Five off-limit attractions in the UK offering free secret tours – including 10 Downing Street
I'M DOWN Five off-limit attractions in the UK offering free secret tours – including 10 Downing Street
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
THERE is nothing more exciting than getting to explore a place where visitors are usually not allowed.
Think: Downing Street, the BBC Broadcasting House and the BT Tower.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
5
As part of the Open House Festival, the public can explore a number of places they usually can't access for free
Credit: Getty
Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun's Travel Awards - enter to win here
And as part of London's Open House Festival, there are over 700 properties, buildings and places where the public will be welcomed to visit between September 13 and 21.
Five of these are offering extremely exclusive limited tours, with a public ballet now open until August 18.
According to the Open House Festival website, many of the destinations will be a "be once in a lifetime visit".
Here are the five places you can enter the ballot for, as well as what dates you will be able to visit.
10 Downing Street
The home of British Prime Ministers since 1735 will open its doors to the public for two sessions on September 13.
Guests will get to see behind the famous black door, where some of the most important decisions in UK politics are made.
Currently, 10 Downing Street is undergoing some upgrades to its facilities to ensure the historic building is preserved.
BBC Broadcasting House
We all know the BBC and see content from it daily, but for the Open House Festival people can go to the first ever purpose-built broadcast centre in the UK.
It was built back in 1932 and features an art-deco design, including a clock tower.
More recently the building was refurbished and extended to create a new broadcasting house.
Inside multi-million pound upgrade for popular Scots tourist attraction
The building is now home to the largest live newsroom in Europe, right at the centre of the complex.
Again, to go to this spot you will need to enter the ballot, with 12, one-hour sessions on September 20.
BT Tower
When in the depths of London's streets, you can often catch glimpses of the BT Tower.
The tower's famous revolving floor sits 158 metres above the streets of the capital.
Two high speed lights will transport visitors to the revolving floor in just 30 seconds.
Bizarrely, the Tower was classified as an 'official secret' until 1993 despite it being evident in the city's skyline.
To see this building, you will also need to enter a ballot for one of 16 tours, each lasting 45 minutes across September 20 and 21.
5
You could head up the BT Tower which is soon set to be turned into a hotel
Credit: Getty
Canada House
Canada House is to the Canadian Embassy and was originally designed as two buildings.
Just over 10 years ago, the building underwent a large scale revitalisation linking it to the former Sun Life Assurance of Canada building.
Inside today, the building houses around 300 pieces of Canadian Art.
One tour will run on September 13.
5
Or head to Canada House which is home to the Canadian Embassy
Credit: Alamy
London Museum
Currently under construction, the public can enter a ballot to go on a tour of the Poultry Market, at the new London Museum.
The London Museum is set to open in 2026, bringing new life into the historic Smithfield market buildings.
And with this tour, lucky visitors will get a sneak peak ahead of its opening.
Six tours will be open to the public on September 20.
The museum's permanent galleries are set to open in 2026 and the 1960s Poultry Market will open in 2028.
The Poultry Market will eventually house the museum's collection stores and temporary exhibition and learning spaces.
5
And you could get the first glimpse of the new London Museum
Credit: londonmuseum/Secchi Smith
New locations for 2025
There are also a number of new destinations part of the festival this year including Studio AVC's offices - which are located in a 1929 shop which used to be Liberty's printing workshop and part of William Morris' Arts and Crafts legacy.
Or you could head to The King's Foundation, in Hackney, which is set in a refurbished factory warehouse.
And there is the London Film School as well, in a former banana warehouse.
For architecture buffs, you can head inside the RIBA House of the Year from 2024.
A new £100million indoor resort is also set to open in the UK with a 'next generation waterpark' and thermal spas.
Plus, a much-loved UK theme park reveals new rainy day guarantee – with free return after bad weather.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
17 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
The McDonald's that's one of the world's most beautiful with pretty outdoor courtyard and volcano views
Plus, one of the most unique McDonald's where you can sit in a disused plane CHIP IN The McDonald's that's one of the world's most beautiful with pretty outdoor courtyard and volcano views Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GOLDEN arches and red seating, it's safe to say that most McDonald's generally have the same look - apart from this one. In Guatemala there's a restaurant of the fast food chain that looks nothing like you'd expect, and has been called the 'prettiest in the world'. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 This McDonald's has standout views and even a fountain Credit: Tripadvisor 5 There are shaded areas in the courtyard too Credit: Tripadvisor Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun's Travel Awards - enter to win here McDonald's Antigua, Guatemala has ditched the usual McDonald's design for a beautiful courtyard, and incredible views. The restaurant is in the central highlands of Guatemala - so if you look out you get views of the enormous Agua volcano. It has a large beautiful cobbled courtyard full of lush green trees, bright flower, and tables with sun umbrellas surrounding a huge fountain. Some videos on social media even show off live music outside. You don't forget it's a McDonald's, though, when you spot a huge Ronald McDonald statue on a bench. It has made an impression with visitors too, one wrote on Tripadvisor: "I guarantee you won't have seen a McDonald's like it." Another said: "The McDonald's here is amazing. Because of the city's historical preservation rules, you won't know that McDonald's is there unless you happen to walk by and look inside." A third commented: "You can eat some burgers or ice cream with a beautiful view of mountains." It even has a swing set integrated into its design which has appeared multiple times on Instagram and TikTok. McDonald's new menu taste test 5 The McDonald's is the same as any other when it comes to food Credit: Tripadvisor 5 Visitors remember it's a McDonald's when they spot the statue of Ronald Credit: Tripadvisor McDonald's knows what they're doing, as there's one very quirky restaurant in New Zealand that's inside a decommissioned DC-3 plane. On the aircraft-turned fast-food restaurant in Taupō, New Zealand, you have to climb the original plane stairs that lead into the restaurant. Inside there's not a lot of room, but 20 diners can sit across 10 tables. There's also the cockpit, which has been preserved behind a glass wall. The outside of the plane has been repainted, and the previous airline name has been replaced with the McDonald's logo of course. The tail end of the plane features the classic McDonald's golden arches and outside, there's a playground for kids as well. Here are more of McDonald's restaurants around the world that are both beautiful and unusual, from former banks to UNESCO sites. Plus, inside the world's most tranquil McDonald's with Japanese-themed tea garden and serene river.
