In the wake of the one-year anniversary which saw the iconic and much-loved Crooked House pub destroyed by fire and shocking the nation, the Campaign for Real Ale is calling for action to make sure this never happens again.
Following the fire in Himley, Staffordshire, the pub was demolished – shining a light on the sheer number of unlawful demolitions that take place across the UK – which CAMRA declared a ‘nationwide scandal.’
CAMRA and local campaigners have called for the Crooked House to be rebuilt ‘brick by brick’. CAMRA has also urged UK governments to act against unscrupulous developers with strong enforcement laws put in place, to protect the pubs.
In 2023, 260 pubs were lost forever due to conversion or demolition, and reports from CAMRA volunteers across the country show that many pubs continue to be demolished or converted without apparent planning permission. These include at least 10 in the six months in the run up to demolition of the Crooked House, and a further 29 in England since, which are currently being investigated by CAMRA.
In the wake of the fire and demolition, CAMRA joined forces with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to ensure pubs of value that are at risk are properly protected, through a successful public ‘List your Local’ campaign.
CAMRA’s Pub Campaigns Director, Gary Timmins said: “A year after the loss of the Crooked House, the pain felt by locals and campaigners is still just as fresh. In August last year, I wrote to Housing and Planning Minister, asking for central government to take action to deter unscrupulous developers and ensure that illegally demolished pubs are rebuilt ‘brick by brick’.
“A year later, our aims and our dedication have not changed. We want there to be a happy ending to this tragic story and to see other pubs protected.”
Following a police investigation, people were arrested in connection with the fire.
The six people that were arrested and bailed have been released under investigation pending further enquiries.
In the wake of the Crooked House, CAMRA has revealed a number of other pubs lost to fire in suspicious circumstances.
• The Burn Bullock, Mitcham: A Grade II listed pub closed in September 2009. It was badly damaged by fire in April 2024. Residents accused the investment company of neglecting the building and taking insufficient security measures and had called on the council to compulsorily purchase it. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
• The Kingstanding Pub was gutted by fire in 2019, two years later plans were submitted and later approved to demolish and replace it with a Lidl store.
• The Bagot Arms, Erdington closed in 2018 and was ravaged by fire in August 2021, the fire service considered it had been started deliberately. In 2022 planning permission was granted to demolish the remains and build housing on the site.
CAMRA is committed to recognising people who work tirelessly to save pubs which could otherwise have been demolished or converted, and recently opened nominations for its national Pub Saving Award.
It aims to draw attention to the dedicated campaigners behind the pub-saving stories, highlighting the hours of work and thousands of pounds of fundraising that go towards reviving pubs that look doomed to close permanently.
