Fire that gutted ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ now being treated as arson

The pub was demolished afterwards despite the council permitting only the top floor to be pulled down (Picture: PA)

The fire which gutted Britain’s wonkiest pub is now being treated as arson, police have said.

The Crooked House in Dudley was extensively damaged in the blaze on Saturday evening.

What remained of the popular 19^th-century watering hole was then pulled down on Monday despite the council stating they permitted only the top floor to be demolished for safety reasons.

It prompted local MP Marco Longhi to question why police did not intervene given the ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire.

Staffordshire Police said on Wednesday evening: ‘This fire has shocked and upset so many given the, albeit not listed, cultural importance and heritage of the building.

‘This is not lost on us and a robust investigation using all available information and forensic opportunities is being carried out.’

A specialist fire investigator has examined the scene to try and determine the cause.

The fire service also revisited the grounds on Wednesday with a specialist accelerant detection dog to investigate further.

The Crooked House pub near Dudley (Picture: PA)

The burnt out remains of the 18th century pub (Picture: PA)

A fire gutted it just days after it was sold to a private buyer (Picture: PA)

People inspect the rubble remains (Picture: PA)

Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Chisholm, head of specialist crime at Staffordshire Police, 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.

‘There are also certain things that police and fire do not have the powers to deal with, the decision around partial demolition of the building, for example, when the scene was handed back to the owner.

‘We are working hard with our fire colleagues to understand the cause of the fire and are in contact with the landowner, we will keep you updated with any further significant developments.’

Mr Longhi said in his letter that the lack of information was leading to ‘rising anger’ and ‘dissatisfaction’ among the public.

Staffordshire Police have said they are ‘reviewing all of the available evidence’ on the cause of the fire (Picture: PA)

The blaze, which required 30 firefighters to extinguish, came just two weeks after the building was sold by pub company Marston’s to a private buyer (Picture: PA)

He said: ‘I would like to stress upon the fact that The Crooked House was not just an ordinary building but a historical landmark which was held dearly by the local community.

‘The way everything has been conducted and the little to no information being provided is leading to rising anger amongst the public and dissatisfaction towards these agencies.

‘What has happened at this site is raising strong questions, some of which I am sure you may already be aware of.

‘No building, regardless of its importance, should be treated in the way The Crooked House has been treated. The public is extremely angry.’

Anyone with information is encouraged to get in touch with the police via 101 quoting incident 761 of August 5.

People can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use the Live Chat on the Staffordshire Police website.

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