The owner of the houseboat died in 2023. The council said a ‘forced entry’ to the barge may have caused damage to the window that appears to have disappeared into the water.
A houseboat that has been collapsing into the River Cam for months is unlikely to be removed soon. The dilapidated barge can be seen from outside Jesus Green Lido, on the opposite side of the river.
The owner of the barge died in 2023. Cambridge City Council said in July this year that the closure of Baits Bite Lock in 2024 left no way of removing it.
Since then, a window frame and panes appear to have dropped into the water. Part of the damage is believed to have been caused by a “forced entry”, according to a council spokesperson.
Despite the rapid deterioration, options for removing the barge “remain limited”, according to the council. The spokesperson explained: “We continue to investigate with partners the possible solutions to remove the barge.
“However, as the barge has no means of self-propulsion, and as Baits Bite Lock remains closed, current options remain limited and would be incredibly costly. The owner of the barge sadly passed away in 2023.
“Since then, the council has been working to support the deceased’s family to manage this situation. As part of this ongoing support, we will try to re-secure the barge following the apparent attempted forced entry, which has likely caused the damage to the cabin window area.”
