'We will not stop until this pub is rebuilt!' Campaigners remain determined to rebuild The Crooked House after latest setback
Campaigners have said they "will not stop" until The Crooked House is back where it once stood following a delay in a planning inquiry to decide whether it should be rebuilt.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The iconic building in Himley, known as 'Britain's wonkiest pub' due to the subsidence that meant it stood at a distinct angle, was devastated by fire in August of 2023 and demolished two days later in a move deemed 'unlawful' by South Staffordshire Council, sparked a huge uprising by campaigners calling for it to be rebuilt 'brick by brick'.
The local authority served an enforcement notice in February of last year ordering owners ATE Farms, which bought the pub days before the blaze, to rebuild it on the same spot it once stood.
But it was revealed in February that the High Court had recommended to postpone the public inquiry into rebuilding the pub, due to take place in March, following an appeal lodged by the owners.
South Staffordshire Council said the inquiry will "likely resume" when a criminal investigation into the fire has concluded.
Campaigner Paul Turner from the 38,000-strong 'Save The Crooked House (Let's Get it Rebuilt)' Facebook group described his upset at the delay.
Speaking to the Express & Star on Friday (February 28) near to where the wonky pub once stood, Mr Turner said: "It's frustrating because we have to keep managing people's expectations.
"We know it is going to be a long job and legal processes can take time. We are in this situation where we know we have to wait so there is not a lot we can do really, but we are upset and we are angry that they have been able to do this because we do not believe it is appropriate to keep delaying.
"We want it reopened, we want it standing there in the same place it always stood, crooked as it always was, an exact replica of what was there and we want it to be well-known as a tourist attraction.
"We want the lane cleaned up so there is a nice drive or walk down to the pub and there is lots of problems with fly-tipping so we need all that resolved.
"It is a big job but we think it would be worth it and we have ideas of how it would happen."
Fellow 'Save The Crooked House' campaigner and Sedgley councillor Ian Sandall spoke of his determination to get the historic pub, which dated back to 1765, rebuilt.
The 51-year-old explained: "Walking down the lane today is a driver: I have never seen it in all these months and years looking so neglected.
"We have got people dumping rubbish openly and blatantly, we have got the lane itself now deteriorating because it is not being kept to a standard.
"Walking down to the bottom of the lane and seeing the pub not there, that is great motivation - it drives us all on.
"We are using these feelings of anger and frustration to drive us forward to reinforce the fact that we are going to get this pub rebuilt and we will not stop until we do."
The campaigners met at the historic pub site on Friday (February 28) with Mike Wood, MP for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire, who echoed their feelings of frustration.
Mr Wood said: "Obviously none of us want to do anything that might prevent those who are responsible for this act of sheer vandalism to our local heritage being held accountable but it is extremely frustrating because we all want to see The Crooked House rebuilt in its original state as quickly as possible.
"I understand we are waiting for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to make decisions around proceedings so we can't do a lot to speed up that process. We just need them to make whichever decision they make without any unnecessary delays so any criminal proceedings can continue."
He added: "Being from the Black Country I remember The Crooked House coming here, rolling the marble down the window ledge, so to see it reduced to a pile of bricks and rubble it is absolutely heartbreaking. We need this back as a working, functioning pub that represents so much that is special about the local area.
"The Crooked House is world-famous. It is crooked for a reason of course - because of our own industrial heritage in this area.
"We want to get that back and once it is rebuilt we really are going to need people to use The Crooked House so it is a viable, successful pub - the kind of thing we all want to see in the local area."
Mr Wood spoke of plans to discuss a private members' bill on heritage pubs in Parliament next week, which he said will provide "protections" in cases such as that of The Crooked House.
He said: "For example, If people had applied for [The Crooked House] to become a listed building when it became clear Marston's was selling it and possibly not as a pub, had that happened if my bill had been passed and in place, we would have had the protections on an interim basis once the application was in."
Five men and a woman were arrested in connection with the suspected arson at the historic pub, but no charges have been brought.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police told the Express & Star there have been no further arrests and a file is currently with the CPS.
