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The Crooked House In Himley: The Pub Where Coins 'Roll Uphill'

Sid said:
It seems that the Council did not sanction a complete demolition - and that the Council thought that the way the situation ended up 'as a full demolition,' was 'completely unacceptable and contrary to the instructions which were provided by the Council officers.'
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I can see it now. Angry council officers being faced by a smirking 'representative' of Greedy McGreedy Ltd. shrugging and saying "So what?"
 
Sid said:
Apparently they were only supposed to 'remove three sections from the front only,' this was primarily to secure the weaker parts from falling!
It seems that the Council did not sanction a complete demolition - and that the Council thought that the way the situation ended up 'as a full demolition,' was 'completely unacceptable and contrary to the instructions which were provided by the Council officers.'
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It's all very well thinking it's unacceptable, but what are they going to DO about it?
 
RaM said:
They must have taken lessons from the people that did the same to Punch Bowl Inn at Longridge Road, Hurst Green,
or maybe they are the same people?
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I think the owners have been fined tens of thousands and been given 12 months to rebuild it exactly as before at a reputed cost of £1.5m.

On a side note I attended a wedding recently held in an early 18th century building. The building had been "converted" into a wedding venue (read butchered beyond recognition internally - wooden panelling painted blue etc). The original developer got a prison sentence for nicking close to a million quid to do the work. These are the sort of people who are involved in these developments.
 
Staffordshire Police confirmed this evening that it is now treating the fire as arson.

Police and fire investigators were photographed at the site, located off Himley Road, Dudley, at around 2.30pm today (Wednesday 9 August).
 
Stormkhan said:
Even if it were, nothing would be done.
The construction industry has deep pockets.
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I guess even deep pockets can in time develop holes, which if left without a proper repair get even bigger!:)
 
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They are supposed to have 12 months to rebuild it as was but no sign of any thing happening
 
RaM said:
They are supposed to have 12 months to rebuild it as was but no sign of any thing happening
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Surely they will just plead no money - 'can't afford to do the rebuild justice', put the site up for sale again, new owners won't be responsible for the destruction and therefore will be excused from the reconstruction and will apply for permission to do - something else?
 
catseye said:
Surely they will just plead no money - 'can't afford to do the rebuild justice', put the site up for sale again, new owners won't be responsible for the destruction and therefore will be excused from the reconstruction and will apply for permission to do - something else?
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I would suggest that the LA insists no planning permission granted unless it's to build in the same format. Probably means the site would be valueless. Rebuilding exactly as before would be problematical in the case of all these properties due to modern building regulations.
 
I predict the site will remain a rubble-strewn wasteland for years now.
The current owners will dispense with any responsibility for it. If they continue ownership they will be prevented from developing the site, and won't pay to clear up the mess. If they do sell it I expect it won't be for a long time.
 
PeteS said:
I would suggest that the LA insists no planning permission granted unless it's to build in the same format. Probably means the site would be valueless. Rebuilding exactly as before would be problematical in the case of all these properties due to modern building regulations.
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Let's hope they do. It might not be any use for the Wonky Pub, but it might discourage others in the future from performing the same actions. Otherwise we can expect a sudden rash of arson attacks on anywhere that has had planning permission denied.
 
Well, at least it's drawn media attention to an 'almost crime' which, going by the commentary on here and in other social media, everyone knew existed but was officially ignored.
 
Could be anything, if they have land next to it maybe it was blocking more convenient
access.
:dunno:
 
Kondoru said:
And we might add the question;

why wasnt it ever Listed?
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It might've been an oversight - the assumption that it's fame and popularity protected it from this kind of event. Also, listing a building can increase its running costs in maintenance and, therefore, lower its asking price when up for sale.
 
Stormkhan said:
It might've been an oversight - the assumption that it's fame and popularity protected it from this kind of event. Also, listing a building can increase its running costs in maintenance and, therefore, lower its asking price when up for sale.
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And I think there were plans to list it, but it can take a while. So perhaps it was on the 'to be listed' list.
 
Nothing suspicious here.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/08/10/wonky-pub-owners-hired-digger-demolish-pub/

The new owners of the Crooked House pub hired a digger several days before the building burnt down, with the vehicle used to demolish the building.
AT Contracting – owned by Carly Taylor, who bought the historic pub in Himley, near Dudley in the West Midlands, in July – rented the digger from a plant hire firm a week before the fire, which is being treated by police as arson.
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Not sure what they have to gain. They will not get planning permission for anything. If the blocked access from pub goers was a problem then just buy it, close it and not knock it down. No pub goers then.
 
Trevp666 said:
IIRC I did indeed read somewhere that the owners are millionaire business owners and also own adjacent land (a quarry I think) and have been pictured flying first-class in private jets etc.
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I expect they're wanting to build a housing development and the pub was getting in the way.
 
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