Canary Wharf: How Festival14’s packed programme is a whole new approach

Event running July 21-24 promises more than 50 performances to help people discover the Wharf


Festival14 will run from July 21-24, 2022 across Canary Wharf
Festival14 will run from July 21-24, 2022 across Canary Wharf

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Grandmaster Flash. Live, in Canada Square Park. For free.

Those words alone are testament to the fact that Festival14 is something new for Canary Wharf.

The DJ and hip hop pioneer –responsible for the first expression of scratching ever released on a record – is set to mix among the towers as the headline act on the main stage on July 21, 2022. And that’s just the first night.

Running Thursday-Sunday, Festival14 is set to fill the estate with more than 50 performances encompassing comedy, theatre, dance, family activities and, of course, music.

our MUSIC picks for FESTIVAL14
- July 21 - Grandmaster Flash
8.15pm, free, Canada Square Park
- July 22 - House Gospel Choir
8.30pm, free, Canada Square Park
- July 23 - Ronnie Scotts Jazz Orchestra
time TBC, free, Canada Square Park
- July 24 - Sona
time TBC, free, Canada Square Park

The mostly free events will run daily between noon and 10pm at a diverse selection of venues designed specifically to encourage visitors to explore Canary Wharf.

“We’d seen the success of events like our Winter Lights festival, which takes place across lots of different parts of the estate and the amazing buzz people feel when they arrive for that,” said senior arts and events manager at Canary Wharf Group, Pippa Dale.

“So we wanted to create a similar feeling for Festival14 so that it’s very obvious when people get here that there’s something really exciting and new happening.

“People in Canary Wharf are often quite set on the places they know – the places they go to lunch, for example – so we’re hoping this will help them explore and discover different areas.”

Most of the performances at Festival14 will be free
Most of the performances at Festival14 will be free

In addition to the dozens of performances and activities, there will also be a street food market every day in Montgomery Square and special offers from some bars, restaurants and cafes for the duration.

Canary Wharf Group director of arts and events Lucie Moore said: “Moving forward, we’re looking at putting on larger scale events over shorter periods of time to bring as many people as possible to the estate but also to change perceptions about the area.

“Events and cultural activities have always been really important to Canary Wharf in terms of placemaking and, since Covid, they’re something people are looking at and talking about even more.

our COMEDY picks for FESTIVAL14
- July 21 - Milton Jones, Jessica Fostekew
7.15pm, £11, Westferry Circus Roundabout
- July 22 - Reginald D Hunter, Jo Caulfield
6pm, £11, Westferry Circus Roundabout
-l July 23 - Paul Sinha, Felicity Ward
6pm, £11, Westferry Circus Roundabout
Follow this link for bookings

“These events are a real team effort and we couldn’t be able to do them without the work of so many people across Canary Wharf Group’s teams. 

“The estate is now busy and buzzy and with the arrival of the Elizabeth Line, there’s the potential for even more people to visit.

“That’s an opportunity for us, in terms of events, because there are people who will come in from other areas who may not have done in the past.

“For Festival14 it will be really interesting to see what numbers we get in comparison to things like Winter Lights in past years.”

Events will take place from noon over the four days
Events will take place from noon over the four days

The full programme for Festival14 – a name inspired by Canary Wharf’s postcode, E14 – is still being finalised, with all updates expected online by July.  

Pippa said: “In contrast to previous years with our Tuesday night music concerts, we’ve booked some bigger acts.

“It’s a packed programme and, especially at the weekends, people will be able to listen from noon right through until 9pm or 10pm at night.

“Grandmaster Flash is our opening headliner and we think he will appeal to the audience that’s already here – a bit of nostalgia after a day in the office and a bit of a party.

our THEATRE picks for FESTIVAL14
- July 21 - 440 Theatre, Hamlet
1pm, free, Westferry Circus Roundabout
-l July 22 - The Canary Cabaret

7.30pm, free (ticketed), Crossrail Place Roof Garden
- July 23 - Mischief And Mayhem

5pm, free (ticketed), Crossrail Place Roof Garden
- July 24 - The Handlebards Romeo & Juliet
1pm, free, Westferry Circus Roundabout
Follow this link for bookings

“I’m really excited about having House Gospel Choir – they’re a group I’ve admired for a long time and we’ve been waiting for the right event to book them.

“They’re pretty local too, as is Hackney Colliery Band. We’re also really pleased to be able to host Sona on the Sunday, during her UK tour.

“The outdoor comedy at Westferry Circus also features some big names, so that’s ticketed because we have limited space and we’re expecting it to be very popular.

“We’ll be having open air theatre at that venue too with the return of The Handlebards who are fantastic and 440 Theatre who do Shakespeare plays in 40 minutes.”

The Handlebards are set to return to Westferry Circus
The Handlebards are set to return to Westferry Circus

There will also be a series of theatre performances at Crossrail Place Roof Garden – ticketed but free due to the capacity of the venue.

“Whenever we do anything we try to include the local community and local businesses and organisations around the estate,” said Lucie.

“We’re very fortunate to work where we are but we’re aware there are areas around us that need supporting.

