Merry Christmas from all at the London Bridge Experience

Boxing Day 2010 Special Offer

From 11.00-16.00 we will be opening the London Tombs only, for the special rate of £10 per person.

Christmas Nightmares at the London Bridge Experience

This Christmas, The London Bridge Experience & London Tombs invite you to encounter the darker side of the festive season in their special Christmas Show “Christmas Nightmare”.


Take a journey through the historical, yet hysterical, Christmas time tunnel, courtesy of a ghostly Ebenezer Scrooge, where he will introduce you to a number of seasonal characters who have helped shape the face of Christmas over the centuries.


Visitors are welcomed into our magnificent grotto where they will have the chance to sit upon Santa’s knee and tell him their Christmas wishes. Here, there will also be a photo opportunity where visitors can treasure the memories of The London Bridge Experience, before exploring Christmas’ gone by.


On your journey, you will have the chance to join the Roman winter feast of Saturnalia, where Christmas dinner is served with a twist! Visitors will get the chance to get up close and personal with the infamous ‘vomit collectors’ who were traditionally employed to clear up the vomit of diners who purge themselves to make space for the next course!


If that doesn’t put you off, we then transport you back to the medieval Viking Age where you will be invited to raise a glass or two with a Norwegian Viking storyteller. Interestingly, find out how the origin of the “modern” Father Christmas story being pulled in his sleigh, comes from the ancient Nordic God “Thor” and his sledge which was traditionally pulled by ferocious horned goats.


Another, urban legend is the Frost Fair which took place each winter on a frozen River Thames. Londoners in the 1600s were able to take advantage of these freezing conditions by ice-skating across the river. However, with this sparked the fear of frozen lakes & rivers, with the tragic story of John Smith, who fell through the ice where he met his bitter death. Visitors are then invited to experience the darker side Christmas with the ghost of Charles Dickens, as he reflects on his experience of living among the destitute streets of London.


For those brave enough, they will be taken deep underground to the resting place of hundreds of disinterred plague victims in the London Tombs. These pits deep beneath the river are filled with unexplained noises, blasts of icy air and mysterious creatures that aren’t afraid to leap out of the darkness.


If the tombs were too much and you need time to recover, then sit down in The Peter Jackson Museum and browse in the gift shop at the unrivalled collection of spooky memorabilia. There are hundreds of gifts to choose from – stocking fillers to larger gifts, all perfect for the little terrors on Christmas morning. From skeleton key rings, to books of scary stories, there is something for everyone in the gift shop. Don’t forget to snap up your souvenir photo or why not treat your friends and family to a gift ticket so others can experience the UK’s Best Scare Attraction!

Face Your Fears: Samhainophobia - A fear of Halloween or the fear of the festival of the dead.

Halloween, or the Hallow E'en as they call it in Ireland, means All Hallows Eve, or the night before the All Hallows. It is thought to have originated around 4,000 BC, which means Halloween has been around for more than 6,000 years. Typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, Halloween celebrates the end of the lighter half of the year and beginning of the darker half, and is sometimes regarded as the Celtic New Year.


The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld opened on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. The family's ancestors were honoured and invited home, while harmful spirits were warded off. It is believed that the need to ward off harmful spirits led to the wearing of costumes and masks.


Anyone with samhainophobia would do just about anything to avoid Halloween activities. This includes giving out candy, wearing a costume, or even acknowledging that October 31 is a holiday. The most common symptoms of this phobia include breathlessness, excessive sweating, dry mouth, feeling sick, trembling, heart palpitations, inability to speak or think clearly, a fear of dying or a full blown anxiety attack. So for the sufferer, it can be a pretty nasty time.


It is not known why people develop a phobia for this holiday, but like all fears and phobias, samhainophobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. In some cases the actual cause or initial reasoning for fearing Halloween may be unknown. A little fact for you - Harry Houdini, one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived, strangely enough died in 1926 on Halloween night.


