South Staffordshire Council has recently revealed its decision to retain the foundations and bricks of The Crooked House, which was formerly known as the wonky Black Country pub. This development follows the pub’s sale by Marston’s Brewery and subsequent ownership change earlier this summer, coupled with the unfortunate occurrence of a fire that razed the 18th-century structure to the ground.
The peculiar charm of The Crooked House, renowned as one of the UK’s wonkiest pubs, had captured the public’s attention. After its sale, it was discovered that the new owners did not intend to maintain it as a pub. Shortly thereafter, a mysterious fire engulfed the establishment, resulting in the demolition of the remaining skewed walls by a construction crew.
The incident has attracted significant coverage in the national media, particularly due to the circumstances surrounding the pub’s destruction. Staffordshire Police is currently investigating the fire as an arson case. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) chairman Nik Antona expressed his dismay, labeling the event a “nationwide scandal” and a “tragedy.” Protests have erupted in response, and there are calls to rebuild the pub using its original bricks.
South Staffordshire Council has now reached an agreement with the onsite contractors to preserve the bricks, foundations, and slabs in their existing locations. This decision is aimed at facilitating investigations into the fire. A statement issued by the council highlighted its role as the local planning authority, expressing satisfaction with the agreement to retain these elements for future inquiries. It emphasized that site safety falls under the jurisdiction of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The statement also underscored the council’s commitment to collaborate with the site owners, contractors, HSE, police, and other partners to ensure the site’s security and mitigate hazardous substances.
