First known record was 1875, when Joseph Cooper transferred the licence of the Clowes Arms (named after Samuel Clowes, Leicester North MP, 1868-80) to William Draycott. He advertised the stables and two beds (suitable for ‘gentlemen hunters’).
George Ashton moved from the Black Horse, Belgrave Gate in August 1876. He also carried on a blacksmith’s business in Bath Street, but filed for liquidation in July 1877 with liabilities of £150.
In the late 1870s, James Anderson passed on the licence to Thomas Spriggs of the Trent Valley Brewing Co., Lichfield. They in turn were acquired by the Lichfield Brewing Co., one of the breweries that inadvertently sold contaminated beer in 1900 when they used contaminated brewing sugar from Bostock & Co. This caused an epidemic of illness and some deaths, mostly in the north of England – Lichfield Brewery were one of the furthest south.
The arsenic poisoning was traced back to Bostock’s sugar, It was a major scandal 1900-1901. Since the Clowes Arms used Lichfield Brewery Beer, so must have been affected in some way.
Portland Street became Portsmouth Road during the 1890s.
The Clowes Arms licence renewal was objected to in 1895, for selling adulterated brandy when James Green was the victualler. The pub was acquired by Samuel Allsopp & Sons, circa 1931.
The Clowes Arms’ position off the Golden Mile inevitably meant that the pub would become Asian dominated. A pub that served Indian food became a total Indian Restaurant called Naseeb @ the Clowes.
2023 (Jeremy Corbett collection) at least its given recognition to its history with the name.