Pub crowned ‘wonkiest’ in Britain after Crooked House fire fails to sell

The pub crowned the ‘wonkiest’ in Britain after the Crooked House in Staffordshire burnt down failed to sell when it went under the hammer.

The Tilted Barrel in Tipton, West Midlands, is around a 15-minute drive from the site of the Crooked House. The pub was demolished in August after it burnt down in a suspected arson attack.

The Grade II listed Tilted Barrel is wonky due to mining subsidence in the 1800s. It was taken over by landlady Haych Mann in February before undergoing an extensive refurbishment.

Despite significant interest however, The Telegraph reports the pub failed to reach its £178,000 reserve. Auctioneers had hoped it would sell for around £180,000 – but it received no interest until the price dropped to £20,000 less.

It eventually reached £170,000 at the auction, shy of the reserve. Landlady Haych, 38, previously admitted there had been some teething problems since taking over the venue.

One unusual issue was the pool table. She found she had to move it to another bar after the bizarre building caused the balls to apparently roll uphill.

Speaking after the Tilted Barrel took over the moniker of ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’ following the Crooked House fire on August 5, she said: “It’s a bitter sweet moment.

“Most of our regulars drank in the Crooked House too. I’m a local girl so I knew the pub well and we have lost an iconic pub in the Crooked House.

“So I’m both sad and proud at the same time to learn we might now have that title. It’s certainly not something I’m celebrating as the Crooked House was a landmark and a piece of Black Country history.”

Due to the Grade II listing status on the Tilted Barrel,any new owner could have faced difficulties altering the building’s appearance. The two-storey pub boasts 1,315 square foot of space inside which includes two beer cellars and three store rooms.

It also features two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a lounge.