“The Space has been operating up in the Roof Garden for years now and they were an obvious choice for us as a partner for part of Festival14 because they know that venue, we know what they do and they’ve put together a whole programme for us there.”

A range of kids activities will take place on the Saturday and Sunday, including dance music party Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave at Westferry Circus and puppetry in the form of Bus King Theatre: Marvelo’s Circus at Montgomery Square.  

“We’re really hoping, especially for families, that they will come and spend the whole day with us – do a workshop, have lunch and listen to some music,” said Lucie.

“We’ve really tried to cover a lot of areas and there will be one or two unexpected events too, such as a van that serves up takeaway poetry. We’re not finished yet.”

Here’s a little Grandmaster Flash to get you in the mood…

Read more: The O2 celebrates 15 years of gigs, events and performances

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- Jon Massey is co-founder and editorial director of Wharf Life and writes about a wide range of subjects in Canary Wharf, Docklands and east London - contact via jon.massey@wharf-life.com
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Canary Wharf: How LycaHealth’s one-stop breast centres offer fast diagnosis and care

Consultant-led facilities at Westferry Circus and Orpington feature cutting edge imaging technology

LycaHealth in Canary Wharf offers the latest diagnostic tools
LycaHealth in Canary Wharf offers the latest diagnostic tools

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LycaHealth has opened one of two new breast centres at its Westferry Circus clinic.

Staffed by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, radiologists, radiographers and breast nurse specialists, the facility has been developed with the aim of offering patients a single place, covering everything from screenings to pathways into treatment and, if necessary, surgery.

Opened in 2015 by then Mayor Of London Boris Johnson, the clinic and its sister facility in Orpington offer an extensive range of services.

“We know more than 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year,” said LycaHealth chairperson Prema Subaskaran.

“Early detection and treatment of the disease is literally lifesaving and screening is a very important part of that.

“That was the key thing that led me to initiate the creation of this service at Canary Wharf and Orpington.

“It’s always been our aim with our state-of-the art diagnostic centres to provide the highest quality healthcare to our local communities and we’d already made a significant investment in our facilities, covering a wide range of treatments.  

“So it was natural that we should open one-stop breast centres to offer screening appointments and diagnosis, routine consultations, mammography, breast ultrasound and biopsies.

“We’re also able to offer an established care pathway into some of London’s surgical and cancer centres should the need arise.”

LycaHealth chairperson Prema Subaskaran
LycaHealth chairperson Prema Subaskaran

With a complement of nine surgeons on its team, offering an extensive range of expertise, LycaHealth’s centres are well placed to offer excellent treatment.

But Prema was keen to stress cutting-edge diagnostic equipment also played a vital role in ensuring either peace of mind or rapid diagnosis for patients.

“At LycaHealth we offer a customer-centric approach to healthcare that brings top consultants specialising in a comprehensive range of medical conditions together with a screening clinic,” she said.

“We offer access to top of the range MRI, low radiation CT scanners, digital X-Rays, ultrasound scanners and blood investigation as well as other medical disciplines such as audiology, opthamology and so on.

“We have an excellent team of people and that extends to our breast centres, which are led by some of the country’s leading surgeons and clinicians who are established at some of London’s leading cancer centres.”

The company operates breast centres in Canary Wharf and Orpington
The company operates breast centres in Canary Wharf and Orpington

One of the key components of LycaHealth’s offering is speed – both in terms of diagnosis and then, should the need arise, treatment.

The breast centres’ structure means patients aren’t left to wait for long periods in uncertainty.

“Since we opened the centre at Canary Wharf we’ve seen demand for its services is high,” said Prema.

“The waiting time for the patient is reduced because the results from the centre can be processed very quickly.

“Patients can get them in as little as 24 hours. We also offer very rapid access to treatment.

“People can also refer themselves for screening with certain conditions.

“Patients have to make an appointment to see a doctor prior to the screening, for example.”

The company also prides itself on the quality of the technology it offers and the imagery it is capable of producing.

Prema said: “Our GE machines at both sites incorporate 3D tomosynthesis capability, which is an advanced form of mammography that produces three dimensional images using X-Rays.

“This system offers more than what is typically on offer at the moment. It’s some of the most accurate screening available that we’re using.

“You get to see three dimensional images that have been produced using only a low dose of radiation. 

“The increased quality gives a better potential for diagnosis at an earlier stage, which is vital. We made a conscious decision to invest in the best technology available.

“The opening of these centres is an important milestone for LycaHealth as we continue to invest in the clinics we have set up.

“We have plans to open further medical and breast screening centres across the UK over the next five years.

“We are also always looking at opportunities and patients’ needs in terms of further developing the Canary Wharf site.

“We are currently exploring the possibility of introducing a facility to handle minor surgical procedures on the Wharf, although that will mean increasing the size of the clinic.

“Anyone looking to use our services should know that we’re accredited by all of the major medical insurers.

“It’s very simple to get in touch with us to book either by phone, email or through our website.”

The Canary Wharf facility is open five days a week from 9am and currently has minimal waiting times for appointments.

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