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It was one of Britain's quirkiest and best-loved historic pubs, renowned for its 'wonky' appearance – so when it was illegally demolished soon after a mysterious fire there was international dismay.
asserted
it → see → fire
But though later there seemed to be a happy ending when a furious judge ruled that it should be rebuilt brick by brick exactly as it was, three years on The Crooked House remains just a pile of bricks.
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it → seem → bricks
Drug paraphernalia, fly-tipped rubbish and weeds now proliferate among the ruins of the once hugely popular inn in the village of Himley, Staffordshire.
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rubbish → tip → Himley
The 18th century pub was well known across the country for its comically tilted appearance, caused decades ago by a shift in the land due to subterraneous mining activity – and it was treasured by residents in the Black Country for generations.
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it → know → generations
But in August 2023, it was sold by brewer Marston's for £675,000 to a company owned by Bentley-driving couple Carly and George Taylor, from Lutterworth in Leicestershire, who own and run a 37-acre quarry and landfill site nearby.
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who → sell → site
Nine days after the Taylors had acquired 'Britain's wonkiest pub', it burst into flames.
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it → acquire → flames
Once Britain's wonkiest pub, The Crooked House in Himley, Staffordshire, is now nothing more than a pile of bricks
Drug paraphernalia, fly-tipped rubbish and weeds now proliferate among the ruins of the former inn which burst into flames three years ago
The Crooked House, pictured before the fire, was treasured by residents in the Black Country for generations
Former nail technician Carly Taylor and husband Adam Taylor, of Lutterworth, Leicestershire, controlled letting and real estate firm ATE Farms Ltd, which bought The Crooked House pub just nine days before the blaze
The pub, which dates from 1765 and had been registered on the Historic Environment Record as a building of local importance, caught light during the night of August 5 in circumstances which remain unclear.
uncertain
which → tip → circumstances
The building suffered extensive damage during the blaze.
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building → suffer → blaze
And then the remains of the building were demolished without permission less than 48 hours later – by the couple's firm, ATE Farms.
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remains → demolish → firm
The result was public uproar – not just across the county but the whole country and even internationally, comparable to the reaction to the notorious illegal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland which happened just a month later.
South Staffordshire District Council responded by ordering the firm to rebuild the 290-year-old protected tavern brick by brick within three years.
This ruling initially caused a euphoric local reaction but then ATE launched a High Court appeal against the enforcement notice and any hearing was postponed until a parallel criminal investigation was resolved.
This was because by this point the Taylors, and four others, had been arrested on suspicion of arson.
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Taylors → happen → arson
They remain under investigation to this day, awaiting a charging decision.
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They → remain → decision
The hearing into the ATE appeal against having to rebuild the pub was supposed to be held in March last year.
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hearing → have → March
But the council says it cannot enforce an order until after the criminal investigation concludes.
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investigation → say → order
On that front Staffordshire Police say they submitted a file of evidence to the CPS in February this year.
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they → say → February
But seven months on, a force spokesperson told the Daily Mail the 'file remains with the CPS', adding those arrested remain 'released under investigation' as they have for more than two years.
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they → tell → years
The pub, which dates from 1765, caught light during the night of August 5, 2023, in circumstances which remain unclear
The pub was well-known across the country for its comically tilted appearance, caused decades ago by a shift in the land due to subterraneous mining activity
Residents and former regulars said the sight of the rubble where the pub once stood brings them to tears
Furniture, child car seats, builder's waste, car tyres, metal and plastic are among the mounds of rubbish strewn along the lane to the pub
Meanwhile, the CPS says it is still working with the police to clarify evidence and they are unable to provide a timescale on whether charges will be brought.
They told the Daily Mail: 'The CPS received a file of evidence from the police.
uncertain
CPS → date → police
We have been working closely with the police on actions arising from that evidence and to clarify the material provided.
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We → work → material
We are unable to provide timescales on any charging decision.
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We → provide → decision
Meanwhile ATE, the company which was ordered to rebuild the pub, has gone into liquidation, leaving debts of £1.2million when it was wound up last year.
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it → order → 1.2million
So even if this legal quagmire is ever resolved it remains unclear who would be ordered to rebuild it and how they could pay for it.
uncertain
they → resolve → it
Locals and former regulars have been left enraged by the slow pace of progress.
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Locals → leave → progress
And while the furore drags on, the site of the Black Country alehouse, near Dudley, has become a hotspot for fly-tipping and antisocial behaviour.
Today dumped furniture, child car seats, builder's waste, car tyres, metal and plastic are among the mounds of rubbish strewn along the lane to the pub, and banked up against the entrance to act as a barrier.
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furniture → drag → barrier
Many told us the sight of the rubble pile brings them to tears while local MP Mike Wood admits it makes him feel 'sick to the stomach'.
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him → tell → stomach
Paul Turner, who leads the Save The Crooked House campaign group, says he believes the authorities are simply 'not bothered'.
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authorities → lead → group
He said: 'We're very angry because this is a Black Country icon.
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this → say → ?
It was treasured by the people of the area.
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It → treasure → area
'It was owned by a lot of different people but it always felt like it was still ours.
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it → own → people
If we had visitors to the area we'd always take them - and we were very proud to show them the pub.
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we → have → pub
The pub was illegally demolished just two days after the suspicious fire, prompting widespread fury
'All the little quirks - like you'd roll a marble against the ledge - never stopped making you laugh because it was so unique and bizarre.'
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it → demolish → ledge
Mr Turner added: 'The whole thing is on hold because the criminal case is outstanding.
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case → add → hold
We're not happy with the CPS, they've had files for months.
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they → have → months
The police point the finger at the CPS and the CPS do the same to the police.
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CPS → point → police
It doesn't seem like anyone is putting any effort into sorting it out.
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anyone → seem → it
It's appalling and we don't understand why.
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we → understand → ?
No one's bothered.'
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one → bother → ?
Mr Turner, who set up the campaign group a week before the fire, already fearing new owners would try to close the pub, says the community is 'as angry now as we ever were'.
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we → set → pub
Another former regular said: 'Going to see it demolished shortly after made me feel ill and I haven't been back since other than passing the entrance which gives me chills every time.'
As well as devastation at the pub's ongoing closure, neighbours are fearful at the rising levels of antisocial behaviour and fly-tipping on the site.
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neighbours → say → site
A pensioner, who lives nearby, said: 'Nothing's happened at the site over the past three years, apart from the piles of rubbish getting higher and the antisocial behaviour over there getting worse.
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behaviour → live → rubbish
The authorities don't seem to care and just let it happen.'
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it → seem → ?
The retired heavy goods driver, 67, who used to drink at his local across the road, told the Daily Mail: 'What happened there was terrible and despite an order for it to be rebuilt nothing has happened.'
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nothing → use → order
…and 21 more, not listed.
The Aporia
