Every year, we love working with the team at Mellors on incredible ice bars like the Nottingham and Cardiff Winter Wonderlands. So, when they called us with an urgent, high-profile request—an entire ice bar in Canary Wharf for The Winter Club—our immediate reaction was a mix of excitement and adrenaline! There was just one catch: it was extremely last-minute.
Against The Clock
An ice bar of this scale usually requires months of planning, design, and logistics. We were asked to deliver this monumental project, built from 135 blocks of ice (a massive 16 tonnes!), in just a few weeks. With our own teams fully booked on other projects for the busy holiday season, our founder, Jamie, had to make some calls.
Luckily, in the tight-knit world of ice carving, great talent is never far away. Jamie was thrilled to assemble a ‘supergroup’ of his old friends and some of the world’s most talented ice sculptors.
The Ice Dream Team
- Akos (from Hungary) expertly crafted the stunning ice bar structure, the iconic Canary Wharf letters, and handled much of the vital stacking.
- Johannes (from Holland) built a fantastic life-size ice taxi that visitors could actually climb into and “drive” with a carved ice wheel.
- Rodrigo (from Portugal) created a magnificent, detailed life-size telephone box and a spectacular ice throne for the perfect photo opportunity.
- Baldrick (from the UK) took on the extremely tricky challenge of a 5-meter-long London skyline, executing the scale and detail flawlessly.
- Dan (from the USA) carved a regal ice sculpture of Prince William and Princess Kate.
- Jamie focused on the critical task of stacking and even squeezed in a fun ice hockey table featuring Tower Bridge.
Navigating the Challenges
Building in a high-profile location like Canary Wharf brought its own set of logistical hurdles, from access issues to tight deadlines. On arrival, the team faced a moment of genuine jeopardy: the 16 tonnes of ice were there, but the freezer wasn’t running! Thankfully, the issue was quickly resolved, and the team got to work transforming the 12m x 7m space.
The core theme for the bar was London, but we wanted to make the sculptures fun and highly interactive. Our goal was to create not just a beautiful setting, but an experience filled with incredible photo opportunities for every visitor.
A massive thank you must go out to the site team: Mark (Site Manager) and Edward (Manager). They were absolutely instrumental, always going the extra mile to assist us, and doing so with the biggest smiles on their faces. Their support made the impossible feel possible!
More Than Just Carving
For Jamie, this project was a fantastic opportunity to reconnect with his old ice carving buddies. Staying in stunning apartments near the Docklands, the downtime was just as valuable as the work. The team enjoyed exploring local cuisine, particularly a fantastic Malaysian restaurant, and shared some great nights cooking together, teaching each other their culinary specialties.
It was a true testament to what a small team of skilled professionals can achieve under immense pressure. We’re incredibly proud of the Canary Wharf Ice Bar and the wonderful team that brought it to life!
