Call for extension of quayside traffic ban trial

A proposal to permanently pedestrianise part of a quayside area in the Manx capital should be extended further, a nearby restaurant owner has said.

Douglas Council is planning a trial closure North Quay to vehicles to encourage more footfall for businesses along the harbourside.

Andrew Gibbs from Barbary Coast said while he supported the move, he believed it should be broadened out to the whole of the quayside.

Brewery Heron and Brearley, which has pubs along the stretch of road, said closing the area in 2024 for short periods had been "very good" for traders and "provided opportunities for collaboration".

North Quay is currently only closed to traffic on weekends and bank holidays during the spring and summer months.

The proposed scheme would include a stretch from the entrance to North Quay at Banks Circus until Market Hill, and include an exception for loading and deliveries between 07:00 and 10:00 GMT.

Council leader Claire Wells said following the "success" of previous trials the authority wanted to try a more consistent approach to adopting a "car-free area".

But she said the plans needed to be "conscious" of the vendors in the area that relied on customers using vehicles.

Jason Lowe from Heron and Brearley said events held by The British public house during the Summer closures, including a blues festival, saw a "big influx of people".

He said while it was "very weather dependent", when the sun shone "we had a very good mix of crowds".

Pippa Pettit, director of the eatery Noa Bakehouse on Market Hill, said a permanent closure could provide the community more public space, which was "so needed" as Douglas "doesn't have a town square".

She urged the council and the Department of Infrastructure to work with traders on a model to "enable a bit of flexibility" on usage and access without major changes to roads or pavements, she added.

Mr Gibbs said while he had been "disappointed" the closures had not included the stretch of quay in front of his business, but he would still support the proposed scheme.

But he said he believed vehicular access could be diverted behind the restaurant, via Chapel Row and a car park, to incorporate more businesses and "not leave out" those outside of the boundaries.

The local authority has previously said consultations with residents, local businesses and customers would be carried out before introducing any firm plans.

Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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