CROOKED HOUSE GATHERING TO MARK SIX MONTHS SINCE THE FIRE.
A gathering at the entrance to the Crooked House Pub site, was held to mark six months since the fore, attended by Councillors, and MP's etc. People could leave a memory on a faux tree.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 So John, we got you here, Crooked House, and you were a former landlord?
00:07 Yes, I lived here from 1906 to about 1997. I was the relief manager so I would cover for the managers when they were on holiday.
00:15 But yeah, I lived here for a good part of my early years and so did my family.
00:19 And you've been involved in some of the events leading up to today, haven't you? We've seen you on the stage previously saying a few words and that.
00:26 Where's your feelings at, six months on, John, as to how you feel and what you think will happen in the future?
00:34 The fight is still on, the fight is still real. I feel as passionate as I do today, as I did when it first got burned down and then knocked down.
00:42 I will continue to fight and I will continue to work with my peers to get it rebuilt and we'll carry on going.
00:48 And as a landlord of this pub, I mean I've been there for a couple of pints, I admit, a couple of shaky pints, but if people hadn't drank here, you know, they've heard the story, but not necessarily been to the pub, why was it special? What was it?
01:03 It was a heritage. It was the only pub in the world, as far as I'm aware, that had that characteristic, that had that heart of the black country feel and community.
01:11 And it wasn't just the black country, it was across the world. A number of people that we saw coming into the pub on coaches from across the world.
01:18 So they would come down for the day, spend a few hours, have something to eat and they would just marvel in the curiosities of the pub and we just wanted that back.
01:27 So it was drawing people from far and afield to the area, which is good all round, isn't it really?
01:32 Absolutely, we'd get coach loads, even coaches turning up with 50 people on their land booked, so we had to kind of all run to the helm and get them all served.
01:41 And you're still standing by, you want it built, same sites definitely, yeah, it's got to be the same, yeah?
01:48 Yeah, same sites, same footings. Obviously the footings would have to come up and then have to be rebuilt.
01:53 We've got that many architects behind us now, that day, with the modern wonders, and it can be rebuilt exactly the same as it was before.
02:00 And you know, it's difficult for pubs this day and age, money's tight etc. But if we had a magic wand and we put that pub back there tomorrow, do you think, especially off the back of the publicity it's had, it would be a thriving business?
02:14 I think there's a possibility. What needs to be sorted is the lane that runs to the pub.
02:19 The pub runs off the Himley Road, which is the main road between Dudley and Bridge North, and it's a long lane, about a mile and a half long.
02:26 But it needs some serious work, it needs lighting, it needs sorting out, there's a brook that runs down the side of it.
02:33 It just needs all the cleaning up and somebody needs to take responsibility for all that, whether that's South Staffs Council or Dudley Council.
02:39 They both part own that lane.
02:41 But still very much we're in the fight, and fingers crossed.
02:45 Very much, we'll never let down.
02:47 That would be redeveloped into a cultural park, and we've got the same on the other side, if they can do that with no finish, and have it surrounded by...
02:56 Because what I mean, this is a bit controversial, but it's only idea.
03:01 The thing is, because of the fact that you've got the landfill there, it can be made into a park or something like that. It's like almost having a visitor centre that tells a story.
03:19 We like the music.
03:21 Well, you see it's a little bit of a baggage country park.
03:25 You know, it's absolutely marvellous on a weekend.
03:30 You can hardly get a parking space for it.
03:33 And you sort of think to yourself, people are there coming for food, coming for a drink, going for a walk, taking the dogs.
03:39 It brings it into a focal point once more.
03:42 It's a desirable destination.
03:44 The lane is great, it's wet again, it's countryside, and you've got space on the side.
03:49 We've mentioned all these ideas, you have a microbrewery down there, a microbrewery.
03:53 There's lots of things going on, and then it becomes viable people, mate.
03:57 You just block the plug at the end of the lane again.
03:59 There is a lot of land there as well.
04:01 There is. There is a lot of land there.
04:04 Yeah, a lot of it.
04:06 Visitor centre.
04:08 You don't need actually a lot of space for those things.
04:11 If you think about some of the historic additions to the Crooked House, some of them were, you know,
04:18 you sort of don't need some of those, but you could actually do things maybe in a more in-keeping period.
04:26 It was just something in my head, I want to do something to support it.
04:33 Yeah, yeah. And can people see your artwork online?
04:37 They can see it on the South of Crooked House Facebook page and South of Crooked House website as well.
04:44 So you're a Wensbury lad, you've come down to show your support.
04:47 I have, yes.
04:48 And how many artworks do you reckon you've done in total up to date?
04:51 Erm, let's try to think.
04:56 It's more than 10, isn't it? We're talking hundreds or hundreds?
05:03 Around 100, that's including my mind pieces and then edits.
05:09 Well done mate, it's gorgeous. Let's just finish on a tight shot with that.
05:14 Showing the heritage, the Black Country heritage.
05:17 Thank you sir. Cheers buddy.
05:19 Thank you.
05:20 So we've got Rosa and we've got, go on boss.
05:23 Steve, Steve Bamford.
05:24 Rosa and Steve, cool.
05:26 And Steve, we've just been having a little chat off camera.
05:29 You were probably one of the first ones to see it before it burnt down and document what was there.
05:34 Just fill us in. You thought, you knew it had been sold, so you thought I'll take Little and down and have a look.
05:38 Yeah, take her down and have a quick picture before, you know, it's changed beyond all recognition.
05:43 And we went down and the door was open at the front.
05:46 Yeah, you couldn't believe it, could you?
05:48 So we went inside didn't we and had a quick look in bulk bars, had a quick photo.
05:52 Yeah, and then I came back two days before it burnt down to try and get as much photographic document evidence as I could
05:59 because I kind of knew what was going to happen.
06:01 I did tell the police it was open and they just responded saying contact the landowner and the security services.
06:08 But they didn't really seem that interested.
06:10 So, you still, fingers crossed, you'd love to see it come back obviously.
06:16 Yeah, we'd love to take this one in for a drink.
06:18 She'll probably be 18 by the time we get it in touch.
06:21 Well, you know what, mate, as long as it happens someday.
06:24 Then she can go down and have some memories of herself there.
06:27 So you saw the pub Rosa before it burned down, didn't you?
06:31 What did you think of the Wonky Pub?
06:33 Did you like it?
06:34 I think you'd like it.
06:36 What did you tell me down the road? It was strange and magic.
06:40 Magic?
06:41 It was quite magic wasn't it?
06:43 And let's have a look, where's this little card you've just done?
06:46 Let's have a look, show us.
06:47 Look at this, this is to go on a special tree.
06:50 What a lovely drawing.
06:52 Right, thank you guys. Bye Rosa!