The Leake Street Tunnel – A Legal Graffiti Wall

The Leake Street Tunnel is a celebration of urban, hip, street culture. Here you will find an ever changing display of the best graffiti art in London alongside a cool theatre and an array of independent bars and restaurants. You can find the graffiti tunnel underneath Waterloo Station.

The Leake Street Tunnel is Unique

The Leake Street Tunnel is independently owned.  It is one of the only spaces in town where graffiti is not only legal but actively encouraged. The 300m tunnel of street art was started in 2008. Banksy had a street art festival here called “Cans”.

Restrictions on Graffiti Art

Graffiti outside of the authorised area is removed.

Sexist, racist and homophobic art is banned.

Recommended Visit Duration

You should plan to spend  between one and two hours in the tunnel…more if you bring your spray cans with you.

Photographing the Art Work

The art is edgy, colourful and ever changing.  New artists paint over old exhibits meaning that there is always something that you haven’t seen before. Happily, there are no restrictions on taking photographs. So come here with your smart phone and snap away. You can impress your friends, family and instagram followers.

Holding an Event

The owners actively encourage not for profit events. Send in an email request. These are usually approved within 24 hours.

Safety in the Leake Street Tunnel

Leave your beer cans at home. There is a written set of rules for the tunnel including a no alcohol or drugs policy.

I have always found artists working in the tunnel as I leave the Vaults theatre at night which makes it safer. Furthermore, local businesses in the tunnel usually have uniformed security on their doors. I have seen the occasional homeless person bedding down for the night.

You may feel more comfortable taking the usual London precautions of going earlier in the day, leaving valuables at home and not talking to “strange” strangers.

Finding the Leake Street Tunnel

The first time I tried to find the tunnel, I made the mistake of looking inside the basement of Waterloo Station. Don’t do this!

Waterloo Station has two exits – the main concourse with the main line trains and shops and the tube entrance. Exit via the London Underground tube entrance.

You will see the the round BFI IMAX building on your left as you come out of the tube.

Turn right and walk down until you see the Old Vic theatre ahead. At this crossroads turn right so you are walking towards the back of Waterloo Station.

After a couple of hundred metres you will see the graffiti tunnel on your right. So in other words it is found by turning right, then right, then right.

The official website for the Leake Street Tunnel explains the current rules for painting and contact details if you would like to hold an event.

If you like photographing London scenes you may enjoy this blog post on how to photograph St Paul’s Cathedral.

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