Wonky 18th century pub, The Crooked House, mysteriously burns to the ground after new owners take over

[bcuster]

If I'd just invested in a striking local landmark and then discovered that it had mysteriously caught fire in the middle of the night, roads had been blocked off to stop fire engines getting near and then some fucker had gone ahead and demolished it without my permission, I'd be extremely angry and demanding the police investigate. But, as you say, ne'er a peep!

what could be the reason for this?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

what could be the reason for this?

Because it’s the desired outcome?

 

[belboid]

The Guardian has learned that the new buyer was a property firm called ATE Farms Ltd, owned by Carly Taylor, a 34-year-old who is a director of multiple companies.

ATE Farms is registered to the same address as Himley Environmental Ltd, which runs the 15-hectare quarry and landfill site next to the pub. The Guardian was unable to reach ATE Farms Ltd for comment.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

The flames have gone but the heat is on. Presumably photos to follow?
He owns a quarry next door?
I wonder if there’s any dumper trucks and mechanical diggers or bulldozers there.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

.


Yes, I get it but the whole thing seems perfectly designed to point the finger squarely at the owner. Every aspect of it screams "arson by owner", so much so that it makes me question it. It's a seriously incompetent job they've done, if indeed they have.

Maybe it was bought by Putin?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Maybe it was bought by Putin?

He’d need the windows.
Sorry RD2003

 

[WhyLikeThis]

The Guardian has learned that the new buyer was a property firm called ATE Farms Ltd, owned by Carly Taylor, a 34-year-old who is a director of multiple companies.

ATE Farms is registered to the same address as Himley Environmental Ltd, which runs the 15-hectare quarry and landfill site next to the pub. The Guardian was unable to reach ATE Farms Ltd for comment.

Carly TAYLOR personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

 

[Dystopiary]

Carly TAYLOR personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK

Free company information from Companies House including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk

The given address is of a chartered accountant.

 

[WhyLikeThis]

I’m not sure of the boundaries of the rest of their property but….

 

[Wilf]

It’s an interesting scenario that you propose. But it involves persons unknown torching the building, dumping soil to hinder the emergency services then hiring a JCB to finish the job all to point the blame to a mysterious owner who said they wanted a ‘change of use’ for the site.

If it strolls like a canard...

 

[blossie33]

Demolition in progress clip in this news..

Demolition of Crooked House pub unacceptable - council

There is anger after the pub, once known as "Britain's wonkiest", was demolished days after a fire.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Interesting that someone managed to film the event but nobody was available to ask what was going on.

 

[Lurdan]

Not sure this Times story contains anything new
New owners of Crooked House pub face questioning by police - Times (archived)

 

[Wilf]

Demolition in progress clip in this news..

Demolition of Crooked House pub unacceptable - council

There is anger after the pub, once known as "Britain's wonkiest", was demolished days after a fire.

www.bbc.co.uk

Aside from seeing the owners striking a match, every bit of this story is now crystal clear.

 

[WouldBe]

If it is rebuilt brick by brick it may be wonkier than previously as sightseers have been helping themselves to bricks as souvenirs.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

The given address is of a chartered accountant.

not that uncommon - company directors don't have to make their home address public domain, and many are listed either care of the registered office, or via a solicitor / accountant.

 

[platinumsage]

Apparently Himley Environmental Ltd had an ongoing dispute with Marstons over the access road.

 

[SpookyFrank]

So they've demolished it before anyone can investigate the cause of the fire. Seems legit.

 

[Spymaster]

Maybe it was bought by Putin?

Yeah. I was trying to take a contrarian position for the sake of starting a scrap, but I can’t think of a single angle to sustainably argue it from.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Interesting that someone managed to film the event but nobody was available to ask what was going on.

Sounds like the owner had bouncers on site stopping people from watching the demolition.

 

[neonwilderness]

Sounds like the owner had bouncers on site stopping people from watching the demolition.

Sounds like perfectly normal behaviours

The poor land owner was probably just trying to stop people from stealing their precious rubble.

 

[existentialist]

Sounds like perfectly normal behaviours

The poor land owner was probably just trying to stop people from stealing their precious rubble.

It does sound as if they were particularly desperate for the demolition to go ahead, and didn't want anyone "interfering" in the process... I wonder why?

 

[Lord Camomile]

So they've demolished it before anyone can investigate the cause of the fire. Seems legit.

They were just really, really worried about safety, you monster!

Sounds like the owner had bouncers on site stopping people from watching the demolition.

...and the privacy of the bricks, you ghoul!

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

They are either extremely stupid (as it is obvious what has happened here) or they know that this sort of thing can be gotten away with, with very little risk.

 

[two sheds]

Yes 'tory party donor' did come to mind.

 

[rubbershoes]

Maybe they'll have a laugh about it with the local police superintendent down at the Lodge

 

[Wilf]

Local MPs and others and others making a modest stink about this, well we are a few months away from an election. However, medium term, wouldn't surprise me if the land gets sold on and then it's houses or retail on the site within 5 years. The new owners maybe even promise to have a (but not the) pub on the site. Whatever happens, the pub ain't getting rebuilt.

 

[belboid]

Whatever happens, the pub ain't getting rebuilt.

It does happen sometimes tho

Rising from the rubble: London pub rebuilt brick by brick after illegal bulldozing

Carlton Tavern reopens six years after planning ruling that campaigners hope will prevent developers demolishing other sites

www.theguardian.com

 

[Gromit]

Here is where Wales is superior.

We have a place where we take buildings they want to knock down and rebuild them.

Here are details of the pub they are currently rebuilding:

The Vulcan Pub from Newton, Cardiff, at St Fagans

The legendary Vulcan pub from Newtown, Cardiff, is being rebuilt at St Fagans

museum.wales

I occasionally drank here and attended someone's engagement party here.

People joke about whether or not they'll accurately reproduce the toilets very strong aroma of urine.

 

[Wilf]

It does happen sometimes tho

Rising from the rubble: London pub rebuilt brick by brick after illegal bulldozing

Carlton Tavern reopens six years after planning ruling that campaigners hope will prevent developers demolishing other sites

www.theguardian.com

Well, let's hope so. I suspect that might hinge on finding evidence the owners torched it. As it is, they are only, currently, guilty of knocking the whole thing down when the council seem to have agreed in principle that part of it needed to be demolished. Enforcement issues certainly, but a long road for the council to get anything like the original building back. To be honest, I've just about nil legal or procedural knowledge here, just a sense these things rarely turn out well. Other thing, maybe the owners might wind the company up if the council goes in hard. Again though, I've no idea about liability issues.