'Zero' food hygiene rating leaves future of famous Tipton boozer in doubt just 18 months after it was saved
The owner of the Tilted Barrel in Tipton has put it up for sale, blaming difficult trading conditions and a poor hygiene rating.
Ian Riaar bought the Princes End boozer for £186,000 in November 2023 and said he was keen to take on the moniker of 'Britain's Wonkiest Pub after The Crooked House at Himley burnt down, just three months earlier.
Despite spending £100,000 to refurbish the Grade II listed Barrel, which dates back to 1870 and is lopsided similar to the Crooked House due to mining subsidence, Mr Riaar has put it on the market with estate agents Bond Wolfe, with an asking price of £299,000.
But he said he is 'open to keeping it running' and has recently addressed kitchen issues which saw the pub receive a hygiene rating of zero when inspectors visited in January.
It rated the pub as needing major improvement in the three areas assessed: Hygienic food handling; Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building and Management of food safety.
Mr Riaar says he is waiting for another visit and has now lost a contract with Uber Eats for people to order food from the pub.
Mr Riaar said: "I have done everything I can to make a go of the pub. When I took it on it needed money invested to get it up and running again and I did that.
"I have kept the price of a pint down to around £3 and we have a good regular trade, although we need more people to come and support us as well. But times are tough of course.
"An essential part of the business was always going to be the food and we were doing okay until January when the hygiene inspectors came in and I admit there were issues with the kitchen.
"But I have done the work which was identified, paid the fee for a rescore request but heard nothing back since and without that rating I can't keep the contract with Uber Eats which was providing much-needed income from outside the pub.
"In the pub trade now food is everything and the business plan reflected that, but without help I am struggling to make enough money to keep going which is what I want to do as I took it over as a long-term project and have spent a lot on it."
The listing on Bond Wolfe's website says: "The Tilted Barrel is a historic Grade II listed public house dating back to 1820. Having recently been refurbished it trades successfully as a bar and grill with excellent scope to enhance trade levels."
A spokesperson for Sandwell Council said: "The business has recently (May 13) paid for a FHRS [food hygiene rating system] rescore request which means it will receive a further unannounced inspection shortly (if still trading) and a new rating will be given based on the conditions found at that time.
"The officer has three months in which to do the FHRS rescore."
