Canary Wharf footfall surges 8% – 13.04.26

• Seven new brands open in Q1
• Construction underway for a floating swimming pool

Record-breaking momentum continues into 2026

Canary Wharf has started 2026 the way it finished last year — breaking records. Footfall year to date is up 8% on 2025 (for the first 14 weeks), which itself was a landmark year with more than 76 million visitors, a 5.4% increase on 2024. Occupancy across the estate sits at 98%. The numbers tell a clear story: Canary Wharf, ranked the UK’s number one shopping destination by Green Street, is a place people actively choose to spend their time.

Seven new openings in a single quarter

Q1 saw seven new brands open their doors at the Wharf, spanning food, fashion, music and wellness — a line-up that reflects just how far Canary Wharf continues to evolve.

Kung Fu Mama, the Taiwanese noodle bar from Ottolenghi co-founder Noam Bar-Chang and Chris Hu, chose Canary Wharf for its second-ever location. Salad Project followed with its largest and most successful store to date, featuring in-store dining alongside a dedicated fast lane for grab-and-go. Mama Li brought the soul of Hong Kong’s food culture to Union Square, combining a grab-and-go counter with an immersive dining experience rooted in heritage and craft. And The Lockdown Room, also in Union Square, added a new dimension to the Wharf’s evening offer with small plates, in-house brewed drinks and a packed events calendar of live music, quiz nights and karaoke.

Beyond food and drink, Kitchen Jam opened a dedicated guitar space where visitors can play, learn and make music together — a unique concept unlike anything else in a major retail destination. More Yoga launched with a mission to make yoga affordable, inclusive and accessible for city life. And completing the quarter’s line-up was the much-anticipated return of Topshop to the high street, relaunching through John Lewis stores including Canary Wharf — one of the most talked-about retail comebacks in recent memory.

New waterside experience – floating swimming pool under construction

Sea Lanes Canary Wharf is set to open in summer 2026, bringing a 50-metre, six-lane floating natural swimming pool to Eden Dock. Powered by 100% renewable energy, the site will include two saunas, a community clubhouse hosting year-round wellness events, a food and beverage offering, and retail space complete with a wetsuit concierge service. It is set to be one of the most distinctive leisure openings anywhere in London this year.

Stuart Fyfe, Managing Director for Retail, Leisure & Hospitality at CWG, said: “In the first quarter of 2026 we have built on the successes of recent years — Canary Wharf is a destination in its own right, and the numbers speak for themselves. With footfall year to date up 8% on 2025, building on a record-breaking 76 million visitors last year, customers are voting with their feet. We’re seeing strong demand from a diverse range of high-quality brands wanting to be part of our thriving district, attracted by our growing footfall and expanding customer base with more deals to announce soon. What’s particularly exciting is the calibre and diversity of brands choosing to make their home here and the seven new openings in a single quarter is a real statement of intent. This is the continued evolution of Canary Wharf — a vibrant, 24/7 district where a world-class retail, leisure and hospitality offer is working in partnership with our office and residential provision driving genuine, sustained growth – with lots more to open in 2026.”