HOUSE-HUNTERS have been offered the bizarre opportunity to own a 1950s nuclear bunker set in the heart of the Peak District.
The rare piece of history near Buxton, Derbyshire, was spotted on property auction site Rightmove on Wednesday and is due to be auctioned on September 26 as part of a plot of land.
The Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker is one of only 1,500 built at the time and is reported to still be in “excellent condition” with some original features still going strong.
The previous owner has even furnished it with a bed, log burning stove, carpet, curtains and storage to make the small space more homely.
The bunker comes as part of a plot of land for auction by SDL Property Auctions in Nottingham, for a guide price of between £15,000 and 20,000.
Built in post-war 1950s Britain as a Royal Observer post, the Corps was responsible for the visual detection and reporting of aircraft over Great Britain between 1925 and 1995.
The bunker was designed to provide protective accommodation for three observers to survive a nuclear attack.
However, most of the bunkers were decommissioned and sold off in 1993, with several becoming sites for phone masts due to their favourable locations.
The agent’s description reads: “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.
“This particular site was one of many built in the 1950s and was designed to provide protective accommodation for three observers to survive a nuclear attack.
“They were expected to report on the nuclear bursts and on the fall out of a nuclear attack.
“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 we have been informed that many were bought up by telecom companies and now are sites for mobile phone masts as they were built as telecommunication posts, so they are positioned in very favourable locations.
“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. The owner has advised there is an unused and still boxed chemical toilet.”
This particular bunker sits in the middle of a field, and is accessed via a hatch mounted in a green metal base.
A metal ladder descends deep underground into darkness where, inside, it is draped in cream curtains, with a matching cream carpet.
Some vintage furniture is dotted around, with a rather ominous picture of a nuclear explosion on one wall.
A made bed, with a yellow velvet cover, is tucked into one side.
The room is also a treasure trove, with a cupboard by the door holding old memorabilia and tinned food, and retro signs and hand-written notes pinned up.
The listing was shared to social media on Wednesday with the caption: “Anyone fancy a nuclear bunker…you know, just in case.”
The post has since received over 220 likes and more than 110 comments from Brits left impressed by the piece of history.
One commented: “Cheaper than building your own…in my opinion not a bad buy considering geopolitical movements at the moment.”
A second wrote: “Pretty impressive that it still has some of the original stuff in there (or someone bought them on eBay to restore).
“Usually all that stuff has been yoinked years ago. I don’t think the phone is an original though. Or the exploded cans of beans and pimp outfit.
“I’ve been in a couple of these, and they are usually stripped except for the table and chair and the odd bit of paperwork.”
Another said: “Bang in the middle of the Peak District?
“Frankly they’d be better off selling this as an Airbnb opportunity, or just as an outpost for people who like the great outdoors. If I were buying, that’d be my reason.
“[The] Fact that it’s a nuclear bunker is just an added perk.”
A fourth joked: “Given the state of the housing market and the fact I’m still saving as a first-time home buyer, s**t like this seems awfully tempting.”
Another added: “Wow, with its wood burner (no sight of any logs) and car battery supply, this place is kitted out to last for a good few hours. Not really much use.”
