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The end of an era 27 Apr 2007

Around eight years ago, when I had been a full-time developer for but a year or two, we moved offices from the prestigious West-end of London to a scrotey old office above London Bridge station (not the nicest part of olde London town, it has to be said). The office environs weren’t what we were used-to with regards shops and the like, but Southwark does have quite a lot to offer (especially pubs! The Market Porter is by far one of the best).

Today however marked the end of an era: our last day in London “proper”. From Monday, my business unit will be based in Docklands. For the non-Brit readers, Docklands is a young, brash re-development of the old slums and docks of London’s East-end. Steeped in horrible history, the area is gradually becoming more and more “gentrified”, with looming glass towerblocks and executive apartments as far as the eye can see.

So, there we are. The transformation is complete: once upon a time, IT was closely aligned with the business. Now, we are a few miles down the river in a small, aged building. Everyone will be “hotelling” (a posh word for sharing miniscule desks and no storage).

On the plus side, the so-called “renaissance” of London Bridge will be allowed to continue. Our old offices will be demolished later this year, to make way for the Shard of Glass, a pretty impressive development.

Interesting times…

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Comments

  1. Ah, you'll love it here… don't be such a whiner… ;)James Spinks#
  2. Nope. I refuse to love it there [smiley poke_tongue] Ben Poole#
  3. I was in London back in 99 or so.. the Docklands was rather industrial from what I recall. I remember being impressed with the Charing Cross station, which wasn't far from the Docklands. That thing was freaking amazing!Charles Robinson#
  4. Charing Cross station is near the West-end of London—the office that I first started in is over the station. It’s quite an iconic building on the Thames, called Embankment Place.

    As for Docklands, well that area is several miles east down the river from there. It’s pretty built-up compared with a few years ago, with some nifty office buildings and very nice shopping malls—a lot of banks re-located to the area, so money naturally flowed into the area.

    Sadly our building isn’t quite in that league :-D Ben Poole#
  5. That is truly awful news. So many happy memories there in ST. Very sad indeed to hear that era is finally over. Even more morose that I'm not there to bid farewell to the old girl with one last ABAST knees up. Shard of glass, my arse!


    Please tell me that years of development in Docklands means you'll moving to a fancy schmancy office block with views and amenities and your not going to the place I started my career counting computers in the basement; the old PW building; heaven forbid - Marsh Wall??Ginger Binger#
  6. Binger, I'm afraid to tell you that yes, we are indeed in the august premises at Marsh Wall :-)

    In fairness, the two floors we're on have had a lick of paint and some new furniture put in.

    * cough *Ben Poole#
  7. Back in 96/97 I worked for Coutts & Co in New London Bridge House - freakishly close to London bridge station. Is the shard replacing that building? I remember the whole time I was there the place was a construction zone due to some line extension going on.Brendon Upson#
  8. I’m not sure to be honest, but suspect so. New London Bridge House is more or less opposite the building coming down, Southwark Towers. The tube line work you experienced was probably the Jubilee Line—there are vent points for that all round NLB.Ben Poole#
  9. look at it this way -- at least you are now convenient to London City airport. :-|Ed Brill#

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I’m a developer / general IT wrangler, specialising in web apps, the mobile web, enterprise Java and the odd Domino system.

Best described as a simpleton, but kindly. Read more…