Crooked House Reconstruction: British Pub Site Undergoes Clean-Up

Campaigners staged a sit-down protest today and blocked vehicles from accessing the rubble of The Crooked House to hamper a clean-up of the remains of Britain's wonkiest pub.

Diggers and lorries owned by Putnam Construction Services moved onto the site in Himley, West Midlands, two weeks after the beloved pub was controversial demolished following a mysterious fire which police suspect was an arson attack.

Bricks were being 'cleaned' and stored at the site of the 18th century boozer as workers assessed any asbestos risk from the rubble where signs are displayed condemning the pub's destruction.

Locals were left furious when The Crooked House - famed for being the place where coins seemingly rolled uphill along the bar - was torn down without council permission. Calls have grown louder for the pub to be rebuilt brick-by-brick with two petitions to save the watering hole amassing nearly 30,000 signatures.

Today, more than a dozen campaigners demanded access to the lane leading to the wreckage, while two protesters blocked the path of a Putnam lorry and trailer exiting the site.

One man wearing a sleeveless leather jacket can be seen leaning against a metal walking stick while a woman sits crossed-legged on the floor holding a sign with words in red capital letters reading: 'Rebuild our Crooked House.'

Jane Baker, from nearby Halesowen, was holding the protest banner and said: 'We're doing this, and all the people who have arrived today, because we care very much about our heritage, our history and the Crooked House.

'She's always stood there at the bottom of this lane. She means a lot to us all. What's happened is wrong and we need to make a stand, all of us.'

Ms Baker, 59, a housewife added: 'We just want her back where she was. It's affected all of us, far and wide. We just want it rebuilt - by hook or by crook.

'We're making a stand for a very iconic building. This is why we are sitting in the road.'

The burnt-out shell of the landmark pub, famed for its wonky walls and floors due to mining-related subsidence, was demolished within 48 hours of the blaze on Saturday August 5.

Dudley North MP Marco Longhi urged anyone with concerns about issues at the site to continue to report them to his office.

Mr Longhi said in a post on Facebook: 'The council is a statutory body and it has the most significant influence on this matter at present.

Workers are 'cleaning' and storing bricks while also checking for any asbestos risk amongst the rubble where signs are displayed condemning the pub's destruction.

South Staffordshire Council said it was liaising with the contractor after workers moved on to the site. A statement from the local authority read: 'The council is aware of a contractor onsite and is engaging with the site owners and contractors to investigate what works are taking place.'

More than a dozen campaigners demanded access to the lane leading to the wreckage. Calls have grown louder for the pub to be rebuilt brick-by-brick with two petitions to save the watering hole amassing nearly 30,000 signatures.

'I am grateful to everybody for reporting what is happening as I do have a direct line of communication with South Staffordshire District Council and I have made sure they are informed of all occurrences as reported by locals.

'The council is fully aware of its statutory roles, and it is fully aware of the very high levels of interest locally, nationally and internationally. What I have observed so far is that it is very much on top of things and it is undertaking its statutory roles admirably.'

Mr Longhi previously attended a public meeting wearing a black t-shirt emblazoned with the words 'Rise From the Ashes, Save The Crooked House Pub'. He told angry locals to be 'patient' while the investigation is carried out.

In a statement, South Staffordshire Council said it was liaising with the contractor after workers moved on to the site.

A statement from the local authority today read: 'The council is aware of a contractor onsite and is engaging with the site owners and contractors to investigate what works are taking place.

'We are still currently ascertaining all the facts so cannot comment any further on this specific matter.

'The council is still investigating the full incident and formalising next steps and we cannot comment on any element of the ongoing investigation, so that we do not potentially prejudice our enforcement action. We will provide updates on our website as soon as we are able.'

Staffordshire Police said it had received reports that a group of protesters had turned up at the site and officers were 'in attendance as a precaution and to reassure the community'.

The pub went up in flames on August 5. Staffordshire Police said it is treating the blaze as a suspected arson attack.

The burnt-out shell of the landmark pub, famed for its wonky walls and floors due to mining-related subsidence, was demolished within 48 hours of the blaze.

The 18th century boozer was famed for being the place where coins seemingly rolled uphill along the bar.

Much of the anger has been directed at the pub's owners Andy Taylor and his glamorous jet-setting wife Carly. The couple bought the pub two weeks before it went up in flames.

The force said: 'We recognise the strength of local feeling following the loss of a significant cultural landmark.

'Our investigation is live and ongoing. A CCTV trawl, forensics and witness accounts continue to be worked through as we try to piece together the circumstances which led to the fire.'

The historic site, known as Britain's wonkiest pub, was sold by pub company Marston's to a private buyer two weeks prior to the fire.

The MailOnline revealed the owners to be glamorous jet-setter Carly Taylor and her husband Adam Taylor.

It has emerged the couple had previously bought and allegedly gutted another traditional pub.

Staffordshire Police is treating the blaze as arson, while firefighters previously said their efforts to put out the fire were hampered by a pile of soil which had blocked a rural road.