Mystery over Barge pub closure

1:10pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News By Gina Marden

Barge pub is sunk Barge pub is sunk

A MUCH-LOVED community pub has mysteriously closed its doors.
The Barge Inn pub on High Road, Vange has been at the heart of its area since first opening its doors more than 200 years ago.
 

But now the doors are firmly shut with no signs of life apparent after the latest landlords Emma and Clive Langley mysteriously left the pub.
Customers and businesses believe the couple left the pub after struggling as the recession continues to bite.
 

Speaking in 2008, just a year on from taking on the pub, the couple told The Echo the economic downturn was already taking its toll on their business with fewer people spending their cash at watering holes across the country.
 

Now, more than four years on, the couple are understood to have left the pub, which is thought to have closed around a fortnight ago.
It is currently empty and a sign on the window, which reads “closed private party”, is undertsood to refer to a bash thrown at the pub by the couple on New Year’s Eve.
 

Enterprise Inns PLC, the brewery which owns the pub, was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press. The Echo were also unable to contact Mr and Mrs Langley.
 

Previously, before the Langleys ran The Barge, the pub was run by the Evans family who spent seven decades pulling pints there. Elizabeth Evans was the first member of the family to take on the pub in 1937, and her niece Geraldine Evans more recently worked behind the bar for more than 40 years until she left in April 2007.

Comments (14)

3:40pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Big_g33 says...

The barge actually closed on New Year's Day after Clive and Emma announced the closure to all the customers theat supported them, how can pubs compete with supermarkets selling booze at rock bottom prices!
The barge actually closed on New Year's Day after Clive and Emma announced the closure to all the customers theat supported them, how can pubs compete with supermarkets selling booze at rock bottom prices! Big_g33

4:11pm Thu 24 Jan 13

perini says...

Obviously not that well loved - if it was they wouldn't have had to close
Obviously not that well loved - if it was they wouldn't have had to close perini

5:10pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Stoko66 says...

perini wrote:
Obviously not that well loved - if it was they wouldn't have had to close
Trouble is mate, if you only have a certain amount of money, it matters not how much you love a place! Times are hard and everyone is feeling it! Unfortunately because beer is so dear in a pub and so cheap in a supermarket people are tightening there belts! Have you not stuck your head out of the door for a while?
The government are making the most from the nation's penchant for a tipple: around a third of the cost of a pint goes to the Treasury. For a pint of 4% beer, 37.4p goes in just excise duty, not counting the VAT of 17.5%. This excise duty rises to 50p for a 5% strength brew. In contrast just 7p is spent on the raw materials such as hops and barley.

Where as supermarkets can afford to sell below duty plus VAT! WHICH WORKS OUT ABOUT 87p PER PINT!
[quote][p][bold]perini[/bold] wrote: Obviously not that well loved - if it was they wouldn't have had to close[/p][/quote]Trouble is mate, if you only have a certain amount of money, it matters not how much you love a place! Times are hard and everyone is feeling it! Unfortunately because beer is so dear in a pub and so cheap in a supermarket people are tightening there belts! Have you not stuck your head out of the door for a while? The government are making the most from the nation's penchant for a tipple: around a third of the cost of a pint goes to the Treasury. For a pint of 4% beer, 37.4p goes in just excise duty, not counting the VAT of 17.5%. This excise duty rises to 50p for a 5% strength brew. In contrast just 7p is spent on the raw materials such as hops and barley. Where as supermarkets can afford to sell below duty plus VAT! WHICH WORKS OUT ABOUT 87p PER PINT! Stoko66

11:44am Fri 25 Jan 13

Shoebury_Cyclist says...

The brewers need to drop their prices too. They are killing the pub trade in Britain.
The brewers need to drop their prices too. They are killing the pub trade in Britain. Shoebury_Cyclist

11:59am Fri 25 Jan 13

Cosmo Spring says...

Supermarkets should not be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages as a loss leader as they so obviously do these days.

Beers, wines and spirits sales should be restricted to off licences.
Supermarkets should not be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages as a loss leader as they so obviously do these days. Beers, wines and spirits sales should be restricted to off licences. Cosmo Spring

1:26pm Fri 25 Jan 13

andy:) says...

Big_g33 wrote:
The barge actually closed on New Year's Day after Clive and Emma announced the closure to all the customers theat supported them, how can pubs compete with supermarkets selling booze at rock bottom prices!
Some pubs/bars clearly do, most people dont go JUST to drink booze, its a social thing.
[quote][p][bold]Big_g33[/bold] wrote: The barge actually closed on New Year's Day after Clive and Emma announced the closure to all the customers theat supported them, how can pubs compete with supermarkets selling booze at rock bottom prices![/p][/quote]Some pubs/bars clearly do, most people dont go JUST to drink booze, its a social thing. andy:)

8:26pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Stoko66 says...

Shoebury_Cyclist wrote:
The brewers need to drop their prices too. They are killing the pub trade in Britain.
trouble is its the revenue not breweries that is killing pubs
[quote][p][bold]Shoebury_Cyclist[/bold] wrote: The brewers need to drop their prices too. They are killing the pub trade in Britain.[/p][/quote]trouble is its the revenue not breweries that is killing pubs Stoko66

9:13pm Fri 25 Jan 13

pussycats says...

