A large part of central London’s busy Soho area has been evacuated after a suspected Second World War bomb was found at a building site.
Police were called at 1. pm on Monday to Dean Street which they have cordoned off between Oxford Street and Shaftesbury Avenue after the device was found near the Soho Hotel.
Poland Street, Soho Square, Old Compton Street, Wardour Street, Manette Street and Lexington Street have also been cordoned off.
People in Dean Street’s many cafes, restaurants, pubs and offices have been evacuated as the army’s bomb squad was called in.
Radio host Judymay Murphy said she was “very ably” evacuated from private members club The Groucho Club.
“It’s never this quiet,” she tweeted.
Literary scout Charlie Mundy left her fifth floor office in Old Compton Street after being told of the evacuation by another office worker in the building.
She told Sky News: “When we got downstairs lots of local businesses had clearly been evacuated as the streets were heaving.
” Police were removing us all from Old Compton Street onto Charing Cross Road.
“All the streets surrounding me were cordoned off, with police and bomb disposal specialists all around. It was all very calm though.”
Businesses in the area have been tweeting they are closed until further notice.
Mayfair councillor Pancho Lewis asked anybody nearby to follow police advice.
Just before 5pm, Soho Police said the roads were still closed and they could not give “any timeframe for them to reopen”.
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