The UK government has a secret nuclear bunker deep beneath the Ministry of Defence’s HQ in London – but only a select few will be allowed inside the clandestine facility in case of a nuclear attack.
As the conflict in the Middle East involving US, Israeli and Iranian forces continues to escalate, concerns about the possibility of nuclear warfare loom large in the public consciousness.
Against this backdrop of looming danger, increasing numbers of reports suggest celebrities and wealthy individuals are making preparations for doomsday scenarios, with Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg’s $270 million apocalypse shelter making waves in recent coverage.
But it’s not only the famous who are readying themselves for the worst – numerous nations across the world maintain their own nuclear shelters, and Britain is certainly amongst them.
The UK government has emergency protocols ready should the worst-case scenario unfold and the country faces a nuclear strike.
In what could only be termed a ‘hidden metropolis’ far below London’s busy thoroughfares, there sits a top-secret nuclear apocalypse government shelter – and entry is strictly limited, reports the Express.
Who gets access to Britain’s secret doomsday shelter?
Active since December 7, 1992, this underground stronghold has a singular function – to offer protection for governmental and military chiefs should disaster occur.
The administration’s covert bunker goes by the name Pindar and lies roughly 200 feet underneath the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) main building in Whitehall – further down than the London Underground rail system.
It houses around 400 sleeping quarters – reserved exclusively for the nation’s senior leadership. The invitation list for Pindar is limited to exclusively “ministers, senior military and civilian personnel, plus service and civilian operational and support staff”, so ordinary citizens can move right along.
Britain’s Prime Minister is the only individual afforded a shelter for their relatives within this covert installation – and this is to ensure that the leader’s reasoning while taking crucial decisions isn’t affected by worries about the safety of their family members.
Speaking to MailOnline, Colonel Philip Ingram said: “This is Britain’s worst-case scenario bunker. It’s there to deal with a full-scale nuclear strike. It’s a last throw of the dice situation to try and keep things moving and the country running.”
Detailing how the British government will operate from within the hidden shelter when catastrophe strikes, Colonel Ingram told the outlet: “There will be an access list and also a standby list for someone who can’t make it. If the Principle is killed, then the Deputy has to come in.
“It might not reflect those that are currently in government. It could be someone on the Opposition. It will be the best person to do the job.”
What’s inside the secret government nuclear bunker in London?
Pindar contains a broadcasting facility and features an enormous display in the ‘Situation Room’. Britain’s apocalypse bunker is also fitted with an exceptionally advanced hub, capable enough to manage the complete communications infrastructure of the nation.
While equipped with state-of-the-art technology, Pindar also houses significant reserves of ordinary household items including toothpaste, mouthwash and shower gel – supplies that would become essential commodities in the event of… well, global catastrophe.
Images providing an exceptional insight into the top-secret government complex were published by photographer David Moore, who received clearance to access the location for an artistic endeavour.
He is broadly considered amongst the extremely limited number of civilians to have ever entered the UK’s concealed stronghold.
His images show an extensive array of television monitors, a massive document shredder and a rudimentary medical room alongside sleeping quarters equipped with straightforward bunk beds and thoroughly stocked storage units. Glass cabinets housing breathing apparatus suits have also been documented on film.
According to David, throughout his tour he noticed a bookshelf featuring titles including Len Deighton’s Cold War spy thriller The Ipcress File, alongside a notice on the wall stating ‘To the Bomb shelter area’.
David shared: “It is permanently manned around the clock. And although not everywhere we went was operating – it was on standby. There was a mess where staff could eat and the rooms were clearly used for briefings of some sort.”
Following David’s completion of his work, the MoD convened a censorship committee and exclusively those photographs sanctioned by the ministry were authorised for publication.
The photographer said: “I was asked to digitally manipulate some of the images. Door numbers were redacted and we haggled over descriptions and captions. A reference number from a map of Iran was taken off.”
How would the bunker function during a nuclear attack?
Pindar’s development was ordered by former PM Margaret Thatcher.
The MoD’s ‘Crisis Command Centre’ required 10 years to complete and set Britain back roughly £126,300,000 to construct. The underground facility stays constantly ready and has been designed to survive even the most catastrophic of nuclear attacks.
Pindar is believed to be connected to 10 Downing Street and the Cabinet Office through a series of secret tunnels, and approved staff would have mere minutes to rush and get themselves into the bunker before it is locked down should a nuclear assault or doomsday situation occur.
The Pindar Bunker can be entirely isolated from the external environment within minutes, and it features its own air circulation system which would allow inhabitants to survive below ground without the danger of breathing in potentially contaminated air from outside in the aftermath of a nuclear explosion.
If the bunker were ever activated for operational use, the personnel inside the “protected crisis management facility” would work on a three-shift rotation doing eight hour stints each.
Built in 1992, Pindar has exclusively been used for training exercises and simulations, but its location deep beneath one of the most heavily fortified buildings in the country – the Ministry of Defence – speaks volumes about its importance.
