Many people in Ramsey and the north of the island will have been saddened when one of the best-known businesses closed more than two-and-a-half years ago.
Raymotors was part of the business fabric of the area but the long-established family motors business closed in October 2017, with the loss of 28 jobs.
Now part of the former Raymotors site in Ramsey has been ’resurrected’.
Mannin Retail has announced the reopening of the petrol station as the latest addition to its Spar convenience and forecourt chain.
It could prove to be a small ’tonic’ for folk in the Ramsey area as the island comes together to battle the coronavirus.
The Ramsey site has lain dormant since 2017 and has only just re-opened.
Mannin Retail’s managing director, Vic van den Heever, said: ’Raymotors was a long-established business in the Ramsey community and its closure brought a sad end to decades of forecourt services from the site.
’Our company has made extensive investment to return the site to its former position as the premium forecourt site in Ramsey and the north of the island. Ramsey-based Raymotors Ltd, which was incorporated as a family business in February 1951, employed some 28 people and focused on car sales, service and spares.
It also owned the Rapid Auto tyre, exhaust and brake pad centre, a petrol station and a number of properties in the town, with total assets of at least £2.2 million in value.
In October, 2017, Isle of Man Newspapers reported that the High Court ordered the appointment of a liquidator for Raymotors.
The Covid-19 crisis has meant Mannin Retail has had to rethink their original opening plans, however.
’It has been paramount to responsibly comply with government instructions on self-isolating and social distancing. However, in cutting travel times and helping residents in the immediate vicinity ensure they are only out-of-home for the bare minimum when walking, this actually contributes to protecting customers and staff’ said Vic van den Heever.
He continued: ’During this difficult time, we very much appreciate the role we’re playing to keep our communities stocked and supplied with groceries. This was a key driver behind our opening of a ’Baby Spar’ in Crosby and we’ve managed to add a delivery and collection service that is also available at most of our other Spar stores to further ensure our customers have every possible option to get supplies.
’I’m very proud of our staff for stepping up to the unprecedented challenges posed by the crisis and ask our customers to play their part in protecting them by following Isle of Man Government guidelines on social distancing and protective hygiene.’
Reminder of those guidelines when customers shop are:
l maintain social distancing - staff will be controlling customer numbers to help
l thoroughly wash hands before visiting stores and handling goods
l make payments, where possible, by contactless cards to minimise cash handling.