The Bunker Below 2025
Our regular guest review Dave returns to give his thoughts on The Bunker Below.
Overview
This was my third visit to The Bunker Below over the years, and I’ll be honest – my experiences up until now have been mixed. My first visit was excellent and set the bar high, but on my second trip there were some technical issues that caused long delays and bunched-up groups, which took away from the overall atmosphere. So, I approached this year’s visit with a little trepidation…
I’m so glad I went back, because this time was without doubt the best visit yet – and I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s one of the best scare experiences I’ve ever attended.
There were three of us in our group – me, my sister, and my daughter – and as big horror fans, we’ve done our fair share of scare events over the years, including Village of the Cursed in Essex, Shocktober Fest, and even Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. The Bunker Below held its own against all of them.
In terms of story, the premise is brilliantly unsettling:
A top-secret military organisation, based deep underground in a decommissioned government bunker, has been conducting classified research into the science of fear. During their experiments, they’ve made a terrifying discovery – The Signal – an audio recording that drives anyone who hears it insane, twisting the mind and conjuring visions born from their deepest nightmares. Worse still, the device generating The Signal can no longer be switched off…
Atmosphere and Setting
The Bunker Below is located in Brentwood, Essex, tucked away in the middle of farmland – and the setting is perfect for the story. The experience takes place in a real ex-government nuclear bunker, 125 feet underground, and that authenticity adds a layer of realism that purpose-built attractions simply can’t replicate.
Even the walk from the car park sets the tone – an isolated trek through the dark before descending into the depths. Once inside, the cold, concrete corridors and utilitarian rooms instantly transport you into the world of a secret military facility gone wrong. It’s claustrophobic, immersive, and genuinely atmospheric.
Scare Factor
Where do I even start? This experience had us on edge from the very moment we arrived. Groups are sent through with excellent spacing – we never saw the group ahead of us or felt pressured by the group behind, which meant every scare was ours alone. All you could hear were distant, blood-curdling screams echoing through the bunker… which only heightened the tension.
The use of darkness and strobe lighting is masterful, creating a constant sense of anticipation and disorientation. I can honestly say I haven’t been to another event with so many well-timed jump scares – just when you think you’re safe, something (or someone) appears out of nowhere. There were moments that had all three of us screaming and laughing nervously in equal measure.
Theming and Design
Because the event takes place in a real military bunker, the set design doesn’t have to try too hard – it already feels authentic. However, the team has cleverly enhanced this with theming elements like abandoned machinery, huge retro computers, and old-style cot beds scattered throughout, reinforcing the story of a once-active facility now overtaken by chaos.
The lighting, sound design, and prop placement all work together to create a world that feels lived-in and believable – which makes the scares land even harder.
Actors and Performance
The actors were absolutely fantastic. The number of scare performers was spot-on – enough to keep the tension constant without ever feeling repetitive or overdone. From the first stern army soldier barking orders to the deranged doctors and unhinged test subjects deeper inside, every actor was fully committed to their role.
They weren’t just there to jump out at you – many interacted with us directly, adding layers of storytelling and humour alongside the fear. Their energy and dedication really helped pull us into the world and made the experience feel more like we were living inside a horror film than watching one.
Variety and Line-Up
The Bunker Below offers a great mix of scare styles. You’ll encounter moments of intense interaction with actors, quieter sections that build psychological tension, and plenty of sudden, expertly timed jump scares. There’s a good rhythm to the whole experience – it never feels monotonous, and the scares are paced perfectly to keep you constantly guessing.
Operations and Queue Experience
Operations on the night were smooth and well-organised. We were greeted by friendly staff at check-in, assigned a letter and number, and directed into the queue. While we waited, a roaming scare actor kept the mood lively and gave us a few laughs (and jumps!) before we even stepped inside.
The queue area itself is themed like an old-school military outpost, with screens showing briefing messages on how to deal with The Signal. It helped build anticipation and set the scene before we descended underground.
Value for Money
At £29.50 per person for around 45 minutes to an hour, we felt this offered very good value for money, especially considering the quality of the sets, the number and talent of the actors, and the length of the experience. Compared to many other scare attractions we’ve done, The Bunker Below feels like excellent bang for your buck.
