From eerie McDonald’s to a guitar shop haunted by Jimi Hendrix — we reveal UK’s most surprising spooky spots

IT’S the spookiest day of the year . . . and it’s no trick that these celebs look a treat.

Conjuring up some ghoulish glamour are stars including Ashley Roberts, Amanda Holden, Maya Jama, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.

Dressed as everything from cheeky cheetahs and Tiger King’s Carole Baskin to Power Rangers and Jessica Rabbit, these supernatural stars are dressed to thrill.

But what if you are on the hunt for some real paranormal excitement?

Forget haunted houses, spooky castles and ghostly graveyards, plenty of spirits are lurking in the most unlikely places.

From an eerie branch of McDonald’s to a guitar shop said to be haunted by Jimi Hendrix, we reveal the most surprising spooky haunts in the country — as recorded on the UK’s official Paranormal Database.

So if you feel chills next time you book a holiday in Banbury or order a Big Mac in South London, you know who to call . . . 

McDonald’s, Eltham, South East London

If you pop into this branch of the fast-food chain, don’t expect a happy meal.

The basement was once the crypt of an old church and staff have got into a McFlurry several times after seeing the “crypt dweller”.

In 2015 a local psychic confirmed the presence of a headless pregnant woman from the 1800s.

Guitar, Amp & Keyboard Centre, Brighton

In May 2019, CCTV footage taken overnight here sparked a storm on social media.

A video on YouTube showed a ghostly shadow gliding across the floor and guitars gently swaying — then stopping dead.

Items fell off the walls.

One viewer commented: “It’s (Jimi) Hendrix wanting to try out a new axe!”

Conington level crossing, near Peterborough

If you fancy a break in the Cambridgeshire countryside, beware!

You might encounter the country’s most haunted level crossing.

Known locally as “the crossing of death”, an Army colonel named Mellows was reportedly killed by a train here, along with his dog, in 1948 and buried beside the railway tracks.

His ghostly figure still drives up to the crossing and opens the gates.

Best not cross him.

Co-op Travel shop, Banbury, Oxon

The 17th-century wood-panelled Ye Olde Reindeer pub in Banbury is said to have been Roundheads leader Oliver Cromwell’s secret HQ.

But a nearby travel agent gets all the spooks.

Over the years, staff have claimed a playful poltergeist will lock the toilet door, waft the smell of burnt toast around the office and hurl files from the shelves.

What could it be? Computer says ghost . . . 

The Ghost Train, Blackpool Pleasure Beach

Rumour has it the famous amusement park is teeming with spirits.

The ghost train — the first of its kind here when it opened in 1931 — is said to be haunted by a former ride operator nicknamed “Cloggy” because he always wore clogs.

He died on the ride many years ago, and if you listen carefully, you will hear his echoing footsteps.

Smethwick swimming pool, Birmingham

Workers building this Thirties art-deco pool discovered a medieval plague pit on the site, with the bones of around 300 bodies below what is now the main reception.

Staff claim to have seen several ghosts after hours, including a boy covered in white powder and a ghostly girl who likes to hold people’s hands.

With hushed voices, mysterious mists and dramatic drops in temperature too, this offers a deep dive into the underworld.

Pryzm nightclub, Nottingham

Though we can’t go clubbing at the moment, in Nottingham that might be just as well.

In 2018, a chilling scene was captured on CCTV at the giant city-centre venue — which in the 19th century was a jail.

The clip showed a till and fridge spontaneously opening on their own.

Could an old lag be locked up here for afterlife?

Cromer Pier, Norfolk

A pier at Cromer was first built in the 1300s — and the structure we see today in 1901.

Some locals say it is a gateway to the spirit world, after hearing inexplicable moans and seeing glasses smash in mid-air.

When staff called in paranormal investigators, they found “Elizabeth”, an actress who was apparently killed on stage when a prop knife was somehow switched for a real one.

Her silhouette has been seen hovering over the pier as she mournfully sings.

Castlegate Shopping Centre, Stockton-on-Tees

Security staff on the night shift have seen several ghostly figures and often hear morbid music or otherworldly sounds.

The mall is located on the grounds of a 12th-century Norman castle and is split into two buildings.

Walker House remains in use but Stephenson House, abandoned since the Seventies, is home to most of the chilling tales.

Last year the building was reopened to the public for a charity ghost tour.

Liverpool Street Station, East London

If the fact that a plague pit containing 30 suspected plague victims was found under the commuter hotspot doesn’t scare you — and neither does the horror of pre-Covid rush hour — perhaps a glimpse of the station’s resident ghost will.

Workers have complained about the spirit of a man in overalls appearing on the eastbound Central Line platform after hours, seemingly waiting for a train that never comes.

Londoners will know the feeling.

His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen

A headless male ghost, affectionately dubbed “Jake” by staff, has stalked this playhouse for years.

A refurbish-ment in 1982 got rid of much of the old stage equipment and, so it seemed, Jake with it . . . only for him to reappear in 2006, apparently wearing high heels.

Jake is said to be a former stagehand who lost his head in an accident during a circus performance just before World War Two.

He can be heard moving around the stage.

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