According to campaigners, who have organised a petition of over 1,000 signatures, the traditionally Irish area of Digbeth is being overrun with characterless apartment blocks while pubs are coming under pressure to keep the Irish music down or lose their license.

"What has happened in Digbeth in the last few years is little short of a disgrace, " said John Tighe, landlord of the Spotted Dog, one of Birmingham's bestknown traditional Irish pubs. "The council is supposed to have been redeveloping the Irish Quarter here in Digbeth, but all they are doing is producing a characterless reproduction of any other typical English suburb."

Digbeth is the equivalent of Dublin's Temple Bar, made up of individual businesses, traditional pubs and arts centres.

In 2001, the Irish government gave �1m to the Irish centre in Digbeth and expressed their support for the council's decision to designate the area as an Irish Quarter. But according to local residents, the results are far from Irish enough.

"Digbeth is in real danger of losing what it's famous for . . . the traditional Irish music, the great atmosphere and social scene . . . and becoming just another British soulless suburb, " said Adam Crossley, who set up a website campaign, keepdigbethvibrant. co. uk, to publicise the situation.