The £220million tourist attraction planned for the UK – with subterranean tunnels and England’s deepest bar
A HUGE underground network of tunnels dating back 70 years is set to open as a huge tourist attraction in the UK.
The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels were built in London between 1940 and 1942, and used to protect Brits during World War II.
Found underground between Chancery Lane and High Holburn tube stations, the tunnels are more than 130ft below ground.
However, after the war they closed to the public and were converted into private use by the UK government for top secret branches.
James Bond writer Ian Fleming even worked there for a small period and was said to be the inspiration behind the James Bond Q operations.
New plans have revealed a £220million attraction which would reopen it to the public with heritage trails, featuring integrative structures and immersive experiences along the way.
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It also hopes to open the deepest licensed bar in the UK by renovating the previous bar that was built by British Telecom on-site in the 1980s and used by government staff.
London Tunnels CEO Angus Murray said: "The history of the tunnels, their scale and the location between London’s Holborn and the historic Square Mile, could make these tunnels one of London’s most popular tourist destination."
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.
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Mr Murray added: "Visitors will be able to explore the inspiration for Q Branch from James Bond and an actual deep-level shelter to protect the British against German bombing."
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.
In the mean time, you can visit other underground tunnels in the UK.
The London Postal Museum is home to an 100-year-post train underground which kids can ride.
And Western Heights, in Dover, opens to the public once a year, and was used to protect the coastal region from a potential French invasion.
However, they often only open one weekend a year - last year it was September 16-17 - and 2024 dates are yet to be announced.
Sun Travel recently visited the only underground theme park in the UK.
And an English seaside town is home to a mysterious underground attraction - made of 4.6million seashells.