Anyone can read a book, the one thing you cannot buy is experience.

“What we try to do with our IBM programme is to create something tangible our students can bring with them to their careers.

“Things have changed. When I first went to university, the Government paid for the course via a grant.

“Now our students are customers – we need to include the element of added value, to ask ourselves what makes our programme different?

“Theory is important, but our IBM course has more of the feel of a hands-on apprenticeship.

“For example, we run a game simulation where students become the board of directors for a company.

“They need to make all the decisions, and those choices then determine how the organisation they’re running progresses.

“The questions for me are: ‘How do I make the books come to life? How can real businesses reflect and use what’s in the books?’.

“There needs to be a real synergy between what’s written in the books and what happens in industry.

“For example, over the years I’ve invited CEOs to come in as associate lecturers, to set the students a problem and then have them report back.

“In the latest one, they’ve been given an issue that a person is actually trying to fix in their business and, in March, he’s going to come back with the head of the global company and listen to their proposals.

“You can’t get any closer to being in the boardroom than that.”

staying relevant

With the business landscape constantly changing and evolving, the University Of Sunderland In London believes such links to real organisations are essential in maintaining the relevance of its courses, with Alessandro also stressing the importance of developing, honing and implementing essential skills.

“One of the reasons I made the move into education is that I want to help shape the managers of the future,” he said.

“When I was in industry, I’d sometimes recruit managers who looked really good on paper, but who turned out not to be very effective on the ground.

“That wasn’t because of an inability to understand business concepts, it was because of an inability to put the theory into practice.

“That’s what I wanted to change. I’d seen lots of people who’d achieved qualifications and wanted more senior roles as a result but then failed.

“Often they didn’t understand how to deal with people. In senior management you are really only managing two things.

“The first is resources. The second is people. If you can’t deal with colleagues, then you’ve had it.

“You’ve got to make sure your team follows your leadership, your strengths, or they won’t do what you want them to do. In the end, the company will recognise that and you’ll be out of a job.

“This is why we run group exercises and encourage collaboration to equip them with those experiences.

“I’m not saying it will be easy for students embarking on our courses. It can’t be, they won’t be spoon-fed.

“But I do want to make sure I give them all the tools possible from the toolbox I’ve built up over my years in industry so that the next generation of management coming out of programmes like our MSc in IBM is going to be well equipped for whatever industry they choose to make their career in or whatever else they do in the future.”

key details: Business

The University Of Sunderland In London offers a wide range of business-focussed courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Its MSc in International Business Management is a full-time course over one year, based at UOSiL’s Isle Of Dogs campus.

You can find out more about business courses at the university here

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February 3, 2026February 3, 2026

UCL School Of Management expands Canary Wharf presence

The university is growing its east London presence with more space at One Canada Square and new student accommodation close to the estate

UCL School Of Management is expanding its presence on the top levels of One Canada Square - image supplied by UCL — UCL School Of Management is expanding its presence on the top levels of One Canada Square – image supplied by UCL

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University College London’s School Of Management is a good example of one of the things people often get wrong about Canary Wharf.

While today financial services companies continue to play a major part in the life of the estate, its diversification that is driving it forward.

Alongside residential towers, space for construction firms, events companies and life sciences bodies, has been created.

Towers originally conceived to house trading floors have been retooled, done up and re-leased to all kinds of different organisations.

Even 10 years ago – when UCL’s school relocated to the 38th floor of One Canada Square, just one year after its creation – things were already changing.

The mixed development at Wood Wharf had won planning permission two years earlier and the estate was preparing to become a place to live as well as work and visit.

Having initially been attracted to the area’s status as a “major global business district”, UCL’s school has since grown into more space and developed its offering.

However, few – even today – might guess that the very highest floors of the Wharf’s landmark tower are occupied by academics and students rather than bankers.

The university announced earlier this month that, in addition to floors it already leases in One Canada Square – 38, 48, 49 and 50 – it would also be taking on 46 and 47 too, levelling up to a total of six.

UCL School Of Management's Professor Susan Smith - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — UCL School Of Management’s Professor Susan Smith – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

opening the spaces

“We’ll be opening up 48 this coming September and then the other two new floors the following year,” said Professor Susan Smith, a specialist in accountancy and deputy director for student experience at UCL School Of Management.

“Then we’ll have five floors all connected by a fantastic internal staircase.

“It’s really very exciting and we’re all going to get super fit.

“When we open level 47 we’ll also gain a terrace, which will act as one of our social spaces.”

When fully operational, the six floors together will accommodate the needs of some 4,000 students, all benefiting from the new facilities and spaces.

Susan said: “We’ll be adding a new Bloomberg room, extra classroom space and informal study facilities.

“We already have signs from the Tube to help people find their way here.

