On Saturday night, August 5, beloved Black Country pub the Crooked House was gutted by fire, leaving the 18th-century building little more than a burned-out shell.
Less than 48 hours later, bulldozers had reduced it to a pile of bricks and mortar.
The iconic pub in Himley, Dudley - dubbed ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ - was severely damaged by the fire over the weekend. The lopsided West Midlands landmark was dubbed ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ and was a much loved far and wide.
The incident has prompted an investigation by the police and fire services to establish the cause of the blaze.
A petition was launched calling for it to be rebuilt at the Black Country Living Museum, however, the museum has ruled this out. The Crooked House is not the first pub in the region to go up in flames and is unlikely to be the last.
In the wake of the tragic blaze on Saturday, we take a look at five pubs across Birmingham that have met a fiery demise over the years.
The iconic pub in Himley, Dudley - dubbed ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ - was severely damaged by the fire over the weekend. The lopsided West Midlands landmark was dubbed ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ and was a much loved far and wide.
5. Ravenscroft Social Club, Small Heath
Plans were lodged in May 2023 to turn Ravenscroft Social Club on Grange Road, Small Heath, into an assisted living facility. The former club was ripped apart by two fires – one in 2016 and another in 2018. The first fire was understood to have started on the first floor. No one was hurt and the blaze was extinguished some hours later, but the interior of the social club was damaged beyond repair. The second fire in 2018 caused even more damage after rubbish inside the building caught light, according to West Midlands Fire Service. There were concerns homeless people were inside at the time but no one was found. | LDRS