Crooked House campaigners renew pleas to rebuild 'Britain's wonkiest pub' during live TV appearance on This Morning
Campaigners calling for The Crooked House to be rebuilt have renewed their pleas during an appearance on ITV's This Morning.
Paul Turner and Julie Gorman, who has written a song about the now demolished pub, appeared on a live link on the show today and were interviewed by Rochelle Humes and Andi Peters.
Mr Turner, from the Save the Crooked House (Let's Get it Re-Built) Facebook group, told them: "We want the place rebuilt as close as possible to what it was before the fire.
"We're really keen on making sure that happens.
"I remember driving down this lane with my parents when I was about six-years-old and seeing The Crooked House come into view and sort of laughed at it.
"As time went by I'd come down with my friend on our bikes and the landlord would let us in and show us the marble rolling up the ledge. As I became an adult it was a case of people would come and stay with us and we'd say let's take them to The Crooked House as it was something unique.
"We loved the place. It was owned by various people throughout the years but it always felt like it was owned by the Black Country."
Mr Turner also explained that he had set up a petition to 'save the Crooked House' a week before the blaze after Marston's sold the pub to a private buyer for 'alternative use'.
Ms Gorman had hoped the Black Country Living Museum could step in to rebuild the iconic venue, however bosses have previously said that it is not a realistic option.
But she added: "We are all on the same page, we just want it rebuilt – we want it back."
She has also been performing her song, The Crooked House, around South Staffordshire and the Black Country and her performance at Claptrap the Venue in Stourbridge can be viewed on YouTube.
Ms Gorman said she had written it the morning after The Crooked House was gutted in a blaze on August 5.
She added: "What I've written in that song is how everybody feels.
"We're all just saddened and it's awful."
It comes as work has been taking place at the site in Himley to remove hazardous waste and to make it safe.
Bricks are being sorted, cleaned and stacked, or put aside if they are too badly damaged.
The Crooked House burned down on August 5 and was totally demolished without permission two days later, with Staffordshire Police treating the fire as arson.
Two men arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life following the fire have been released on bail.
The police force's investigations continue, while South Staffordshire Council is carrying out its own probe.
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