“We’ve worked with our architects and have managed to get what we want, in terms of additional teaching space, which is incredibly important for us.

“There will also be places for students to hang out between classes.

“That includes more fun additions like table tennis and a café so people can buy refreshments up here as well as using the kitchen facilities to make their own.

“Of course, there are many options downstairs in the malls too.”

The school's upper floors will all be connected by an internal staircase when work is completed - image supplied by UCL — The school’s upper floors will all be connected by an internal staircase when work is completed – image supplied by UCL

expanding opportunity

Susan said being a part of the wider estate was attractive to students, given its offering.

“Being in Canary Wharf offers a huge number of opportunities, both for us and our students,” she said.

“They are part of a thriving neighbourhood that provides everything they need.

“There are lots of things for them to do here – sports facilities and arts facilities, for example.

“A lot of our students also use our main campus in Bloomsbury too but, with the students’ union presence here and our expansion over the next few years, we’ll have a range of activities on-site, as any other campus would do.”

UCL is an increasingly potent presence in east London with two campuses in Stratford playing a major part in the East Bank cluster.

As well as benefiting from interplay with those, the School Of Management also stands to gain from the arrival of Urbanest, a complex of three towers built beside Trafalgar Way just off the Wharf’s eastern edge.

When they open later this year, the facility will be the largest student accommodation building in the capital with 1,672 student beds, 80 residential flats and a Drive-Thru McDonalds expected to open on its lower level in place of the restaurant that once occupied the site.

“This new accommodation means our students will be able to live and study in close proximity,” said Susan.

“As a university, we’ve consciously taken the decision to build around the locations we have in east London and, as we’re growing at Canary Wharf, it’s made sense to take more space in the tower too.”

The campus will be able to accommodate 4,000 students following the expansion - image supplied by UCL — The campus will be able to accommodate 4,000 students following the expansion – image supplied by UCL

shifting focus

The school offers a wide range of courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. In addition to degrees in such areas as Information Management In Business, Management Science and International Management, new undergrad courses for 2026 include Management For Social Change and Technology And Innovation.

“We have something to offer people whether they are starting out in their careers or looking to maybe shift the focus of what they’re doing,” said Susan.

“Typically, the latter might be looking at our MBA programmes or more specialist areas to take a different path.

“For example, we run a course in using data to improve leadership – our MSc in People Analytics And Human-Centric Management.

“We’re always horizon scanning – networking with the business community, other academics and thinkers in various fields – to ensure what we’re offering is relevant.

“One thing that remains constant is the foundational skill of adaptability – we want our students to be independent and critical thinkers, to be flexible, so they can thrive as the world changes.

“They will need to do that much more than we have had to as their careers will likely be very different from the ones we’ve experienced or can imagine.”

The new floors will offer students and staff more facilities including teaching spaces - image supplied by UCL — The new floors will offer students and staff more facilities including teaching spaces – image supplied by UCL

an attractive location for UCL

As one of the world’s top university’s, UCL attracts students from across the world.

“A large proportion of those studying with us in Canary Wharf are international and come from a diverse range of countries,” said Susan.

“I think they feel at home in the environment we’ve created here.

“We feel we provide an excellent student journey, but it’s not just about what happens in class.

“They have access to some amazing opportunities and a wonderful peer group, which will hopefully be with them for life.

“They also have the chance to work with businesses on the Wharf and we are engaged in projects with a number of local companies.

“We also run a summer school with Canary Wharf Group and I’m a trustee of the University Schools Trust which supports primary and secondary education in Tower Hamlets so we have links to the community here too.

“I’m most excited about the school having a critical mass here and becoming a fully fledged campus. It will be even more of a destination for staff and students.”

key details: UCL School Of Management

You can find out more about UCL School Of Management in Canary Wharf on the university’s website, which includes a full list of courses available.

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February 3, 2026February 3, 2026

Sad Meli serves authentic flavours from Georgia in Royal Docks

Owner’s literal drive spans tourism in the country of his birth, wine with an 8,000-year lineage and now a restaurant and bar near Gallions Reach DLR

Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines is located in Royal Docks - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines is located in Royal Docks – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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Beka Kereselidze’s story is one of obsession and, literally, drive.

The Royal Docks resident, along with his wife, Tatia Bichashvili, opened Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines close to Gallions Reach DLR a little over a year ago and it’s been quite the journey.

Born in Tbilisi, Beka initially came to the UK to visit friends in 2007 and decided to stay.

“At 23, I saw opportunities here for work and I wanted some fun in my life, but I was also going back to Georgia quite often,” he said.

“My family has a summer place in a small village called Sadmeli in the Racha region – it’s where my grandfather used to make wine.

“Georgia is the homeland of wine – we’ve been making it for 8,000 years. Georgian culture and wine come together.

