Could it be last orders for some of the Isle of Man’s best known community pubs?
That’s the warning from an industry group after three public houses were put up for sale by owners Heron and Brearley.
The freeholds for the Mines Tavern in Laxey, the Colby Glen pub and Carnival in Strand Street, Douglas, were listed this week by estate agent Black Grace Cowley and a UK agency that specialises in leisure property.
The Mines Tavern and the Colby Glen are both being advertised as business opportunities for pub and restaurant owners, while Carnival is described as ‘prime retail or leisure premises’ by the agents.
Offers ‘in the region of £1,350,000’ have been invited for the Carnival site, which includes a four-bedroom maisonette.
Meanwhile, the Mines Tavern, the last brewery-owned pub in Laxey, is listed at £395,000, while offers ‘in excess of £595,000’ are invited for the Colby Glen.
Andy Saunders, vice chairman of the Isle of Man Licensed Victuallers’ Association, which represents independent landlords, told iomtoday: ‘It’s a very difficult situation for public houses in the Isle of Man and there will definitely be more pubs closing.
‘The low cost of alcohol in the off-licence trade and big supermarkets is the real killer.
‘But other factors, like the proliferation of home entertainment options, means that there are a lot of things people can do other than go to their local.’
He added that although the businesses may well continue under independent ownership, there is a risk that some or all of them might close.
‘The danger is that we could lose the public houses outside of the major towns,’ he said.
‘Pubs like the Colby Glen, the Mitre in Kirk Michael or the Raven in Ballaugh are real community hubs, and they’d be a big loss.’
Angela Jaspin of the Isle of Man branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), said she was ‘very surprised’ to learn that the pubs were for sale.
She said: ‘We don’t like to see any pub potentially closing down. Every pub is somebody’s local.’
Heron and Brearley did not respond to our requests for comment.