For sale – one underground bunker in London

by Scott Carmichael on

Feeling a tad paranoid? Is the downward spiral of the economy becoming too much to handle? Why not relocate to London and move into your very own underground bunker complex!

The Kingsway tunnel bunker complex was originally built as an air raid shelter and as a spare war room for the British government.

After the second world war, the tunnels were handed over to the Post Office who used it as a telephone exchange. When the phone exchange switched to automated dialing system, the bunker became obsolete again and has been on the market since 1996.

The bunker is a whopping 77,000 square feet, which is more than enough for your average bachelor pad. In its original state, it was large enough to provide shelter for 8000 people. Unfortunately you’ll need a spare 5 million pounds (almost 9 million dollars) before you can move in.

Some of the ideas being floated around for the bunker include a car showroom (HUH?), a snooker club or a firing range.

According to the current owners (British Telecom), the structure is unsuitable for conversion to a hotel or office, so that rules out that concept. Personally, I think it would make a fantastic museum.

If you are interested in buying the complex, or if you just want to learn more about the Kingsway tunnel and other underground structures, I suggest checking out the fantastic site of Subterranea Britannica who have been documenting the Kingsway tunnel for years.

Heathrow’s New VIP Lounge is Juvenile

by Josh Lew on

The presence of kids in the fast-paced world of airline travel can evoke as much controversy as McCain versus Obama. The harried business traveler not only has to worry about getting slowed up or annoyed by the incessant whining (real or imagined) of youthful travelers, they also have to be concerned about accidentally thumping a child on the head with a briefcase as they try to hurry to their gate.

In a nod to traveling tots, London Heathrow has created a VIP lounge specifically for families. It’s not the first, but definitely sounds the coolest. That’s right mom and dad, no need to put up with the icy glances of laptop jockeys in the regular first-class and business-class lounges. In fact, the kids’ lounge in Heathrow’s Terminal 5 doesn’t even require a business class ticket. Known as KidZone, it has an ample buffet, computers and whimsical decorations. Entrance costs $27 per trip and is also included in the membership perks of clubs like Priority Pass. Virgin Atlantic has a similar lounge at Heathrow, while some state-side airports like JFK and LAX boast child-friendly facilities as well. American Airlines will continue the trend by opening no less than 9 KidZone-like lounges at major airports in the US. Food you can eat with your hands, no worries about making noise, and I bet they have Legos too. Sounds better than the regular VIP to me. I wonder if they let you in even if you are not traveling with kids.

Why are these the world’s best airports?



Click the image to find out!

British Airports May Lift Liquid Ban Soon

by Josh Lew on

Passengers on both sides of the Atlantic are barred from bringing liquids through airport security checkpoints. That might be changing soon. British airports hope to have scanning devices that can sense explosive liquids in place soon. Security services are already in the final stages of testing the machines. Once the testers give the go ahead, airports can put the scanners to work.

Four airports, including London Heathrow, have already purchased scanners. However, it is likely that the ban on liquids will not be lifted until all the country’s international airports are similarly equipped and their security personnel trained to operate the scanners. In other words, don’t get overexcited and try to carry that $200 bottle of cognac onto your flight out of the U.K. tomorrow.

Airlines have been complaining about the restrictions for some time now. They say that the rules make England’s airports less attractive. However, the ban was first put in place after a terrorist plot to blow up airplanes using liquid explosives was uncovered. Being sure you’re not going to get blown up is pretty damn attractive…or maybe that’s just me. If the liquid scanners work in England, US airports will probably follow their lead in short order.

Getting around London is going to become even more expensive

by Anna Brones on

You might have thought that London was already expensive, but next year you can look forward to budgeting even more money when visiting the English capital. Mayor Boris Johnson plans to raise London Underground train and bus fares next year by an average of 6% above the inflation rate.

What exactly does that work out to? The cheapest London Underground fare which you can get by using an Oyster prepaid card will rise to £1.60, or $2.85, in January from the current price of £1.50. That doesn’t seem like a huge change, but for people — and even tourists — who use public transportation on a frequent basis, it certainly feels like it.

The current London Underground cash fare for a ticket — £4 — is reported to be the highest in the world for a subway system; apparently the city really wants to keep its ranking.

Views of London like you’ve never seen before

by Scott Carmichael on

The Boston.com segment “The Big Picture” has an overview of some fantastic photos of London “from above, at night”. They are the work of aerial photographer Jason Hawkes and are the most beautiful aerial photos I have ever seen.

The photos were taken from a helicopter, using a digital camera mounted on a gyroscopic mount and the article has photos of most major London attractions, including the London Eye, Tower Bridge and Big Ben. If you love London (who doesn’t?) then I highly suggest checking out these photos, as well as some of the other work of Jason Hawkes.

(Photo from jasonhawkes.com/Boston.com)