Blaze at “Britain’s wonkiest pub” treated as arson
A fire at “Britain’s wonkiest pub” is now being treated as arson, Staffordshire police has announced.
The Crooked House in Himley, near Wolverhampton, caught fire on Saturday 5 August and was subsequently demolished by its new owners two days later.
Staffordshire Police is conducting a joint investigation with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, whose investigators have said the cause of the blaze “cannot currently be determined”.
The police urged members of the public not to speculate on the situation, amid reports that the fire service’s route to the blaze was blocked.
Detective chief superintendent Tom Chisholm, head of Specialist Crime, said: “We understand the significance of this much-loved building and the upset and anger felt by many so want to reassure you we’re doing all we can to understand more about what happened, and who was responsible.
“There is lots of misinformation circulating within communities and online and this is unhelpful. We’re trying to provide accurate and timely updates, but as I am sure you can appreciate, there is a lot of work and liaison with a number of partners which needs to be completed and this takes time.”
The sale of the pub to a private buyer was confirmed earlier this month, with the site earmarked for an “alternative use”.
The pub was one of 61 put on the market by Marston’s earlier this year, as the group looked to focus on maximising returns within its core estate. It was listed with a guide price of £675,000
Mining in the 1800s gave the building, which was originally a farmhouse, its distinctive wonkiness. It was a pub since the 1830s.
Police are urging members of the public who may have information on the incident to get in touch via 101 quoting incident 761 of 5 August or message them using the live chat on Staffordshire Police’s website.
Alternatively, information can be given anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.