So, how do you cure your fear of Halloween? Well, we recommend coming down to The London Bridge Experience and London Tombs for an exciting and terrifying late night Phobophobia Halloween show. It is sure to scare you beyond belief, shock all of your senses, and test your nerve - but it is also so much fun that you will want to come back again and again!

Face Your Fears: Bathophobia

"Bathophobia" is derived from the Greek "bathos" (depth) and "phobos" (fear).
Bathophobia is the abnormal and persistent fear of depths. Some sufferers experience anxiety even though they realise that they are actually safe from falling. Other symptoms can include a feeling of panic or dread, a shortness of breath, increased heart rate and trembling.

So just imagine how a Bathophobic would have felt when, in 2009, six people were hurt when the lift at Tower Bridge in London suddenly dropped 10 feet whilst on the way down. Pretty scary stuff. Most of us would have been rather terrified by this event anyway, but for a Bathophobic this would have induced panic attacks, hysteria and the feeling that they were dying.


This fear of depths can be caused by anything from deep water, to looking down a dark well or shaft where the blackness renders you unable to see the bottom. Bathophobia can then lead to fears of other things, such as elevators, as by entering a lift you are then putting yourself in a position where you could possibly fall. Famous Star Trek actor, William Shatner, unfortunately suffers from this phobia. So, I hear you ask, what is the best way to cure your fear? Well, why not come and try out The Hellevator at The London Tombs? Known only as London's Deadliest Lift, you are sure to test your nerve and be put through your paces with this thrilling ride. After all...what goes up, must come down!

Face Your Fears: Phobophobia

Phobophobia: 1.(n) a morbid fear of developing a phobia.
2.(n) the best halloween event in London.
Admittedly, I might have added the second entry, but you get the idea.

Over the last few weeks, we've been covering all manner of phobias in the lead up to our Halloween extravaganza, Phobophobia. If you haven't seen or heard anything about this yet, a) where have you been? and b) check out our Phobophobia event page for full details.


Phobophobia, in the first sense of the word is when a person worries about getting a phobia. For example: "I won't be going to the snake show in case I develop a phobia of snakes. In fact, I'm so worried about getting snakephobia that I'm starting to getting sweaty palms and I'm feeling rather faint."


You can apply this school of thought to every phobia. Instead of trying to explain it myself, I stole these words from akorra.com: "It is liked with anxiety disorders and more common phobias like agoraphobia, (the fear of the market place, or the outdoors in today’s language). But it is more commonly described as a fear of fears, or a fear of developing phobias. People suffering from this disorder often have anxiety issues to begin with and phobophobia is the result of being so afraid of the internal consequences of anxiety. In other words a person can get so afraid of the sensation of anxiety that they become petrified of it happening again."
While it may not be the most common phobia out there, it surely has to be one of the worst for sufferers.


There are, of course a number of treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms of Phobophobia, but what better way than by facing your fears at the UK's Best Year Round Scare Attraction, The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs?
See you there….

Face Your Fears: Hemophobia

The average male body contains approximately five litres of blood. The average female body contains approximately three-and-a-half litres of blood. Imagine then, being scared of the sight of blood. Thousands of people across the world are, and can be referred to as hemophobiacs.

Hemophobia is an irrational and persistent fear of blood. The mere sight of claret will often remind sufferers of their own vulnerability and the eventuality that they will in fact one day die.

Symptoms are varied. Some sufferers might experience an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Conversely, others suffer from a drop in blood pressure and heart rate, faintness and weakness, which can, in turn, lead to a new fear: the fear of fainting.

When you suffer from ophidiophobia, you can ease the problem by not hanging around in snake-infested places. However, people with an uncontrollable fear of blood have much more to worry about: a paper cut, Sweeny Todd, Call of Duty and a good old Shakespearean tragedy all need to be avoided at all costs.

