Latest news with #TheLondonTunnels
South China Morning Post
26-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Secret wartime tunnels below London to become a spy museum, memorial and bar
There is a part of London that few people have seen: a place where the city prepared for the Blitz, James Bond's creator got inspiration, and secret Cold War messages passed between Washington and Moscow. It is a network of tunnels 100 feet (30 metres) below the streets that was secret for decades – but could be the city's next big tourist destination. Local authorities have approved plans to fill the 90,000 sq ft (8,360 square metre) site with an intelligence museum, an interactive World War II memorial and one of the world's deepest underground bars. 'It's an amazing space, an amazing city,' says Angus Murray, chief executive of The London Tunnels, as underground trains rattle overhead. 'And I think it tells a wonderful story.' A view of one of the tunnels, which lies beneath the London Underground's Circle Line, in Holborn. Photo: AP The tunnels lie directly below London Underground's Central Line in the city's Holborn area. Work on them began in secret in 1940, when Britain feared invasion by Nazi Germany. They were designed to shelter up to 8,000 people from bombs in a pair of parallel tunnels 16.5 feet (5 metres) wide and 1,300 feet long.
Scottish Sun
25-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
World's deepest bar to open in the UK as part of huge new £120million attraction
Plus, London's newest tourist town is in a 'forgotten' district and is a £1.3bn attraction with hotels, theatre and rooftop bar DEEP DIVE World's deepest bar to open in the UK as part of huge new £120million attraction Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A NEW underground attraction is coming to London and it will be home to the world's deepest bar. Set to open by 2028, The London Tunnels will be a mile-long series of tunnels that "have been kept secret for 70 years", according to The London Tunnels website. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Set to open by 2028, The London Tunnels will be a mile-long series of tunnels that "have been kept secret for 70 years" Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 7 The new tourist attraction is set to cost £120million Credit: The London Tunnels PLC 7 The tunnels were built between 1940 and 1942 by the Government to protect the public from the Blitz during World War II Credit: City of London The new tourist attraction is set to cost £120million and will reopen tunnels built between 1940 and 1942 by the Government to protect the public from the Blitz during World War II. Formerly known as The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels, plans include creating a variety of historical heritage experiences and a cultural, multi-sensory, digital experience. In addition to the new exhibits and experiences that immerse visitors in the decades gone by, the destination is due to open the world's deepest bar. The bar is set to be in the deepest part of the tunnels - 30metres below the streets of London - and will have a unique nightlife experience. The bar will aim to attract both tourists and history enthusiasts keen to see one of the most historically significant sites in the capital. In total, the tunnels span 90,000 square foot and stretch deeper than most of the city's tube stations. The tunnels themselves are large - with the height in parts tall enough to fit a double-decker bus - allowing the attraction to restore them as well as create an expansive visitor experience. The cultural exhibition space is expected to have a World War II memorial dedicated to the 40,000 people who lost their lives during the bombings and an immersive experience that combines history and entertainment, according to Tour and Travel World. The British Military Intelligence Museum is also expected to relocate into the tunnels to showcase over 300 years of British Military intelligence including rare artefacts and cases of espionage. By 1942 the construction of the tunnels was complete but the Blitz were no longer occurring and so the tunnels were never used for shelter. World's most luxurious apocalypse-proof bunkers But two years later, in 1944, the tunnels housed spy headquarters when James Bond author Ian Fleming worked in them for naval intelligence. The tunnels are believed to have inspired Q Branch - where 007 goes to get his specialist equipment. They were also home to a special bunker that would protect Government officials in the case of a nuclear attack. Currently the tunnels boast a maze of old generators, pipes, rusty bolts, bundles of cables and switches and levers. 7 Formerly known as The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels, plans include creating a variety of historical heritage experiences and a cultural, multi-sensory, digital experience Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 7 In addition to the new exhibits and experiences that immerse visitors in the decades gone by, the destination is due to open the world's deepest bar Credit: Getty 7 The bar is set to be in the deepest part of the tunnels - 30metres below the streets of London Credit: PA:Press Association There are also the remains of a staff bar and canteen doe the 200 workers who used the tunnels in the 1950s and 1960s when it was a telephone exchange. The project aims to revitalise the historic spot and hopes that up to three million people will pay over £30 each year to visit the new attraction. The tunnels are located between London's West End and the Square Mile - stretching between Fulwood Place and Furnival Street, deep below Chancery Lane tube station. The team behind the project includes one of the UK's leading architectural firms - WilkonsonEyre - who were also responsible for the major restoration of London's Battersea Power Station. In the mean time, a beautiful new water attraction will also soon open in Europe with lagoons, 40C pools and waterfalls. Plus, London's newest tourist town is in a 'forgotten' district and is a £1.3bn attraction with hotels, theatre and rooftop bar.
