Pub chain to open first its Isle of Man branch in Douglas
A large UK-based pub chain is set to open its first branch on the Isle of Man.JD Wetherspoon has confirmed it will open the Conister Arms on the site currently occupied by 1886 Bar and Grill on Regent Street in Douglas on 14 May.Chief executive of Thompson Holdings, which owns 1886, James Thompson said existing staff had been offered roles at the new pub and about 120 other staff would also be recruited.The four-storey venue, which sits just off the main shopping street in the Manx capital, has a capacity of 725.
Mr Thompson said the move was "about the future of our high street" as the island's hospitality sector was "on its knees".He said the Manx hospitality sector was "on its knees" and businesses were closing but the government could not "afford to help us".Hospitality had become "unaffordable for too many" and the "only real solution" was to "get prices down and keep them down".In a statement confirming the takeover, the chain said its pubs had "proven popular" in the UK and Ireland, and it was "confident that the new pub will appeal to a wide range of customers and be an asset to the social scene in Douglas", it added.
Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
Rachel Reeves slashing spending by £5bn in ‘austerity 2.0'
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce Labour's spending plans on Wednesday, but analysis suggests she will need to make £5bn in cuts by 2028/29. The cuts are expected across unprotected departments like housing, policing, and local government, excluding NHS England, core schools budget, and defence, with Labour critics dubbing the plans 'austerity 2.0'. The Home Office is expected to bear the brunt of spending cuts, potentially impacting police numbers despite pledges to cut crime. The analysis, commissioned by the Lib Dems, assumes Reeves will not hike taxes and was made before committing £1.25bn to restore winter fuel payments to pensioners. Lib Dems criticised the expected cuts, urging the Labour government to boost growth and avoid spending shortfalls, suggesting a UK- EU Customs Union to boost the economy.
Scotsman
26 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Long-serving team member promoted to Deputy MD after a decade
Key promotions mark fresh era at leading Scottish PR agency Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A Scottish public relations agency has unveiled a strengthened leadership team, spearheaded by the appointment of long-serving team member Chris Fairbairn as deputy managing director. The move sees Chris, a Chartered PR Practitioner and father-of-three from Edinburgh, step into the newly created role after more than a decade with the Leith-based firm. His appointment headlines a series of promotions at Holyrood PR, which is coming off the back of a record financial year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Also promoted are Chirene Campbell to account director, and Rachael Martin and Lewis Robertson to account managers – all reflecting the agency's continued growth across both consumer and corporate PR work. Chris Fairbairn, Deputy MD, Holyrood PR Chris began his journey with Holyrood PR as an intern in 2014 and quickly progressed through the ranks, becoming a vital part of the senior leadership team at the onset of the pandemic in 2020. He said: 'This promotion is the next step in a journey that started more than 10 years ago. I've been incredibly fortunate to work with people who've supported and challenged me in equal measure. 'From the outset, I've been given the freedom to learn, take responsibility and grow. The development opportunities here are second to none – and I hope I can now help provide that same support for others. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's a real privilege to step into this role at a time when the agency is thriving and expanding into new areas. Our team continues to evolve and it's an exciting time to be part of the agency's next chapter.' Founded in 2002, Holyrood PR has grown to become one of Scotland's leading independent PR agencies. The 13-strong team specialises in award-winning media relations and is recognised as an early adopter of digital PR and social media. The agency works with major organisations including Scottish Water, Cala Homes, Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Business Stream and Mackie's of Scotland – and has added a raft of new clients in recent months, including Water Direct, Merchiston Castle School, Waterfront Private Hospital and the Sheraton Grand Hotel and Spa Edinburgh. Scott Douglas, managing director and founder of Holyrood PR, said: 'Chris is a shining example of the culture we've built here – one of growth, ambition and long-term commitment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He's been a central figure in the agency's development, helping deliver year-on-year growth through his leadership, creativity and unwavering commitment to client success. 'This is also a moment to celebrate our wider team. Chirene, Rachael and Lewis have each contributed to our recent successes and its testament to their aptitude and attitude that we are able to make these merited promotions from within.' Over the past 12 months, the agency has also strengthened its in-house digital offering, delivering organic and paid social media support to existing and new clients, both as an integrated communications package for clients, or as a standalone service.
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Reeves says spending review will be about ‘making working people better off'
Rachel Reeves has acknowledged that not enough people are feeling the progress Labour has made and said her spending review will be about 'making working people better off'. The Chancellor is expected to announce funding increases for the NHS, schools and defence along with a number of infrastructure projects on Wednesday, as she shares out some £113 billion freed up by looser borrowing rules. But other areas could face cuts as she seeks to balance manifesto commitments with more recent pledges, such as a hike in defence spending, while meeting her fiscal rules that promise to match day-to-day spending with revenues. Sir Keir Starmer meanwhile rejected the idea that squeezed police budgets could make communities less safe. The Prime Minister also said that the decision to reinstate most winter fuel payments was not a response to the backlash against the policy. The Chancellor has committed £16.7 billion to nuclear power projects, including £14.2 billion of investment to build the new Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk. Ms Reeves said the Government was 'making Labour choices' and 'making progress' in an address to the GMB Union Congress in Brighton on Tuesday. She said: 'I know that not enough working people are yet feeling that progress, and that's what tomorrow's spending review is all about – making working people better off, investing in our security, investing in our health, investing in our economy. 'This Government is going for growth because that is the best way to create jobs, boost wages, lift people out of poverty, and sustainably fund our schools and our hospitals and all the public services we rely on. 'And we're doing things differently, because unlike the Tories, I don't think that the only good thing that a government can do is get out of the way.' Sir Keir was asked about reports that Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was among those concerned that the financial settlement for police in the spending review could lead to crimes not being investigated. 'No, we will be more safe,' he told GB News. The Prime Minister also rejected the idea that he had reversed course on winter fuel payments amid political pressure. 'We had to take difficult decisions in the budget; the economy was broken,' he told Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2. But he cited recent growth figures and falling interest rates as proof that 'the economy has stabilised'. Ms Reeves is under pressure to reverse course on cuts to benefits after she confirmed a U-turn on winter fuel payments that will see them restored to pensioners with an income of less than £35,000-a-year. She stood firm on welfare reforms on Tuesday as a union representative urged her to 'think again' on the cuts. The Chancellor said the current system is 'not sustainable' and that reforms aimed to get those who can work back into work and help 'fulfil the ambitions of people with disabilities themselves to get back into work'. The reforms include plans to tighten the eligibility criteria for personal independence payments, known as Pip.