It's usually this point that I suggest some sort of cure, which mostly involves visiting the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs to face your fears. Not this week. If you suffer from hemophobia, the last thing you'd want to do is visit the UK's number one scare attraction. It'd be enough to make your knees go weak.

The Fear of all Fears: Lunaediesophobia

Ok, so for the last few weeks, we've covered a fairly standard set of phobias - spiders, snakes and dolls - this week, I thought we'd have a little fun with Lunaediesophobia.


Lunaediesophobia, or the fear of Mondays as it more commonly known, has affected every one of us at some point in our lives. Whether it's double science first thing; an end-of-month of report that needs completing by lunchtime; or just the thought of actually having to do something constructive after a weekend of merry mayhem, there comes a point in everyone's lives when you simply say to yourself - 'I'm really not looking forward to tomorrow'.


Evidence supporting this particular phobia is pretty scanty, other than the lines of Rainy Days and Mondays by the Carpenters. There's no Freudian theory behind it, there are no facts about how long Monday will actually take to kill you, and it doesn't appear in the top 100 of the world's greatest phobias… yet amazingly, it affects us all. And if the truth be told, the reason it's made it onto the interwebs today is through my own dread of getting up this morning.


You see, I rely on public transport to get to into the office, and schools have started up again for the autumn term, which means two things:


1• There's less seats on my train


2• My enjoyment of C.S. Lewis's Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be somewhat lessened due to the fact I can't sit and read in quiet.


Add to this the love I have for my bed and the huge mountain of work that sits between me and my monitor, and you can understand why Sunday just didn't last long enough.


Do you feel my pain? Can you understand where I'm coming from? Better still, can you top it? I'd love to hear your thoughts.


Join the conversation on Facebook, add your two pennies on Twitter, and we'll compile a list of the worst Monday morning experiences on the whole web.

Face Your Fears: Glossophobia

What's this? A fear of shiny-lipped women? A petrifaction of Cosmopolitan Magazine? A phobia of half of Dulux's range of paints? Alas, no - this week's Face Your Fears article, Glossophobia, is the fear of public speaking.

What makes this particular phobia so fascinating is the fact that it ranks higher on the big list of the world's fears than dying. Which means, as Jerry Seinfeld once famously pointed out, that most people at a funeral would rather be in the casket than delivering the eulogy.

Another fascinating fact regarding glossophobia is that is one of the few fears that can actually produce what a person thinks it will.

Sound convoluted? Then picture this: You're at an important work meeting and it's your turn to give the speech to the board about your department's performance over the last quarter. If you suffer from glossophobia, you've probably already got sweaty palms. Allow your fear to get the better of you and you'll probably lose all your confidence and become speechless when you take to the stage.

Do you suffer from Glossophobia? For the next couple of weeks, The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs are offering to help cure this fear for free. Simply come along to SCAREfactor dressed in your most hideous Zombie getup and act like you're half dead for your free curing. Oh, and you might just land a job working for us while you're here.

Face Your Fears: Claustrophobia

This week's Face Your Fears is dedicated to all you claustrophobics out there.

The word claustrophobia comes from the Latin word claustrum, which means 'a shut place' and the Greek word phóbos, which means 'fear'.

It's most likely to strike when in a confined space, like a lift, aeroplane or basement where there is little or no room to manoeuvre. And as with most common phobias, the cause of claustrophobia can be attributed to an unpleasant experience or learned behaviour.

As a child you may have been locked in a wardrobe. As an adult, there's a fair chance you may have been stuck in a lift. If you're really unlucky, you may have just learned to be afraid of small spaces by the adult in your life — a scenario that is most common with arachnophobia or ophidiophobia.

The primary symptom is a panic attack. You might be able to identify a claustrophobic as someone who always stands near the door at a party, terrified of getting too far away from their escape route.

So how do you get cured of such a phobia?

Hypnotism is one way as it can remove the nervous feeling altogether. But the best way? Face your fears, of course.

