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The Hidden Tunnels of New Brighton
30 feet underneath the Palace Arcades are hidden tunnels, where, once upon a time ago, they were used as Pleasure Boat ...
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The Hidden Tunnels of New Brighton
30 feet underneath the Palace Arcades are hidden tunnels, where, once upon a time ago, they were used as Pleasure Boat River Cave type rides, as they were filled with sea water, and went on for quite some distance, there were several openings in the rock face by where the miniature golf further along the sea wall now stands, the ground level has been higher-ed to block off the entrances.
During the WW2, these tunnels (an air vent on Virginia Road, behind the arcade was the public entrance in) were Air Raid Shelters. They were also a munitions factory, separated by just a wall, were 200 woman worked round the clock making munitions unbeknown to the folk hiding in the air raid shelter..... not so sure they would have been so keen to be seeking shelter in there, had they been aware that the women working for the war effort, were working with gun powder. Luckily the Palace was not hit during the bombing of WW2.
The hidden tunnels later became a nightclub, The Creep Inn, which closed in the 90's.
http://www.hiddenwirral.org/ww2-secret-tunnels-h…/4593396244
Another thing the tour guide mentioned, whilst relaying the history to us, he showed us a photo of "Skippy" pictured outside one of the local buildings, whose premises were used for "The Guide Dogs for the Blind Charity" first set up in Wallasey.
Skippy was a German Shepherd, the first Guide Dog for the Blind, where it took 3 years to train him up. And yes, I hear you shout " but Labradors are guide dogs for the blind...." German Shepherds were the perfect choice of guide dogs until WW2 occurred, and then we were not to be seen supporting anything German, and so the switch was made to train up Labradors, our guide dogs of today.
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