Crooked House could become wedding venue

A landmark pub in the Black Country famed for its slanted structure could become a wedding venue.

The historic Crooked House in Himley near Dudley has applied for a licence to host marriages and civil partnerships.

Co-owner Jason Penn is hoping couples will be attracted to the pub's quirky features. He said: "When we hold wedding receptions here a lot of the couples have said to us they wished they could have actually got married here. We're quite experienced with weddings so we can help with the organising.

"It should be a real selling point for the pub and it would look really good on wedding photos."

Staffordshire County Council will give its verdict on the application by the end of this week.

Jason, 28, has run the pub with his brother Wayne for the last two years.

They plan to hold the wedding ceremonies in the restaurant conservatory.

Some of the land next to the pub has been landscaped and turned into gardens to create good photo opportunities.

The Express & Star previously reported the brothers had set up a chicken coop in the back yard.

They have also dug an allotment to grow their own veg to be used in the restaurant.

Weddings are part of the pair's plans to branch out into different uses for the building.

Jason, who lives above the pub, added: "We've been thinking of holding weddings here for ages but we suddenly realised what a good idea it was."

The Crooked House is so-called because subsidence, caused by a mineshaft, made one side of the building four feet lower than the other.

Built in 1765 as a farmhouse, its unusual character has seen it become one of the most famous pubs in the West Midlands.