Londoners can look forward to exploring mile-long WWII tunnels that are hidden beneath the city. The owner of these tunnels has disclosed the reasons behind converting them into a major tourist destination.
The ominous Kingsway Exchange Tunnels are so eerie they’re said to have inspired James Bond author Ian Fleming when writing his spy novels.
The mile-long subterranean tunnels were originally built to shelter people during the Blitz.
With an ambitious investment of £150 million, these tunnels are part of a comprehensive renovation project alongside other key tourist attractions, as reported by the Mirror.
Once the extensive plan comes to fruition, these tunnels will join the ranks of renowned London landmarks, appealing to both history enthusiasts and movie aficionados.
Other features of the tour would include checking out London’s Blitz heritage and a trip to Britain’s deepest public bar.
Investors have taken keen interest in the tunnels as they were once used during WWII by Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s espionage team – an offshoot of MI6.
Images of the mysterious tunnels make it clear why the site has piqued the interest of so many.
Artificially lit hollow passageways glow dark yellow, with retro gadgets tucked to the side.
Dusty control boards with various dials, joysticks, and knobs offer a glimpse into the life of workers stationed at the secret base.
A step through an unassuming door on London’s hectic High Holborn would kick-off the tour.
After bracing yourself in the lift to be plunged 100m you’ll be met with a startling contrast to the busy high street.
The tunnels are eerily silent quiet interrupted only by the occasional rumble of the London underground.
The passages were built in the 1940s to house Brits from long periods of bombing during the second world war.
Pictures show men grasping tools and sporting dust-covered overalls with rags tied over their mouths.
Wooden planks span across the bottom of each passage as the support was put into the walls.
Astonishingly, they were built by hand in 18 months and by the time they were finished the Blitz was over.
Churchill was keen not to waste the fresh underground network and used it for other purposes.
Some ten years after they were created, the General Post Office expanded them and 200 workers were sent underground to operate a secret telephone exchange.
Black and white photographs of the old canteen show rows of tables neatly arranged, each with salt and pepper shakers.
Game rooms were built in for the workers who barely saw daylight, complete with rows of pool tables with low-hanging lights.
Six other huge UK attractions that cover the history of World War Two
- Dover Castle
Explore Dover Castle in Kent, where Operation Dynamo was planned to evacuate troops from Dunkirk in 1940.
Walk through secret wartime tunnels and experience the underground wartime hospital’s sights and sounds.
- Bletchley Park Visit Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire, home of the World War Two codebreakers.
- The D-Day Story
This Portsmouth museum has interactive displays and personal stories from D-Day 1944.
See a Landing Craft Tank from D-Day, and learn about Portsmouth’s wartime history.
- The Tank Museum The Tank Museum in Dorset features over 300 tanks from 26 nations, including World War Two models.
- Royal Air Force Museum
Choose between Cosford, Shropshire, or London to learn about the RAF’s role in World War Two.
Discover stories of the men and women who kept Britain’s skies safe.
- Imperial War Museum IWM London’s Second World War Galleries showcase over 1,500 items from the global conflict.
A swanky bar with wide chairs boasted stylish stripes and checkers – reflecting the bold, playful, and structured aesthetic of the decade.
Given their initial purpose, the tunnels were kept a secret for years, with staff required to sign documents promising not to share the state secret.
Legend has it they were used for high-level Cobra government meetings – talks that included key decision makers and high stakes.
Few people have visited the tunnels and they are not yet open to the public.
In one instance some plucky trespassers managed to break in to tunnels and host a Christmas Day party.
The tunnels’ new owners have been granted planning permission to give the subterranean passage a new life.
“These tunnels were built by the British to defend Britain against Nazi Germany, they have a very rich history,” Angus Murray, chief executive of The London Tunnels, said.
“I would like it to honour the men and women who sacrificed themselves during the Blitz, and it tells a wondering story about the Special Operations Executive, a branch of MI6 started by Winston Churchill. It truly is Q Branch from James Bond.”
The project is being conducted with with established architecture firm Wilkinson-Eyre, also behind the Battersea Power Station, Science Museum and Mary Rose Museum.
Further afield they were also behind the famous Gardens by the Bay in Singapore and Ikea Museum in Sweden further afield.
The attraction hopes to open by 2027 at the earliest.
An official opening date and ticket prices are yet to be revealed but hopes to attract as many as two million tourists.
