Commissioners going ahead with Laxey public shelter plans

Dispute between owner and authority started last year

Garff Commissioners have defended their position on the decision to adapt the public shelter on Laxey Promenade.

The commissioners want to install picnic tables, a wheelchair ramp and lockers for beach users.

However Laxey Beach Café, which operates from the adjacent shelter, has been cleaning and maintaining the public shelter for use by its customers and wants to continue to do so.

There are picnic tables and wooden planters in the shelter which were purchased by the café owner, Julie Pinson, who is a commissioner herself.

During the meeting Chair of Garff Commissioners Stan Ryzak said: "It is a public space, it is not a café.

"Please don’t get confused between a café and a public space. 

"It will still cleaned in the correct way but is a public space. 

"If the person in there wants to clean the table themselves that’s fine.

"It’s always been a public space. No one is turned away."

After the meeting Local Democracy Reporter Emma Draper spoke to Commissioner Melanie Christian and the manager of the café Dalia Everden:

Residents who attended the meeting suggested the commissioners create an 'agreement' for the café to carry on as it is.

However the local authority said 'we don't think it is correct we should do that'.

One resident felt the only 'benefit' from the commissioners' plans was an access ramp for wheelchairs:

Garff Commissioners confirmed they will be starting the works within the next two months.

The dispute between the commissioners and the owner has been ongoing since last summer.