London’s secret tunnels to become ‘UK’s deepest bar’ in £120,000,000 makeover

A sprawling network of secret underground tunnels is being transformed into a major new London tourist attraction.

Hidden 40m below the streets of the capital, the Kingsway Exchange Tunnels were built to shelter Londoners during the Blitz in World War II.

But the deep-level air raid shelter was completed after the war ended — and so never used.

Now, for the first time ever, the tunnels will be opened to the public, transformed into an immersive tourist attraction: The London Tunnels.

Speaking to CNN, London Tunnels CEO Angus Murray commented: ‘This is going to be a massive space, and it’s that impression of “wow!” that makes a difference.’

What are The London Tunnels?

Construction on the tunnels began in 1940, with workers digging the passages by hand — some sections are so deep they can fit a double-decker bus inside. 

But by the time they were completed in 1942, the Blitz had ended, and the threat of bombing had diminished. 

Londoners no longer needed the protection of the shelters, having sought refuge in the underground instead, and so the tunnels were never used for purpose.

Instead, they were used by the government as a telecommunications centre and base for the Special Operations Executive.

This secret British organisation was responsible for espionage, sabotage and supporting resistance movements during Nazi-occupied Europe.

Bond author Ian Fleming even worked in the spy headquarters in naval intelligence.

The location is widely thought to have inspired Q Branch, the fictional division of the Secret Service, where Bond goes to get his specialist equipment.

After the war, British Telecom took over the tunnels and maintained control until they closed in the early 1980s.

The network was also home to the UK’s deepest underground bar and canteen for workers.

The tunnels were kept secret for nearly 70 years, as part of the Government’s Official Secrets Act, until 2007. A year later, BT put them up for sale.

What will the new London Tunnels offer for tourists?

Former investment banker Angus Murray is spearheading the project to turn the tunnels into a memorial to the Blitz, which he says will house a museum, exhibits and entertainment spaces.

Architects Wilkinson-Eyre, who previously worked on the Sky Bridge at Hong Kong International Airport and Gateshead Memorial Bridge, plan to keep remaining historical artifacts in a ‘History and Heritage’ section, while an ‘Arts and Culture’ section will host rotating art exhibitions and immersive displays.

The attraction’s centrepiece, however, is a bar; the ‘deepest licensed bar in the United Kingdom’, with capacity for several hundred visitors, who can expect to be served Vesper Martinis in a nod to the venue’s past.

According to its website, the tunnels could potentially draw up to two million visitors annually and could be ‘one of the most thrilling global destinations’.

When will the London Tunnels open?

Murray likened the expected impact of the Tunnels to the London Eye – which opened in 2000 and draws millions of visitors annually.

But sadly, tourists will have to wait to visit the iconic site.

Work is due to begin upgrading the 86,000-square-foot space towards the end of next year next year, so The London Tunnels likely won’t be open to the public until late 2027 or early 2028.

The estimated the cost of the tourist attraction, which was approved by authorities last year, is around £120 million.

This article was first published on January 31, 2025.

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