A mile-long series of secret tunnels under the fringes of the City of London are set to become a major tourist attraction as part of a £220m development.
The London Tunnels, led by Australian banker Angus Murray, wants to turn the tunnels into a multimedia experience, complete with London’s deepest licensed bar.
The tunnels, kept under wraps by the Official Secrets Act for 70 years, were originally built as Second World War bomb shelters, but later used by the Special Operations Executive, the forerunner of MI5 and MI6. At one point they housed the infrastructure for the “hotline” to the Kremlin.
Murray said the scheme will hark back to the tunnels’ history of espionage, with consultation documents heavily referencing James Bond – Vesper Martini in the subterranean bar, anyone?
He hopes to lure millions of visitors through the nondescript black door at 39 Furnival Street, EC4, when it opens in 2027.
A planning application will be submitted in November after a short period of public consultation.
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