 The building was originally an Owen Owen warehouse, which was purchased by steel magnate James Spencer in the late 1980s to convert into a nightclub and snooker hall.A "Heritage Market" was opened shortly after to make use of the large unused lower floor space at the rear.Originally opened in the late 1980s as a snooker hall and mainstream nightclub, there was also a market in the downstairs warehouse area, and the upstairs contained a small social club (the "Harlequin Suite") which could be hired out for social occasions.