I've never seen Barbel spawning on the sections I fish, Neil. There aren't many area's suitable for it TBH, odd bits, but not many. We aren't allowed to be on the bank during the close season either (the club change the locks, allegedly) So no fish spotting or baiting up.
I'll miss it when I'm done. It's a lovely bit of the river to be sat beside, and so handy for me being only 30 minutes away. But with there being very few Barbel, the cost of the ticket, the club's apparent apathy towards their river sections, it's time for me to move on at the end of the year.