When The Crooked House closed last year, we didn’t think things could get much worse for Britain’s wonkiest pub. After being sold to a private buyer, it was revealed to be “unlikely to open its doors again.” But that was the end, not by a long shot.
Soon after, The Crooked House went up in flames in a suspected arson attack, before being quickly demolished two days later. It left the community and the country devastated. Staffordshire Police arrested five men and one woman in connection with the fire.
Nothing could undo what was done, however. Well, that’s what we thought… Now, the owners of The Crooked House have been ordered to rebuild the pub brick by brick. South Staffordshire Council has served an Enforcement Notice (February 27) on the owners of the pub to build the pub back exactly how it was before the fire.
The enforcement notice is for the “unlawful demolition of the building”, after the council tried to engage with the owners but have “reached a point where formal action is considered necessary.” The notice must be met within three years, but ATE Farms Limited now have 30 days to appeal. In the meantime, the council is still investigating the incident regarding planning and building control breaches – as well as continuing to work with the police.
“The destruction of the Crooked House was a national tragedy, so it’s fantastic news that the owners have been ordered to rebuild the pub brick-by-brick,” said Gary Timmins, CAMRA’s Pub and Club Campaigns Director. “This is exactly what we were hoping to hear from South Staffordshire Council, and it’s a testament to the hard work of all the dedicated campaigners who stepped up and fought for the Crooked House.”
“It has also been great to see Marco Longhi MP and West Midlands Mayor Andy Street champion this cause. It’s now vital that systematic change happens, to ensure that the Crooked House is the last time we see such a shocking loss. Unfortunately, CAMRA is still investigating eight from 2023 where pubs appear to have been demolished or converted without apparent planning permission.”
What was The Cooked House like?
The Crooked House stood in the West Midlands village of Himley – on the outskirts of Dudley – for 192 years. Originally built as a country house in 1765, it transformed into a pub in the 1830s. Its crooked nature was later caused by mining in the nineteenth century – and only remained upright thanks to structural supports made from brick and metal.
Before the fire, the pub was sold with three trading areas, including a separate restaurant, as well as an external car parking with 20 spaces, a children’s play area, a beer garden and allotments. The Crooked House might be funny to look at, but to the people of Himley, it was a huge part of the community. So we pray this isn’t the end of the wonky pub.