More than 38,000 people are campaigning to rebuild the Crooked House pub following its unlawful demolition one year ago — but experts warn rebuilding it could be “extremely difficult” due to its unique design and modern building regulations.
“Save the Crooked House” campaigners want ‘Britain’s Wonkiest’ pub, in Himley, to be restored back to its original design after was gutted in a fire that left the pub in ruin.
However, on top of potential planning restrictions, the pub’s unique characteristics are expected to cause ‘problems for future designers’.
A suspected arson attack took place in August last year. The 18th Century pub was subsequently knocked down by its owners three days later.
It was reported Northamptonshire-based plant hirer Lyndon Thomas supplied an excavator, but no demolition team was involved in the pub’s knocking down.
After it was sold, locals became concerned about the pub’s future and began the Facebook group, ‘Save the Crooked House’, with the group now made up of more than 38,000 members.
Then, after the pub was destroyed, locals became further incensed and set about campaigning for the pub to be rebuilt.
The pub served as a local landmark and tourist attraction, dating back to 1756 when it was built and then turned into a pub in 1830.
In the 1850s the building began sinking at one end causing it to lean at a 15 degree angle, hence its unique ‘wonky’ look and name.
Paul Turner, the campaign leader of the Save the Crooked House Facebook group, said: “It was a pub where local miners and all sorts of other people sort of went with thousands of people’s memories attached to it.
“And if you drove down the lane to it, and it came into view you’d see this bizarre looking building that you think, ‘why is that still standing?’ – and it had its various unique features inside.
“People are upset, people are angry, the Crooked House always felt owned by the community”
In February this year, following an investigation by South Staffordshire Council, ATE Farms Ltd was served with an enforcement notice to rebuild the pub “back to what it was prior to the fire”, within three years.
However, the rebuilding process is likely to create a unique set of challenges and complications if the project goes forward.
Architect and founder of Heritage Architecture, Stephen Levrant, said: “A great deal of structural innovation is going to be needed to think about or kind of imagine thinking about how you actually build something that is deliberately out of plumb.
“Everything we do in building is meant to be straight and true and sound, so to recreate what happened by accident is going to be a difficult process.”
Heritage practice Donald Insall Associates has been tipped for the job once bidding opens, according to Building, with the practice’s director claiming it would be at the front of the queue.
Levrant notes that the ground conditions would have to be engineered to ensure that they do become stable.
He said: “It’s a big challenge, it would have to be led by structural engineering without a doubt, and it would have to be reclad.
“As to costs, I’ve got no idea, but this is going to be quite substantial and expensive.”
Nevertheless, Levrant notes the importance of rebuilding and protecting heritage pubs such as the Crooked House, regardless of the potential challenges, no matter how insurmountable.
He said: “Its cultural and historic importance is a vital part of its significance, and with anything to do with the historic environment heritage is all related back to significance.
“But the big problem is dealing with building regs and health and safety — that is going to be a huge problem.
“Building regulations post Grenfell have tightened up tremendously, so I’m not sure how it’s going to be dealt with because the building would never have complied with the building regs that you now need for a new building.
“I would just like to see this rebuilt, but we won’t know were we stand with it until the we know where we stand with the enforcement notice.
The owners appealed against the enforcement notice for the unlawful demolition, with the appeal set to be heard in spring 2025.
If you would like to contact Save The Crooked House (Let’s rebuild it) Facebook group to support them, click here.
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