Canary Wharf Area Guide

• Table of contents

  • Introduction to renting in Canary Wharf
  • History of Canary Wharf
  • Fun Facts
  • Getting Around Canary Wharf
  • Homes & Market Trends in Canary Wharf
  • Local Life in Canary Wharf

Looking for a property to rent in Canary Wharf? Get to know the area first. This area guide has been provided by PropertyLoop, a place where landlords and renters can connect. Find a tenant, let your property or find an apartment to rent – we do it all.

Introduction to renting in Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf is known for being one of the world’s financial centres, you’ll find corporate companies and big banks including Credit Suisse, HSBC, Barclays, and more. The area offers a prime location in Central London with a short work commute and the opportunity to work with the UK’s most prominent finance companies. As a result, Canary Wharf is filled with high-level professionals who enjoy the close proximity to work, fantastic views of the city’s skyscrapers, fantastic bars and restaurants, luxury shopping opportunities and more green spaces than you might have expected. Self-proclaimed as “a place for everything,” you’ll never run out of things to do in Canary Wharf. 

History of Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf actually started in 1802 as just a shipping port, albeit one of the busiest in the world. Eventually, after 1960, most shipping docks were closed including Canary Wharf. There were quickly talks of renovating the area for business purposes where the former executive of Credit Suisse First Boston, Michael von Clemm, then decided Canary Wharf could be developed into a back office to support corporations. 

In 1988, construction to turn the area into a business centre began with 1 Canada Square being one of the first buildings to be built in Canary Wharf. At the time, 1 Canada Square was the tallest building in the UK and was a symbol of the area’s redevelopment.  In 1991, major companies such as HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup and Credit Suisse joined the area. 

However, in a stroke of bad luck, the area finished construction and opened in the middle of a recession during which the market collapsed and the owners of the project to redevelop the area were forced to file bankruptcy. 

Eventually, a Canadian property tycoon, Paul Reichmann, took over the area. As the market recovered, demand grew for office space and the area continued to build transport, Canary Wharf started to expand and become the urban centre it is today. Most recently, in 2004, the estate was bought out by investors, including famed investment bank,  Morgan Stanley.  With its rich history that’s been entrenched in business and big names in finance since the very beginning, it’s fitting and easy to see how Canary Wharf is today one of the world’s biggest and most successful financial centres.

Fun Facts

The name “Canary Wharf” was coined after an import dock, as the area was originally used for shipping ports. The import dock, No. 32 berth of the West Wood Quay of the Import Dock specifically, was used to trade fruits from the Mediterranean and Canary Island. Once the area was headed towards redevelopment, the fruit trading company, Fruit Lines, Ltd., requested the area be named “Canary Wharf.”

Getting Around Canary Wharf

Looking for transport in Canary Wharf? Get access easily to anywhere you want to go in the UK with an abundance of transport links. You can use these modes of transport coming from and to Canary Wharf to access everything the city has to offer. For landlords this could mean complete ease when commuting between property viewings and inspections, making renting in Canary Wharf practical for both parties of the rental agreement.

Tube

The Jubilee Line provides swift connections with short travel times for Canary Wharf residents

• London Bridge, 7 minutes
• Waterloo, 11 minutes
• Westminster, 13 minutes
• Green Park, 15 minutes
• Bond Street, 17 minutes
• Baker Street, 20 minutes

From the Jubilee line, you’ll have access to all the other Underground lines such as mainline railways at Stratford (Greater Anglia), Canada Water (London Overground), London Bridge (Southern and Govia Thameslink Railway), West Hampstead (First Capital Connect), West Ham (c2c), Waterloo (South West Trains), London Overground and CTRL.

DLR (Rail)

National Rail and Crossrail in Canary Wharf

The DLR has stations at Canary Wharf, Heron Quays, South Quay, Crossharbour, Mudchute, Island Gardens, West India Quay and Poplar. 

The rail network and many stations provide high-speed domestic services to most of Great Britain. Canary Wharf’s rail network offers services into Thameslink, St Pancras and London Bridge and across central London as well as services to Stratford. 

Currently, the rail network is undergoing improvements for newer, farther-reaching trains with larger capacities.

The newly constructed Elizabeth line, which will open in 2021, will provide handy connections to the City, Heathrow Airport, West End and the Thames Gateway, cutting down commute time for many. 

