Bits of Langport still 'going missing'
Petty theft still appears to be popular around Langport - the tradition of taking home souvenirs from the town after dark usually kicks in as people walk home from the pub and house parties. The most recent victim was Cafe Arteazen where a large hand-painted sign saying 'CAFE' went walkabout. It hung on the corner wall of the building and was taken last weekend. But the manager's "please bring it back" sign in the window evidently paid off: it was discretely returned this week with a note reading "Sorry, Dad was drunk."
Despite door-to-door enquiries along Bow Street - these Somerton detectives, pictured outside The Langport Arms on Tuesday, couldn't track down the cafe sign thief.
Several things have 'disappeared' in the area in recent years. But drunks and revellers surely can't be blamed for all of them.
All Saints Hall, on North Street, always had what looked like a gold-leafed cockrel weather vane on its spire. It was allegedly 'removed' not long ago by the church to repair but has never been seen since. The churchwarden involved in its disappearance can be contacted at Bar Paradiso on the Costa del Sol.
There also used to be a Victorian post box in the church wall in Huish opposite the Muchelney turning. American collectors reportedly pay thousands for such English memorabilia. That's gone too.
Outside the old police station, on its stone pillars either side of the entrance, there used to be a large engraved brass plate which explained that this was also the gateway to Langport's cattle market. It must've been taken recently, you can clearly see a rectangular much brighter patch of stonework on the wall where it used to be. The benches have also gone missing from the beer 'garden' at former pub, Lou Lou's.
The list of missing and stolen items around Langport and Huish is long: there used to be a crossroads where Kelways roundabout is, a church hall opposite St Mary's, chickens in the bar at Eli's, railway stations at either end of the town and a reasonably-priced DIY shop opposite the primary school - and the town's Liberal Democrat MP has completely vanished.
But some things never change and we are delighted to report that the house opposite Lou Lou's is still boarded-up and Priest Lane is still an ideal place for a bit of rumpy-pumpy.
Priest Lane on Saturday - just before a Romanian lorry driver reversed down it, killing all of them.
