Rande provides her reflections following the second NLA Hospitality Special Interest Group meeting chaired by Simon Bird, Director at LOM.

At our second meeting, the NLA Hospitality Special Interest Group gathered for a site visit to Arc in Canary Wharf - a wellness-community concept centred on contrast therapy (sauna + ice), sensory rituals, and intentional social connection. Far from a traditional hospitality space, Arc offered a compelling look at how a new kind of socialising is emerging in London - one grounded in presence, wellbeing, and shared experience rather than drinking and excess. 

 

Arc is not a spa. It is not a bar. It is a hybrid social and wellness venue - a place for recovery, reconnection, and recalibration, designed to serve the body and the spirit in equal measure. Members flow between heat and cold, guided breathwork, sound therapy, and a lounge space that encourages slow conversation and post-session connection. With its “Arc After Dark” events and growing community of regulars, it is creating a new category of social infrastructure - one built around rituals, not consumption. 

 

This shift is part of a wider trend we’ve seen across hospitality: the rise of no/low-alcohol venues, sober social clubs, and wellness-led gathering spots that support healthier lifestyles and more meaningful encounters. Arc positions itself at the heart of this movement — offering a space to socialise without the social pressure to drink, where the act of showing up is itself the event. 

 

During our visit, we heard from Chris Miller, co-founder of Arc and founder of White Rabbit Projects, who shared his vision for the space as a hospitality-driven response to changing guest expectations — one that integrates design, ritual, and service in equal measure. With a background in developing some of London’s most innovative F&B concepts, Chris provided valuable perspective on how Arc fits into a broader shift toward experience-first hospitality. 

 

The experience ties closely to the NLA in several ways: 

 

Our discussion following the visit centred on how hospitality must evolve to meet these changing expectations. As one working group member noted, “We’re not just designing places for people to stay or eat — we’re designing how they feel, how they connect, and how they return to themselves.”
 
Arc is a clear signal of what’s next: hospitality that helps us reset, not escape; that builds community through quiet, not just buzz; and that opens the door to a new, healthier form of urban social life.
 
What made this visit particularly valuable was the way it challenged the group to think beyond traditional hospitality formats. Where once we might have focused on restaurants, hotels, or retail-led public realms, Arc suggests an alternative route: one where care, community, and curation are the core offerings, not the afterthought. It invites us to ask: What does it mean to feel welcome in a space? How do we design for restoration, not just stimulation?
 
As the NLA Hospitality Working Group continues its journey, Arc sets a powerful precedent for the kinds of projects we want to study, the partners we hope to engage with, and the cross-sector innovations we should champion. Whether it's through policy reform, investment frameworks, or public-private collaboration, supporting these types of spaces could play a critical role in shaping a healthier, more socially connected London.