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SPECIAL EDITION: SPYSCAPE lands in London. We round up stories in the classic capital of spycraft: spy tunnels, spy rings, knitting for the resistance and more!
News
Covert Garden
After delivering authentic personal profiles to more than a million visitors in Manhattan, SPYSCAPE is bringing its mission, ‘to inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things’, to Covent Garden - the hub of London’s vibrant cultural scene. Visitors will explore real spy stories, from the notorious Kim Philby to the unfortunate Sergei Skripal, brought to life by interactive experiences and rare spy gadgets, including an Enigma machine and KGB spy cameras.
What happens when a peaceful protest turns deadly?
April 1984 – London. Police Constable Yvonne Fletcher is shot dead by a pro-Gaddafi gunman at the Libyan Embassy. The UK looks on in sorrow and disgust. One man vows to bring her killer to justice – no matter who stands in his way.
That man is John Murray, Yvonne’s close friend and fellow officer. As bullets flew from inside the embassy, Murray stood steps away. Yvonne died in his arms. And from that moment on, he made it his mission to hold someone accountable. But the path to justice was anything but clear. With diplomatic immunity shielding the shooters and the UK government wary of upsetting international relations, Murray soon found himself up against more than just Libyan assassins—he was up against his own country’s political machinery.
Working with author and former cop Matt Johnson, Murray pored over documents, lobbied Parliament, and tracked leads across continents. What began as a single tragedy spiraled into a decades-long battle for truth, marked by obstruction, frustration, and resilience.
Join Fletcher’s colleague, John Murray, and author Matt Johnson, in this week’s podcast selection, ‘Beware the Men in Suits’, to recount an epic mission for the truth. A mission that will take Murray to the ends of the Earth – and the limits of his endurance.
For decades, a secret network of Cold War tunnels has run beneath the heart of London—and now, it’s opening to the public. The Kingsway Exchange Tunnels, located 100 feet below High Holborn, once served as a secure communications hub for MI6 and wartime operatives.
Dug initially in the 1940s as a deep-level air raid shelter, the tunnels were later used by the Special Operations Executive and British intelligence during the Cold War. Rumor has it that James Bond creator Ian Fleming passed through them during his time at Naval Intelligence.
A £220M redevelopment plan will turn this hidden complex into a tourist attraction. The tunnels will feature immersive exhibitions on espionage, wartime communication, and underground life in the capital. In true Bond fashion, the plans include what will become the UK’s deepest licensed bar.
Image Credit: The London Tunnels
Surveillance
London Spy Ring
What happens when espionage hits close to home?
Six Bulgarian nationals have been convicted in London’s Central Criminal Court for conducting espionage on behalf of Russia. The group, operating between 2020 and 2023, targeted journalists, diplomats, and Ukrainian military personnel across Europe.
According to court proceedings, the defendants used fake identities, surveillance equipment, and encrypted communication methods while planning operations that included abduction and possible assassinations. UK prosecutors said the team worked under the direction of Russian intelligence services, with some members posing as delivery drivers and private security contractors as cover.
Authorities recovered forged passports, surveillance notes, and covert equipment during raids in London and Norfolk. The group’s operations appeared to support Russian state efforts to monitor or intimidate critics abroad, including those aligned with Ukraine or the West. Sentencing is expected in the coming weeks.
Host your birthday party at SPYSCAPE - NYC'S #1 rated Museum & Experience
Give your party guests an unforgettable experience designed to engage, entertain and inspire. Our dedicated staff will be on hand to help, and you'll even get your own special roped-off zone to celebrate.
Knitting and espionage share a surprising history. Throughout both world wars, women used needles not just to make hats and scarves but also to send secret messages. Trained contacts could decode specific patterns of knits and purls, turning ordinary wool into covert communication.
During World War I, a Belgian grandmother sat by her window knitting as German trains passed. Each stitch carried more than warmth—she added or dropped stitches in carefully coded sequences and then passed the altered fabric to a resistance soldier. Her knitting helped track enemy movements, and she risked her life with every row.
Decades later, Phyllis Latour Doyle, a British spy in World War II, famously used her knitting kit as cover. Dropped into occupied France in 1944, she biked between resistance contacts and chatted with German soldiers—all while hiding Morse code messages on silk thread wound into her yarn supplies!
Image Credit: The National Archives/20802186
Culture
Victory In Europe
This week, London commemorates one of the great espionage successes of all time: the Allied victory over Nazi Germany. The city marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day with a series of events honoring the end of World War II in Europe. The May 5–8 commemorations included a military procession to Buckingham Palace, a remembrance service at Westminster Abbey, and a ceremonial flypast from the Red Arrows.
VE Day marks May 8, 1945, when Allied forces formally accepted Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender. The anniversary also serves as a tribute to the intelligence breakthroughs that helped shorten the war, such as the cracking of Germany’s Enigma code by Allied codebreakers.
P.S. Come and discover a real Enigma machine at SPYSCAPE in Covent Garden!
Try brain-teasing challenges at SPYSCAPE or pulse-racing fun at SPYGAMES.
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