“We have it in our blood, with the forest and the vineyards. It’s normal to have a family tradition of making it and everyone compares theirs with everyone else’s.”

Beka Kereselidze of Sad Meli restaurant and Sadmeli winery - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Beka Kereselidze of Sad Meli restaurant and Sadmeli winery – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

dreaming big

While Beka’s father had continued to make some wine on the site for family consumption, his son had bigger dreams.

After getting married in 2016, as is customary, the couple made a wine together using the traditional qvevri – massive clay pots buried in the ground as vessels for fermentation and ageing.

Buoyed by its reception at a wine festival, Beka was further enthused and began studying production in earnest.

He spent a decade working as a long-distance lorry driver for Sainsbury’s in the UK, raising money to build the Sadmeli property in Georgia into a proper winery with a terrace restaurant and a guest-house.

“My parents thought I was crazy at first, but when you want something, you do it,” said Beka.

“I was taking online courses on natural wine making.

“On the road I would listen to lessons and other drivers would make fun of me for reading about wine all the time.

“But I was really interested – it was quite an obsession.

“While I was studying I was building a wine cellar and starting to make wine.

“By 2019 I was starting to import the wine to the UK, selling it in restaurants and now wine shops and, by 2022, we finished building Sadmeli, ready to welcome guests.”

The venue has an open kitchen and also serves coffee - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The venue has an open kitchen and also serves coffee – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

building Sad Meli

Supported by his family and funded through long hours on the road and a loan from Lloyds bank, the business has since flourished.

However, having relocated to east London, Beka saw further opportunity.

“I’d noticed these mostly empty units close to where I lived, found out who owned them and made the offer,” he said.

“At first, they said no, but then they agreed. I was happy, but also a little bit scared because I didn’t have the money at that time.”

With cash from the Sadmeli operation, more support from Lloyds, contributions from family and help from friends, he overcame that hurdle and began fitting out what was initially supposed to be a wine shop and subsequently morphed into a restaurant and bar.

“Somehow we did it,” said Beka. “We opened on October 11, 2024 – a Friday and my god it was scary.

“I wasn’t really ready but we’d announced it and then we got a booking.

“A few minutes later we got another one. I don’t think I slept for the three or four days beforehand.

“Then, from that day, I haven’t had a day off. But people really like it.

“They enjoy the wine and we’ve made lots of friends. It’s very rewarding.”

Khinkali dumplings at Sad Meli - image by Sad Meli — Khinkali dumplings at Sad Meli – image by Sad Meli

Sad Meli in Royal Docks

Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines serves up a selection of traditional dishes from Georgia such as Pkhali, Adjaruli Khachapuri, Kharcho soup alongside sides and imported soft drinks.

Providing the backbone of the menu, however, are Khinkali dumplings, filled with meat, cheese or mushrooms.

Beka said: “I’m cooking and I have all my mum’s recipes. It’s what we wanted for this place, that the experience comes directly from Georgia.

“There’s a large eastern European community here and they like Georgian food and wine.

“I try to make everything fresh, which takes time, but we have an open kitchen and people see me cooking and they love this kind of process.

“Guests might have to wait sometimes, but then they drink more wine, which is good for business.

“Our biggest seller is the Khinkali dumplings – they will always be on the menu – but other things I like to change to keep it fresh.

“We are very proud that we have customers who have never tried Georgian food before.

“It’s not just a restaurant, but it’s the country and culture and the wine as well.

“They’re happy because they’ve tried something new.”

The restaurant and bar offers a wide selection of wines to go with its food - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The restaurant and bar offers a wide selection of wines to go with its food – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

stocking the bottles

Having studied wine extensively at leading global centre of excellence, the Wine And Spirit Education Trust in Southwark, Beka is delighted to curate a wide range of bottles alongside the wines he’s produced at Sadmeli.

“We make six or seven types of wine ourselves including our signature Saparevi, a full-bodied red made with the most common grape in Georgia,” he said.

“It’s been popular and this year’s has now sold out.

“All the work at the winery is done by hand because my father isn’t used to mechanical processes and we don’t use chemicals on the vines or in production.

“The vineyards we get our grapes from are small. We make good quality wine in small quantities.

“We don’t add sulphites, for example, and we don’t add yeast through the fermentation.

“Since we opened Sad Meli in Royal Docks, once I’ve poured my wine for them, no-one asks for anything else or says they don’t like it.

“That’s a source of pride for me. People love it and it feels almost unreal.

“Sometimes I’m tired, but its that feedback from the customers that gives us the motivation to continue.

“Mine and my wife’s lives have completely changed.

“We had an aim together and we’ve achieved it.

“For me, I wanted to do something here instead of driving and now I do.”