Stoko, why do you and the media keep saying that times are hard and we are all feeling it? My partner gets very annoyed at that ridiculous generalisation. He's rich!
Stoko, why do you and the media keep saying that times are hard and we are all feeling it? My partner gets very annoyed at that ridiculous generalisation. He's rich! pussycats

9:18pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Stoko66 says...

pussycats wrote:
Stoko, why do you and the media keep saying that times are hard and we are all feeling it? My partner gets very annoyed at that ridiculous generalisation. He's rich!
glad to hear it
[quote][p][bold]pussycats[/bold] wrote: Stoko, why do you and the media keep saying that times are hard and we are all feeling it? My partner gets very annoyed at that ridiculous generalisation. He's rich![/p][/quote]glad to hear it Stoko66

11:45pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Stoko66 says...

Who's the grass? So I mentioned the unmentionable word! I have a right to free speech,surely? I have a right to generalise as **** cats has quoted me of doing? We are not poor, and have more than most. But business has been slow and we have had to change things. But coming on and saying I have upset someone because they have enough money and are not struggling is, in my opinion more degrading than the "B" word! Perhaps Pussytcat your husband is a drug dealer? Is that more PC, for you lilly livered liberalist lefties?
Who's the grass? So I mentioned the unmentionable word! I have a right to free speech,surely? I have a right to generalise as **** cats has quoted me of doing? We are not poor, and have more than most. But business has been slow and we have had to change things. But coming on and saying I have upset someone because they have enough money and are not struggling is, in my opinion more degrading than the "B" word! Perhaps Pussytcat your husband is a drug dealer? Is that more PC, for you lilly livered liberalist lefties? Stoko66

3:55pm Sat 26 Jan 13

pussycats says...

What a very sad person you must be. Anyone who has worked hard and is not struggling must be a drug dealer! The rest of your argument is just to stupid to contemplate.
What a very sad person you must be. Anyone who has worked hard and is not struggling must be a drug dealer! The rest of your argument is just to stupid to contemplate. pussycats

12:55am Sun 27 Jan 13

Stoko66 says...

pussycats wrote:
What a very sad person you must be. Anyone who has worked hard and is not struggling must be a drug dealer! The rest of your argument is just to stupid to contemplate.
As sad as someone that would boast that whilst times hard it matters not to you because a) you are sat behind a guarded keyboard and
b) because you are rich!
There are many, many people that work hard, I do 3 jobs! But can't boast at the fact the recession hasn't made a difference to a) income b) spending!!
Count yourself as lucky!
[quote][p][bold]pussycats[/bold] wrote: What a very sad person you must be. Anyone who has worked hard and is not struggling must be a drug dealer! The rest of your argument is just to stupid to contemplate.[/p][/quote]As sad as someone that would boast that whilst times hard it matters not to you because a) you are sat behind a guarded keyboard and b) because you are rich! There are many, many people that work hard, I do 3 jobs! But can't boast at the fact the recession hasn't made a difference to a) income b) spending!! Count yourself as lucky! Stoko66

10:50pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Major Incident says...

Cosmo Spring wrote:
Supermarkets should not be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages as a loss leader as they so obviously do these days. Beers, wines and spirits sales should be restricted to off licences.
Supermarkets are off licences, otherwise they couldn't sell the stuff!
[quote][p][bold]Cosmo Spring[/bold] wrote: Supermarkets should not be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages as a loss leader as they so obviously do these days. Beers, wines and spirits sales should be restricted to off licences.[/p][/quote]Supermarkets are off licences, otherwise they couldn't sell the stuff! Major Incident

7:15pm Tue 29 Jan 13

buttsy says...

Stoko66 wrote:
pussycats wrote:
What a very sad person you must be. Anyone who has worked hard and is not struggling must be a drug dealer! The rest of your argument is just to stupid to contemplate.
As sad as someone that would boast that whilst times hard it matters not to you because a) you are sat behind a guarded keyboard and
b) because you are rich!
There are many, many people that work hard, I do 3 jobs! But can't boast at the fact the recession hasn't made a difference to a) income b) spending!!
Count yourself as lucky!
Your the aptitamy mate of what is wrong in this county, why don't you move to a more affluent part of the country with you money just make sure your clear in what you mean KNOB
[quote][p][bold]Stoko66[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]pussycats[/bold] wrote: What a very sad person you must be. Anyone who has worked hard and is not struggling must be a drug dealer! The rest of your argument is just to stupid to contemplate.[/p][/quote]As sad as someone that would boast that whilst times hard it matters not to you because a) you are sat behind a guarded keyboard and b) because you are rich! There are many, many people that work hard, I do 3 jobs! But can't boast at the fact the recession hasn't made a difference to a) income b) spending!! Count yourself as lucky![/p][/quote]Your the aptitamy mate of what is wrong in this county, why don't you move to a more affluent part of the country with you money just make sure your clear in what you mean KNOB buttsy

Comments are closed on this article.

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree