Many would attempt to revise this practice and they may have got grants, but the barges have not re-appeared.
In reality when Lathams was operating the Lea was a dead, dark stretch of water, heavily polluted by diesel. This is what Les Heath, who ran for 50 years the Anchor & Hope, probably the most famous pub on the Lea towpath, had to say about the Lea in those days. You have to watch until about 8 mins 20 seconds before you get to him talking about the Lea, but it's worth waiting for.
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