An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the demolition of the historic Crooked House pub has been launched, the local authority has said.
The Black Country pub, the Crooked House, was demolished on Monday after a fire gutted the 18th century building over the weekend.
Built as a farmhouse in 1765, the property was sold by Marston's to a private buyer in March.
A site visit by South Staffordshire Council officers after the fire led to a programme of works being agreed with the landowner’s representative to ensure the structure was safe.
However, the investigation concluded that the building did not need to be demolished.
In a statement, council leader Cllr Roger Lees said that the destruction of the historic building was ‘completely unacceptable and contrary to instructions provided by our officers.’
‘We have referred these matters to our legal team with a view to taking enforcement action,’ he added. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street has called for the Crooked House pub to be
‘rebuilt brick by brick’. Chief Inspector Chris Cotton of the Staffordshire Police yesterday said:
‘We understand that the community have a vested interest in this incident. We are doing everything we can to progress our lines of enquiry and review the evidence available to progress the investigation.’
