Her Majesty’s Treasury is usually full of bookish types crunching numbers to balance the nation’s books.
But the heart of the George Osborne’s finance ministry has been hired out as a location for a Hollywood blockbuster, featuring fast cars and dancing girls.
The circular court of the Treasury building is transformed into an underground nightclub in the latest movie in the Fast and Furious series starring Vin Diesel.
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Cinemagoers might not realise that the supercars and scantily-clad partygoers in Fast and Furious 6 are partying at the heart of the Treasury
The scenes are a long way from the quiet number-crunching normally associated with the inner workings of the government's finance ministries
In the trailer for the film, released on May 17, Vin Diesel is seen driving into the circular court of the Treasury building
Fast Six sees the smash hit franchise return to cinemas next month, with Diesel’s professional criminal Dominic Toretto helping to bring down a new criminal gang in return for full pardons for the crimes of his own crew.
As Toretto travels the world in an attempt to round up his crew, he arrives in London where he pulls up at the entrance to a huge open air party.
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But what most cinema-goers will not realise is the scene was filmed in the sedate surroundings of the 100-year-old Treasury building at the heart of Whitehall.
The grand circular court is usually used as a car park by civil servants working at the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs.
Fast and Furious at the Treasury
The circular court lies at the heart of the Treasury building joining St James' Park to Whitehall. The building to the right is used by HM Revenue and Customs
The Treasury building at 1 Horse Guards Road overlooks St James' Park, around the corner from the House of Parliament
Mr Osborne, pictured today, has been boosted by news that the economy has grew by 0.3 per cent in the first three months of this year
The site, known as Government Offices Great George Street (GOGGS) has been home to the Treasury since 1940.
Mr Osborne was boosted by news today that the economy has grown by 0.3 per cent, better than many analysts expected.
Industry insiders suggested big Hollywood films would pay between £2,000 and £5,000-a-day to hire commercial buildings.
Filming took place over a weekend with extra security thought to have been laid on to keep the nation's financial secrets safe.
The appeal of the Fast and Furious series has relied heavily on featuring young women and the latest cars
Some of the scenes are likely to raise eyebrows in Westminster
The poster for Fast and Furious 6, which is released in UK cinemas on May 17, also features views of the London skyline
It marks a radical move for the government, but with borrowing remaining stubbornly high every penny that can be raised helps.
Total public sector net debt was a record £1.2trillion in March, equating to 75.4 per cent of GDP and up from £1.1 trillion a year earlier.
The decision to hire out the building was made by its owners, a contractor who runs the ministry under a Private Finance Initiative contract.
In the trailer for the new film Toretto is seen being asked by Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs, played by Dwayne Johnson, for help to catch a mercenary group which attacked a military convoy.
He asks them to bring his elite team together in London, which is where the Treasury scene appears.
Groups of young women in short skirts are seen dancing on cars in the government building’s circular court.
The latest Bond film, Skyfall, used the roof of the Department for Energy and Climate Change to capture these scenes of the London skyline
A Treasury source confirmed the site was used by Universal Pictures for the film, but could not say how much the firm paid.
The decision to allow a Hollywood blockbuster to use government buildings assets could open up a new lucrative income stream for cash-strapped ministers.
Previously James Bond has been the main beneficiary of using Whitehall as the backdrop for the big screen.
In Skyfall Daniel Craig filmed scenes on the room of the Department for Energy and Climate Change to capture spectacular views of the capital’s skyline.
The Scotland Office also received £1,500 income from the makers of the film Skyfall, but it is not clear that it was eventually used.
Fast and Furious 6 opens in the UK on May 17.