Historic pub hit by arson
Fire crews had to battle a blaze at Willenhall's oldest building today as arsonists struck at the pub dubbed the area's own Rover's Return.
The Bell Inn, in Market Place, is believed to have been empty for more than a month. Today traders demanded that it be brought back to its former glory.
The pub suffered severe smoke damage.
Tony Conway, of Conways butchers, said: "It is a shame. It is a lovely pub and it is really old. I don't know what happened. It now needs a proper refurbishment. It needs a good licensee to get it back up-and-running how it used to be when it was run by Olive and Dennis Powell in the sixties."
Revellers have often described the pub as their very own Rover's Return - the pub made famous in Coronation Street, or the Woolpack in Emmerdale.
It is thought new owners were due to move into the premises.
Fire crews, from Willenhall and Bilston, were called to the scene at 1.49am.
The two-storey cream-coloured building suffered severe smoke damage before crews extinguished the fire shortly before 3am.
No-one was at the premises today, but the extent of the smoke-logging could be seen by passers by in the market area.
The blaze has been reported to Willenhall police and an investigation has been launched into the cause.
The Bell is a survivor of a 1659 fire that destroyed much of the town in the space of one hour and is featured in a history tour of the town centre.
A man was stabbed during an incident at the premises in July last year. Three victims were attacked by two men, one of whom was carrying a knife. One man was injured with multiple stab wounds and two others suffered minor injuries.
The pub was also subjected to an attempted arson attack in 1999 when a man poured petrol into the doorway.
By Deborah Stewart
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