Watch: Crooked House barmaid reacts to the demolition of ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’

A former barmaid of the Crooked House pub in Himley, near Dudley, has reacted to the current state of the landmark pub.

The wonky building was destroyed by a fire on Saturday (August 5) - which Staffordshire Police are now treating as arson. Officers are working with the local fire crews to investigate how the fire started and released the property back to the owners, ATE Farms Ltd, before it was demolished.

South Staffordshire Council has stated that they didn’t give permission for a full demolition. In a statement, the council said: “The agreed course of action included the removal of three elements of the first-floor front elevation only. This was only to avoid the weak parts of the structure from falling. At no point did the council agree the demolition of the whole structure nor was this deemed necessary.”

Since then, West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and several notable people like Night Time Economy Advisor Alex Claridge and Advertising Guru Trevor Beattie have reacted to the upsetting loss of a part of the heritage of the area. People from across the country and locals have also taken to social media to share their anger and frustration at the historic pub’s tragic end.

The pub was built in 1765 as a farmhouse and later converted into a pub after it began to sink due to mining in the area. Mayor Street said the pub should be replaced ‘brick by brick’. Since the demolition, thousands have signed a petition and held a protest at the site of the pub to let the authorities and the owners know how much they care about the community venue that has been a beloved pub for hundreds of years.

The Crooked House barmaid Amanda Inkersole speaks out about the loss of The Crooked House

One former staff member of the pub, barmaid Amanda Inkersole, told ODN: “I climbed down the lane, and it wasn’t there. I don’t know what else to say. I am gutted, not even a facade there. You can’t even tell there was a building there really. I have got a lot of happy memories here of the people I worked with and the happy times I had here.

“It is an integral part of Gornal and Dudley. We have got  a lot to be proud of coming from where we come from. Now, part of that has been taken away from us. I am hoping something can be done about it. I am hoping an investigation is gonna be done.

“I am hoping maybe it can be rebuilt, I know it doesnt look that it can but im sure there is a company somewhere that hopefully could maybe do something. I can’t believe it wasnt a listed building. Everybody in the local area thought it was. It was one of its kind.” 

How do I contact Staffordshire Police if I have information about The Crooked House fire?

If you have any information about the fire at the Crooked House and want to help with investigation, you can get in touch via the Live Chat on Staffordshire Police website or call 101, quoting incident 761 of 5 August. To report anonymously call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.