Sadmeli Saparevi, Beka's signature wine - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Sadmeli Saparevi, Beka’s signature wine – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

key details: Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines

Sad Meli Georgian Gastronomy And Raw Wines is located on the eastern edge of Gallions Roundabout, south of the junction with Atlantis Avenue.

It’s within easy walking distance of Gallions Reach DLR station and is open daily from noon.

You can find out more about the venue here

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February 2, 2026February 2, 2026

Vertus’ 50-60 Charter Street offers next level living in Canary Wharf

Twin towers benefit from a full complement of amenities as built-to-rent operation learns and grows on the east London estate

50-60 Charter Street by Vertus, a pair of towers housing rental apartments at Wood Wharf - image supplied by Vertus — 50-60 Charter Street by Vertus, a pair of towers housing rental apartments at Wood Wharf – image supplied by Vertus

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Launched towards the end of last year, Vertus’ latest build-to-rent apartments in Canary Wharf may best be described as next-level.

The twin towers of 50-60 Charter Street are connected by communal spaces at their base, rising high on Wood Wharf to overlook South Dock and house some 756 apartments ranging in size from 463sq ft to 1,397sq ft.

Perhaps what really sets Grid architects’ structure apart from the rest of the now extensive Vertus portfolio – which includes nearby aparthotel Vertus Edit for shorter stays – however, is the 14,000sq ft of communal space.

The main lobby space at 50-60 Charter Street - image supplied by Vertus — The main lobby space at 50-60 Charter Street – image supplied by Vertus

Arranged over two lower floors, this includes informal co-working spaces, an evening lounge, a games room with arcade machines, shuffleboard and pool and a snug with one of the largest flatscreen TVs I’ve ever seen, allowing it to double as a screening room.

For fitness there’s a studio space kitted out with Reformer Pilates machines, a chunky free weights room and a large gymnasium with luxury health club-grade cardio and resistance machines.

Workers can also make use of a string of private pods to minimise distractions or book characterful meeting rooms.

Then, for relaxation, there are flexible, purpose-built dining rooms for social gatherings or larger parties.

That’s before you even mention the ground floor lobby, which boasts a grand piano, an honesty market and a bold feature staircase to take residents up to the main communal areas.

Vertus residential building manager, Sam Pickering - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — Vertus residential building manager, Sam Pickering – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

smooth operation at 50-60 Charter Street

The person in charge of ensuring all of this operates smoothly is Vertus residential building manager Sam Pickering.

Born to Kiwi parents in the UK, he grew up in New Zealand, moving to Britain in 2015 “for a year”. His career has taken him through hospitality into looking after student accommodation before moving into build-to-rent and joining Vertus in 2024, initially to manage its 8 Water Street building.

“I remember at my interview saying that one of my goals was to manager a flagship site, although I didn’t expect it to be within a year,” said Sam, who is meticulous in his attention to detail, admitting he can’t resist rearranging coasters in the communal areas by colour when they’ve become disordered.

“We’ve got fantastic spaces – they’ve been very well thought out. Vertus has taken all the best parts from the other buildings they’ve opened.

“You enter via a very large reception foyer. It’s incredibly grand, with amazing gardens, high ceilings and open spaces.

Apartments range in size from studios to three-beds - image supplied by Vertus — Apartments range in size from studios to three-beds – image supplied by Vertus

“One of the benefits here is that our concierge team, who do a fantastic job, are truly here 24-hours.

“The residents build very strong relationships with them and it’s something that really sets us apart.

“With the design and facilities of 50-60 Charter Street, a lot of consideration has been put into what people want.

“The whole building has been designed around that.

“The dining rooms are flexible, for example – two of them can be separated or combined into one.

“Vertus offers very high-end living and with lots of services.

“Residents can bring their dry-cleaning down, and we can have that delivered and then brought back, for instance.

“We’re here to provide those experiences – we want the whole building to feel like a home.

“There are all these reasons to come down from your apartment and enjoy the other spaces, even if it’s just to get a coffee.

“That’s been very popular – we’re always having to top up the mugs.”

The evening lounge at the scheme can be divided into semi-private areas if desired - image supplied by Vertus — The evening lounge at the scheme can be divided into semi-private areas if desired – image supplied by Vertus

creating a community

Since the first residents moved into 10 George Street in 2020, not far from its latest building, Vertus has made a point of putting in place the architecture to bring residents together.

Its events team, Dor Rugira and Brogan Murray, hosted 197 gatherings in 2025 with an attendance rate of 81% across the Canary Wharf Group subsidiary’s buildings.

Sam said: “There is a real community on the estate.

“These events operate across the portfolio which is brilliant because it allows people who are living in such close proximity to meet each other and build friendships.

“That’s been really lovely for the staff to see.”

The Snug or screening room - image supplied by Vertus — The Snug or screening room – image supplied by Vertus

built for service

Sam’s role is to ensure the areas he looks after run smoothly, allowing the wider team to deliver the service that residents expect.

