The hidden spy tunnels used by Winston Churchill’s secret army that could be London’s next big tourist attraction: The tube network that housed the Special Operation Executive during the Second World War is to be renovated as part of a £220 million Plans made available to the public
- Below High Holborn lies the kilometer-long secret network Kingsway Exchange
- Exchange expanded at the start of the Cold War in the 1950s and operated the world’s first transatlantic telephone cable
A network of hidden spy tunnels used by Winston Churchill’s secret army could soon become London’s next big tourist attraction under a £220 million scheme.
The mile-long series of secret underground pathways known as the Kingsway Exchange lies beneath High Holborn and was built to provide shelter for Londoners during the Blitz.
Measuring 25 feet in diameter – the equivalent of three London buses – the exchange was expanded at the start of the Cold War in the 1950s and ran over the world’s first transatlantic telephone cable, used for a “hotline” between the White House and the Kremlin became.
The passage, which served as MI6’s base and was kept secret under the Official Secrets Act for 70 years, was also the inspiration for author Ian Fleming’s “Q Branch” in the James Bond novels.
Now BT Group has agreed to sell Kingsway Exchange to a consortium called The London Tunnels Ltd, which promises to turn the underground site into a major tourist destination.
A picture from 1952 shows the expansion of the Kingsway Exchange in London, England
Plans unveiled yesterday show what the tunnel could look like as a tourist attraction, using cutting-edge technology to evoke the sounds, sights and smells of the tunnel during its wartime era
The trunk testing center at the Kingsway Trunk Exchange, located in tunnels beneath the London Borough of Holborn, pictured in April 1968
A general view of the construction of the Kingsway Tunnel in London, England, in 1942
Designers plan to use cutting-edge technology to recreate the sights, sounds and smells of the tunnel during its wartime era as part of a comprehensive visitor experience. The plans are open for public consultation.
Features include giant curved screens, interactive structures, scent technology and hundreds of acoustic point speakers.
The program’s supporters hope to attract up to two million visitors to the site each year.
The London Tunnels hope to invest £140 million in restoring the site’s layout, with a further £80 million earmarked for the interactive screens.
If all goes according to plan, the visitor center could open in 2027.
The acquisition was led by Angus Murray, an Australian banker and former boss of asset management giant Macquarie, with support from his private equity firm Castlestone Management.
The plan requires planning permission from Camden City Council.
An artistic representation of a bar in the tunnel complex. BT first put the site up for sale in 2008 but struggled to find a buyer
Features include giant curved screens, interactive structures, scent technology and hundreds of acoustic point speakers
A general view of the Kingsway Tunnel Bar is seen in London, England. The image is believed to have been taken in the 1970s
Operators work on the power systems and central equipment cabinets at the Kingsway Tunnel exchange in January 1957
Murray said: “The history of the tunnels, their size and the location between London’s Holborn and the historic Square Mile could make these tunnels one of London’s most popular tourist destinations.”
“We now want to work with local stakeholders and residents to make this a reality and look forward to hearing their thoughts as we finalize a planning application.”
The tunnels lay dormant for years until they were acquired by BT in the 1980s.
The telecommunications group first put the site up for sale in 2008, but had difficulty finding a buyer.
BT has not yet said how much the site was sold for. A source said difficulties in obtaining planning permission for the site compounded the lengthy sale process.