Abandoned barge on town’s quay set to be removed in work starting next week

An abandoned barge will be removed from the riverbank next to Lynn’s Boal Quay car park as work begins next week.

The ‘Tosca’ barge, which is understood to be a Belgian Spitz Barge, will start to be dismantled on Monday in a process expected to take around eight weeks.

While the work is being carried out, part of the footpath around the back of the car park will be shut for health and safety reasons as heavy machinery will need to access the area where the barge is located.

The Tosca had been used as a houseboat on the bed of the River Nar but it became uninhabitable when the hull was breached by water in 2013.

Cllr Bal Anota, West Norfolk Council’s cabinet member for property and corporate services, said: “Like many I am sorry that the Tosca barge, which has become something of a local landmark, must go.

“With repeated attempts to set it on fire having damaged the structure, it is now a safety hazard.

“Having assessed its condition we have reluctantly reached the conclusion that the only safe option is to remove it as we know children are playing on what has become an unsafe barge.”

A short diversion route for the footpath, which will be signposted, will go around the outside edge of the car park and rejoin the footpath further down.