A cinema is among the first retail brands winning contracts just announced for Canary Wharf’ new Crossrail station complex due to open in May next year.

Businesses opening for trade even three years before the first trains arrive include an Everyman cinema—the first in east London—as well as Sports Bar & Grill and Poncho 8 Mexican burrito restaurant.

Everyman Media Group chief Andrew Myers said: “We hope the brand concept will become a real hub of entertainment at Canary Wharf’s new Crossrail development. It will definitely add something extra to the business community.”

The mix of lifestyle and retail brands above the ticket hall will occupy the six-storey development designed by Foster & Partners, which covers the station with a semi open-air timber lattice view.

Sports Bar & Grill boss David Evans said: “Being a successful tender for the new scheme has put us at the centre of a key area of London. It demonstrates the appetite of sports fans enjoying a meal while watching sports with state-of-the-art screens.”

Poncho 8, which already delivers breakfasts and burritos to Canary Wharf from its stores in the City, plans to use the new station complex for its flagship restaurant because of the demand already in the business district for its food produts.

All three businesses were targeted by Canary Wharf Group as “key brands” to raise interest in the new complex.

Canary Wharf’s Camille Waxer said: “We’ve been targeting these brands to add diversity to our growing portfolio of retail and leisure outlets, to offer variety to customers.”

The Group’s 115,000 sq ft retail and leisure development above the new station combined with the recent Jubilee Place extension makes it one of Britain’s largest retail expansions currently under way.