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Inside ‘brick-by-brick’ reconstruction of boozer knocked down by builders

A controversially destroyed pub needed to be rebuilt brick-by-brick – identical to Crooked House campaigners need for his or her well-known boozer.

Speaking to the Daily Star, Greg Mulholland, marketing campaign director for the Campaign for Pubs defined that one destroyed London boozer had been rebuilt with such consideration to element that you’d “never know” that it had beforehand been knocked down. Greg has been within the pub since and was massively impressed by the work completed. “I’ve been there since and you’d never know it wasn’t the same pub,” he said.

The news comes as the dust settles on the destruction of the Crooked House, in Himley near Dudley, West Midlands, which burned down and was then quickly demolished. The destruction caused outrage among locals and the nation alike. Now, various pressure groups including one community-led outfit on Facebook called “SAVE THE CROOKED HOUSE (LET’S GET IT RE-BUILT)” have been working tirelessly to get the boozer reconstructed just as it was.

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Get the latest news on the Daily Star homepage.

But despite the high-profile nature of the West Midlands spot, it is not the first to have been the centre of such controversy – and in the past, the calls for reconstruction have won out.



The community fought back
The neighborhood fought again

“The tale of The Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale is particularly famous, where they were made to be rebuilt brick-by-brick,” Greg defined. He was giving perception into how sure councils have a confirmed monitor file in standing up and defending pubs whereas others have been simpler for builders to benefit from.

The boozer was constructed within the Twenties and its preliminary destruction had left locals gutted – absolutely it was one other instance of builders using roughshod over the needs of the neighborhood?

Campaigners battled for six years in opposition to them, after bulldozers smashed down the wall revealing the pub’s decorations nonetheless inside. But this time it went in favour of the underdog.



Locals were heartbroken
Locals had been heartbroken

In the top, the builders had been compelled to rebuild the boozer brick by brick. It reopened in April 2021, regardless of calling time in 2015 – simply two days earlier than it was on account of be really helpful for Grade-II listed standing by Historic England.

Over 5,000 campaigners put strain on Westminster Council to take motion. They even admitted that the demolishers had completed a great job of rebuilding it – though drew a line of their appreciation there.

James Watson, Pub Protection Officer for the Campaign for Pubs, informed the Star: “The Carlton Tavern is a shining instance to all native Councils to take a really agency stand to guard pubs in opposition to unauthorised demolition. Following a tremendous native marketing campaign, Westminster Council stayed sturdy all through, ordering that the pub needed to be rebuilt brick-by-brick, seeing off the developer’s authorized challenges and making certain they didn’t drag their heels and wriggle out of their obligations.



The pub was rebuilt from scratch
The pub was rebuilt from scratch

“Thankfully on this occasion, the Council’s decision was upheld by the planning inspector showing how a strong, joined up planning approach can work. South Staffordshire Council need to do exactly the same thing with the famous Crooked House in Himley. It needs to be clear to all developers that any unauthorised activity will lead to orders to restore and rebuild pubs.

“We also need a simple change to planning law so that no historic pub can be converted or demolished unless and until it’s been properly marketed as the independently assessed value as a pub for at least a year. Many viable are being cynically targeted as development opportunities and this needs to be stopped so that every pub has the chance of being bought as a pub.”

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