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
The 5 items from duty free that can result in £5,000 fines for UK travellers
Passengers travelling from holiday destinations like Greece, Spain, France and Italy face strict rules when returning home Holidaymakers returning from some of the UK's favourite summer destinations have been issued an alert over fines for bringing five items through customs. And the warning is for things travellers may even have bought in duty free. Penalties of up to £5,000 could be meted out to passengers after new rules were introduced by the government earlier in the year following the outbreak of severe disease across Europe. Now those heading home to Britain from areas including Spain, France, Greece and Italy, must not carry any of these banned items in their luggage, reports Bristol Live. Fliers are not permitted to have items including sandwiches, cheese, cured or raw meats or milk when entering the country. All EU nations entering Great Britain are prohibited from bringing these items into the UK. And this applies irrespective of whether the products are wrapped or packaged, or whether they were purchased at duty-free outlets. Those discovered with these products will be required to either hand them over at the border or have them confiscated and destroyed. And in serious cases, authorities state that those found with these items run the risk of incurring fines of up to £5,000. The Government has implemented measures to halt the transmission of foot and mouth disease (FMD) following an increasing number of cases throughout Europe. Travellers are prohibited from bringing cattle, sheep, goat, and pig meat, as well as dairy products, from EU countries into Great Britain for personal use, to protect the health of British livestock, the security of farmers, and the UK's food security. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) poses no risk to humans, but it is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven-hoofed animals such as wild boar, deer, llamas and alpacas. The outbreak on the continent presents a significant risk to farm businesses and livestock in the UK, despite there being no current cases. The disease can cause significant economic losses due to production shortfalls in the affected animals, as well as loss of access to foreign markets for animals, meat and dairy. In response to confirmed outbreaks of FMD in Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria earlier this year, the Government has already banned personal imports of cattle, sheep and other ruminants and pig meat as well as dairy products from these countries. The new restrictions apply only to travellers arriving in Great Britain, and will not be imposed on personal imports arriving from Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man. Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said when it was launched: "This government will do whatever it takes to protect British farmers from foot and mouth. "That is why we are further strengthening protections by introducing restrictions on personal meat and dairy imports to prevent the spread of the disease and protect Britain's food security. And the UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer for international and trade affairs Dr Jorge Martin-Almagro said: "Following the detection of foot and mouth disease in EU countries resulting in a rising risk of introduction into Great Britain, we have extended restrictions on the personal imports of food products that pose a risk in FMD transmission."
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Scotland's city with most 'dog friendly pubs' named and it's not Edinburgh or Glasgow
Several Scottish cities have made the list for having the most pup-loving pubs. Having a dog is a delight until you find yourself unable to enter cafes, shops and pubs if your pooch is tagging along. But many pubs these days welcome customers to bring their furry friends inside. In fact, several Scottish cities have topped the ranks for having the most dog-friendly pubs in the UK. Data from outdoor experts at Millets have revealed the ranks for the top 10 cities in the UK for dog-friendly pubs, and three of them are in Scotland. In fact, Aberdeen came out on top of the UK as the city with the most pooch-accessible pubs, counting 22 establishments out of a total 87 pubs that will welcome your four-legged friend. The research shows that over a quarter (25.3%) of pubs in Aberdeen are dog-friendly. One highly rated pup-friendly pub is Ma Cameron's. The popular bar offers a variety of cask ales from local brewers like Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar, making it the perfect place to visit with the whole family - including the furry members. Edinburgh took the second place spot with 72 dog-friendly boozers out of 287 total pubs (25.1%), with a popular option being The Scran and Scallie. Reviews on TripAdvisor call this pooch-loving pub a 'Quintessential Gastro pub with an interesting and diverse menu in a chic setting." Dundee was seventh on the list, with nine out of 46 pubs (19.6%) allowing dogs inside, so it's clear that Scots establishments know that their clientele are dog lovers. Wales also saw three cities on the list of dog-friendly pubs, with Llanelli, Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea coming in joint third place and fourth place respectively. As for England, Brighton, Bradford, Derby and Sheffield also made the list, coming in sixth, eighth, ninth and 10th place. Read on for the full list of the ten UK cities with the most dog-friendly boozers. Top 10 UK cities with the most dog-friendly pubs 1. Aberdeen - 22/87 (25.3%) 2. Edinburgh - 72/287 (25.1%) 3. Llanelli - 6/26 (23.1%) 3=Merthyr Tydfil - 3/13 (23.1%) 5. Swansea - 18/88 (20.5%) 6. Brighton - 36/181 (19.9%) 7. Dundee - 9/46 (19.6%) 8. Bradford - 14/72 (19.4%) 9. Derby - 20/104 (19.2%) 10. Sheffield - 43/227 (18.9%) In another of Millets ' studies, the experts looked into the cities with the most dog-friendly restaurants, where three Scottish cities again made the cut for the top 10. Edinburgh came out as the best Scottish city for pooch-friendly restaurants, coming in third on the overall list. Aberdeen came in seventh place, while Dunfermline came in joint-ninth with Barry in Wales and Leeds. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
