Latest news with #FenchurchStreet
Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Wilko Johnson — such a guitar hero, he's getting a train named after him
H ow many rock stars have had trains named after them? An engine bearing the name of Pete Waterman — of Stock, Aitken, Waterman fame and more a producer than a rock star — was unveiled at Crewe station last year. But apart from him the answer is none. Until now. On Monday morning the Wilko Express will be unveiled by the train operating company c2c in honour of Wilko Johnson, one of the founders of the 1970s band Dr Feelgood. It will run from Southend, where Wilko lived, to Fenchurch Street and pass through places where he spent and misspent his youth and played some of his most memorable gigs, including Westcliff, Leigh-on-Sea and Basildon. The train's commemorative plate, echoing one of his most loved songs, will bear the words: 'Wilko Johnson: 1947-2022. He did it right.' He certainly did.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Plans to build plush 34-storey office block to stand out against London skyline with distinctive feature
A new 34-storey skyscraper with a distinctive 'crown' design at the top of its 479ft structure is being planned for the City of London. The proposed glass and steel structure at 130 Fenchurch Street will feature 31 storeys of office space as well as public viewing galleries and exhibition spaces halfway up. The new building will replace Fountain House, the existing 16-storey block which was built on a Second World War bomb site and is now set to be demolished. Fountain House, which was one of the first tall buildings to go up in the City following the Blitz, was completed in 1958 but has been mostly empty since 2020. The postwar building is notable for being the capital's first New York style 'podium and tower' development which later became the norm for office blocks in London. The new building designed by architects Eyre Wilkinson comes after refurbishment of the existing structure was considered as an option but eventually rejected. It will have 600,000 sq ft of office space, in a boost to the City of London Corporation as it tries to accelerate development given demand is currently higher than supply. The building is next door to Fen Court at 120 Fenchurch Street which is known for its 'Garden at 120' rooftop garden – not to be confused with the nearby Sky Garden. Aviva Investors is backing the scheme and wants to add nearly 4,000 sq ft of 'retail and hospitality facilities' plus pedestrian access from Cullum Street to Fen Court. The building will be the 12th tallest in the City, although it could move down the list before it opens as other skyscrapers are completed, reported The Standard. A temporary exhibition space called Seed130 showcasing work by poets, writers and scientists is already on site and will stay open while the plans progress. The application is expected to be considered by the Corporation's planning sub-committee later this year and demolition will begin early next year if it is passed. Ben Littman, head of development in real Estate at Aviva Investors, said: 'These proposals aim to deliver a showpiece tower in the Square Mile which can support the City of London's ambitious City Plan 2040, creating a truly flagship location with the potential to attract world-leading businesses. 'We believe our plans will provide a dynamic building which complements the surrounding area, whilst creating a scheme that helps the City get ready for the future by incorporating modern technologies and targeting best-in-class standards of energy efficiency.' Aviva Investors, an investment management company which is part of the Aviva group, is also behind the One Liverpool Street and 101 Moorgate developments. Stephen Black, director at CO-RE, which is developing the site, added: '130 Fenchurch Street has been expertly designed by Wilkinson Eyre to delicately align with the existing and evolving Eastern cluster, enrich the public realm and connect the site to the Fenchurch Street area. 'Partnering with Aviva Investors, we are bringing forward a sustainable scheme that offers world-class space to meet the needs of the Square Mile whilst putting the wellbeing of tenants first.'
