Lettings agency linked to story of Crooked House pub’s demise
The world-famous pub was put forward for listed status protection just days before it was razed to the ground earlier this week after suspected arson.
The infamous Crooked House pub in the West Midlands which has since been demolished following suspected arson, is owned by a lettings and property company.
Owners ATE Farms is registered at Companies House under ‘Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate’.
The company is controlled by Carly Taylor whose husband, Adam Taylor, is a shareholder and former director of Himley Environmental, which runs a landfill site next to the pub.
GATED COMMUNITY
According to press reports the couple live in a gated compound between Hinckley and Lutterworth in Leicestershire.
Situated in a former mining area in the Black Country, the 260-year-old pub (pictured here in better days) was surrounded by quarries which caused subsidence in the 1800s – resulting in the pub becoming lopsided.
The pub was a major national news story this week, after being razed to the ground earlier this week after suspected arson.
Its sale was completed on 27 July 2023 and at the time neither the purchase price nor buyer was disclosed, although it was reported that the building was sold “for alternative use” and was unlikely to reopen as a pub.
But The Guardian reported this week the building and land had been purchased by a property firm ATE Farms with the same registered address as the quarry and landfill business (Himley Environmental) next to the pub.
And yesterday The Sun revealed that the owners of the Crooked House pub own another historic pub and also have plans to transform a quarry into holiday homes.
LEVELLED
The building was levelled on Monday despite South Staffordshire Council stating that they had permitted only the top floor to be demolished for safety reasons.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has said “questions need answering” over the fire and MailOnline reports that South Staffordshire council leader Roger Lees as demanded the pub is “rebuilt brick by brick”.
It is a difficult one, back in my youth I had many a pint of Bank’s Mild at the ‘Crooked House’ where you could roll coins up the skirting boards, and it was a huge landmark, but listing property is sometimes a Nimmbyism too far. Many times as an agent I have sold a property that is in poor condition as it was listed following pressure by well wishing locals, making it impossible to be commercially viable or a comfortable home. On a separate topic the fire, well that will be looked in to and hopefully the culprits dealt with accordingly.