River Bus 

The RB1 river bus service links Canary Wharf Pier with Greenwich, Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Blackfriars and Embankment (for Waterloo), and more. 

Buses 

From Canary Wharf, you can take the D3, D7 and D8 towards East London, and the 277 offers 24-hour service heading towards Highbury and Islington. There is also a night bus, the N550, to Canning Town and Trafalgar Square.

Your choice of bus services in Canary Wharf

• D3 From Canary Wharf to Bethnal Green and Crossharbour
• D7 From Canary Wharf to Mile End and Poplar
• D8 From Canary Wharf to Stratford International and Crossharbour
• 135 From Canary Wharf to Isle of Dogs, Old Street and  Moorfields
• 277 (24-hour service) From Canary Wharf to Highbury, Islington, Leamouth
• N550 (Night bus) From Canary Wharf to Canning Town and Trafalgar Square

Your choice of coach services in Canary Wharf

• 761/762/763 From Canary Wharf to North Kent, Victoria 
• 764 From Canary Wharf to Snodland, Victoria
• 769 From Canary Wharf to Victoria, Vigo Village
• 770 From Canary Wharf to New Ash Green, Victoria 
• 781/784 From Canary Wharf to New Covent Garden, Maidstone 

Airports in Canary Wharf

London City Airport is mere miles from Canary Wharf to give residents easy access to over 50+ destinations worldwide. You can reach the airport in 14 minutes via DLR or 10 minutes with a taxi. Stansted Airport is also nearby and can be reached through an express bus service or  the Liverpool Street Station.

Heathrow Airport is just under an hour away from Canary Wharf and with the new construction of the Crossrail, commuting is cut down to about 40 minutes. There are also express and coach pick-up services for business travellers heading towards the airport.

Gatwick Airport is about 45 minutes away via First Capital Connect services and Gatwick Express services.

Taxi Ranks 

Taxi ranks are locations where taxis gather to help passenger demand more easily and are an important part of the transport system.  Canary Wharf is well served by taxis with a total of 11 taxi ranks that operate 24 hours a day. Some of the most popular taxi ranks are found below 

• 40 Bank Street
• Bank Street (JP Morgan and Herons Quays DLR Station)
• Upper Bank Street (Canary Wharf Station)
• Upper Bank Street (Canary Wharf Station)
• 50 Bank Street

Zip Cars (Car Rentals) 

While Canary Wharf offers a variety of modes of transport, if you ever find yourself needing a car, you’ll have access to over 14 Zip Car locations surrounding the Canary Wharf area.

Santander Cycling (Bike Rentals) 

You’ll find Canary Wharf has 234 Santander Cycle docking stations and an abundance of over 1,000 free cycle parking spaces. Find docking stations at the following six locations

• Westferry Circus
• Heron Quay
• DLR Concourse
• Jubilee Plaza
• Fishermans Walk
• South Dock Walk
• Upper Bank Street

Parking

Canary Wharf has over 6,000 parking spaces for cars, pedal and motor cycling. The area has four underground public car parks and over 2,500 public parking spaces

• Westferry Circus Car Park on West India Avenue 
• Canada Square Car Park on Montgomery Street
• Jubilee Place Car Park on Bank Street

Homes & Market Trends in Canary Wharf

Most homes in the area are new builds and sky-high modern flats overlooking the city skyline. Because the area tends to young, tech-savvy professionals, you’re likely to find extremely new state-of-the-art features and sleek designs. If you’re looking for properties to rent in Canary Wharf, you’re in luck. By 2025, flats in the area are expected to grow exponentially once new builds such as Harbour Central, The Wardian, Landmark Pinnacle, The Madison, and Canary Wharf Group’s own redevelopment of Wood Wharf are finished.

