Quote Originally Posted by marky View Post
I guess no-one else has heard this rumour, which stems from the re-furbishment carried out in the mid-90s. Apparently the builders were asked why they were taking so much 50 Newton concrete (strong stuff), and the replies were 'underground car-park' or 'it's to support the filling cabinets'. There then started a rumour that they were building a fall-out shelter for Councillors. Now the thing with rumours are that they're hard to prove or disprove. Then facts get added, such as why is the only plot of land in the centre of town, and worth millions of pounds, used just as a car-park. This is one of the more fanciful rumours I've come across.
There could be some truth to that, Marky.
Filing, not fall-out shelters.
In the 1980s, I went to the Building Surveyor's Department in Hatton Garden (the 1960s building - Kingsway House?) when I was researching cinemas.
They let me see whatever plans I wanted (just as long as I could find the reference numbers in the Ledgers).
The plans were all stored at the Municipal Buildings.
I never asked, but it comes as no surprise to hear they may have been kept underground.
They always smelt very musty!