Deep beneath Waterloo station and just 800ft from the London Eye runs Leake Street; a disused road tunnel which is now a designated legal graffiti area.

Leake Street SE1

Last open to traffic when Waterloo was home to the Eurostar terminal (more of which in the next and final part of this history on the station), Leake Street’s status as a graffiti hotspot originated in May 2008 when renowned street artist, Banksy arranged the ‘Cans Festival’; an exhibition featuring murals and art installations.

Poster for the 2008 ‘Cans Festival’

In his own words, the secretive artist expressed his wish that the project would “transform a dark forgotten filth pit into an oasis of beautiful art… I’ve always felt anyone with a paint can should have as much say in how our cities look as architects and ad men.”

Today, Leake Street continues to provide street artists with a vast, urban canvas.

Due to the nature of the style, the artwork changes frequently so repeated visits are well rewarded.

Where to find the Leake Street graffiti tunnel…

Images from my own recent visit can be viewed below.