The Crooked Arms traded as a pub for 192 years (Picture: Alamy Live News)
A much-loved West Midlands pub, famed for its wonky walls and sloped bars, has been gutted by fire just days after it was sold to a private buyer.
One side of the Crooked House, which operated as a pub for almost 200 years, was 1.2m lower than the other due to a subsidence issue in the 1800s.
Its unique charms led it to be embraced by locals and turned it into a must-visit site for curious tourists in the village of Himley, near Dudley.
There was widespread shock at the end of last month when its owners announced the Crooked House would close permanently with little warning.
And now, a devastating blaze has burst any hopes that the historic building could be returned to its previous life any time soon.
Firefighters and police were called to the scene at 10.45pm on Saturday, with pictures showing flames consuming the entire interior.
The fire was extinguished and nobody was injured, but images taken from above the site show very little remains within the outside walls.
Investigators from the police and fire service are now working to establish the cause of the fire.
Firefighters and police were called to the beloved pub late last night (Picture: Rusty Shackleford/Facebook)
The Crooked Arms has been left a burned-out shell (Picture: Alamy Live News)
On July 27, a Facebook post from the Crooked House said: ‘The Crooked House has been sold. Unlikely to open its doors again.
‘Marston’s have sold the site to a private buyer for alternative use, that is all we know.’
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: ‘We are appealing for information after a fire at a derelict building in Himley late Saturday evening.
‘Officers were called to a report of a fire at what used to be the Crooked House pub on Himley Road at 10.45pm.
‘Crews from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service were already in attendance and had extinguished the blaze. No-one was believed to be inside the building and no-one has been reported injured.’
Marston’s confirmed the pub had been sold at an undisclosed price (Picture: SWNS)
Visitors and locals loved the pub for its idiosyncratic interior (Picture: SWNS)
They added: ‘We are now working with fire investigators to establish the cause of the fire. Fire investigators are inspecting the scene and officers are making local inquiries to secure any information that might help the investigation.’
Anyone with information that could help with the investigation is asked to get in touch through live chat on the Staffordshire Police website or by calling 101, quoting incident number 761 of August 5.
Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously through its website or by calling 0800 555 111.
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