“On a day-to-day basis, it’s about the safety of the building – making sure the residents are taken care of, making sure all the safety checks for fire and water are done, that the place is safe to live in and that everyone is comfortable and their needs are met,” he said.

“We are very fortunate to have a very diverse team here.

“We’ve got the buildings managers and the property managers who deal directly with the apartments.

“Any initial concerns will go through them, and if there’s anything wrong, it will come to me.

“The concierge team do a fantastic job, liaising with the residents to make sure of that.

The Games Room at 50-60 Charter Street - image supplied by Vertus — The Games Room at 50-60 Charter Street – image supplied by Vertus

“The people who live here are an eclectic mix.

“We have students, lots of couples – many who are young professionals.

“We have groups of friends sharing, which is quite common in our two-beds and three-beds.

“It’s been very popular since launch and that’s because Canary Wharf is a developing area.

“Even if you’re not working on the estate, you’ve got the Elizabeth Line, the Tube and the DLR so you’re very well positioned to get around London quickly.

“Now we have residents living here, it really feels good to see the spaces being used.

“Managing it is a really lovely job to have and I’m really excited as we expect the numbers to grow over this year.

“For me, it’s been a tremendous opportunity and Vertus has been spectacular.

“It’s been such a place to learn and grow and develop, and I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had.

“Personally, I’m really looking forward to seeing how people take to the facilities we have here and to see them enjoying themselves.”

50-60 Charter Street boasts three fitness studios including one featuring cardio and weights machines - image supplied by Vertus — 50-60 Charter Street boasts three fitness studios including one featuring cardio and weights machines – image supplied by Vertus

key details: 50-60 Charter Street

Homes in the first phase of 50-60 Charter Street are available now, with more properties set for release in July.

Prices start at £2,600 per month for a studio, £3,000 for a one-bed, £4,100 for a two-bed and £5,200 for a three-bed. Properties come fully furnished.

You can find out more about Vertus’ homes here

A studio apartment at 50-60 Charter Street - image supplied by Vertus — A studio apartment at 50-60 Charter Street – image supplied by Vertus

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February 2, 2026February 2, 2026

Hill and Peabody unveil Penfold artwork at Dagenham Green

Artist’s installation celebrates east London site’s manufacturing history with brightly painted Ford Cortina as regeneration continues to progress

Dagenham Green has unveiled a brightly coloured Cortina, marking the site's former incarnation as part of Ford's enormous east London plant - image supplied by The Hill Group — Dagenham Green has unveiled a brightly coloured Cortina, marking the site’s former incarnation as part of Ford’s enormous east London plant – image supplied by The Hill Group

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Andy Hill is clear.

The group chief executive says the family-owned developer he founded is in the business of building communities, “not just homes” but places local people can live, work and engage with, which honour the history of the sites.

I have a personal connection myself.

My parents had Ford cars when I was growing up. Escorts, Fiestas (always red), a Focus, a Mondeo and even a Ka – the latter being the car I drove after passing my test.

Many, though not all, will have been built at or used parts from the company’s vast plant in Dagenham.

As I drive to The Hill Group’s Dagenham Green scheme, I’m in my late mother’s 2013 red Ford Fiesta – a descendant of the final passenger car to roll off the company’s east London production line.

Incidentally, it dates from the same year Ford ended all production in the UK.

But, while the assembly lines fell quiet, the physical and mental connections to a plant that produced nearly 11million vehicles between 1931 and 2002 are still very much alive.

As I park up at Hill’s site, I reflect that on it once stood buildings where hands made parts for vehicles I rode in as a child – an experience shared by millions across the country.

Artist Tim Gresham, known as Penfold - image supplied by The Hill Group — Artist Tim Gresham, known as Penfold – image supplied by The Hill Group

marked with art

Apt then that joint venture partners The Hill Group and housing association Peabody have chosen to celebrate that legacy by displaying a new automotive artwork beside the marketing suite for the 3,500-home Dagenham Green scheme.

Artist Tim Gresham, known as Penfold, was commissioned to create a visually striking piece and – working in partnership with specialist garage Type 2 Detectives – has repainted a 1966 Mk1 Ford Cortina.

One of around 3million built between the 1960s and 1980s at the site, the vehicle was officially unveiled atop a shipping container on January 22 and will remain in place for three months before transferring to Silverstone ahead of the British Grand Prix.

As well as the impact of the company’s products, there are the generations of people who worked in Ford’s factories – including Andy’s dad, who he said was once employed and then fired by the firm.

Connecting the site’s social history to the present at the launch was Tracy Goodman and her family.

Her mother, the late Dora Challingsworth, led the 1984 strikes at Ford’s plant as a shop steward, eventually winning female employees recognition as skilled workers and making good on industrial action in the late 1960s that paved the way for the Equal Pay Act in 1970.

