Home featuring WWII bunker on sale for $1.3 million

By Isobel Williams

A charming home featuring a WWII air raid shelter converted into a WINE bunker has hit the market - for just shy of $1.3 million.

Mike Hemmings, 47, bought the three-bedroom house in Shortlands, southeast London five years ago - and says he had no idea it had a Wilmot shelter included in the grounds.

The owner says that it had been used as a "dump," so it was filled with rubbish, mud, and had flooded - but the history admirer decided to restore it.

In four years, he removed all the muck, rebuilt the steps, fitted new flooring, installed power, and painted the walls, doing most of the work himself - which he estimates cost over $10,000.

Originally, he used the bunker as a cinema, putting electricity and Wi-Fi down there, but he quickly realised that people didn’t want to watch movies in a hole in the ground.

The DIY lover then planned to create a sauna in the space, but he says that the curved roof made this tricky, so he settled on a wine cellar.

Mike is now selling the home as he wants to downsize. The property is listed online for $995,000.

He said: “There was a fridge in this odd brick building in the garden and when I moved it, it was rather like Narnia.

“I just saw an abyss in front of me. I called the estate agent like ‘what is this dungeon in my property.’ Obviously, I got very excited.

“I thought it would be a nice renovation project, so I spent the next four years rebuilding it. Eventually after everyone asking what I would do with it I turned it into a wine cellar.

“It is just a lovely bit of history, and it is nice to maintain that. I wanted to keep it as a mini museum to WWII. I don’t use it too much, it is just a lovely feature of the property.”

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During his restoration, Mike says that he found lots of trinkets from the 1960s and 1980s, including a jewelry box and some cosmetics.

He says the bunker, named the meridian bunker as it crosses directly through the prime meridian, has mostly been a hit with his male friends.

Mike, who joined a bunker restoration group online for tips, says that the shelter is a perfect temperature for storing wine at a consistent 10 degrees.

He added: “People think I am a weirdo, obviously, who spends their time restoring a WW2 bunker and turning it into a wine cellar? I don’t think many people have the time or inclination to do that.

“Obviously, I get the inevitable jokes about WWII and how I am set up for it but hopefully that won’t come to pass.

“I am glad I have managed to restore it to a point where it is probably going to last another 80 years. It is going to outlast me quite happily.

“It is about embracing the past and making sure that you have it for the future generations to see. I know most people on my street who had bunkers have just filled them in.”

The home, which is on the market with Maguire Baylis, has large gardens which include an orchard of apple, pear, plum, and cherry trees.

Within this land there are several other outbuildings, including a large cabin, a summer house, and a greenhouse-style garden room.

The beautiful grounds have been hired for several photoshoots over the years, and were even used for Olly Alexander’s album cover right before his Eurovision appearance.

Mike says that the decision to sell was tough, but that he has decided to downsize.

He added: “It is a shame I am selling it really. I will miss it. It is a hard decision. It has been blood, sweat and tears to do this house up but I have really enjoyed it and learnt so much in the process.

“People love the ridiculous amount of space for a zone four property.”