Docklands Business Club marks silver jubilee
The landscape of Canary Wharf has changed remarkably in the last 25 years.
Towers have surged from the soil and businesses have flourished in an area once regarded as a "social and political hot potato".
Some of the people who played a part in this transformation spent last Thursday night looking down on the fruits of their labours from the 37th floor of the UK's tallest tower, as the Docklands Business Club celebrated its 25 years in One Canada Square.
The club was set up in 1984 by the London Docklands Development Corporation to provide a "credible and representative voice" for business in the area. It is now a noted networking facilitator and supporter of the area's small and medium enterprises, many of whom gathered at Abbey Business Centre to celebrate its major milestone.
Former DBC chairmen Sir Christopher Benson, Tina Hanks and Martyn Laycock were on hand to hear speeches by current incumbent Rita Beckwith and former LDDC marketing director Sunny Crouch. Catering was provided by Boulevard Events.
Rita said: "Twenty-five years ago, London Docklands was a social and political hot potato. To mix my metaphors, an Aunt Sally for local government, community leaders, the media, residents and the City of London among others.
"We played an influential part in challenging ingrained prejudice against the regeneration programme and establishing a more favourable climate of opinion."
"Times changed and today London Docklands businesses are big enough and tough enough to fight their own battles. In response we have changed too. Nowadays our activities concentrate on helping our members trade more effectively and profitably."
Photos from DBC history adorned the walls as guests from the worlds of catering, banking, printing and mortgage broking mingled with university representatives, physiotherapists and solicitors.
Reg Beer was one of the founder members of the club while he was deputy mayor of Tower Hamlets Council. He remains with the club as a partner in Frontispiece, the picture framing company in Canada Place Mall.
He said: "It's grown to become much more influential. As Canary Wharf has expanded, it's realised it has to address the issues that affect the wider community."
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