The Irish Sun
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
World's deepest bar to open in the UK as part of huge new £120million attraction
A NEW underground attraction is coming to London and it will be home to the world's deepest bar. Set to open by 2028, The Advertisement 7 Set to open by 2028, The London Tunnels will be a mile-long series of tunnels that "have been kept secret for 70 years" Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 7 The new tourist attraction is set to cost £120million Credit: The London Tunnels PLC 7 The tunnels were built between 1940 and 1942 by the Government to protect the public from the Blitz during World War II Credit: City of London The new tourist attraction is set to cost £120million and will reopen tunnels built between 1940 and 1942 by the Government to protect the public from the Blitz during World War II. Formerly known as The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels, plans include creating a variety of In addition to the new The bar is set to be in the deepest part of the tunnels - 30metres below the streets of London - and will have a unique Advertisement Read more on bars The bar will aim to attract both tourists and history enthusiasts keen to see one of the most historically significant sites in the capital. In total, the tunnels span 90,000 square foot and stretch deeper than most of the city's tube stations. The tunnels themselves are large - with the height in parts tall enough to fit a double-decker bus - allowing the attraction to restore them as well as create an expansive The cultural exhibition space is expected to have a World War II memorial dedicated to the 40,000 people who lost their lives during the bombings and an immersive experience that combines history and entertainment, according to Advertisement Most read in News Travel The British Military Intelligence showcase over 300 years of British Military intelligence including rare artefacts and cases of espionage. By 1942 the construction of the tunnels was complete but the Blitz were no longer occurring and so the tunnels were never used for shelter. World's most luxurious apocalypse-proof bunkers But two years later, in 1944, the tunnels housed spy headquarters when James Bond author Ian Fleming worked in them for naval intelligence. The tunnels are believed to have inspired Q Branch - where 007 goes to get his specialist equipment. Advertisement They were also home to a special bunker that would protect Government officials in the case of a nuclear attack. Currently the tunnels boast a maze of old generators, pipes, rusty bolts, bundles of cables and switches and levers. 7 Formerly known as The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels, plans include creating a variety of historical heritage experiences and a cultural, multi-sensory, digital experience Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 7 In addition to the new exhibits and experiences that immerse visitors in the decades gone by, the destination is due to open the world's deepest bar Credit: Getty Advertisement 7 The bar is set to be in the deepest part of the tunnels - 30metres below the streets of London Credit: PA:Press Association There are also the remains of a staff bar and canteen doe the 200 workers who used the tunnels in the 1950s and 1960s when it was a telephone exchange. The project aims to revitalise the historic spot and hopes that up to three million people will pay over £30 each year to visit the new attraction. The tunnels are located between London's West End and the Square Mile - stretching between Fulwood Place and Furnival Street, deep below Advertisement The team behind the project includes one of the UK's leading architectural firms - WilkonsonEyre - who were also responsible for the major restoration of London's Battersea Power Station. In the mean time, a Plus, 7 In total, the tunnels span 90,000 square foot and stretch deeper than most of the city's tube stations Credit: PR Handout Advertisement
Gulf Today
24-06-2025
- General
- Gulf Today
London's Cold war era secret tunnels to open to public soon
There is a history-rich part of London that few people have seen, where the city braced for the Blitz, James Bond's creator got inspiration and secret Cold War messages passed between Washington and Moscow. It's a network of tunnels 30 metres below the streets that was secret for decades - but could be the city's next big tourist destination. Local authorities have approved plans to fill the 8,400 square-metre site with an intelligence museum, an interactive World War II memorial and one of the world's deepest underground bars. 'It's an amazing space, an amazing city,' said Angus Murray, chief executive of The London Tunnels, as subway trains rattled overhead. 'And I think it tells a wonderful story.' The tunnels lie directly below London Underground's Central Line in the city's Holborn area. Work to dig them began in secret in 1940, when Britain feared invasion by Nazi Germany. They were designed to shelter up to 8,000 people in a pair of parallel tunnels 5 metres wide and 400 metres long. The tunnels were never used for that purpose; by the time they were finished in 1942 the worst of the Blitz was over, and Underground bosses had opened up subway stations as air raid shelters for Londoners. Instead, the tunnels became a government communications center and a base for the Special Operations Executive, a clandestine unit that sent agents - many of them women - on perilous sabotage missions in Nazi-occupied territory under orders from Prime Minister Winston Churchill to 'set Europe ablaze.' A naval officer named Ian Fleming was a liaison officer to the SOE, and the subterranean HQ may have provided inspiration for the world of secret agent 007 that he went on to create. 'This truly is the Q Branch of James Bond,' said Murray, referring to the thrillers' fictional MI6 quartermaster and gadget-maker. After the war, more tunnels were added to the complex and the site became a secure telephone exchange. From the mid-1950s it was a terminus of the first trans-Atlantic undersea telephone cable. After the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war in 1962, a 'red telephone' hotline between the Pentagon and the Kremlin was established and ran through here. Up to 200 people worked underground, bound to secrecy but with the compensation of an onsite canteen and bar. Associated Press