Here at the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs, we can help. Make your way down to The Big Squeeze - a confined chamber where the only way out is forward. Guaranteed to make your heart race and your sweat glands work overtime, being in a confined space isn't the only thing to watch out for…

If you've got any claustrophobia stories, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line on Facebook, or add your 140 characters on Twitter.

Face Your Fears: Ophidiophobia

A fear of snakes is perfectly normal. Since time began, the snake has been man's mortal enemy, tricking him to eat from the forbidden tree and getting him cast out of the Garden of Eden.

Greek mythology tells of a gargoyle called Medusa who could turn even the strongest of men into stone with a single look. Instead of hair, she had a head of snakes, each one lashing and thrashing, eager to strike fear into the heart of man.


Modern famous films like Indiana Jones, Snakes on a Plane, Anaconda et al. have also fuelled this fear of snakes, reinforcing one of the world's greatest phobias of this slithering serpent.


With so many negative references towards serpents spanning throughout history, it's hardly surprising that we are, on the whole, incredibly scared of snakes. As hard as I have looked, I haven't found a single story where the snake is the hero. It just doesn't happen - the snake is always the bad guy. Lodged firmly in the world's top ten most common phobias, ophidiophobia, or snakephobia as it is often known affects millions of people around the world. However, unlike other common fears, such as the dark, rejection and terrorist attacks, encounters with snakes can be reduced to a minimum Ñ especially here in the UK.


In Britain, there is only one deadly snake that you need to be wary of Ñ the Vipera berus, or adder as it's more commonly known. Part of the Viperidae family, it has long fangs that allow for a deep bite and a deadly venom that, in large doses, can kill.


Once injected, the venom from a viper causes immense pain, strong local swelling, blood loss and disruption to the blood clotting system. Death from a viper bite is caused by collapse in blood pressure.
If you are reading this in a warmer country than England, or you're preparing to go on holiday to snake-infested lands, there are many more deadly snakes you need to steer clear of.


The fierce snake, or inland taipan resides in central Australia, is brown or olive in colour and has distinctive black markings on the head. This snake could almost be considered a mass murderer as a single bite contains enough venom to kill 100 adult humansÉ Take that, human centipede!


Another incredibly deadly snake, the black mamba almost matches the inland taipan for deadliness. Growing up to 4.3 metres in length, it is indeed Africa's deadliest snake and commands one of the most potent venoms known to man. The mortality rate is nearly 100% and victims can be dead within 20 minutes of being bitten. What makes this particular breed so terrifying is the ferocity of its attacks, as it quite often strikes repeatedly.


Biting isn't the snake's only form of attack. The constrictor family can be just as deadly by squeezing the life out of its victims, slowly and really rather painfully.


The Burmese python is one of the largest snakes in the world and can grow up to 6 metres in length. And while this particular fiend doesn't have a venomous bite, it's gargantuan girth will squeeze you and squeeze you until you die.


So there you have it; a few freaky facts about snakes. Think you can face your fears? Then come visit The Snake Pit in The London Bridge Experience and London Tombs. We won't bite, I promisssssssss...

Face Your Fears - Arachnophobia

 

In the lead up to this year's Phobophobia, we thought we'd take a look at the biggest fears, frights and phobias that make your skin crawl. Spiders, small spaces, big spaces, lifts, darkness… its time to face your fears.

And to kick-start our face your fears season here at The London Bridge Experience and London Tombs, we thought we'd cover one of the world's greatest fears - spiders. According the National Institute of Mental Health, phobias affect 10% of all adults. Topping this list is arachnophobia — the extreme or irrational fear of spiders. Of all the 63,000 different species of arachnid in the world, only 2% are actually considered dangerous. The rest simply fall into the category of 'EWWW - it's a spider!'

So why are we scared of something so easily squashed by a slipper?