For landlords and investors looking to capitalise on renting in Canary Wharf, the average property price is £487,680 which is 21.4% below the London Average of £620,591.  The average rental price for apartments in Canary Wharf is £552 per week, which is 1.1% below the London Average of £558 per week but can range from £249 – £2,600 per week; making renting in Canary Wharf somewhat affordable in comparison to many other London districts. Many people who work in Canary Wharf are there on short or medium-term contracts, so the rental market is thriving. You can view the average rental prices per bedroom below

• Studio in Canary Wharf – £404/week
• 1 Bedroom in Canary Wharf  – £458/week
• 2 Bedroom in Canary Wharf –  £583/week
• 3 Bedroom in Canary Wharf  –  £723/week
• 4 Bedroom in Canary Wharf – £1,474/week

Local Authority/Borough/Council Tax Bands

 There are 8 council tax bands from A-H. Your home will fall within one of the tax bands, depending on its valuation which you can see in the second column. Depending on whichever band your home is in, the third column denotes the amount you’ll pay annually. This year, the Canary Wharf annual tax rate has increased 3.9%. 

Broadband Internet 

As of 9 December 2020, fibre broadband, the fastest internet access technology in the UK, is in fact available to homes within a 5 mile radius of Canary Wharf.  There are 48 exchanges in a 5 mile radius of Canary Wharf, with 47 of them being fibre enabled.

You’ll be able to choose from a broad range of providers (e.g., BT, PLusnet, Virgin Media, Sky, TalkTalk, etc. Maximum speeds can go up to 516Mbps. However, most likely you’ll get speeds of up to 100Mbps to large parts of Wharf, and up to 120Mbps in upgraded areas.

ADSL broadband is also available in Canary Wharf with its maximum average speed of 11Mbps.

Local Life in Canary Wharf

Nightlife 

Canary Wharf is surrounded by nightlife – whether it is the sophisticated bars, exclusive restaurants within the city, or the nearby pubs in Isle of Dogs and Narrow Street. Its central location certainly makes it handy to travel as far or little as you’d like for a drink. Whatever the occasion, whether it be a celebration, a crazy night out or drinks after work, Canary Wharf has something in store for you. 

Because the area is home to young professionals and worldwide businesses, the nightlife favours a high-end and global feel over the quaint, small-town local vibe you may find elsewhere in London. Some of the most popular restaurants include The Ivy, Roka, Havez and Iberica. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a more classy cocktail atmosphere, Boisdale, The Pagination, 640East, and The Person Room is your best bet. Not to mention, lots of these restaurants and cocktail bars feature fantastic views of the skyline. The options are limitless and it’s easy to bar-hop or attend a pub crawl given how close together all the bars are. 

• Davy’s (31 Canary Wharf)
• The Parlour (40 Canada Sq Pk)
• Via Fossa (18 Hertsmere Rd)
• Bar Salento (3 Clove Cres)
• The Greenwich Pensioner (28 Bazely Street)

Post Offices 

Canary Wharf Post Office (5 Chancellor Passage) and Churchill Place Post Office (28 Bazely St)

Pets

Canary Wharf has a variety of pet-friendly restaurants and open spaces for your furry friend. We’re also seeing a bigger shift towards pet-friendly buildings. In fact, Canary Wharf Group has announced the launch of its first pet-friendly building, 8 Water Street, as part of their extensive Wood Wharf development. You’ll also find an abundance of pet boarding hotels and dog walkers in the city, ensuring that those with fury friends will find it easy to rent in Canary Wharf.  

Pet-Friendly Restaurants

• No. 35 Mackenzie Walk
• Three Colt Gallery
• Café Brera Riverside
• The Humble Grape
• Star of The East
• Yurt Café 

Local Vets 

• Best Friends Vet Group, Isle of Dogs
• Premier Pet Care
• The Animal Physiotherapy Dispensary

Hospitals

The nearest local hospitals are listed below, in order of proximity to Canary Wharf. 

• BMI The London Independent Hospital (2.6km)
• Mile End Hospital (2.7km)
• The Tower Hamlets Centre For Mental Health (2.7km)
• Royal London Hospital (3.1km)
• The Royal London Hospital (3.2km)
• Cygnet Hospital Blackheath (3.6km)
• Gateway Surgical Centre (4.4km)
• Newham Hospital (4.4km)
• Harley Street Specialist Hospital (4.5km)
• Newham Centre for Mental Health (4.5km)

Libraries 

• Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives 
• West Greenwich Library
• Canada Water Library 
• Watney Market London 
• Laban Library and Archive 
• Sands Films
• University of Greenwich Stockwell Street Library 
• Queen Mary University of London Library
• Canada Water Library

Education

Canary Wharf is filled with several different primary and secondary schools for children ages 4-11. The schools offer amenities such as nursery service, modern facilities, preschool, and afterschool for children with working parents. 

