Wrexham’s Cold War Bunker with a Beat.
ROC2
Studios
We met Steve Hywyn Jones during the long hot summer of 2026. Luckily, ROC2 Studios—located in the quiet fields of Borras, just a couple of miles outside Wrexham town centre—offered us welcome relief from the sweltering heat.
Wrexham's
Creative
Music
Space
Offering us a personal guided tour of the facilities Steve has proudly
operated since 2015, he shared the story of his own creative career and this extraordinary site.
The
Setting
Set back from winding village lanes, a story of transformation has unfolded within the facility’s
metre-thick concrete walls.
Built in 1962 at the height of the Cold War as No. 17 Group HQ for the
Royal Observer Corps (ROC), this protected bunker was designed to withstand radioactive fallout
and serve as part of the UK’s nuclear warning network. For decades, ROC volunteers manned the
complex, monitoring fallout data and tracking threats in the central Map Room.
The
Modern
Custodian
"When you step through those blast doors, you instantly feel the sheer density of the place," Steve
explains. "It was built to survive the unthinkable, but today that massive physical isolation is what
gives us such a pure acoustic environment. It’s completely silent from the outside world."
A Hallowed
Ground of
UK Dance
When the Cold War ended and the ROC was disbanded in the 1990s, the bunker faced an uncertain
future. The silence was soon broken not by warning sirens, but by the basslines and energy of house
music. Renowned electronic music group K-Klass repurposed the site, converting the former Map
Room into their production and remix studio and leaving their mark also in the corridor, where a
distinctive yellow-and-black floor remains, inspired by Manchester’s legendary Haçienda club.
The
K-Klass
Legacy
"K-Klass took a space meant for military tracking and turned it into an engine for electronic
music," says Steve. "They invested heavily, bringing in renowned acoustician Sean Zoega to design
a world-class recording environment within the old Map Room—and we're the beneficiaries today,
because it's an absolute dream to record in this space."
Innovative
Sound
Studios
The
Journey
Before establishing ROC2, Steve spent years as a bassist and vocalist with the Welsh band Brodyr y
Ffin ("Brothers on the Border"), recording two albums and singles for Sain Records, before
transitioning into broadcast sound recording for major international television productions.
Today's
Creators
Under Steve’s stewardship, the bunker’s capabilities have expanded far beyond a standard recording
setup. The Map Room is now a spacious LEDE (Live End-Dead End) recording space equipped
with modular Goboblocks—ideal for live band tracking (such as local wizard grunge band Groom
The Giant) and choral acoustics (recently utilized by John's Boys Male Chorus for their EP). The
space also hosts radio dramas like BBC Wales’ Bravo Two Charlies, alongside masterclasses with
resident artist Matt Thomas for University of Chester students.
Pure
Unfiltered
Energy
"We transformed the Map Room into a tracking room so artists can capture pure, unfiltered energy,"
Steve notes. "Whether it’s a chamber orchestra or a raw grunge band cranking up their amps, the
room responds to the sound in a way modern drywall studios just can't match."
Full
Media
Suites
Today, ROC2 Studios functions as a full Media Innovation Hub, featuring edit suites, a voiceover
booth, rehearsal areas, and a dedicated Infinity Cove photo/video studio. ROC2 is also home to
creative organisations like Eternal Media, alongside resident artists who lease production rooms
permanently. Steve Nicholls, guitarist with Baby Brave, popped out of one to discuss their imminent
new album release.
Wrexham faithful band - famous from FOCUSWales and WrexFest music festivals record at ROC2 Studios
Baby
Brave
"ROC2 isn't just a building you rent for a few hours," Steve told us. "It’s also a living, breathing creative community. Every room has a history, but every day we’re focused on what’s coming next."