Hindustan Times
23-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
London's secret tunnels that helped inspire James Bond will open to the public, complete with a bar
LONDON — There is a history-rich part of London that few people have seen, where the city braced for the Blitz, James Bond's creator got inspiration and secret Cold War messages passed between Washington and Moscow. London's secret tunnels that helped inspire James Bond will open to the public, complete with a bar It's a network of tunnels 100 feet below the streets that was secret for decades — but could be the city's next big tourist destination. Local authorities have approved plans to fill the 90,000 square-foot site with an intelligence museum, an interactive World War II memorial and one of the world's deepest underground bars. 'It's an amazing space, an amazing city,' said Angus Murray, chief executive of The London Tunnels, as subway trains rattled overhead. 'And I think it tells a wonderful story." The tunnels lie directly below London Underground's Central Line in the city's Holborn area. Work to dig them began in secret in 1940, when Britain feared invasion by Nazi Germany. They were designed to shelter up to 8,000 people in a pair of parallel tunnels 16½ feet wide and 1,300 feet long. The tunnels were never used for that purpose; by the time they were finished in 1942 the worst of the Blitz was over, and Underground bosses had opened up subway stations as air raid shelters for Londoners. Instead, the tunnels became a government communications center and a base for the Special Operations Executive, a clandestine unit that sent agents — many of them women — on perilous sabotage missions in Nazi-occupied territory under orders from Prime Minister Winston Churchill to 'set Europe ablaze.' A naval officer named Ian Fleming was a liaison officer to the SOE, and the subterranean HQ may have provided inspiration for the world of secret agent 007 that he went on to create. 'This truly is the Q Branch of James Bond,' said Murray, referring to the thrillers' fictional MI6 quartermaster and gadget-maker. After the war, more tunnels were added to the complex and the site became a secure telephone exchange. From the mid-1950s it was a terminus of the first trans-Atlantic undersea telephone cable. After the Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war in 1962, a 'red telephone' hotline between the Pentagon and the Kremlin was established and ran through here. Up to 200 people worked underground, bound to secrecy but with the compensation of an onsite canteen and bar. For a time, the site also housed a bunker to be used by the government in the event of nuclear war. By the 1980s, technology had moved on and British Telecom moved out. The tunnels lay largely forgotten until BT sold them in 2023 to Murray's private equity-backed group. Plans include a memorial to the more than 40,000 civilians killed by German bombing in the war, cultural exhibitions and a nightspot that Murray boasts will be 'the deepest bar in the world in a city.' It also will house Britain's Military Intelligence Museum, which is currently tucked away on a military base north of London with limited public access. Museum bosses have agreed to move a collection covering more than 300 years of history to the tunnels, bringing a much higher profile for a story they believe needs to be told. 'It's not targeted at people who already have an interest in military topics,' said the chair of the museum's board of trustees, who gave only his first name, Alistair, because of the museum's connection to Britain's armed forces. 'A heavy theme that will run through the new museum is that there are skills and tools that military intelligence has developed over years and centuries … and the fundamental one is, how do you tell truth from lies?' he said. 'That's a very big theme of now.' The museum also will flesh out the secret story of the Special Operations Executive. The museum's collection contains agent messages, supplies, weapons and sabotage equipment from the SOE's wartime adventures. 'Most of the people that worked in SOE never talked about it, either at the time or afterwards, and many of the records have disappeared,' Alistair said. 'So a lot is known about SOE, but we don't know everything, and the chances are we will never know everything.' For now, the tunnel entrance is through an unmarked door in an alley, and walking the cool, dim corridors brings the thrill of discovering a hidden corner of history. Within the thick steel and concrete walls are chunky old generators and telecoms equipment, a staff canteen with its kitchen still intact, and the bar, its 1960s orange and brown décor giving off retro 'Austin Powers' vibes Here and there are graffiti tags and a few items left by urban explorers who snuck in over the years, including a set of bowling pins with ball, and — incongruously — a bear costume. London Tunnels aims to open in 2028, and to attract up to 4.2 million tourists a year. That may sound ambitious, but Murray says the site's mix of 'history and heritage and novelty' makes it a unique draw. 'If you go home and say, 'I went to this really cool tunnel today,' then we're halfway there,' he said. 'If what's inside of it is even better, you're going to go 'Oh that's fantastic.'' This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
