UKH

Did I hear aright?

Is the pub going to be built again, brick by brick?

That's great if it is!

Believe it when you see it. Bankruptcy hearing far more likely.

Agree. There's no way they'll comply.

Whilst I doubt it will ever be rebuilt as it was, I am curious about the legalities.

If rebuilt, surely it would have to comply with modern buildings regulations?  This would seem to be challenging.

Presumably to get close, previous staff and regulars would have to donate pictures of various parts of internal and external structure, then have a volunteer group w some AI graphic knowledge, collate the variously dispersed images into some more exact plan of the almost brick by brick architecture.

I was very sad and more than a little angry when I heard of the pub’s demise. Only visited it a few times, but it was a very special place. 

The people who unlawfully demolished the pub after it mysteriously burnt down (with carefully dumped piles of soil to stop fire engines getting close), have been ordered to rebuilt it. That doesn't mean it's actually going to happen. To be honest I'd be surprised if it was rebuilt, particularly by the present owners, but these things have happened before. That pub in Maida Vale springs to mind:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/mar/21/rising-from-the-rubble... 

Think I am right in saying repairs don't come under Building Regs. Not sure how elastic that term is!

It's happened before, there was one in London that was rebuilt brick by brick.

It isn't very useful there, though, which was why it closed.  Pity it couldn't be relocated somewhere sensible.

If it was an insurance job, it’d be a rebuild not a repair.

Reading more stories on it I’m annoyed at the reporting saying the order is on the “owners”.  It’s on a small limited company which will no doubt turn out to have empty pockets by the time any enforcement happens.  Unless criminal charges are brought against a company director, the financial liability dies with that particular company.  Be interesting to see who the company sells the plot too.

If the building plot turns out to be worth more than the wonky building, there’s always the proceeds of crime act.

You don’t say which pub in London you mean, but the famously rebuilt Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale is doing fine unless something has happened pretty recently.

jcm

What I don't understand about this story is why the plot would be worth more than the pub. 

It's so obvious the crime though, mounds of soil blocking fire engines, fire a week or so after buying it, demolished 24 hours later. At least wait 6 months before starting the fire.

And then there's her fella who's director of a company who's landfill site went up in flames.

Rotten bit of luck with fires the pair of them.

A loss making or not very successful pub generating not much rental income or uncertain profit in the long term vs short term large payout by selling for housing or other development.

This story has really surprised me how strongly lots of people feel about a wonky building. Even people who would never have been aware of it. I'm equally surprised at the lengths some people will go to try and avoid the planning process.

Did you ever visit it? You walked into one big optical illusion. The bar appeared to slope down one way, and bottles would roll “up” it the other way. Walking around was tricky even when sober. 

No I didn't. Never knew of it. I understand it being special for those who have but was surprised by the wider appeal and longevity of the story. 

I hadn’t been there for over 30 years, but I’m originally from the area. 

People generally recognise the world is a poorer place if the interesting places of local significance are destroyed.

Plus many will be aware of the issue and dislike convenient fires or demolitions from what's happened in their own locality.