Saxon Hawke House, known locally as the Lyon Works building, on Templar Street has been left derelict since 2006 but is steeped in history.
It originally opened in 1925 and was used by Mr Samuel Henry Lyons for a tailoring company to produce quality garments such as suits, ties, shirts and trousers.
In the 1960s, as the Chinese community in the city was growing, the building transformed into a huge Chinatown Shopping Mall and the building now accommodated oriental shops, restaurants, massage parlours and other businesses.
However over time the businesses started to dissolve and by 2006 the Lyons Works building was left empty and disused.
Since it's closure it has remained empty and derelict, with the most recent attention the building gaining coming in 2016 when the façade was transformed by art students to feature a huge mural inspired by Albert Einstein that read: "Learn from yesterday, Live for today, design for tomorrow".
A local urban explorer, who posts under the moniker Lost Places and Forbidden Faces, recently set foot inside the building and shared the below photos from his visit.
In the 1960s, as the Chinese community in the city was growing, the building transformed into a huge Chinatown Shopping Mall and the building now accommodated oriental shops, restaurants, massage parlours and other businesses.
![The pictures create an overall sense of what it was like working at Lyons Works all of those years ago](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/05/01/16/17/Lyons%20Works.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
13. Lyons Works
The pictures create an overall sense of what it was like working at Lyons Works all of those years ago | Lost Places and Forgotten Faces Photo: Lost Places and Forgotten Faces
![Since its closure the building has remained empty and derelict for almost two decades](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/05/01/16/07/Lyons%20Works.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
14. Lyons Works
Since its closure the building has remained empty and derelict for almost two decades | Since it's closure it has remained empty and derelict for almost two decades Photo: Since it's closure it has remained empty and derelict for almost two decades
![More of the old packages found during the exploration of the old Lyons Works building](https://www.thestar.co.uk/jpim-static/image/2024/05/01/16/10/Lyons%20Works.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
15. Lyons Works
More of the old packages found during the exploration of the old Lyons Works building | Lost Faces and Forgotten Faces Photo: Lost Faces and Forgotten Faces