A building that was dubbed “Britain’s wonkiest pub” has been ordered to be rebuilt after it burned down and was then demolished.
South Staffordshire Council is serving an enforcement notice on the owners of the Crooked House in Himley, West Midlands, after it they failed to gain listed building consent in order to tear the ruins of the building down after the fire.
The fate of the 260-year-old pub has prompted debate on whether greater protections are needed for Britain's historic buildings and whether there should be a change in planning laws to ensure similar incidents do not happen again.
What happened to the pub?
The Crooked House Pub, built in 1765, was known for its slanted architecture caused by subsidence leading it to be known as “Britain’s wonkiest pub”.
However, after being purchased by property developers, the Crooked House burned down on August 5 and was demolished without planning permission or listed building consent on August 7.
In October Staffordshire Police arrested a 23-year-old man from Leicestershire on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent or being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
He has been released on conditional bail while the investigation continues. Four men and a woman who were previously arrested all remain on conditional bail.
Campaigners called for the pub to be built ‘brick by brick’
The Save the Crooked House campaign group, who have fought for the pub to be rebuilt exactly as it was, welcomed the enforcement notice.
Campaigner Ian Sandall said: "We've won the first battle in this war" and added "we're here until the end".
Marco Longhi, the Conservative MP for Dudley North, told BBC Radio WM: "The moment I heard this news, I was like Tigger jumping around.”
The burning and demolition of The Crooked House has led to calls to bring greater protections for Britain's heritage buildings by introducing a 'Crooked House law'.
Longhi said: “I don’t believe our current legislative framework is strong enough. I would love to see, in future, a Crooked House law.
“It is important we make a change in the law. Our historic pubs and buildings are not protected adequately. We need to change what we have in place now so the risk of what has already happened happening again is zero.”
Why was it ordered to be rebuilt?
The council said it had engaged with the owners since the demolition but had reached a point where formal action was considered necessary.
It requires the building to be built back to what it was prior to the fire.
A press release states: “The council understands and empathises with the concern and interest following the demolition of the Crooked House, Himley in 2023.
“We are continuing to work with the police and other partners, including Health and Safety Executive (HSE), building control and Historic England, and our focus is on our own investigation regarding the planning and building control breaches with the aim of reaching a positive outcome.
“This remains our priority, and it is very important that whilst the council is still investigating the incident and considering our legal options and next steps, we do not comment on any element of the ongoing investigation, so that we do not potentially prejudice our enforcement action.”
