'A crime against the Black Country': Crowds gather in anger at site of The Crooked House

Protest signs were dug into the mountain of rubble which had formerly made up the beloved Black Country pub, with defiant slogans such as "A crime against the Black Country - Happy Hour is Over."

Dion Kitson, an artist from Brierley Hill, painted many of these signs, having visited The Crooked House regularly when he was younger.

The 28-year-old told the Express & Star: "It's a travesty. I want Lenny Henry, Noddy Holder, Ozzy Osbourne, big Sam Allardyce, and Wagner from X-Factor 2010, to get down here and do a fundraising gig - like Dudley Live Aid 2023.

"This pub is a personification of the Black Country. This pub has stood since the 17th century. It survived the Industrial Revolution, the people of Dudley invented the Industrial Revolution, and this pub has been with us throughout it all.

"This has got to be a catalyst - a landmark case for this never to happen again."

When Dion was just five, he was on the front page of the Express & Star pictured with a sign, in protest of the Brierley Hill swimming baths being demolished.

The artist said: "It's come full circle now. I'm not going to stop until this is rebuilt."

Many devoted locals paying pilgrimage to the site brought signs - many angry, but tinged with humour. One read: "We can't be mild. We're bitter."

Eleanor Bradbury from Kingswinford paid her respects by writing a tribute message on a whiteboard left near the rubble.

The 17-year-old said: "I remember coming with my dad when I was younger.

"It's awful. This time last week the pub was stood here, and now it's a pile of rubble. It's just awful and selfish for people to do this.

"They haven't thought about the community, they've just thought about themselves, and that's what's so awful about it."

For Councillor Shaun Keasey, who represents the Sedgley ward, the sight of the demolished pub is particularly devastating.

The councillor told the Express & Star: "It has such a place in my heart because it was my first job back in 1988.

"To see it on fire was shocking. But within a couple of days, to see it flattened was devastating, because you could maybe think with the fire it was an accident, but to have it demolished so quickly? No.

"It's scandalous what's happened and the communities of Sedgley, Gornal, and the surrounding areas do not deserve to be treated like this."

Reminiscing on his days behind the bar, Councillor Keasey said: "It was my first job when I was 18. What a place it was to work.

"You obviously had the fascination with the front part, with the marble rolling up the bar. Then in the back part you had a really nice lounge with great food, and it was a lovely place to work.

"I was involved with the Dudley School Symphony Orchestra and the brass bands and we did exchange trips with various countries.

"The first thing that we did when people from around the world came to Dudley was bring them to The Crooked House because it's a fame point for us and we celebrated it. To see it like this, it's awful."

Gornal councillors Bryn Challenor and Claire Sullivan also attended the event and spoke of the importance of the pub to the local community.

Councillor Challenor said: "People find it part of their heritage and they'd like it to be rebuilt. Ever since they were children, they've been brought to this pub. From five up to the age of 50. It's a massive part of the community.

"It's survived two World Wars, the Dudley earthquake - and here we are now. We were even more devastated finding out it had been demolished after the fire because we thought there might be some way of rebuilding it."

Councillor Sullivan added: "At first I thought it was a hoax. I couldn't believe it, especially so soon after the fire took hold, it was demolished.

"But it's nice to see the community come out in force to support it."

And support it the community has done, with thousands of people sharing outpourings of anger and grief for the ghost of the pub where they made many happy memories.

Ian Sandal from Sedgley is one of the co-ordinators of the Save The Crooked House - Let's Rebuild0 it Facebook group, which has more than 15,000 members.

The 49-year-old told the Express & Star: "The fire was upsetting. However, seeing the photos of the structure still standing on Sunday morning was more hopeful. We've seen burnt-out buildings brought back to life before.

"Monday was slightly different. Seeing the images on Monday night was devastating, it was actually heartbreaking."

Thousands of people have called for the pub to be rebuilt, including West Midlands Metro Mayor Andy Street, while the Black Country Living Museum has told the public that it does not have the means to do so.

Ian said: "The ultimate goal for the campaign is to get the bricks back, get them all piled up, put a roof on it, and amaze people with The Crooked House, as it's always done."

However, several bricks have been taken from the site - some as mementoes, while others have ended up for sale online on sites such as Facebook Marketplace.

Ian added: "I understand why people have done it. They've seen the pub in its current state and in their minds it can't be built. Everyone wants a memento of something.

"I understand their thought pattern. However, I don't understand how they're all here, wanting the pub to be rebuilt, with bricks in the garage and sitting on eBay. That's the bit I can't get my head around.

"Unfortunately, we can't stop it as yet, but we'd like to. I'd like to appeal to people to please leave them."

Looking to the future, Councillor Keasey has echoed calls for the pub to be brought back to life, and said: "My heart says it must be rebuilt. This cannot be allowed to stand.

"Whatever the cost is, this was a treasured asset of the Black Country and it cannot be left like this. Acts like this cannot be allowed to happen."