CAMRA is throwing its weight behind a potential new law which would give extra protections for historic and outstanding pubs in England.
Mike Wood MP
The Heritage Public Houses Bill would better protect historic pubs from being lost to demolition or conversion. The Bill has been introduced by Conservative MP Mike Wood, who came third in the Private Members Bill ballot. This means he has a high chance of getting his proposals passed into law, with the right amount of support.
Mike Wood is the MP for the Kingswinford and South Staffordshire constituency where the famous Crooked House pub, in Himley, was demolished following a fire back in 2023.
CAMRA joined campaigners and communities across the country in calling for the Crooked House pub to be rebuilt brick by brick. The future of the pub is dependent on an ongoing police investigation before South Staffordshire Council can force the owners of the pub to rebuild it.
The Heritage Public Houses Bill would give stronger protections in law to prevent pubs listed as a heritage pub being demolished or converted into houses or other uses where the community wants to save the building as a pub.
“CAMRA and our 145,000 members are giving our full backing to this desperately needed Bill that will give better protections for pubs, which are a vital part of our heritage and of community life up and down the country,” said CAMRA chairman Ash Corbett-Collins.
“The public’s reaction to the scandal of the Crooked House in Himley being destroyed showed just how much the nation values historic and unique pubs, and why better protections are needed to stop them being lost forever to demolition or converted into houses, shops, or takeaways.
“A huge thank you to Mike Wood for standing up to save and safeguard outstanding pubs that hold such a special place in our national story in the past, present and — if the Government and MPs back this legislation — the future too.”