Primary Schools

• Albion Primary School
• Arnhem Wharf Primary School
• Bigland Green Primary School
• Blue Gate Fields Junior School
• Britannia Village Primary School
• Bygrove Primary School
• Bygrove Primary School
• Canary Wharf College
• Cayley Primary School
• Cubitt Town Junior School
• Culloden Primary School
• Cyril Jackson Primary School
• Halley Primary School
• Harbinger Primary School
• Holy Family Catholic Primary School
• Lansbury Lawrence Primary School
• Manorfield Primary School
• Mayflower Primary School
• Our Lady Roman Catholic Primary School
• Riverhouse Montessori School
• Seven Mills Primary School
• Seven Mills Primary School
• Sir William Burrough Primary School
• St Edmund Roman Catholic School
• St Luke’s Church of England Primary School
• St Saviour’s Church of England Primary School
• Stebon Primary School
• Stephen Hawking School
• Susan Lawrence Junior School
• The Stepney Greencoat Church of England Primary School

Secondary Schools

• Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate Boys’ School
• Bishop Challoner Catholic Collegiate Girls’ School
• Bow School
• Canary Wharf College
• Central Foundation Girls’ School
• George Green’s
• Mulberry Academy Shoreditch (formally Green Spring Academy Shoreditch)
• Langdon Park
• London Enterprise Academy
• Morpeth Secondary School 
• Mulberry School for Girls 
• Oaklands
• St Paul’s Way Trust
• Stepney All Saints Cofe School
• Stepney Green Maths and Computing College
• Swanlea
• Wapping High School

Universities 

• Westminster School
• City of London School for Girls
• James Allen’s Girls’ School
• Alleyn’s School
• City of London School
• St Dunstan’s College
• Blackheath High School
• Colfes School
• Brampton Manor Academy
• London Academy of Excellence
• Bellerbys College London
• Mossbourne Community Academy

Shopping

Canary Wharf has 4 main shopping malls: Jubilee Place, Canada Place, Canary Wharf Shopping Centre and Churchill Place. The malls are filled with over 200 restaurants, luxury brands and designer boutiques, the likes of which include well-known Harrods, Montblanc and Tiffany Co. Alongside high-street names, you’ll find everything from more common stores like Topshop to smaller quirky, bargain shops. 

Attractions 

One of the most noticeable and main attractions in the 50 story, 235 metre tall building, One Canada Square. One of the tallest buildings in the UK until recently, its majestic height and design are complemented by green spaces and the River Thames nearby. While the building is not open to the public, many like to stop by to enjoy a view you wouldn’t be able to get elsewhere in London. 

Other popular things to do include visiting The Museum of London, Docklands;  Billingsgate Market, Mudchute City Farm, the O2 Arena and more. There really is never a dull moment when renting in Canary Wharf!

Green Spaces & Gardens

You’ll find beautiful open green spaces such as Canada Square Park, Jubilee Gardens, Cabot Square. The spaces feature everything from fountains, blooming flower beds and trees to public art, seasonal ice skating rinks, and outdoor exhibits.  It’s the perfect space for busy professionals looking for a moment of tranquillity during their lunch break or after work.

Renting in Canary Wharf also provides an abundance of free sports and activities, including ping pong, basketball, mini golf and so on.

Mudchute Park, a community charity, is another open space perfect for families and completely free of charge. The park is 32 acres with a working farm, live animals, a children’s nursery and a variety of fun activities to explore.

Arts

With over 70 art pieces in its public spaces alone, the area boasts London’s largest collection of outdoor art.  The area hosts over 100 art events a year with talented and esteemed artists in attendance. As well, the area hosts a variety of events, festivals and museums, including The Museum of London Docklands.

The People  

Canary Wharf is one of the world’s financial hubs where you’ll find big names like JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and more. Alongside these companies are the thousands of  corporate professionals and businesspeople who call Canary Wharf home. Surrounded by this atmosphere keeps ambitious working professionals motivated and excited. 

Not only does living in the area grant you more work opportunities to make it big in the corporate world, but it cuts down the commute time as well. Living so close by to work helps young professionals, like associates and analysts, beat the traffic and save time during rush hour. You know what they say – time is money.

