Worried independent traders who run shops in Strand Street are facing up to an uncertain future as Douglas Council’s leader said this week that the authority cannot afford to cancel business rates.

Sonia Hmar, who says she has been left completely stressed out by the experience, fears for the future after being forced to close her fashion shop in Strand Street because of Covid-19.

And Borhane (Ben) Hamada, who has run Sweets N Treats since only last October, is also concerned about the future as he spends his time now holed up with his wife and eight-year-old daughter at their home nearby on Loch Promenade.

Miss Hmar, 40, the mother of a two-year-old child, set up Eclipse more than three years ago in the island’s once busiest shopping street. She sells high quality men’s and women’s clothing, particular the ’Superdry’ brand.

She told the Manx Independent the commercial rates she has to pay on the shop are more than £4,000 a year, and there is no way she can afford either that or her commercial rent which was due to be reviewed at the beginning of this month.

She said: ’There are a number of small and independent business people like me in the street. I have no idea what is going to happen.

’I haven’t actually been told anything.

’I just feel that with the business being closed I feel it will be impossible to pay anything at the moment. There is no revenue coming in.’

But the leader of Douglas Council says the authority cannot afford to cancel business rates during the coronavirus pandemic.

David Christian, in an interview with local democracy reporter Ewan Gawne, has ruled out the move, which would see the council lose out on around 40% of the £12 million collected in rates, paid by the capital’s businesses.

The council is, however, trying to assist some commercial tenants in relation to rent payments, particularly ’key shops’ in the community.

The Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan has revealed a support package of around £100 million, designed to support the Manx economy through the crisis.

But Mr Cannan did not comment on Monday when asked by reporters if he’d spoken to local authorities about waiving commercial rates.

Mr Hamada of Sweets N Treats said: ’There is nothing we can do, I’m just moving on from one day to the next and hoping for the best, that is all that can be done.’

He added: ’I took over the shop in October. The shop was doing well and then this has happened and that’s it.’

’My wife Nesrine worked with me part-time and I had another part-timer on Saturdays.

’Now our only plan at the moment is to keep safe.’

Sam Newson, who runs Newson’s outdoor clothing gear shop in Strand Street with father John, told the Manx Independent that he has been able to keep on five staff partly thanks to one of the new emergency government schemes, the wage support scheme, to help businesses retain staff. He stressed that he did not want to criticise either the local authority or the government.

He said: ’We do a lot of business supply work and luckily one of our clients is still very busy and ordering a lot of stuff. I’d rather not say who it is but it has been helpful to us at the moment.

’We’ve also been doing some online (sales) business. We are still receiving sales online from the UK.

’Obviously it’s not at the level it would be if the shop was open but it is definitely better than nothing.’

Meanwhile Miss Hmar of Eclipse has issued a rallying cry to people on her Facebook page.

She wrote: ’When the coronavirus finally exhausts itself and the danger is over, let’s do something good for our country.

’Let’s spend our holidays in the Isle of Man, eat in Manx restaurants, buy Manx products, buy local meats and veggies and support local businesses.

’These businesses are going to find it very difficult to get back on their feet and survive without our help.

’They’re suffering badly now.’