Some records claim this was a Temperance Hotel, but part of the property held a licence and certainly sold ale as court records show.
Stood on the corner of Loseby Lane and St Martins, next to Parr’s bank.
Records show that Clement Pretty, classed in 1847 as a grocer, lived or occupied these premises (in 1859 Clement Pretty was listed also as pawnbroker in Market Place). Pretty was a temperance believer and must have been somewhat of an entrepreneur as he eventually built up a sixteen bed lodging house for gentlemen, with a shop entrance in Loseby Lane. Pretty’s ostensible backing of the temperance movement didn’t stop him of getting a beer licence circa 1865 for the grocery shop – Bank Stores, now being called Three Crowns. Pretty applied for a full licence (wines and spirits as well as ale), in 1867 and 1868 under the name the Bank Stores, only to be turned down. The nearby clergy in St Martins were one of the objectors.
Pretty knew how to network as this report of the 1870s shows:
‘The Three Crowns for many years was used by the leaders of the midland circuit and the county court judge who together with Lord Howe were instrumental in getting the premises licensed.’It is not what you know!
A couple of interesting court cases are worth mentioning. One, in March 1874, was when a William Coleman was drunk and disorderly and refused to quit the Three Crowns. Clement Pretty said that Coleman entered and asked for glass of ale. He was supplied the ale but then produced a violin which he began to play, and refused to desist, then he refused to leave the bar when asked.
Another case which happened prior to the violin player was in September 1871. George Clamp, the Inspector of the Borough Police and superintendent of the Fire Brigade, with another man named Kemp entered the vaults of the Three Crowns and ordered two glasses of ale. Pretty could sense they were drunk, Inspector Clamp in the course of the visit was accused by Pretty of stealing, which said item fell from his pocket when leaving.
Inspector Clamp who had ‘previous’, was sent to the magistrates’ court. The case was protracted with Clamp claiming he was given permission to take the said items. The magistrates then commended landlord Pretty for bringing the case to court, telling Inspector Clamp that he had used great indiscretion as a public servant and should have been more careful with his conduct – but nothing could be gained by any sentence, so they dismissed the case.
Clement Pretty died suddenly aged fifty nine in 1875. Mary Ann Pretty took on the licence for a short period from April that year until November 1876 when Thomas Liggins Foxon took over. By 1877 he closed the Three Crowns for a major refit.
An ad read: ‘The Crowns some time called ‘Pretty’s after the previous owner, was closed in May 1877 for extensive alterations with a new management selling a stock of first class wines and spirits.’
Later that year the licence renewal was applied for transfer from Foxon to Sharp Tugby. This was refused due to Tugby being an unsuitable candidate as licensee due to his intemperance, Tugby appealed but that was dismissed.
It seems that Clement Pretty, due to his forceful nature and the key contacts, had pushed the right buttons in gaining a licence. Now its position near the cathedral put that in doubt. Whether by design or otherwise in February 1883 the now named Crowns Temperance and Commercial Hotel was put up for sale by auction.
The Foxons were still running the Hotel in 1890, but by 1900 Hiram Lawrence had taken over.
Later the building was known as Crown Chambers where many insurance agents, solicitors and architects had their offices.