A refurbished nuclear bunker has gone under the hammer for just £15,000…. but potential buyers will be hit by a major catch.
The 14ft underground bunker in Wormhill, near Buxton in Derbyshire, is due to be sold at auction on September 26.
Described as ‘in excellent condition’, the den was built in the 1950s by the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) to save employees in case of an attack.
It decommissioned in 1991 and will go up for sale with a guide price of between £15,000 and £20,000.
The bunker is one of around 1,500 built in the Cold War period as the population became increasingly anxious about other countries’ nuclear capabilities.
Quite why Derbyshire would have been singled out is unknown, but it has left a lasting legacy underneath the Peak District countryside.
The 14ft underground bunker in Wormhill, near Buxton in Derbyshire, is due to be sold at auction on September 26
Described as ‘in excellent condition’, the den was built in the 1950s by the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) to save employees in case of an attack
The bunker’s hatch and ladder takes the occupant 20ft down into a ground studio with cream carpets
The bunker was decommissioned in 1991 and will go up for sale with a guide price of between £15,000 and £20,000
Despite being fully equipped to save people’s lives in case of a meltdown, the underground lair has no loo.
But it does come with – perhaps unwisely – a giant picture of a nuclear explosion on one wall.
The bunker’s hatch and ladder takes the occupant 20ft down into a ground studio with cream carpets, a sheepskin rug, cream velvet curtains and a double bed with bright yellow throw.
There is lots of storage space nearby – containing a camping gas hob, electric heater and stash of beer.
Hilariously, there is also a thrilling book for the future owner to read – Cold War Secret Nuclear Bunkers.
It also comes with an original pair of binoculars, a telephone and old diagrams and instructions left on the walls.
The bunkers were designed to provide protective accommodation for three ROC employees to survive a nuclear attack.
Whilst staying there they were expected to report on the nuclear bursts and on the fall out of a nuclear attack.
The bunker is one of around 1,500 built in the Cold War period as the population became increasingly anxious about other countries’ nuclear capabilities
The bunkers were designed to provide protective accommodation for three ROC employees to survive a nuclear attack
Despite being fully equipped to save people’s lives in case of a meltdown, the underground lair has no loo
ROC employees staying there were expected to report on the nuclear bursts and on the fall out of a nuclear attack
There is lots of storage space nearby – containing a camping gas hob, electric heater and stash of beer
Quite why Derbyshire would have been singled out for a bunker is unknown, but it has left a lasting legacy underneath the Peak District countryside
They were provided with enough food and water for fourteen days and had a land line and radio communications available to them.
Most of these sites were decommissioned and sold off in 1993 and many were bought up by telecom companies and now are sites for mobile phone masts.
A description from auctioneers SDL Property Auctions says: ‘Fantastic opportunity to buy a piece of past war British history. The once in a generation opportunity is to buy a ROC nuclear bunker otherwise known as A Royal Observer post.
‘The bunker is secure, dry and in its original condition, the current owner has refurbished and decorated it in readiness for its new owner.
‘There are wall to wall velvet curtains, a cream carpet, a made bed, a log burner, storage and even a rug to make it as homely as possible.’