THE UK’s wonkiest pub owners have been ordered to restore the popular boozer to its former glory after it was burnt to the ground and ‘unlawfully’ destroyed.
Adam Taylor, 44, and his glamorous jetsetter wife Carly, 34, bought The Crooked House just weeks before a devastating fire destroyed it on August 5 2023.
Built in 1765 as a farmhouse, the famous pub began serving in the 19th century and got its name after subsidence from mining caused its distinctive 16-degree tilt.
It was a global attraction, with punters from around the world visiting to test out an optical illusion which made objects appear to roll uphill along the bar.
When it burnt to the ground last year, there was much speculation around the new owners.
Mrs Taylor is the director of ATE Farms Ltd, a firm set up by her husband, who himself is a shareholder and former director of Himley Environment Ltd – which runs a landfill site next to the pub.
She is also a director of multiple other companies and was known for lavishing in “a life of luxury” after “striking gold” when she met Mr Taylor.
Their marriage later saw her ditching a career as a hair stylist and nail technician.
The couple live in a luxury gated house between Hinckley and Lutterworth in Leicestershire.
Mrs Taylor frequently showed off their expensive tastes on social media.
She has posed in bikinis outside the famous seven-star Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, showcased holidays in Paris and even revealed she drives a Bentley.
Other snaps show her relaxing in first class seats on a plane with her designer Chanel bag with the caption: “Oopps!!”
A local at a nearby pub Mr Taylor used to visit previously said: “Carly struck gold when she married Adam. She’s his second wife.
“She once ran a hairdressing and nail business, now she runs a business and property empire.
“She’s done very well for herself and both she and Adam work really hard.
“But she lives the life of luxury too and enjoys travelling in luxury to nice places.”
A relative also told MailOnline: “I think she thinks she is better than everyone else since she married into money.
“She seems to go here there and everywhere, judging by Facebook.”
A second person claimed the pub owner “loved shopping for designer handbags”.
The couple boast an extensive portfolio of companies and properties, and are “always on the lookout” for more.
Mrs Taylor owns a second pub, the Sarah Mansfield Country Inn – a pub in Willey, Warwickshire, just a stone’s throw away from their luxury pad.
Her step-son previously revealed that the boozer had been snapped up by the company in 2020, rather than in a personal capacity.
The pub was once described as the “thriving heart of the community”, for locals in the rural village.
However it was reported Mr Taylor allegedly stripped out the pub’s interior after purchasing the site from a brewery, according to The Times.
Residents had tried to halt these plans but their objections were squashed in an appeal.
One disappointed local told The Times the popular watering hole was now “just four walls and looks like it is waiting to fall down”.
Then, the couple had plans to build houses on part of the pub’s car park but this was denied by Rugby Borough Council.
Mr and Mrs Taylor also had their eyes set on a former quarry at Dunton Bassett, in Leicestershire.
The pair had hoped to create a holiday hub with a farm shop and café, 33 holiday lodges and a 35-acre solar farm.
A planning application submitted to Harborough District Council revealed how they intend to entirely redevelop part of the land formerly used as the Slip Inn Quarry.
It is ATE Farms that had designs to turn the grassy land into a holiday home site.
Office buildings and industrial floorspace were also included within the application, along with an electric car charging facility for 20 vehicles.
Meanwhile, two to four bedroom holiday homes would be available to tourists.
The Crooked House was bought by the couple in 2023 from previous manager Lee Goodchild.
But disaster struck just weeks later when the pub went up in flames and was destroyed “without permission” by a team of diggers.
Staffordshire and West Midlands fire services had done their best to contain the fire on Himley Road but could not save the historic landmark.
The shocking blaze was quickly treated as arson by cops, and the Taylor’s were investigated.
Now, the council have served an Enforcement Notice ordering the couple to rebuild the beloved pub by February 2027 after ruling there had been an “unlawful demolition”.
Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street confirmed: “An enforcement notice has been issued against the owners for its unlawful demolition.
“They have been ordered to rebuild the pub back to what it was before the fire – just as we’ve been lobbying for.”
The Crooked House had been nominated for listed status protection in the days before it reduced to crumbling char.
If granted, Mr and Mrs Taylor would have needed council permission to knock it down.
The couple now have 30 days to appeal the enforcement notice and they have three years to comply with it.
Marco Longhi, the MP for Dudley North, said in a statement: “The demolition of the Crooked House shook our community here in Dudley and across the Black Country, so it’s fantastic news that an enforcement notice has been served on the owners for demolition without consent.
“The Crooked House owners are now required to rebuild the site back to its former glory and I will not rest until the Crooked House is built back brick by brick.
“Let this serve as a warning to anyone who wants to launch an attack on our heritage sites – you will not get away with it.”
Former manager Lee, 46, thinks the ruling is “excellent news” and “would love it to become a pub again”.
“They might have it as some form of museum but whatever happens, I hope the public get to see The Crooked House restored to its former glory,” he said.
“A lot of people have been fighting for this day and it certainly looks like a step in the right direction. We’ll see what happens from here.”
It comes as Lee felt cheated by the pub’s demolition after being assured “nothing could be done to the building or land”.
He explained this had played “a massive part” in handing over the popular venue to the Taylors.
“I loved running this pub, it was such an iconic building. It is awful to see what happened. Seeing the scenes of the fire and the bulldozing were upsetting,” Lee added.
Since the horror blaze, three men, aged 33, 51, and 66, have been arrested and bailed.
A woman, 34, and two men, aged 44 and 23, were also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent or being reckless as to whether life was endangered – they were also released on bail.
And, it was claimed the digger that flattened the burnt ruins was hired before the blaze.
Lawyers had begun investigating whether or not there were potential breaches of the 1990 Town and Country Planning Act after the demolition.
Leader of the Council, councillor Roger Lees, said: “A huge amount of time and resources have been put into investigating the unauthorised demolition of the Crooked House.
“We have had great support from the local community, our MPs and the Mayor of the West Midlands, and from the campaign group whose aim is to see the Crooked House back to its former glory which is the key objective of the Enforcement Notice.”
