Crooked House owners propose rebuilding pub in different place

The proprietors of the establishment previously labeled as the most crooked inn in Britain have proposed a scheme to reconstruct it in another spot, since it was knocked down due to an alleged intentional act of setting fire.

The Crooked House pub in Himley near Dudley was destroyed by a fire in August 2023, and as a result, ATE Farms Limited has been instructed to reconstruct it.

The documents submitted for reconsideration argued that the present site was unsuitable for a pub and that constructing a new one on its property in the vicinity would enhance the likelihood of it becoming a valuable communal resource.

The enforcement notice from South Staffordshire Council mandates that the pub must be reconstructed to its previous state before the fire. However, an appeal challenging this order is scheduled to be heard in July.

The Crooked House dates back to 1765 and was initially constructed as a farmhouse. However, the mining activity in the vicinity during the early 1800s caused one section of the building to gradually collapse.

It turned into a well-known symbol in the Black Country that drew interest from people worldwide.

On the 5th of August, a pub was set on fire in what is believed to have been an intentional act. Two days later, the pub had to be torn down due to the severity of the damage caused by the fire.

The police force of Staffordshire reported that six individuals, consisting of five males and one female, were detained and later released on bail in regards to the incident of the fire.

ATE Farms Limited stated that reconstructing the current location according to the enforcement notice would not result in a viable establishment for the community. This is because the building was not designed for this purpose when Marstons brewery sold it.

The proprietors expressed that the establishment has been underutilized "to the extent that it is no longer profitable as a pub." This is primarily due to its placement and insufficiency of pedestrian traffic.

However, the proprietors stated that they had suggested a viable and realistic plan to reconstruct the Crooked House on an alternate plot of land that they possessed, located to the north of Crooked House Lane.

The people said that if the building was reconstructed where it is now situated, there would be a lot of curiosity and enthusiasm initially. However, this would not automatically mean that the establishment would continue to attract patrons and remain successful in the long run as a pub.

The reconstructed edifice is planned to be utilized as a pub, with additional enhancements to attract more visitors, and to optimize its potential as a valuable community resource.

The proprietors also declared that they bore no liability for the blaze that erupted on August 5th and ravaged a significant portion of the establishment's building.

During a meeting on-site, the council and their contractors reached an agreement that certain sections of the remaining structure must be destroyed due to safety concerns.

Nevertheless, the proprietors maintained that they didn't anticipate that eliminating it would render the remainder of the structure entirely hazardous.

They also expressed that even though some may think it should be, the construction was not included in the list.

Nonetheless, it acknowledged the exceptional degree of public sentiment towards the Crooked House.