Here are just three reasons:
The Brazilian wandering spider is perhaps the most dangerous arachnid in the world. At just five inches long, this nomadic spider is known for its deadly bite. The venom released acts as a calcium channel blocker, which causes loss of muscle control, breathing problems, paralysis and asphyxiation.
The lethal black widow spider's venom is reported as being 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's. It too has been known to cause a paralysis of the diaphragm which can kill young children, the elderly and the infirm.
A third spider to steer well clear of is the Sydney funnel-web. It not only commands one of the deadliest venoms known to man, but its aggressive nature means you'll be lucky to escape with just one bite. They are known to strike repeatedly, which will almost certainly lead to a slow and painful death.
Now, imagine being left in a room full of these frightful creatures; each one waiting to sink their fangs into your flesh… Still think you're not afraid of eight-legged insects?
Come to The London Bridge Experience and London Tombs and face your fears. The Spider Nest has a vile infestation of arachnids of all shapes and sizes that are bound to send shivers down your spine. Just watch out for that web...

Face Your Fears - Ghost Hunting At The London Bridge Experience

Do you believe in ghosts? Have you got a fascination with the paranormal? Or perhaps you just like being scared witless. Either way, Haunted Happenings at the London Bridge Experience and London Tombs are one of the best ways to spend a night in London… In 2007 the BBC reported how builders refused to work alone in the tombs after a collection of skeletons were uncovered in a sealed vault in the basement. Light bulbs blew for no reason, tools mysteriously disappeared and contractors all felt as if someone was watching their every move. 

Later that year, before the tombs were opened to the public, bloggers retold stories of their nights among the dead. Further reports of faulty lighting, strange noises and ticking clocks were all commonplace and even the most hardened ghost hunter felt the cold chill of the paranormal activity in their immediate surroundings. Haunted Happenings are immensely popular nights that have just one intention — to reinstate your childhood fear of the dark. Join an expert paranormal team equipped with the latest ghost-hunting gadgetry as you go in search of all things abnormal. A historian will impart their knowledge of the area and mediums will be on hand to make connections with the other side. For a full itinerary of your night in the tombs, take a look at the ghost hunts page. And if you are looking for a corporate event with a difference, then look no further than The London Bridge Experience.

Beware of Zombies!

It is a well known fact that since its opening in 2008, The London Tombs has been home to an array of terrifying, gruesome and cunning zombies down in its depths. The question is, however, if the zombie army rose up and started a zombie invasion, would you know how to shield yourself??

Here are 10 handy tips to ensure you survive a zombie encounter:
1. Make sure you run! - Zombies are slow. The fastest one can attempt a speed-stumble, but generally they can't move as fast as a human jogger.
2. Start rubbing those sticks together! - Zombies hate fire, so start a nice little fire burning to keep them at bay.
3. Wear tight clothes and tie up your hair! - Zombies will do just about anything to get hold of you, so keep your clothes tight and your hair tied back to prevent being snagged by undead fingernails!
4. Burn a dead one! - Zombies, once killed, can still regenerate and will come back to find you with a vengeance. So make sure that if you kill a zombie, cremate it so it doesn't come back to try and bite you!
5. Stay away from Chuck Norris! - If Chuck gets bitten, possibly the most dangerous zombie ever will be created! So, if you see Chuck Norris, run!! After all, when the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
6. Stairs are your friend! - Zombies have really poor co-ordination, so will often have trouble trying to get up staircases, making them slow and easier to kill/run away from!
7. Stay away from any Zoos! - Human zombies are hard to escape from, but imagine a zombie animal stampede after you...doesn't bare thinking about!
8. Get a boat! - Zombies don't like water as they have no brain activity, and so they lack all of the physical control that would enable them to swim!
9. Get to the Supermarket! - A supermarket is a great place for long-term survival as it has all the food and entertainment you could need! Just make sure you create strong barricades to stop the Zombies from getting in, then sit back in the comfort of the home section and enjoy all of the free food on offer!
10. Go for the brain! - The best way to kill a zombie is to destroy the brain which will then immobilise them. And if they cant move (or bite!) then you will be far better off!