As well, Canary Wharf is attracting more and more students by the day with its close proximity to some of London’s most esteemed universities. With an abundance of student accommodation available, you’ll find a healthy amount of students in the area.

Fitness Centres/Gyms 

Due to its population of singles and young professionals that are renting in Canary Wharf, you’ll find no shortages of gyms. The area is filled with a variety of gyms that feature high-end machines, excellent facilities, numerous classes, swimming pools and more.  In fact, you’ll find Europe’s largest luxury health club, Third Space, with its state-of-the-art equipment right in the middle of Canary Wharf. Many of the new builds and luxury apartments will offer a fitness centre for its residents. Not to mention, many companies have gyms for their employees as well.

• Nuffield Health Canary Wharf Fitness & Wellbeing Gym
• Third Space Canary Wharf
• Barry’s London Canary Wharf
• Nuffield Gym
• Sweat By BXR
• Body Reform
• Awakn
• Reebok Sports Club
• Pure Sports Medicine Canary Wharf
• Jermaine | Bodywise Training
• Third Space Spa
• Alan Herdman Pilates Studios Ltd
• Live Well Fitness Centre
• JP Morgan Fitness Centre
• Sweaty Betty
• KPMG Canary Wharf
• Flexology Studio

Banks  in Canary Wharf

As London’s finance centre, you’ll have access to any and every bank or ATM for any of your monetary needs. 

Cinemas in Canary Wharf

In the summer, Canary Wharf offers free concerts and film screenings.

• Cineworld Cinemas
• Everyman Cinemas
• Genesis Cinema (10 minutes from Canary Wharf)
• Stratford Picture House (10 minutes from Canary Wharf)

Grocery Stores 

Canary Wharf actually boasts the world’s largest Waitrose – a three-storey, 73000 sq building located in Canada Place. Nearby are other common grocery stores like Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Budgens Stores, Asda c and more.

Eating & Drinking

Foodies renting in Canary Wharf will be in heaven with the renowned restaurants and cuisines available. You’ll find dozens of cuisines like American, British, Indian, Chinese and more – whatever your tastes are, Canary Wharf is more than up to the challenge. Most recently, Greggs, a popular bakery and fast-food chain, has opened its first outlet in Canary Wharf.

As well, there’s a restaurant for every mood, from upscale eateries with outdoor terraces and waterfront views to greasy, cheap street food. The area is packed with restaurants so it’s easy to walk to wherever for a quick bite during lunch or for dinner. 

Coffee

• Bagel Factory  
• Café Brera
• Coffee Republic 
• Fresco Cafe Bar 
• Starbucks 

Restaurants

• Gaucho – Argentinian food 
• Tom’s Kitchen – Celebrity Chef Tom Aikens’ restaurant 
• Pizza Pilgrims – Pizza and beer
• Temple Lounge – Middle Eastern food 
• Shake Shack – Fast food, burgers
• Iberica La Terraza – Tapas
• Royal China – Dim sum and Chinese food 
• The Gun – Modern, British cuisine
• Roka – Sushi and Japanese food
• Big Easy -BBQ, Lobster, American
• Plateau – French food
• The Narrow – Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant, British cuisine 
• Chai Ki – Indian food
• Boisdale  – Scottish restaurant with whiskey and oysters
• Smollensky’s – American pizza
• Slug and Lettuce – Local bar 
• Carluccio’s – Italian food
• Jamie’s Italian – Italian food

What Locals Are Saying About Canary Wharf

You’ll hear locals refer to Canary Wharf as CW for short (it’s too tiring to spell it all out!) CW has lots of bars, restaurants, and shops, but it’s definitely a clean corporate vibe. If you’re looking for something hipster, indie or an area with more “soul” to it, you might want to look elsewhere.

Who would like living in Canary Wharf? 

Young, busy corporate professionals who want close proximity to their work as well as access to popular restaurants and great bars. If you love the hustle and bustle of city life, Canary Wharf will be the perfect place for you to call home. 

What to expect 

Sweeping views of the city’s skyscrapers and waterside, exceptional and modern architecture, hustle and bustle, young corporate professionals, urban life, and access to great bars, restaurants and shops.

What not to expect 

Families, suburbia, rural or country living. Indie, hipster or “unique” vibes. Small town feel. Quiet neighbourhoods.

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