We expect to find him leaning casually on a bar in a tropical paradise ordering his signature dry martini, but it seems James Bond may in fact be more likely to frequent a much more exclusive watering hole a bit closer to his office.

In his first recorded interview, the head of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) has revealed that the spies in his organisation, better known as MI6, have their own bar, accessible only to those working at the headquarters in Vauxhall, London.

Sir Alex Younger said the secret bar was an essential element in allowing his operatives to unwind, given they cannot talk to anyone outside MI6 about the pressures of their work.

The head of MI6 said: “We can’t talk even to our closest friends about what we’re doing and so therefore we need a culture within where we can do that with each other.

“And it’s why we have our own bar, for instance, one of the most exclusive bars in London, it’s fair to say.”