The Hill Group's group chief executive, Andy Hill, presents Dora Challingsworth's grandson with a miniature replica of Penfold's Ford Cortina - image supplied by The Hill Group — The Hill Group’s group chief executive, Andy Hill, presents Dora Challingsworth’s grandson with a miniature replica of Penfold’s Ford Cortina – image supplied by The Hill Group

a connection to history at Dagenham Green

Tracy, whose grandson was gifted a miniature replica of Penfold’s artwork at the event, said: “It meant a great deal to attend with my family and share the story of courage and sacrifice shown by the women at Ford’s pressing plant in Dagenham.

“I hope our words resonated and that Dagenham Green will continues to honour and keep alive the memory of this important moment.”

Andy added: “The pressing plant that once stood on this site holds a long and influential place in the local community’s history, with its legacy deeply intertwined with the lives of future generations who will call this neighbourhood home.

“I would particularly like to thank Dora’s family for joining us and Penfold for his extraordinary creativity in reinvigorating the exterior of this old Ford Cortina on the site where it was originally made in the 1960s.

“We hope the artwork brings joy and inspiration to everyone who passes.”

Penfold is known for working across a variety of media from a studio in his native Bristol.

His pieces are often colourful and abstract and his work includes several large scale installations and murals.

The artwork is unveiled by Andy, Peabody's Angela Wood and Tracy Goodman - image supplied by The Hill Group — The artwork is unveiled by Andy, Peabody’s Angela Wood and Tracy Goodman – image supplied by The Hill Group

past, present and future

Peabody’s deputy executive director of development, Angela Wood, said: “Dagenham Green carries a deep and proud history, shaped by the people who worked here.

“They stood up for change and built a strong community around the site.

“This artwork is a celebration of that shared story and a reminder that the past still has a place in the neighbourhood we’re creating today.

“Art can stop people in their tracks, spark conversations and help places feel human and lived in.

“This piece helps connect new and existing residents to the character, identity and spirit of Dagenham as it continues to grow.”

An artist's impression showing part of the Dagenham Green development - image supplied by The Hill Group — An artist’s impression showing part of the Dagenham Green development – image supplied by The Hill Group

living locally

One, two and three-bedroom homes are currently available at Dagenham Green for private sale through The Hill Group, with prices starting at £300,000. The scheme is served by nearby Dagenham Dock station.

Shared ownership apartments, ranging in size from one to three bedrooms, are available through Peabody with prices starting at £81,000 for a 30% share of a one-bed based on a full market value of £270,000.

key details: Dagenham Green

Penfold’s artwork is currently on show at Dagenham Green near the junction of New Road and Kent Avenue and is free to visit.

You can find out more about the development and the homes on offer there on its website.

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January 17, 2026January 16, 2026

Sea Lanes Canary Wharf plans approved for early summer opening

Eden Dock is set to get a floating swimming pool for summer 2026 as proposals for swimming, changing and amenities on land get the green light

An artist's impression of how Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will look when opened - image supplied by Canary Wharf Group — An artist’s impression of how Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will look when opened – image supplied by Canary Wharf Group

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The use of land to deliver amenities while development plans are being worked up has become a key feature of the east London property scene in recent years.

Royal Docks boasts a former brewery that’s become home to small creative businesses and Stratford has a strip of land with an al fresco sauna.

Canary Wharf already features an expansive Padel Tennis club in the shape of Padium on a site awaiting a tall office block.

Often, and certainly in these cases, such projects significantly enrich the areas they operate in for residents and visitors alike.

So, news that the plans for a floating swimming pool in Canary Wharf’s Eden Dock alongside a “health and wellbeing destination” on the land beside it have been approved, provides a tantalising glimpse into the future.

Targeting an early summer launch, Sea Lanes Canary Wharf is set to deliver a 50m, six-lane swimming pool, two electric saunas powered by renewable energy, changing facilities, a community clubhouse for events, food and beverage offerings and a store offering wetsuit hire and storage services.

Operated by the team behind Sea Lanes Brighton, the facilities will be open 364 days a year with both pay-per-swim and membership options available.

Designed to act as a stepping stone between pool swimming and open water, the 1.3m-deep lido will be suitable for all ages and abilities with life guards on hand to keep swimmers safe.

Director at Sea Lanes Brighton, Joe McNulty, is no stranger to the property market. Having grown up in Archway, he moved to the seaside town aged 19 to attend university and ended up staying, evolving his passion for exercise in the pool into a love of sea swimming.

As director of Copsemill Properties, he’s spent more than three-and-a-half decades buying spaces locally and turning them into offices and residential homes or refurbishing existing schemes.

