"Sweet Steve I'm called or Sweetie if they know me well enough! What would you like – bonbons, black jacks, Christmas cake....?
Brrrr, it's so cold, and I haven't even got my coat on! But after this weekend the Sweet Barge is closed until next spring. Then I'll start cruising all through the summer from Bristol in the west, through Saltford, and as far as Newbury in Berkshire. I don't travel every day, that wouldn't be a balanced lifestyle for me, so I usually cruise on Mondays and Thursdays.
I saw somebody selling sweets from their boat a few years ago, and they were doing really well, so that's how I got the idea to start running my Sweet Barge. The people I saw told me they were retiring soon and were really keen for me to take over. I didn't want to step on their toes, so I left it another year or two, and after I hadn't seen them around on the water for a while I decided to give my Sweet Barge a go. I started off this summer and it just took off! It was ridiculous how well it went!
It's great how well lots of trading boats are doing these days. People love coming to the canal for a day out and they can't resist a bag of their favourite sweets!"
Steve, Sweet Barge
Kennet & Avon Canal
