Robert Lee 128 Posted August 14, 2023 Does this sound familiar? Developer buys popular local property which stands on prime development site. Property catches fire a week later, and Fire Brigade has trouble reaching it due to mysterious obstacles in the access road. Fire put out and building is salvageable, investigators are sure it's arson and plan return visit to find the evidence. Next day it is completely flattened by persons unknown using bulldozer on hire to nearby recycling company, owned by guess who? Yep, aforesaid developer. Midlanders will have been reading the saga of The Crooked House, and it even made the national news. How many speedway stadia have gone that way. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deano 1,318 Posted August 14, 2023 I can name six pubs off the top of my head in Birmingham and Solihull that went exactly the same way. It’s shocking how the law just lets it happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lefty 1,268 Posted August 14, 2023 CAMRA have 'Pub Preservation Officers'. In the West Mids it's more appropriate to have 'Pub Demolition Officers'. Banks's Brewery claim(ed) 'Unspoilt By Progress' . Shame this didn't apply when The Elephant & Castle Pub near the Molineux 'vanished' overnight. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uk_martin 1,606 Posted August 14, 2023 42 minutes ago, Deano said: I can name six pubs off the top of my head in Birmingham and Solihull that went exactly the same way. It’s shocking how the law just lets it happen. As discussed on Facebook It's one thing suspecting or "knowing" that these fires are "insurance jobs" but it's quite another to prove it. I just hope that the insurance companies aren't conned because it's your premiums and mine that fund the pay-outs. It's US that are getting conned at the end of the day. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Humphrey Appleby 13,957 Posted August 14, 2023 2 hours ago, uk_martin said: It's one thing suspecting or "knowing" that these fires are "insurance jobs" but it's quite another to prove it. And of course where arson is proved, it's always 'kids' who've broken in to burn the place down... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel Smith 5,662 Posted August 15, 2023 14 hours ago, Lefty said: CAMRA have 'Pub Preservation Officers'. In the West Mids it's more appropriate to have 'Pub Demolition Officers'. Banks's Brewery claim(ed) 'Unspoilt By Progress' . Shame this didn't apply when The Elephant & Castle Pub near the Molineux 'vanished' overnight. Which is now alive & well, exactly as it was, at the 'Black Country Living Museum.' 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JOS50 150 Posted August 15, 2023 (edited) New York Times article well worth a look, including a wicked photo from 1907. Edited August 15, 2023 by JOS50 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Al 708 Posted August 17, 2023 For a piece of state-sponsored vandalism, it would be hard to beat the unnecessary destruction of the Bree Louise pub, near to Euston station, London. A wonderful place for a pint or two before getting the train, meeting up with people, just a very sociable place where strangers shared tables. And now gone, because of some plan to build a new rail terminal which now looks like it will never happen. The phrase "rebuild brick by brick" should apply in this instance, too. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lefty 1,268 Posted August 17, 2023 5 minutes ago, Big Al said: For a piece of state-sponsored vandalism, it would be hard to beat the unnecessary destruction of the Bree Louise pub, near to Euston station, London. A wonderful place for a pint or two before getting the train, meeting up with people, just a very sociable place where strangers shared tables. And now gone, because of some plan to build a new rail terminal which now looks like it will never happen. The phrase "rebuild brick by brick" should apply in this instance, too. So true, an absolute gem, sadly missed. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keepturningleft 589 Posted August 22, 2023 There’s too much arson about… Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve roberts 9,246 Posted August 22, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, keepturningleft said: There’s too much arson about… Apparently a thatched restuarant in Harome not far from where I live was set alight when the landlord evicted a customer from the pub who insisted on smoking and he threw his cigarette butt onto the thatch...anarchy rules! Edited August 22, 2023 by steve roberts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
frigbo 518 Posted August 23, 2023 Exactly the same with the Corn Exchange building in Swindon's Old Town. Failed planning application and two fires in so far and just the external walls now remain. From a speedway perspective, Newport's Queensway Meadows Stadium situation seemed mighty coincidental.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DazS 430 Posted August 25, 2023 what do you think the wild fires in California and Maui and Canada are about + others. clue it isn't global warming Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iris123 20,988 Posted August 25, 2023 Some will never believe the truth, because they are being played by bots Maui County is suing energy firm Hawaiian Electric, saying it failed to turn off electric equipment before wildfires started on the island. In California, power lines have been blamed for half of the state's most destructive wildfires. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DazS 430 Posted August 25, 2023 oh so they new the wild fires were going to start. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
