Man camps outside Crooked House pub to protect bricks

Rob Brown said he has temporarily made the spot his home at the historic arson-hit ‘wonkiest’ pub in an attempt to stop “any actions” that could hinder the rebuild process.

Using his campervan, he has been vetting vehicles that approach at the gate and he’s now been there for more than 10 days and nights.

The 57-year-old has been protecting the bricks at the site which is located in Himley, near Dudley.

Rob Brown hopes the Crooked House pub can be rebuilt (Image: SWNS)

Locals have supported his move and sent him hot food, water and even a carvery during his stay.

Rob, who is a father to five daughters, strongly believes the pub’s history must be saved.

He has already used his campervan to successfully block cranes and dumper trucks from entering the site.

This came after he claimed protesters were unaware of their intentions.

Rob said he felt he needed to act after he heard about the Crooked House pub being demolished after the fire.

He added: “I’m trying to save our heritage and get the builders to build the pub where they knocked it down in the first place.

“I’m trying to protect the Black Country’s heritage before it all gets under soil or houses get built on top of it all.

“I’ve been here about 12 days so far, 12 days and nights.

“I’m essentially acting as a security guard for the night, making sure that no one comes in and removes anything from the pub site.

“I’ve used my van to block the road occasionally. When the two cranes have come which no one knew about and then dumper trucks that nobody knew about.

“Most people that have come here have gone to the fence and they just sit around with us chatting. Most people have been sound. They have a bit of food and a cup of tea.

“My main aim is getting it built back, it should have never been touched.

“I’ve got so many memories in that pub from when I was young, from boy to man and when I was courting.”

The Crooked House pub has been reduced to a pile of bricks (Image: SWNS)

Other protesters have been very accommodating and they’ve made sure Rob has been fed and watered while staying in his campervan, he said.

He added: “It’s been brilliant everyday here. There’s been carvery for dinner today, hot food most times. Bags and bags of food and water, milk and everything. Everything I needed.

“I’ve got a double bed in the back of my van with a memory foam mattress so I’m actually quite comfy.

“There’s a couple who stopped in their car one night with me, but I think it might have got a bit too much for them because they’ve disappeared.

“It gets dark here but it doesn’t bother me. It doesn’t faze me.”

Rob says he will have to leave the pub site soon but he believes more people should head down to the site and support the rebuild of the famous wonky pub.

He added: “I’m going to be leaving very soon as there’s not a lot more that we can do really. The council are here with all of their red tape.

“It does worry me having to leave it as you can only assume what will happen.

“To be honest we could use with a lot more people down here. Because otherwise it’s just going to be under soil and we can’t have that. It's too old, it’s got to be kept for the youths to learn what it’s all about. It was a farmhouse first, then it was barns, then the crooked house.

“There’s so much history there and it’s being touched.”

The Crooked House pub was known as Britain's wonkiest pub before the fire and demolition (Image: SWNS)

What happened to the Crooked House pub?

Until a fire gutted the building on August 5, the Crooked House pub was known as Britain’s wonkiest pub.

Just weeks before the devastating blaze, it had been sold to its new owner Carla Taylor on June 25.

A 66-year-old man from Dudley and a 33-year-old man from Milton Keynes have been arrested on suspicion of arson so far. They have been released on bail while the probe continues.

Protestors went to the heritage site after the building was demolished on August 7.

They hope the pub will be rebuilt.