Britain’s “wonkiest pub”, which dates back to 1765, has been gutted by fire just days after being sold to a private buyer for alternative use.
Firefighters were called on Saturday night to the Crooked House pub, in Himley near Dudley in the West Midlands, which gained its name after it started sinking into the ground due to mining subsidence in the area.
Roads around the area were closed as smoke and flames poured from the building.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire fire and rescue service said several crews attended a severe fire at the pub and tried to extinguish the blaze.
Staffordshire police said they were working with fire investigators to establish the cause of the fire. A spokesperson for the force said: “Fire investigators are inspecting the scene this morning and officers are making local inquiries to secure any information that might help the investigation.”
Such a sad end to such a historic building… RIP the Crooked House pub… pic.twitter.com/C0Azbp4ZXQ
— Once Upon A Time In The Black Country (@once_country) August 6, 2023
The building, originally a farmhouse, became a public house in about 1830. It was initially named the Siden House; “siden” means “crooked” in the local Black Country dialect.
It was deemed unsafe in the 1940s and was scheduled for demolition, before it was bought by Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries, which used buttresses and girders to make the structure safe while maintaining its lopsided appearance.
It has been a tourist attraction ever since, thanks to its distinctive appearance and optical illusions created by the wonky structure, such as coins and marbles appearing to roll uphill along the bar.
Its former owner, the British pub and hotel operator Marston’s, put the pub up for sale this year with a guide price of £675,000.
An update post on the pub’s Facebook page on 27 July said: “The Crooked House has been sold. Unlikely to open its doors again. Marston’s have sold the site to private buyer for alternative use, that is all we know. This is just to update the page so nobody makes any wasted journeys to the site.”
A petition to save the pub from redevelopment, launched on 29 July, had attracted more than 3,500 signatures.
Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said there were “a lot of questions” surrounding the fire.
“I’m sure the authorities will get to the truth,” he said. “Today, all we can say is what a tragedy, and I sincerely hope this iconic Black Country landmark can be restored and preserved.”
• This article was amended on 7 August 2023. An earlier version incorrectly stated that the Crooked House was Grade II-listed.
