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The last landlord at "Britain's wonkiest pub" said the recent fire and demolition of the building would tarnish memories.

Lee Goodchild, 46, ran the Crooked House near Dudley from September 2022 until it recently shut.

His views were echoed by Tom and Laura Catton, who met while working at the pub and visited the remains on Tuesday for one last drink in the rubble.

They described it as a community focal point.

The Crooked House was gutted by fire on Saturday night. The shell of the building was left standing, but it was bulldozed on Monday afternoon. Officials have said the demolition was unacceptable and possibly unlawful.

South Staffordshire Council said it was looking at possible enforcement action against those responsible.

Mr Goodchild, who lives in Worcestershire, said he was "pretty low" when he had to leave the pub, after brewer Marston's put it up for sale, but the fire and the surprising demolition had left him "appalled".

The landlord has been in the pub trade for more than 25 years, but said he was now thinking of leaving the business and added: "This has just really taken its toll."

He said he had received many messages since the fire, but had found it hard to look at the pictures of the pub he once ran.

He described the Crooked House as an "iconic building" and had thought the previous owners, Marston's, would have wanted it to remain a pub.

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