Now you should be armed with all the necessary skills to survive a zombie invasion and continue the human race should this crazy event ever occur! Good luck!

Meet Queen Boudicca

When the Romans invaded old Londinium in AD 43, they hadn't reckoned on the power of the Iceni. After Prasutagus, the ruler of the Iceni died, the Romans seized the opportunity to take this part of the country for their own to the detriment of the Iceni.

The late Prastagus's wife, Queen Boudicca was publicly flogged; her children deflowered; and property was confiscated which caused widespread resentment towards the Romans. In 60AD the Iceni rebelled and completely destroyed Colchester, the capital of Roman Britain. They went on to sack London and St Albans killing thousands on the way, and almost forcing the Roman empire to retreat from Britain altogether.

Of course, news spread of Boudicca's victories and a group of Romans led by Paulinus finally defeated the rebel forces. Many Britons died in this bloody battle and it is thought that Queen Boudicca killed herself to avoid capture. A legend of her time and an inspiration to many, Queen Boudicca's finest moments are captured within the London Bridge Experience. See how the rebel forces thwarted the Romans in one of the goriest battles of the era.

"The UK’s best scare attraction“ 2nd year running!

The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs were delighted to be named “The Best Year Round Scare Attraction” at the UK’s only awards for the Scare and Haunted Attractions Industry.


On May 6th 2010, the much anticipated Screamie Awards returned for yet another year at The Magic Circle Headquarters in Central London. The Screamie Awards, or Screamies as they are more commonly referred to, are an award which recognises the immense talent and ingenuity that is prevalent in the exciting scare and haunted attraction industry.  The ceremony which is a key event in every major scare attractions diary, is voted for by the public and is a great way of identifying some of the best attractions and events around the country. 


The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs were delighted to  retain the crown as as ‘The UK’s Scariest Visitor Attraction” thanks to an impressive  and highly invested new set design and the continuous development to the year-round show.


David Leon, Secretary, BASHA says “ The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs deserves the award for the UK’s Scariest Attraction, as they provide a consistently good scare fix all year round, so customers don’t have to wait until October to get scared. The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs  is a great attraction for everyone to enjoy. The first part of the attraction offers families  and school parties with a historical account of the history of London Bridge, whilst groups of teenagers just love the London Tombs. “


The special ceremony which marks the annual ScareCON event took place at The Magic Circle Headquarters, in Euston, central London. The London Bridge Experience & The London Tombs were particularly praised for continuously striving to update and renew their show content, fighting fierce competition from The London Dungeons, Pasaje del Terror in Blackpool, Scream at Madame Tussauds and York Dungeons.


There are now treble the number of scare attractions there were three years ago as customers rush to put themselves in horrific situations and be frightened out of their minds. Hundreds of thousands of thrill seeking customers pay entrance fees every year in the UK to be scared witless, leaving breathless, shaking and clammy palmed, so what are you missing out on?


“Scare attractions” are a unique style of theatrical storytelling that aim to immerse the audience in an intense experience. Through a combination of live actors, special effects and design, guests are treated to a frightening experience, which will take them on a safe, yet terrifying journey into the unknown. From the success of top attractions such as The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs, it would seem that the public’s desire for this unique form of entertainment is unquenchable. The Scare attractions that work best are the ones that offer a genuine and terrifying scare all year round, and offer a new level of scare and intensity. People want to experience the fear they witness whilst watching horror movies, so attractions have to up their game in terms of technology on offer as well as frequent updates to ensure their attraction looks fresh and exciting. Attractions such as The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs have definitely proved that there is demand for a darker scare.


The UK public have a seemingly morbid fascination with death and gore, and although the blatant scare attraction is a huge draw, the more subtle and lifelike horror can be just as creepy. However as the Screamie Awards demonstrate, The London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs remain at the forefront of the industry as The UK’s Scariest Visitor Attraction and invite everyone to come down and put it to the test!


Get your tickets online now.