Yours for £20,000: Cold War bunker with potential to become quirky holiday home
A nuclear bunker built during the Cold War to protect people from radiation in the Scottish Borders is on the market for £20,000.
John Letham, who owns the bunker, is selling it in its original condition after plans to renovate it fell through.
The 54-year-old bought the bunker in Traquair, Scottish Borders, “on a whim” in 2003 and had planned to convert it into a quirky holiday home.
But after moving to the Philippines, John, who is an art and antique dealer, decided to sell the underground relic, which was built in 1962, and the 2,500 square feet of land surrounding it.
He said: “I’m selling it as I no longer reside in the UK and hope someone else will be able to enjoy its location.
“I had many plans for the bunker but due to other commitments wasn’t able to realise them.
“I purchased it in 2003 on a whim as I just loved the location. It had been put on the market by a telecoms company who had intended to put a mobile phone mast there but had then found it surplus to requirements.”
The picturesque site is a former Royal Observer Corps (ROC) monitoring post.
During the Cold War the corps was responsible for recording the radioactive fallout in the event of a nuclear blast. Underground bunkers were constructed to offer protection in the event of an atomic bomb blast.
Following the end of the Cold War, the nuclear threat receded and the bunkers became largely redundant.
The Traquair bunker, surrounded by open farmland, can only be accessed by climbing down a steel ladder in the access shaft.
The site comprises of two rooms – the main room which was the communication centre, sleeping and living area, and the toilet.
There is also a small area at the bottom of the entrance shaft which would have been used for decontamination in the event of an attack.
Some of the original fittings remain as well as a number of items in the bunker including a bucket toilet, a map showing other bunkers in the area, fitted furniture, and some teapots.
When he bought it, Mr Letham had various ideas about what to do with his unusual new property.
At one point he had planned to renovate it and use it as a place to stay in the Borders.
There was also talk of renting it out by the night to let people enjoy the experience of staying in a bunker. So far nobody has stayed overnight, Mr Letham said, but the option is there to turn it into accommodation.
He added: “It [being used] has crossed my mind, it was nice knowing it was there just in case anything ever did happen. My experience of growing up during the Cold War was one of feeling that a nuclear war was never far away.
“I remember seeing tv images of nuclear weapons being tested and feeling totally dismayed by their incredible power.”
The bunker was described as “the jewel” in a number of sites when they were auctioned off by the telecoms company.
The area is already a popular tourist destination with the rolling Border countryside surrounding the bunker a popular location for mountain biking, riding and walking.
The nearby River Tweed is one of Scotland’s best known sites for salmon fishing.