ARSON PROBE
Crooked House: Major update as cops say fire at UK’s wonkiest pub ‘WAS started deliberately’
COPS have revealed they are treating a horror blaze "Britain's wonkiest pub" as arson.
The Crooked House, in Himley, Staffordshire, went up in flames on Saturday night just weeks after it was sold to a private buyer for "alternative use".
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Mystery had surrounded the burning of the building after intruders were reportedly seen before the horror and firefighters were blocked from putting out the inferno.
And less than 36 hours after it was engulfed, the 18th century pub was flattened by mechanical diggers on Monday.
The local authority has since condemned the demolition admitting they did not give permission for it to be knocked down.
And now cops have revealed that they are now treating the case as arson.
Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Chisholm, Head of Specialist Crime, 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.”
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Cops earlier said that they would be “speaking to the owners” in a joint investigation that involves the fire service and South Staffordshire district council.
New owners Carly Taylor, 34, and her husband Adam, 44, will be quizzed by officers after the destruction.
The pub was sold by Marston's Brewery last month to ATE Farms Limited, a company controlled by Carly.
It had been listed for sale for £675,000.
Husband Adam is shareholder and former director of Himley Environmental Ltd which runs a land fill site next to the pub.
It comes after it was revealed the pub, where coins and marbles famously rolled uphill along the bar, was put forward for listed status protection just days before it became rubble.
It would have meant that the owners would have needed permission from the council to fully demolish it before doing so.
On the night of the horror, one local said that intruders had been seen inside the closed pub and seemed to be partying and playing music moments before the inferno, according to the Telegraph.
But cops said no one was inside the building when it went up in flames.
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