The Crooked House, the legendary pub known for being Britain’s wonkiest, has been demolished in an “unacceptable and possibly unlawful” act.
South Staffordshire Council is holding hearings after the 18th Century pub was gutted by fire on Sunday and then knocked down on Monday.
The authority is looking into potential breaches of the Town and Planning Act and could now take enforcement action.
A crowd of more than 200 gathered outside The Crooked House on Monday to watch the demolition, with some collecting bricks from the site.
Former landlord Tom Catton told the BBC: “To go from a standing pub to a pile of rubble within less than 48 hours is just crazy because surely, if there’s a fire, it needs to be investigated and looked at.”
This is the situation so far.
Where is Crooked House?
The Crooked House was built in 1765 at its site in Himley, in South Staffordshire, originally as a farmhouse before becoming a pub in the 1830s.
Its name and appearance are owed to nearby mining — the site is surrounded by quarries — which has seen an effect known as subsidence cause a sloping of the earth in the area.
This led it to become known as Siden House — ‘siden’ being a Black Country term for wonky — before taking its Crooked House name in 2002. At its peak, the pub could pull in national and even international crowds, and pound coins could be seen to roll along the bar against the direction of gravity.
A vast amount of work has improved the structures of the pub to make it safe to use over the years, despite the wonkiness, with windows even placed at an odd angle for those sitting inside.
Was Crooked House listed?
Historic England received a request in July 2023 for the pub to be given listed status. It had not been granted at the time of its destruction.
It had been incorrectly reported in some news outlets that the pub is grade II listed.
Who owns Crooked House?
Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries bought the pub in the 1940s and ensured it was structurally safe. The pub has changed hands since then and has also been managed by various landlords.
The Crooked House has, until very recently, still traded as a pub but, within a few months, several events led to its demise.
It was damaged before the fire, as in June, the pub was broken into and the intruder caused an estimated £10,000 worth of damage to the bar, kitchen, and toilet areas.
The pub said at the time that the culprit had been arrested but the burglary was said to have been a nail in the coffin.
Marston’s, a pub and hotel operator, put the pub up for sale in January.
Just want to say thank you to @StaffsPolice, @StaffsFire & @RogerLees5 for their swift responses to our Crooked House letters.@alex__claridge & I will not let this issue go, & it’s clear neither will they.
— Andy Street (@andy4wm) August 9, 2023
They’ll get to the truth, & we’ll keep the pressure on for a rebuild 🧱 pic.twitter.com/NwnO3Jf0ft
“The Crooked House has been sold. Unlikely to... open its doors again,” a Facebook message from the pub’s account read in July.
“Marston’s have sold the site to a 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.”
The statement added: “Unfortunately, due to the damage done after the break-in and now Marston’s sale of the site, I have been told I can no longer trade or operate at this site. This happened so quickly and is as much of a shock to myself than it is to everyone else.”
The Guardian said the new owner was called ATE Farms Ltd — the same company which owns the 15-hectare (37-acre) quarry and landfill site next to the pub.
Records show that ATE is owned by 34-year-old Carly Taylor, who is behind many firms.
What happened to Crooked House and what will happen next?
The Crooked House was engulfed in flames on Sunday night, just days after the sale to ATE went through.
The roof of the pub was seen to be missing in the aftermath and the insides had been gutted.
Andy Street, mayor of the West Midlands, said there were “a lot of questions”.
“Today, all we can say is what a tragedy, and I sincerely hope this iconic Black Country landmark can be restored and preserved.”
But his wish did not come to pass as bulldozers were seen knocking down the pub on Monday. More than 200 locals turned out to see the site reduced to bricks and ashes.
The event has led to confusion and anger.
“I’ll let everyone else make their own conclusions on the recent events,” the pub’s Facebook post read.
“This is absolutely terrible news. So, so sad,” Tracey Boffey wrote on Facebook.
Beth Turner added: “I’m so devastated to see this. I’m so sorry for you all after all your effort and hard work.”
Staffordshire Police said: “We understand the strength of feeling in the community is high at this moment and the sadness felt amongst those who have a strong emotional attachment to this place.”
As to what will happen next, the council is investigating, as is the police.
Roger Lees, the leader of South Staffordshire, said: “At no point did the council agree to the demolition of the whole structure, nor was this deemed necessary.
“This council finds the manner in which the situation was managed following the fire completely unacceptable and contrary to instructions provided by our officers.”
Meanwhile, a petition to rebuild the pub has 7,000 signatures and a public gathering will be held on Tuesday night at the site.
We’ve asked @south_staffs to ensure the Crooked House Pub is rebuilt brick by brick, & any attempt to change its use blocked 🚫@alex__claridge & I have also asked to be kept informed of the Fire & Police’s investigation
— Andy Street (@andy4wm) August 8, 2023
We will not let the Crooked House be consigned to history pic.twitter.com/OPAHjqGbyY
Andy Street has said he wants the pub to be rebuilt brick by brick.
The Mayor said: “We will not let the Crooked House be consigned to history.”
