Douglas Promenade works - the effect on local businesses - part two

Perspective

Sunday, 22 September 2019 - 1 hour 24 minutes

In July, Perspective took a look at what's increasingly becoming one of the biggest talking points on our Island.

The ongoing refurbishment works along Douglas promenade are estimated to take around two years, and it's thought to be the first major excavation of the capital's highway in 90 years.

However, it's estimated the project is already as much as ten weeks behind schedule.

Motorists who use the route may well have experienced delays, parking spaces have been lost or moved, and pedestrians may have struggled to cross in places with the central corridor shut for extended lengths.

But those who have felt perhaps the biggest impact are some of the businesses situated along the front, and members of Tynwald's environment and infrastructure policy review committee made it their mission to find out just what effect the works have had on them.

The committee's chair, Rob Callister MHK, went from being the interrogator to interrogated this week, as he was one of five representatives of the Department for Enterprise to give oral evidence in public - having temporarily recused himself from the panel over fears of a perceived conflict of interest with his role in the department.

He joined Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly, Chief Executive Mark Lewin, Angela Byrne, who is Head of Visit Isle of Man, and Tim Cowsill who is the Business Development Manager at Business Isle of Man.

In first part of the programme, we listen in to some extracts from that hearing with MHKs Clare Barber and Chris Robertshaw.

In the second half, minister Laurence Skelly and political member with responsibility for tourism Mr Callister join Dollin Mercer live in the studio.

Douglas Promenade works - the effect on local businesses - part two

Perspective

Subscribe to this podcast

Share