Working in Canary Wharf

[Mojooo]

I currently live outside of London but have seen a job advertised which is located in Canary Wharf

I am intrigued by the job but at the same time I am really put off by pretty everything about London and also Canary Wharf specifically

London of course is busy/expensive

Canary Wharf specifically - although it would be good in the sense its quite busy and there is a buzz - being a place where lots of people commute to I presume its pretty crowded to get in and out and if there are any travel problems it will be a nightmare. In addition, it is likely to only get more busier as more businesses locate there

Obviously I need to weight all that up against a job which looks quite interesting and pays more.

I am presuming the rental prices in the local area are through the roof as well.

Anyone currently work there and have a view?

[HRL]

I worked at BAML a few years back, literally over the road from Canary Wharf, and if there were problems with the Jubilee line or DLR it was an utter bd to get to.

However, if you are prepared to rent or buy a stones throw away then obviously you’d negate the issue.

A lady friend of mine rented a one bedroom suite in one of the nearby serviced tower blocks and it was double my mortgage repayments on a 4-bed in Essex. Nice suite, but not that nice!

Guess it all depends on the salary TBH.

[omniflow]

Canary Wharf is a great place to work once you actually manage to get there, with one caveat which I'll come on to in a minute. From a transportation perspective things should improve massively once Crossrail opens, which shouldn't be too long now. If you live anywhere on the Jubilee line or the right part of Crossrail then the commute should be tolerable.

The caveat is, you need to be into the general vibe of the place, which is all about Banking, Global Law Firms, Management Consultancies and Property Companies. If you're swept up in that, which I was for years, then it's great. If you're a bit disillusioned with the whole Alpha Male thing, then it will start to annoy you.

[xx99xx]

If you're young, do it. If you don't like it after a year or 2, move on. Suppose it depends on current salary, new job salary and current location. Judging by your tone, it sounds like you've already talked yourself out of it though. If you really don't like London then it may not be the right job for you, but then you won't really know until you try it!

[67Dino]

Canary Wharf has improved as a place to work massively over the last 20 years. It used to be very quiet in the evenings and not much going on, whereas now has loads of restaurants, shopping and events. The mix of business has changed too, increasingly tech and creative, not just financial, and so has a much less of a ‘macho suits’ atmosphere.

It’s always been up-market, modern, well-maintained and safe, and still is. It’s privately owned and extremely well run, so will never get overcrowded I don’t think, they always seem to plan new developments intelligently. Plus impressive architecture, green spaces, and riverside or wharf walks and views everywhere. Lots to like.

in terms of downsides, the points made already are right. It is a bit soulless compared to the rest of London (more Mammon than God, to paraphrase a quote), it’s a pricey place to live and work (no cheap cafes/sandwich bars), and transport is very dependent on DLR and Jubilee Line (which are normally fine, but can go wrong).

Personally I like it, but tend to think of it as not working in London, more like Singapore or Dubai.

Edited by 67Dino on Saturday 5th October 08:33

[Carl_Manchester]

Mojooo said:

I currently live outside of London but have seen a job advertised which is located in Canary Wharf

I am intrigued by the job but at the same time I am really put off by pretty everything about London and also Canary Wharf specifically

London of course is busy/expensive

Canary Wharf specifically - although it would be good in the sense its quite busy and there is a buzz - being a place where lots of people commute to I presume its pretty crowded to get in and out and if there are any travel problems it will be a nightmare. In addition, it is likely to only get more busier as more businesses locate there

Obviously I need to weight all that up against a job which looks quite interesting and pays more.

I am presuming the rental prices in the local area are through the roof as well.

Anyone currently work there and have a view?

I did a long multi-year stint In the Wharf and still visit out of work necessity, out of 18 years total work in London (still counting!) and generally speaking it was as awful to work there (the people) as other people from London warned me it would be. The design of the place itself though is magic, a real modern marvel.

Do yourself a favour and either get yourself a job a part of London that is not entirely populated with idiots or better still, get a job in Manchester or Birmingham. I moved initially to South Docklands (Canada Water) and the Tower Bridge area and I really enjoyed living there but North Docklands River is a completely different kettle of fish and the apartment developments demonstrate that - they look like Prison complexes.

I used to get the ferry in the morning from South to North, the Jubilee line tube can be a problem but its nowhere near as packed now as it was in 2002-2006.

Key moments for me which ended the love affair with the Wharf were a woman glassing another woman brutally in the all-bar-one and a chap throwing himself off the internal atrium of Citi. There were many other incidents which I won't list, that hit-home for me what I was doing and where I was spending my time out but those are the two incidents that stood out for me.

