Benedict Cumberbatch as the eponymous hero in the BBC’s Sherlock series (Picture: BBC)

He’s known for his razor-sharp intellect, dapper deerstalker, trusted companion – and shabby rented flat.

And fans of Sherlock Holmes could soon be able to live the life of the fictional detective in a £25million attraction.

However, they will not be taking a hansom cab to 221B Baker Street but to the city where Sherlock’s story began.

The ‘word-class multimedia experience’ is planned for Portsmouth, the city where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle started writing about the detective after he moved there in 1882.


It will combine recreations of plots and aspects of Sherlock’s life in London, with holograms of different characters, using resources from the city’s extensive Conan Doyle collection.



Steve Pitt, from the city’s cultural partnership, said: ‘There are so many tie-ins around the legacy of Sherlock Holmes being “born” in Portsmouth.

‘That’s something that when we look at it, has the potential to create a massive amount of jobs.

‘There are 6.9million people who search for Sherlock Homes and Conan Doyle on Google every month. There is a massive market for this.’

Dr Christopher Pittard, a senior English Literature lecturer at Portsmouth University, added: ‘It’s a natural place to have it.’

The idea is expected to go to a private consultation next month.