Demand for nuclear bunkers has soared by 1000 per cent in just a few days as the Israel-Iran conflict has Britons bracing for a looming World War Three.
Following Trump’s massive military strike against Iran, the death toll in the Middle Eat continues to rise and the threat of nuclear weapons being unleashed in the UK has become a major concern for the public.
As political unrest and tensions between nations continues across the globe, terrified Brits are scrambling to find cover if the nation is struck – with the appeal of nuclear bunkers like those built during the Cold War skyrocketing.
Bunker specialist Matt Wright, the director of Burrowed, told MailOnline interest for the structures has more than tripled to what it was when Russia invaded Ukraine.
He said: ‘Over the last few days we have had ten times as many orders than usual. We’ve got thousands of enquiries coming in, it’s gone up dramatically and I can only put that down to what’s been happening.
‘I’ve been in the office all day constantly replying to enquiries coming through quick and fast. I’ve got hundreds pinging through right now.
‘Interest increased by 300 per cent when Russia invaded Ukraine, but in the last couple of days it’s been ten times that.’
The Nottinghamshire-based company started out in 2018 building underground holiday accommodation, but since the war in Ukraine they have turned their hand to creating the bunkers.
With a selection of sizes and luxury options, they go four feet deep and a 16-metre model to accommodate as many as eight people will set you back up to £157,000.
But if you are DIY-handy, prices can go as low as £25,000 if you buy the structure on its own.
While holiday accommodation is what the company do most, Mr Wright said he expects bunkers to be their best selling product in the next four to six months.
He added people are becoming increasingly scared of the future and that is why they have turned to requesting bunkers.
‘We used to think that would never happen to us, but people are realising this is something they need to protect themselves and their families.
‘In the UK, if we had a nuclear attack, we don’t have any measures in place to protect people. Less than one per cent have somewhere safe to go.’
It comes after the government warned the UK should ‘actively prepare’ for a direct attack on British soil in a potential ‘wartime scenario’ for the first time in many years.
In a national security strategy published on Tuesday, ministers said the UK now finds itself in ‘an era in which we face confrontation with those who are threatening our security’.
The most popular bomb shelter is a round culvert pipe. It uses the natural strength of the earth as your main protection and not the thickness of the walls.
Instead, Burrowed use a plastic structure that can be used in the UK’s ground conditions, so that it is chemically inert, impervious to water and provides a 125-year design life.
A nuclear bunker not only provides physical protection as an air-raid or bomb shelter would, but also protects from the impact of radioactive debris or ‘Fallout’ as a result of a nuclear explosion.
Installation can take as little as one week and it includes an air tight door, fresh water and a tank, a bathroom with a shower and composting toilet, an electric heater, full kitchen, beds, sofas, shelving and underground storage for food and clothes and solar charging.
Upgrading to a luxury bunker includes brickslip curved wall coverings, tile bathroom and oak effect melamine flat walls and furnishings.
For a more practical use, the bunkers can have pool tables and kitchen islands – or be designed as an underground cinema or a bar to blend seamlessly into the home while still providing adequate protection.
The small company have already received four orders from Brits desperate to have all the measures necessary in case of an attack.
However Mr Wright advised that a small garden and living somewhere like a terraced house wouldn’t be feasible, so those living in major cities like London that typically don’t have large outdoor spaces will not be eligible for one.
Burrowed also advises for those interested in installing a bunker to seek planning permission beforehand to avoid the risk of hefty fines or having to dismantle it.
However many choose to forego applying. Arguments the business often hear include:
‘If I apply for planning permission everyone will know I have a bunker in my garden.’
‘Planning permission takes a long time and I want something now,’ another has said.
‘I can always apply for retrospective planning permission,’ is one excuse they hear a lot.
The stance people often take is ‘if anyone asks I will say its a water tank once its in the ground no one will know its there.’