I have spent the past 8 years helping businesses move out of London to Manchester, Birmingham and the movement is accelerating.

I think long term veterans see the Wharf (and the City to a lesser extent) for what it is - a busted flush in need of a fresh, new influx of people rather than rats trying to eat each other on a slowly sinking ship. Until that changes, the vibe around the Wharf will be one of existential doom with the moral values to match.

[Nerdherder]

It is a soul crushing place,, Don't.

[Bussolini]

Canary Wharf is a cool place to work, lots of restaurants, shops etc., cool vibe. I live in Greenwich (rent is 1700pcm for a very nice top floor two bed with great views over the river and the Wharf), commuting by DLR, much more pleasant than the tube. Quite a few of my colleagues commute by car either from South or East London.

I wouldn't want to live and work here on a normal salary but if you're in finance / law / management consulting etc and on the equivalent salary it is a good life. London has so much going on in terms of restaurants, things to do that if you're young and well paid it is great fun.

[Bussolini]

Also remember the Wharf is only twenty minutes on the tube to the West End. I spend all day Monday to Friday in the office - doesn't really matter where that office is - and i don't spend my weekends anywhere near Canary Wharf.

[untakenname]

Used to get train to Lewisham and then the DLR, was better than the tube even though took longer.

[Mojooo]

The job I am looking at is with a Govt dept so not a the area of work CW is primarily famous for I guess.

I may be in the 'too old for this st' camp re the busy life in London - the majority of people I see talking on this topic tend to wanting to want to leave London.

Tough one.

[Bussolini]

Mojooo said:

The job I am looking at is with a Govt dept so not a the area of work CW is primarily famous for I guess.

I may be in the 'too old for this st' camp re the busy life in London - the majority of people I see talking on this topic tend to wanting to want to leave London.

Tough one.

Is it with the CMA, who just moved to Cabot Place?

[2Btoo]

It's plastic, sterile and boring. And very expensive. You'll get fed up of eating your lunch in one of the over-priced eateries within 3 months and you'll detest the long underground walkways that make up the bulk of the place. It's all utterly, utterly artificial. I guess if you fit the local culture then you may just love it but it won't be cheap.

Commuting in is a pain. I live a mile away and always walked or cycled but the DLR/Jubilee Line were a constant source of grief for my colleagues. However if you want to rent in the area there are some nice places nearby which aren't stupidly expensive (for London).

[Mojooo]

Bussolini said:

Is it with the CMA, who just moved to Cabot Place?

Yea

[wrencho]

Just commute in like 90% of the working population do! I work in the city and commute almost two hours each way four days a week. it's a ballache but the £ is worth it and I get to spend home time out in the countryside (ish)

[Mojooo]

Thing is my current works allows this

work from home up to 2 days a week if you want
start and finish work any time you want (within reason and around business needs) - I usually go in 9.30 and come home 5.30
it takes 30-40 mins to drive there

I have a very flexible way of working at the moment and any change which requires a long commute on the tube is going to be significantly worse than what I have now.

CMA also have offices in Cardiff so that is a possible option.

[Bussolini]

Mojooo said:

Yea

In which team? I'm an antitrust lawyer, it's a super interesting field.

Ignore all the guff about CW being boring plastic and sterile. An office is an office, the lunch venues are no better or worse or more expensive than the lunch venues anywhere else in London. You don't have to spend your weekends in CW (but if you happen to, it's a cool enough place). Transport can be a pain, but I'd rather Jubilee or DLR to CW than get the Piccadilly Northern or Central line every morning, particularly anything that touches Bank station.

[Carl_Manchester]

Mojooo said:

Thing is my current works allows this

work from home up to 2 days a week if you want
start and finish work any time you want (within reason and around business needs) - I usually go in 9.30 and come home 5.30
it takes 30-40 mins to drive there

I have a very flexible way of working at the moment and any change which requires a long commute on the tube is going to be significantly worse than what I have now.

CMA also have offices in Cardiff so that is a possible option.

CMA? I would take the role, just be mindful of my post re: social life, as its a nest of vipers.

[Mojooo]

The issue is really the travelling in. As you say an office is an office and the one I work out of now is quite boring and I am not so fussed about the culture of the area.

Bussolini - you willing to take a PM? Your settings don't allow it.

[Bussolini]

Mojooo said:

The issue is really the travelling in. As you say an office is an office and the one I work out of now is quite boring and I am not so fussed about the culture of the area.

Bussolini - you willing to take a PM? Your settings don't allow it.

Sure - didn't realise that, will send you one.

Commute depends where you live, but it's probably just as easy if not easier than the City for many!