By Angela Green
Pub & Bar News is sponsored by Newbridge Software
The completion of the sale by Marston’s PLC of the Crooked House pub in South Staffordshire was followed 48 hours later by a fire that severely damaged the building. Then, after less than another 48 hours, a demolition team moved onto the site and laid rest to every inch of the much-loved local landmark.
Days after the short sequence of sale – fire – demolition Staffordshire Police announced it was launching a full investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains unknown.
In 2017 planning law was changed so that pubs in England could not be converted or demolished without planning permission, but shocking figures published by CAMRA last week show more than 30 pubs may have been demolished or converted without planning permission in the last 6 months alone.
CAMRA’s Pub Campaigns Director, Gary Timmins, has now written to the sixth Housing and Planning Minister appointed by government in the past twelve months, Rachel Maclean MP, asking for central government to take action to deter unscrupulous developers and ensure that illegally demolished pubs are rebuilt ‘brick by brick’. Timmins call was matched by West Midlands mayor Andy Street who also called for the pub to be rebuilt – “brick by brick”.
We wish Andy Street, Gary Timmins, and the now countless others calling for action to be taken to counter those that scoff at rules and regulations, but… given current and recent governments ability to disregard their own parliamentary procedures and principles would suggest nobody hold’s their breath.
Pub & Bar News is sponsored by Newbridge Software
