The three and four-storey brick building, which has a central courtyard, had workshops mainly on the ground floor. Upper areas included a first-floor exhibition room, where buyers from around the world would come to see the items made there.

By the late 1960s, however, the industry had declined to the extent the works were mostly derelict and empty. Samuel Peace, a furniture businessman, took over the site to manufacture handles used on Stag wardrobes - giving the site the name that survives to this day.

His son Donald, who ran the operation, started to allow bands and musicians in to practise. Their use of Stag Works grew over the years, taking advantage of cheap rents, and they now make up about 55 per cent of tenants.

The works are owned by City Estates, developer of the West One apartments complex.

Although it is Grade II listed, so cannot be demolished, there were fears it could be redeveloped.

Proposals were put forward in 1997 to create student apartments and bedsits but planning permission was refused.

In more recent years, tenants have been worried its owners may have wanted to take advantage of the city living boom to turn the works into trendy flats, which has happened at other former industrial sites.

Another threat to the building's use as a centre for bands and musicians has been complaints about noise from neighbours. In 1984, Mr Peace temporarily closed the facilities after being prosecuted by environmental health officers under noise pollution laws.

The growing number of flats in the neighbourhood has led to renewed concern that music-related activity could be curtailed or even stopped altogether.

The refurbishment plans have provided an opportunity to resolve the issue - by proposing to move music studios and rehearsal rooms to the ground floor, where they would be soundproofed.