Can fire-hit Crooked House rise from the ashes?

By Sarah Portlock

BBC News, West Midlands

Calls have been made for the Crooked House to be rebuilt “brick by brick”. But can that be achieved? And, perhaps just as importantly, should it be?

The arson attack and subsequent demolition of the 18th Century pub just 48 hours later caused shockwaves that were felt far beyond its base in the Black Country.

Supporters who stretch across the world, civic leaders and many who have visited the site near Dudley where the famous sloping building once stood have called for it to be rebuilt, exactly as it was.

Members of the 27,000-strong Crooked House Facebook group write regularly of savouring that first pint when it reopens and imagining the euphoric scenes when they can triumphantly say: “We did it.”

The fact the former pub’s bricks have been locked into two metal containers to keep them safe from possible raiders certainly gives hope of a return.

But what would a rebuild look like? The site at Himley where it stood is at risk from subsidence thanks to the mining which made the area an integral part of the industrial revolution, and is the reason the building sank in the first place.

West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is among those who called for the “brick by brick” rebuilding.

Marco Longhi, MP for Dudley North, also fiercely supports the rebuild and has spoken in Parliament calling for debate to look at legislation to protect heritage pubs.

But is it actually possible?

Stephen Levrant of Heritage Architecture said the case of the Crooked House had been fascinating him and others in the profession.

“There’s been a lot of buzz about it,” he said.

Demolished buildings have been rebuilt, he said, such as The Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale, which opened in the 1920s and was illegally bulldozed in 2015.

The developers were ordered to rebuild it exactly as before and five years later it reopened, complete with fixtures and fittings salvaged from the rubble.

“But this one is different”, he said.

“The others were complete buildings, built for their particular purpose and you can restore that, you can recreate it as it was.

“But the Crooked House was only crooked by accident, it wasn’t designed that way, it fell into the subsidence, and was then shored up with steel work which would have cost thousands of pounds.”

There are lots of precedents of buildings shored up due to mining subsidence and Mr Levrant, with more than 40 years experience, has worked on designs where architects have managed to keep buildings in a subsided position.

“But the Crooked House is a different kettle of fish,” he said.

“I don’t know of any precedence where this has happened. It needs to be thought about.”

Graham Moore, associate architect with the Consarc Design Group in Belfast, agreed it was causing a debate in the industry.

“The tide of public opinion is that it should be rebuilt,” he said.

“But we are involved with authenticity. So a rebuild would be a replica. But that’s not a reason not to rebuild,” he said.

He cited the Albert Memorial Clock, built in the 19th Century and which extensively leaned, a bit like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

“There was a debate – do we repair the foundations to leave the clock still leaning or do we straighten it? It was decided to leave the clock as it was but stabilise the foundations as it was part of the character.

“Why would you visit Pisa if the tower was straight?”

But, putting ethical questions aside, could the Crooked House be rebuilt?

“That is a straightforward yes,” Mr Levrant said. “There is no doubt that construction can be made to reproduce that building.”

He has worked on many similar jobs including in Manchester following the IRA bombing in 1996.

Two pubs, the brick built Oyster House – thought to be the oldest pub in Manchester – and the Old Wellington, were destroyed in the attack.

They were moved from their original sites, turned 90 degrees and rebuilt – despite an objection from a member of a civic society saying it would look like something from Walt Disney.

“We saved every brick and everything inside. The buildings look like they have been there 150 years,” said Mr Levrant.

To restore the pubs, architects sifted through the wreckage, saving everything that could be saved, sorting, labelling and storing – just like what has been happening at the site of the legendary wonky pub.

“Plus we had photographs, so we could build the whole thing up. Architects are doing this all the time and there are many buildings not set at right angles, like the Crooked House.”

But, the Crooked House, with its sloping floors and windows had been shored up with steel work so, in his view, it was “a stage set building”.

“Of course it has cultural value, is of quirky interest and a tourist attraction – so it is good for the area, heritage does that – it is so beneficial.”

Mr Moore agreed rebuilding the Crooked House, whether on its present site or elsewhere, is possible, albeit fraught with complications.

“If this had been a planned demolition you would follow English Heritage guidelines in recording it, there would be drawings, photo and written notes.

“So this isn’t ideal in that it hasn’t been properly recorded – there may be drawings with local planning authorities.

“There could have been surveys. But even without that there will be an element of recording from modern sources like Google Earth – so even if the building has been entirely cleared you will be able to see the foundations in the aerial photographs.

“Plus, given the nature of building there will have been a thousand pictures and films taken because of its distinctiveness.”

However, costs could be a bit of a battle. Mr Levrant estimated a rebuild would be upwards of £1m – and possibly a lot more.

“Trying to build on crooked foundations would be a bridge too far,” he said.

“It would need to be built on a raft, an expensive concrete foundation which would float over the subsidence area to give a good starting point.

“Achieving the character and aesthetic would not be difficult.”

Another challenge to consider would be modern day building regulations.

“You would have accessibility issues, you also need to comply with zero carbon guidelines for example.

“But my bottom line is that if people are serious about rebuilding it, it can be done.

“Would I support it? As a proposal, I would. In some ways it’s a fake or a stage set – but it has value. I think it would be a good thing if it was rebuilt.”

Mr Moore agreed: “It’s an important bit of heritage which has been lost, not just locally but nationally.

“It’s also important a message is sent out – if this is let slide other developers might think there are no implications to knocking things down.

“It is important the local council is seen to take action as a deterrent.”

*Three people have been arrested on suspicion of arson following the fire at the Crooked House. South Staffordshire Council has said matters have been referred to its legal team with the view of taking enforcement action.

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