Overview
- A large blaze ripped through The World’s End on Fort Road in Tilbury on Wednesday 23 September and firefighters brought the fire under control by about 6:30pm while crews checked for hotspots.
- Essex Police arrested a man in his 20s on suspicion of arson and said he remains in custody for questioning as their investigation continues.
- The fire service has said the formal cause will be determined only after the site is made safe and investigators have urged anyone with video or information to come forward.
- Local reporting documents at least three smaller fires near the pub in the days before the main blaze, a pattern that police and fire crews say they are examining for links to the incident.
- The World’s End dates to the late 1600s and has been Grade II‑listed since 1974, and local councillors and residents have warned the loss of its fabric raises urgent questions about heritage protection and future rebuilding.