Business & Other Organisations
Waterloo and South Bank has a high proportion of large businesses and other significant organisations based here. Prominent businesses include Shell, IBM, Network Rail, Park Plaza Hotels and Marriott County Hall. Major landowners and developers in the area include H B Reavis (Elizabeth House site), Bourne Capital (Mercury House site), Braeburn Estates (South Bank Place), Co-Re (77 Upper Ground), LCR (Former Eurostar terminal) Shirayama (County Hall) and GSTF/Stanhope (Royal Street site). Coin Street Community Builders is a significant land-owner and social enterprise. Major cultural organisations include the National Theatre, South Bank Centre, Old Vic, Young Vic and BFI, while other entertainment organisations include Merlin Entertainments (London Eye) and the Sea Life London Aquarium. Local schools here include the London Nautical School, Oasis Academy and Urbanest, while further and higher educational institutions include Kings College London, London South Bank University, Southwark College and Morley College. Guys and St Thomas Hospital (Foundation and NHS Trust) is also, of course, a major presence and resource. The area has many hundreds of small businesses, while around 30 charities are based here.
Many of these organisations are members of the area’s two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), groupings of businesses that work together and pay an annual levy to improve and stimulate the conditions for business in the area. These BIDs are WeAreWaterloo [www.wearewaterloo.co.uk] and the South Bank Business Improvement District [https://southbankbid.co.uk]. Along the South Bank, many organisations are also members of the South Bank Employers’ Group [https://sbeg.co.uk].