Originally built as a girl’s school circa 1861, later used as a tax office and YMCA amongst other things.
Bought by the Bowie family in 1934 and ran ever since as a hotel.
In 1950, James Bowie was granted a licence to sell alcohol.
The main entrance to the hotel is in New Walk but the bar fronts De Montfort Street. The hotel is now called the Belmont House Hotel.
The bar has had a few name changes, most with family connections such as Jamies’ Bar, Olive’s Bar, Bruno’s Bar, Bowie’s Bar and Cherry’s Bar.
In 1971, the bar was opened as a Parisian style, (below), far ahead of its time as many continental café bars were not to come into fashion until the 1990s.