Final Thoughts
Wow. Just wow. This was my third scare event of the Halloween season and without question the best. The level of immersion was top-tier, the story compelling, and the sheer number of jump scares unmatched.
If you only do one scare event this Halloween season, make it The Bunker Below. It’s intense, atmospheric, and brilliantly executed from start to finish. And one final tip: don’t forget your running shoes… they might just come in handy before the night is over!
The Bunker Below 2021
Set in a town you would normally associate with bright white teeth and ‘double nawty’ characters from shows glamorising the best (but mostly worst) of Essex, Brentwood, you will find the least ‘secret’ Nuclear Bunker there is – the Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker. It is genuinely the best signposted ‘secret’ you’ll ever find.
I was lucky enough to be invited down to Kelvedon Hatch for their brand new scare event…The Bunker Below. This was only my second scare event of the Halloween season, so was looking forward to seeing what it had to offer. I was joined by 2 scare event newbs, which made the anticipation of the event that much sweeter. And I can say now…..it’s one that doesn’t disappoint.
First things first, we need to talk about the venue. Built in the 1950s, Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker is an imposing venue, built into a large hill it’s an underground bunker maintained during the Cold War as a potential regional government headquarters. Since being decommissioned in 1992, the bunker has been open to the public as a tourist attraction, with a museum focusing on its Cold War history. Think of any apocalyptic movie with an underground bunker and then fill it with tech from the ’70s and ’80s and you wouldn’t be far from it! With long dark tunnels, no natural light and many small dark spaces, it has to go down as one of the best, most authentic scare venues I’ve ever been lucky enough to visit.
So…on to the experience. The background story of Bunker Below is that a group of top-secret government scientists/military folk have been conducting research into the science of fear. They have discovered an audio recording known as ‘The Signal’ which turns anyone who hears it into a psychotic mess! If you have read or seen the Stephen King story ‘Cell’ you will have a good understanding of what you are in for! ‘The Signal’ brings to life a person’s worst fears, in the form of hallucinations. In the story, the government have lost control of ‘The Signal’ and you have to go into the bunker to investigate….
The event was immersive from the get-go, with being greeted by a not so chirpy soldier in full fatigues telling us where to go as soon as we parked the car. We wandered down to a pre-event screening where we signed in and awaited our turn to be met by the government scientists. Following a few nervous looks from the newbs….it was our turn to go in.
The event starts in a very dark tent where the 3 of us were tested with a mild version of ‘The Signal’. Needless to say, it was full of the kind of noises that if you listened to for long enough, would eventually drive you mad! We were then met by a soldier who welcomed us to the bunker and told us that they had lost control of the ‘The Signal’ and we were the test subjects who need to go in so they can understand the effects. I have to say this guy was one of our favourite characters, really played the part well, funny whilst also being the typical hard-ass soldier.
Now it was time to enter the bunker, conscious I don’t want to give too much away to those attending the event….What I can tell you is that as you travel through the bunker, you will be met by various unsavoury individuals who have been impacted by ‘The Signal’ whose aim is now to play on your greatest fears. It’s a bit of a ‘whos who’ of scary charters, all guaranteed to give you a good fright. Be prepared for a very good amount of jump scares and some psychological thrills.
The event ends in an underground café where I can tell you now, a few cans of lager were consumed to settle the nerves! The chaps in the café also had live video feeds of the event so you could watch all the unsuspecting attendees as they followed behind you.
All in all, I would highly recommend this event, the actors were great and the venue has to be seen to be believed. The spacing of the groups was also really good, we were kept to our own group of 3 and didn’t come across anyone else until after the event (apart from hearing the occasional blood-curdling scream that is!) for me this made the event more authentic and really made it feel almost personalized to our group.
The Bunker Below was created by a team of individuals with over 20 years of experience working in TV, Film and scare events. This experience can really be seen in the delivery of the event. The Bunker Below is on a limited run from 22nd October through to 31st October with tickets still available now, which can be purchased directly from their website.
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