A look at: Leake Street Arches graffiti tunnel

London is full of galleries where you can see some of the world’s most famous paintings, including the National Gallery, Tate Modern, Tate Britain and a whole host of private galleries. But something that London is also great for is street art. A different form of art, street art is free, open and accessible to all. But, where to find it? There are a number of places throughout London to see street art, but if you’re looking for a great place to see some street art that’s easily accessible, not far off the beaten track and is safe to take kids to see, then Leake Street Arches graffiti tunnel ticks all of the boxes. In this post, we take a look at the Leake Street Arches graffiti tunnel, so you can decide whether it should be added to your list of places to visit in London with your family.

Leake Street Arches, also known as the Leake Street Graffiti Tunnel is a pedestrianised road running through a tunnel that runs under Waterloo Train Station.

Located just a short distance from Westminster, and a stone’s throw away from the London Eye, Leake Street connects York Road with Lower Marsh and the southern end of Station Approach. Around 300 metres long, it is London’s longest legal graffiti wall.

The history of Leake Street Arches Graffiti Tunnel

From its opening in 1994 to November 2007, the Eurostar used to run from Waterloo Station, and Leake Street was once an access road used by taxi drivers. Once the Eurostar terminal moved to St Pancras International, Leake Street tunnel was essentially abandoned.

In May 2008, Leake Street tunnel was transformed into a street art destination through Banksy’s exhibition, The Cans Festival (a play on The Cannes Film Festival) which saw the anonymous Bristol-born artist invite street art talents from around the world to paint the tunnel’s walls.

From 3-5 May 2008, renowned artists including Vexta, C215, Ben Eine, and Blek Le Rat joined lesser-known creators and even the general public in covering the walls with spray paint, stencils, and elaborate installations. The ‘Stencil Alley’ section welcomed public participation. Banksy’s vision, expressed in The Daily Telegraph as turning “a dark forgotten filth pit into an oasis of beautiful art,” became reality as the event generated significant media attention and established Leake Street as a street art destination.

On 14 November 2008 ownership of the road passed from Eurostar to Network Rail and through traffic was restricted to pedestrians. The tunnel is now a legal graffiti area, one of the few sanctioned spaces in London where street artists can freely practice their craft without fear of prosecution.

London and Continental Railways who became the landlord of Leake Street Arches and the managers of the Leake Street Tunnel obtained planning permission in 2015 from Lambeth council to create 25,000 square feet of restaurants and bars.

Over the following few years, eight of the railway arches next to Leake Street were restored and redeveloped to create a collection of independent bars, restaurants and entertainment spaces. These now include Draughts (a board game cafe), Passyunk Avenue and Mamuska Polish restaurant.

What is there to see at Leake Street graffiti tunnel?

Leake Street graffiti tunnel is a safe place to introduce your children to street art. What makes Leake Street special is its constantly evolving nature. The walls are continuously repainted, with new artworks replacing old ones. So, no two visits will be the same. Even if you have visited before, you will likely find something new to reward another visit. Best of all, it’s completely free to access, so you can visit as often as you like.

Although Banksy is synonymous with the history of Leake Street graffiti tunnel, he doesn’t have any works currently on display there. There is one piece in Leake Street that many casual visitors might mistake for a Banksy, but it is, in fact, a piece by Blek Le Rat.

Banksy has acknowledged Blek’s influence on street art stating “every time I think I’ve painted something slightly original, I find out that Blek Le Rat has done it as well, only twenty years earlier”.

If you’re lucky, during your visit you might even spot some street artists at work…

… and if you fancying having a go yourself, why not book your family onto a graffiti workshop? Alternatively, take along a Posca marker (affiliate) and leave your mark on London.

Have you visited Leake Street Arches graffiti tunnel? Share your experiences with others in the comments.