The floating swimming pool will be fed with water by the dock - image supplied by Canary Wharf Group — The floating swimming pool will be fed with water by the dock – image supplied by Canary Wharf Group

the genesis of Sea Lanes

“As a swimmer, one of the problems with Brighton was that there were no facilities for sea swimming – showers, changing rooms and so on – or anywhere to dry off, change or even to have a coffee after a dip,” said Joe.

“I found a site that had an old funfair on it and Brighton Council was asking people what should be done with it.

“Originally the plan was to have a sea swimming club with a clubhouse and a coffee shop. Somewhere to hang out with an annual membership.

“Then I got involved with one of the partners and a swimming coach, and they suggested a small training pool to teach people how to swim properly.

“That evolved from a one lane, 12m facility to a 50m heated, chlorinated pool on the beach.

“Alongside we built studios, a bar and a restaurant with a whole community of businesses now calling it home.

“Sea Lanes Brighton became a whole commercial development, much larger that I’d originally envisaged.

“It’s also been a big success since it opened in 2023 and we started to think about doing the same kind of thing elsewhere.

“We had a connection at Canary Wharf and went to talk to them to see if we could work together.

“The site beside Eden Dock is awaiting development, but the agreement is we’ll have it for five years initially.

“We’ll have the same size pool as Brighton but this one will be floating on the dock, tethered to the quayside and the bottom with a solid floor and mesh walls.

“While Brighton is chlorinated and heated, Canary Wharf will be unheated with water from the dock moving in and out through the mesh.

“It’s designed in part as a training facility for people who want to get into open water swimming.

“It’s shallow enough for people to stand up in so people can get their confidence up before progressing into the open water of Eden Dock for a session overseen by lifeguards in kayaks, for example.

“From there people can go on to explore lakes, rivers and even seas around the world.”

The site at the end of Eden Dock that Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will be built on - image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life — The site at the end of Eden Dock that Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will be built on – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

beyond a dip

As well as the swimming facilities, Sea Lanes will create a selection of amenities overlooking the pool as part of the project.

“The saunas will take about 15 people each and there will be a cold water plunge in the dock,” said Joe.

“There will also be hot showers and changing rooms as well as a space with a programme of events that will also be available for hire.

“While Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will be primarily an outdoor venue with a food and drink offering that’s similar to Brighton, there will be a series of igloo-style enclosures for people to escape the weather if necessary.

“We’re also looking into having an outdoor gym.

“I think people will find it really exciting to swim in the pool, looking up to see themselves surrounded by all of these buildings.

“There’s nothing else really like it in London and, if it works, we’d love to stay in Canary Wharf beyond the five years, perhaps looking at another site.

“We’ll also be looking at other sites in the capital.”

Shobi Khan, CEO at Canary Wharf Group, said, “Almost one year on from the opening of Eden Dock, we’re making another bold step forward in the enhancement of our green and blue spaces at Canary Wharf.

“Sea Lanes Canary Wharf will build on the success of Eden Dock as a unique wellness destination, where access to nature, leisure and world-class amenities are seamlessly integrated.”

Construction on the project is set to begin early this year.

key details: Sea Lanes Canary Wharf

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January 16, 2026January 16, 2026

Creative Virtual on why the firm believes human-curated AI is better

Founder and CEO of the Canary Wharf-based business, Chris Ezekiel, explains how his firm’s approach is proving attractive to larger organisations

Creative Virtual founder and CEO, Chris Ezekiel – image by Jon Massey / Wharf Life

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It feels like a big year for Chris Ezekiel.

Not only is he gearing up to become a father for the third time – a sibling is on the way for sons Matthew and Harry – but Creative Virtual, the company he founded on the Isle Of Dogs 22 years ago, recently went live with a hybrid human and AI system to help Australia’s largest mobile network better deal with its customers.

“We think it’s a world first,” said Chris, who still lives locally despite running the global business as its CEO.

“Our project with Telstra sees a large enterprise using conversational AI and chatbot technology in a public-facing way – a hybrid approach with all the appropriate guardrails in place.

“There are other companies doing this with AI, but only on a small scale.

“We spent the best part of 2025 building the system and linking it in to all their operations.

“It’s all about knowing when to give a generative answer, something more structured or a combination of the two.

“Our system also does things like summarising, classifying and making all these decisions in real time.

“I’m very proud that we’ve displaced two of the world’s largest companies in this field – IBM and Salesforce – to deliver this solution.

“As soon as Telstra switched it on they doubled their containment rate, which means twice as many interactions have been automated rather than going through to a human in their contact centre.

“Now we have a road map to do much more over the course of the next 12 months.

“Our system is going to be the central point of communication for all their interactions with existing clients and potential customers – all with a clear escalation path for more complex queries or situations.

