Peaky Blinders: Underworld, a new immersive experience at the London Bridge Arches, features a free-to-enter 1920s pub called The Garrison and a paid walkthrough area with puzzles and games. Created by KMJ Entertainment in partnership with Banijay Rights, with the blessing of show creator Steven Knight, the experience is divided into two sections, one of which is free.
The Garrison Pub: A Free Entry Point
The Garrison is a recreation of the Victorian boozer that serves as the Shelby gang's headquarters in the show. Built into the London Bridge arches, in what was previously the location of Southwark Playhouse, the pub is spacious and features period details that are clearly faux but mostly atmospheric rather than tacky, including wooden boards, a wooden bar, proper barstools, and costumed barstaff. The anachronistic music policy continues with Nick Cave on the jukebox and live bands playing several nights a week. According to the review, there are occasional actors barking in a Brummie accent, but no story is delivered in this section.
Pints are not sold at 1920s prices, which would be about 2p a go, according to the reviewer. The reviewer noted that while The Garrison is ultimately a Peaky Blinders theme pub, it is spacious and could be a casual pint destination if in the area.
The Underworld: Immersive Walkthrough and Puzzles
Behind the doors of The Garrison lies the Underworld, a polished immersive walkthrough area that boils Birmingham of the show down to its lurid highlights: the fairground, Chinatown, the bookies, and the tattoo parlour that is also a bar. The reviewer was given an activity book upon entry, containing tokens to claim a go on fairground games, such as hook a duck. Additionally, participants can take on one or more bigger challenges; on the opening night, only 'Catch the Rat' was available, which involved following clues and solving puzzles. The reviewer stated that no rats were harmed in the making of the show, and that it is gentle puzzle solving. The reviewer completed the challenge and won a drinks voucher, though it was not clear if every winner does so.
The Underworld is not particularly massive, according to the reviewer, and does not offer a great story, but rather a standard immersive theatre or escape room-style puzzle chain. The reviewer described it as a fun, atmospheric, and nicely designed experience, suitable for those who love Blinders iconography via a well-crafted set with modest lateral thinking.
Tickets and Practical Information
Tickets for the Underworld are approximately £25 for a one-hour timeslot. The reviewer noted that some might consider this steep for pottering around a few rooms, but getting into the quest and the games can be diverting, and the prospect of winning a drink takes the edge off the price. The reviewer concluded that the experience is an opportunity to sink a few tankards, play a few games, and be barked at by impassive Brummie gangsters, rather than a realistic return to 1920s Birmingham to work for a criminal gang. Peaky Blinders: Underworld is located at the London Bridge Arches, just off Tooley Street.
