The new owners of Tynwald Mills say they want to contribute to the continuing growth of the island’s economy and are determined to get down to business as soon as possible - starting with the fixing of a leaking roof.

The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group said it sees its investment in the struggling St John’s shopping complex as a ’strong mark of confidence in the Isle of Man economy’ and it wants international tourists visiting the British Isles to be drawn to coming to the island.

But a spokesman for the group said in the first instance the new owners would focus on investment on the Tynwald Mills building itself where ’immediate work is required on the leaking roof and other areas to ensure that visiting and shopping is an outstanding experience’.

The group says that it is keen to create jobs at Tynwald Mills as well as show other national businesses that the Isle of Man ’is an attractive and exciting place for long-term investment.’

And there are development plans to add new catering options on the site as well as introducing additional activity attractions, especially for younger children.

The international retail group, based in Carlisle, announced on Friday that it had bought 30-year-old Tynwald Mills.

The announcement came after the publication of the Isle of Man Courier, which revealed that the complex had been sold before any announcement was made.

Shopping tycoon Philip Day, a Dubai-based billionaire businessman (pictured), is the founder and chief executive of the group.

There had been growing speculation that Tynwald Mills had been sold, which only grew greater after reports of staff being summoned to hear there had been an acquisition.

The last owner Bob Jeavons had been tightlipped when asked about what was happening.

The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group told Business News the group wanted to establish Tynwald Mills as ’a key destination for international tourists who are visiting and travelling around the UK, providing them with yet another compelling reason to visit the Isle of Man’.

The group spokesman told Business News: ’We recognised straight away that Tynwald Mills represents an incredible opportunity to build an attractive shopping destination in a wonderful setting. It has been an ambition of ours to expand into the Isle of Man for some years, so we are both proud and excited to have secured this fantastic site and look forward to becoming part of the community long term.

’As a company, we have a passion for heritage, and we are very proud to be the custodians of such a historic building on the island. We will be investing in the destination site to ensure that it is as good as it can be, providing new opportunities for everyone to shop and eat out.

’We look forward to bringing families more activity options at the site over the coming years too. As well as ensuring that Tynwald Mills cements its place at the centre of the community in the Isle of Man, we hope it will also draw even more international tourists to the island.

’This is also a strong statement of confidence in the Isle of Man, its people, ambitions and economy, and we wanted to thank the Isle of Man Government for working with us closely on the acquisition of this site.

’We are a family business that thinks and acts long term, and we look forward to playing our part in the economic growth of the Isle of Man over the next decades.’

Over the last decade, the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group has grown from a high street shopping chain to one of the fastest-growing retail and fashion groups in the British Isles.

The group now employs 25,000 people globally and operates more than 1,200 stores and concessions. It owns brands including Austin Reed, Jaeger, Jacques Vert, Dash, Eastex and Windsmoor.

The group talks about its experience improving, managing and drawing tourists to destination and historic sites which blend retail, catering and family attractions, such as Masson Mills Shopping Village and Historic Mills and The Scottish Deer Centre.

With this in mind the group wants to ensure people have a ’fantastic day out’ when they visit Tynwald Mills.