A father of three has transformed a once-forgotten relic of the Cold War into a remarkable, historically faithful hideaway—preserving a piece of Britain’s past while creating a quiet retreat from the noise of the modern world.

Jon Graves, 37, a businessman from Pontefract, West Yorkshire, has lovingly restored a 15-foot-deep ex-Royal Observer Corps (ROC) nuclear bunker that once played a crucial role in monitoring radioactive threats across Britain. Originally sealed with concrete when he purchased the site three years ago, Jon unearthed the hidden space with a vision to revive it—not modernize it—and honor its legacy.

“It was never about modernizing it,” Jon said. “It was always about trying to get it back to a usable condition, similar to what it was historically. I didn’t want to put TVs in it. I didn’t want to put loads of tech in there; it was very much about, ‘Can we get it so it is a quiet space away from noise?’”

The former fallout shelter, known as Upton ROC, was active between 1964 and 1991 and is believed to have even detected radiation from the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. Jon’s decision to restore it to its original layout—complete with metal beds and period fittings—has captivated the imagination of many history enthusiasts and TV viewers alike. His renovation journey was even featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces on Channel 4.

“We tried to keep it in the same format, the same layout that was there originally, and I think we did that reasonably well,” he explained. “We ripped off all the old polystyrene tiles and cleaned it up, got rid of all the dead mice that were stuck in it, and just kind of decorated it.”

“We furnished it and put back in what was already there. So we didn’t put brand new modern beds in; we put old metal beds back in.”

From the Outset, Jon Had Been Drawn to the Idea of Owning One of the Bunkers

Originally, Jon had long wanted to own one of the roughly 1,500 ROC observation bunkers scattered across the UK. When he discovered one just a stone’s throw from his home, he didn’t hesitate.

“I’d always wanted to own one, but every time I saw one come up, they were all down south, miles away from home,” he said. “We’d never been in it. We took a punt, really, that it was going to be okay. The top of it was in a reasonable condition—all be it with the cap on top.”

To his surprise and relief, the bunker was bone dry when he first opened it—allowing him to dive straight into the restoration. Before accessing the shelter, he had even built a deck above it so he and his family could camp on the 40-foot by 50-foot plot of land surrounding it.

Once restored, the bunker became a place of enjoyment and escape for the family.

“It’s such a quirky, great building, and we used it loads last year. We had lots of fun,” Jon said. “For it to just sit and rot away and get cold and damp and overgrown just feels like a waste.”

Now, Jon Is Preparing to Sell the Bunker

As he prepares to emigrate to Dubai with his wife and three children, Jon has made the difficult decision to part ways with the bunker. The structure is going under the hammer at SDL Property Auctions on Nov. 21, with a guide price of between £15,000 and £20,000. The auction will be livestreamed on the company's website.

Jon emphasized the potential the space holds—not just as a historical site but as a functional, private sanctuary.

“It’s certainly big enough to record music in it,” he added. “If you live locally, you could just probably go and chill out in it. It’s a big enough space that you could go down.”

Unlisted and freehold, the property offers a rare opportunity for the right buyer to reimagine—or preserve—it as they see fit, subject to planning permission.

A Rare Listing

The property has already drawn attention, with Andrew Parker, auctioneer and partner at SDL Property Auctions, noting the uniqueness of the listing.

“There are only a handful of ROC nuclear bunkers left in the country, so to have this lot for sale in our auction is quite unusual,” he said. “This is only the fourth time we’ve had a bunker for sale, and the previous three generated a lot of interest, and we’re confident this lot will do the same.”

He added, “Some of the interested parties are simply curious to see what the inside of a nuclear bunker looks like, however, many are genuinely considering purchasing to secure their own piece of history.”

Despite global tensions and political uncertainty, Jon said interest in the bunker from doomsday preppers had actually declined.

“You would think it would be the other way around,” he joked. “But it’s definitely topical with the way American politics is at the moment and with Russia and Ukraine fighting. It wouldn’t survive a direct hit, that’s for sure, but from a novel perspective, it’s definitely interesting.”

A Tribute to the Cold War Era

Jon Graves’ project is more than just a personal venture—it’s a heartfelt tribute to a time when quiet vigilance in hidden shelters helped keep watch over a world on edge. His vision—to restore, not reinvent—offers a compelling reminder that history can be both preserved and lived in.

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