The owners of the Crooked House Pub have been ordered to rebuild it after it was demolished following a suspected arson attack. Located in England’s Black Country, the pub, known fondly for its gravity-defying wonkiness, was originally an 18^th-century farmhouse before it was converted into a pub in the 1830s. Visitors from as far as China, Japan, and the United States have been attracted by its precarious appearance, caused by mining-related subsidence. 

On 5 August 2023 the property was gutted by a fire in a suspected arson attack. The owners subsequently demolished the burnt-out shell, without permission form the local authority within 48 hours of the fire. 

South Staffordshire Council has served the owners of the property with an enforcement notice that requires the building to be built back to what it was prior to the fire, within three years. The notice alleges the unlawful demolition of the pub, in breach of the relevant permitted development right.  Such rights were amended relatively recently to carve out pubs from demolition in an attempt to afford them some protection from closure and redevelopment. 

In a statement issued on 27 February 2024, the Council pointed out that they had engaged with the owners since the demolition, but that it has reached a point where formal action is necessary. Leader of the Council, Councillor Roger Lees BEM said, “a huge amount of time and resources have been put into investigating the unauthorised demolition of the Crooked House” adding “we are committed to do what we can to get the Crooked House rebuilt.” 

The news has been met with widespread support from those invested in the pub’s plight, with local campaigners expressing their surprise at the speed of the Council’s action. The swift enforcement serves as a warning for ignoring planning rules, especially when a building of such unique character is involved; just how such character is to be rebuilt is yet to be seen. 

The owners of the pub have 30 days to appeal the notice.