The Worlds End, a centuries-old Grade II-listed pub in Tilbury, Essex, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday afternoon, becoming the fourth blaze in the area within a week. A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of arson and released on bail until November 18. The destruction of the building, which dates to the late 1600s and is listed with Historic England, has been described by local councillors as a "heartbreaking" loss of "incredible heritage".

The timber-framed pub was reportedly visited by diarist Samuel Pepys and author Daniel Defoe, making it a significant historical landmark connected to Tilbury's naval heritage. Built around the late 1600s and formally known as The Worlds End since 1667, the two-storey building had been closed for several months following difficult trading conditions. The latest fire followed three other deliberate fires at or near the same location over the previous week, involving containers, rubbish, grass, and pallets.