“There’s always going to be a need for that.”

beyond ChatGPT

Chris said that, while the arrival of ChatGPT in 2022 and the subsequent proliferation of large language models that generate responses had been significant for the sector that Creative Virtual operates in, many firms had done little in the way of implementing the technology.

“People have this perception that computers have to be 100% accurate, or the job they do is not acceptable,” he said.

“If a human makes a mistake, it often doesn’t get the same level of attention as a machine failing or given an answer that’s wrong.

“As a result, many larger organisations were paralysed when it came to putting new systems in place.

“During this time, we stuck to our guns and did what we’ve always done – tune into what organisations really want.

“That’s what’s brought us success. We’ve kept humans in the system to curate answers, working alongside generative AI and other technologies, meaning we can combine their talents when communicating with customers – something that’s reassuring to large organisations such as banks or telecommunications firms.

“With these clients there’s a large number of processes that their customers need to go through – billing enquiries or applications for accounts and credit cards, for example.

“These need high levels of curation and can’t be left to AI.

“That’s why clients like our approach. They can have very tightly controlled parts of the process alongside the simpler enquiries that can be dealt with by AI.

“Our tagline remains completely relevant today – we’re about the science of conversation and finding the best ways to automate those interactions whether that’s via chatbots, texts, WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

“We’re still doing that, but using the latest techniques.

“Our project with Telstra – all that hard work – has resulted in a big global showcase for Creative Virtual.

“We have built some bespoke systems for the client, but many of our standard techniques are ready to scale for other organisations.

“One of the most important elements is the expertise to understand what this technology can and can’t do – what you can measure and how to set an organisation’s expectations.

“Having this blueprint as we go into 2026 is absolutely key for our business.”

designed to be flexible

Creative Virtual has built its approach to conversational interaction around the idea that it can rapidly and easily switch out AI systems to benefit its clients as the technology develops.

However, Chris believes that while the sector is showing advancement in several areas, it is important to recognise its limitations.

“There are some very clever people in the industry who claim that we’ll have artificial general intelligence very soon, that computers might even become sentient,” he said.

“But we don’t even understand human intelligence at this point.

“You have to take a step back and recognise all these new systems such as large language models are still based on silicon chips – ones and zeros – backed by incredible processing power, but a model that hasn’t changed since the invention of the computer.

“With quantum computing, biological systems or a combination of the two, it may be possible for AI to do a great deal more, but will it become self aware, will it be able to feel things?

“I think its impossible to say that our existing computer models will take over the world.

“I’m not arguing that we haven’t seen advances in systems that can predict the next word or phrase or that these engines can’t simulate intelligence or awareness.

“But that to have emotions the computers that run them will need more than ones and zeroes.

“I’m sceptical that artificial general intelligence is just around the corner, even if discussing it makes for a good story in the media.”

doing more and more jobs

One thing Chris is certain of is that AI technologies will be increasingly used to automate large parts of our lives.

“AI will do many of the jobs humans do today and robotics will come increasingly into play, such as self-driving cars,” he said.

“It is going to be an exciting area and AI is already being used to help doctors with diagnostics and to process large volumes of data in many different fields.

“That’s how we use the technology, for customer services, training virtual sales people and bringing our systems into the retail experience.

“There will be robots in stores capable of retaining far more information about products on sale than a human ever could, for example.”

That’s not to say AI is perfect or that the large companies involved in developing new models aren’t overly optimistic about the value of their creation.

“With all the billions being invested, there is, perhaps, a bubble – but AI is not going to go away as a tool, just as the end of the dot com boom wasn’t the end of the internet,” said Chris.

“This technology is very much with us and it will be used to automate many things that are not automated at the moment.

“Overall, I think it will enhance our lives and it will encourage us to be more creative as people.

“Who wants to sit in a contact centre answering the same mundane questions day-in, day-out? We have to evolve our technology so the workforce can do more involving things.

“One of the key issues for firms is that, with so much AI generated content, everything will start to feel very similar.

“That’s why I think our current approach is the correct one.

“Having humans work alongside AI has always felt to me like the perfect combination.

“We need human curation so that organisations are able to retain their voice and project their brand whether it’s an AI or a person talking to their customers.

“That’s one of the attributes of our project with Telstra. Its strength has been in the testing we’ve put the systems through against real-life conversations – a way for our client to see our systems work and that gives them confidence.

“We launched with them during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday periods and it was the best possible time to stress-test what we’d put in place.

“Organisations change their content all the time, so our system had to know Telstra’s products, offerings and sales information and deliver that to customers without error.

“It hasn’t been easy to achieve that, but the feedback from them is that this is the first product they’ve had in years that has been on time, on budget and on spec, which is pretty incredible.

“It’s already delivering real business results.”

key details: Creative Virtual

Creative Virtual is based in Canary Wharf’s Cabot Square and operates globally.

Find out more about its services here

Read Wharf Life’s e-edition here

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