Britain is struggling to build data centres

East London’s neglected docklands have found a new life. In squat windowless buildings racks of computer servers purr in air-conditioning that sweaty local residents would kill for. These data centres were built a stone’s throw from Canary Wharf, a financial hub. Such proximity means superfast internet speeds, a crucial advantage in trading where a millisecond’s head-start can mint fortunes. The firms using these are often secretive; to enter Telehouse South, a new data centre, your correspondent passed through five layers of security. Some customers demand 12 separate checks, iris scans included.Server farms are not just niche tech for financiers. (Unsplash)Server farms are not just niche tech for financiers. They have become vital for all: to stream television, run video games, and power