Crooked House pub fire: who owns the Crooked House pub, is it being treated as arson, why was it demolished?

The new owner of the Crooked House pub is reportedly a glamorous businesswoman who lives a life of luxury.

Up to 30 firefighters were needed to tackle the blaze at the pub in Himley, near Dudley in the West Midlands, on Saturday (5 August) evening, with the local landmark being demolished two days later to the shock of local residents.

The pub built as a farmhouse in 1765, was a popular local landmark due to its wonkiness which was caused by nearby mines. The fire came just two weeks after the building was sold by pub company Marston’s to a private buyer, with Staffordshire Police saying they are treating the blaze as arson.

But, who owns The Crooked House pub, what have police said and why was it demolished? Here’s everything we know so far.

Who owns The Crooked House pub?

The Crooked House pub is reportedly owned by Carly Taylor from Lutterworth, Leicestershire. The 34- year- old businesswoman manages lettings and real estate at the company ATE Farms Ltd, which bought the pub from Marston’s brewery in July.

Taylor, who lives in a gated compound with her husband, reportedly enjoys a luxurious lifestyle, with social media pictures showing her driving a Bentley, flying first class, posing outside the seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai and the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

The Daily Mail have reported a relative of the former hairdresser and nail technician has revealed she used to run a beauty business in Lutterworth but now is used to “living the high life”.

However, they had no idea she owned the famous pub, explaining: “‘I’ve driven past the pub before but I’ve never been inside.”

Was it arson?

The fire at the Crooked House pub is being treated as arson, Staffordshire Police have revealed. In a statement they explained: “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.” Adding: “We have spoken to, and continue to engage, with the owners. However, speculation is extremely unhelpful and could hinder our investigation.”

Investigations surrounding the exact cause of the fire are ongoing. 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.”

Why was it demolished?

Following the demolition of the Crooked House pub, South Staffordshire Council released a statement telling residents that at “no point did the council agree the demolition of the whole structure”.

The statement said: “Our officers carried out a site visit to the site yesterday (August 7th), prior to the demolition of the building. Officers agreed a programme of works with the landowner’s representative to ensure the safety of the building and the wider site.”

They continued: “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.

“This council finds the manner in which the situation was managed following the fire completely unacceptable and contrary to instructions provided by our officers. As such, we are currently investigating potential breaches of both the Town and Country Planning Act and the Buildings Act.”

Adding: “We have referred these matters to our legal team with a view to taking enforcement action.”