Former Dudley mayor backs campaign to save iconic Crooked House pub

The pub is under threat after owners Marston's confirmed it had found a buyer for the building which has stood there since 1765.

Marston's has not made any clear indication on who has brought it but it is thought it has been sold for use other than as a pub.

Anne Millward who represented Gornal ward twice and also led the council as well as being mayor between 2021 and 2022 said the campaign, which centres around a petition on change.org has her wholehearted support.

She said: "I understand the need to shut some failing pubs down for financial reasons and Marston's are getting a bit of a reputation for doing this, but this is one of the jewels in the crown of the their estate and the brewery as a whole has a long association with the Black Country.

"People from all over the world know of the Crooked House and many have travelled to see it – it has long been famous as a unique pub and I know people in my area of Gornal are really keen to see if it can be saved.

"I don't think moving it to the Black Country Museum is a very viable option it could cost millions to do that and re-create it but if it could be saved as a going concern or even as a tourist attraction rather than be redeveloped it would be a welcome move."

The closure of the Crooked House comes as new figures show pubs in the UK closed at the rate of 30 a week in the first half of this year, with figures from the Campaign for Real Ale showing 772 were classed as 'long term closed' in that time.

The 'Save the Crooked House' petition now has more than 900 signatures, with around 300 new ones on Tuesday. It reads: "It will be a tragedy if this wonderful tourist attraction is lost. Properly marketed, it will attract visitors from all over the world. To demolish it and use the site for another purpose would mean the loss of this iconic and beautiful building.

"There are many organisations including breweries, tourism companies, the National Trust, the local council and maybe other businesses who could rescue the Crooked House and all avenues must be exhausted to avoid later regret after it is lost.

Sam Florry who signed the petition said: "It’s a massive part of the identity of the Black Country, a unique landmark not just there but anywhere in the world. To lose such a unique building would be a travesty not just to the pub trade or that in the Black Country but the UK as well."

To see the petition visit change.org/p/save-the-crooked-house