Behind an anonymous blue door, set in the buildings of Changery Lane – historic neighborhood where Charles Dickens once worked as an employee – there is a underground world which for decades has remained a well -kept secret. At 30 meters deep, a complex of tunnel along a mile extends under the city, whose access, for years, has been limited by the rigorous British official secrets acts acts. Today, however, this hidden network is about to become one of the most fascinating tourist attractions in London.
A secret legacy
The CNN had the privilege of descending into the London Tunels for an exclusive tour, accompanied by Angus Murray, CEO of the redevelopment project.
The works include an investment of 149 million dollars who will transform over 8 thousand square meters of tunnel into a multifunctional area, a cultural center that will host museums and art galleries, the memorial and the “deeper bar in the world” – we will see what it is – for what is proposed as one of the new, and more spectacular, attractions of the world.
To make the spectacular cement labyrinth more fascinating is the link with the legendary figure of James Bond. The London Tunels were the inspiration for the Q Branch (later q Division), the secret laboratory that housed the research and development division of the British Secrete Service – the English secret service, Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), commonly known as Mi6 – responsible for creating the special equipment intended for secret agents: it is here that, in the novels of Ian Flaming, 007 of his portentous gadgets.
In 1944 Fleming himself, before becoming a writer, worked at the London Tunels as a connection officer of the British Navy.
From war to telecommunications
Built between 1940 and 1942, the tunnels had to act as an anti -aircraft refuge and, in the event of an attack, they could accommodate up to 8,000 people during. In reality they were never used for this purpose, given that during the war the Nazi threat moved to the Soviet Union.
In the following years, London Tunels were used for secret operations of the Special Operations Executive, a unit born to conduct sabotage missions behind enemy lines. After the war, the network was adapted to a new purpose: in 1949 it became the Kingsway Telephone Exchange, a strategic knot for British communications.
In the heart of the Cold War, these galleries hosted the telephone line that directly connected Washington and Moscow, also used during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Over 200 operators managed two million calls per week in a tangle of cables, electronic equipment and operating rooms.
A secret bar and a underground games room
Over the years, the site has passed under the control of the British Telecom, transforming itself into a technological center. And here the story takes an almost surreal turn: among the innovations of the 80s, the tunnels hosted the deepest bar in the world, reserved for government employees. An unexpected corner of entertainment, complete with games room with billiard tables and even a tropical aquarium.
Over time, advanced technologies made the telephone center obsolete and the tunnels were abandoned. Today, however, they are about to live a new life, thanks to a project that aims to transform them into an immersive experience between past and future.
The future of London Tunels
Murray and his team have an ambitious vision: to attract three million visitors per year, a goal that would put this attraction on par with the National Gallery and even in front of the London Tower. The plan includes an exhibition itinerary that will mix history, art and technology.
In addition to the sections dedicated to the Second World War and the Cold War, the project includes spaces for contemporary art exhibitions, interactive installations and digital shows. An entire area will be dedicated to optical illusions and sensory experiences, thanks to the use of 3D projectors and fragrance diffusers to evoke historical settings.
And then there is the bar. The idea is to recreate the atmosphere of the old London secrets, with a modern and scenic touch. A perfect place for a break between one experience and another, perhaps sipping a Martini – agitated, not mixed, in perfect bond style.
A new attraction for London
If everything goes according to the plans, the construction will begin in the third quarter of next year and the opening to the public will take place by 2028. An ambitious project, of course, but with enormous potential.
After all, who could resist the charm of a secret world, hidden under London, who holds war stories and espionage, with James Bond to do the background?
