Avast ye scallywags! Two landlubbers be caught fer settin' fire to England's 'Crooked House' tavern. Walk the plank they shall!
2023-08-24
Avast ye! Two scurvy dogs be caught on Thursday, accused o' settin' the Crooked House ablaze in dear Himley, England. Mayhaps they be payin' the price fer their mischievous deeds, arr!
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to an iconic British pub, known as the Crooked House, in central England. The pub, famous for its slanted walls and sagging foundation, was gutted by the blaze on August 5th. Locals were devastated when the charred remains of the historic 18th-century building were bulldozed just two days later, before the cause of the fire was determined and without permission from authorities. Fans of the pub, dubbed "Britain's wonkiest," had hoped for its restoration and are now calling for it to be rebuilt brick by brick. The suspects, a 66-year-old man from Dudley and a 33-year-old man from Milton Keynes, have been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. The Crooked House, originally a farmhouse built in 1765, began sinking due to coal mining in the area. Despite being condemned as unsafe in the 1940s, new owners reinforced the structure, allowing it to retain its charming asymmetry. The pub became a popular tourist attraction, known for its tilting grandfather clock and a bar where objects appeared to defy gravity. Prior to the fire, an online petition had been launched to save the pub, as developers planned to repurpose the building. The petition, titled "Save The Crooked House," had garnered over 22,000 signatures. Firefighters struggled to access the pub during the blaze due to a large mound of dirt blocking the road. In response, protesters gathered to prevent the use of heavy machinery in the salvage operation. The South Staffordshire Council has reached an agreement with the new owners to preserve the bricks and foundation pieces on-site and will oversee the restoration work.