Businesses in Duke Street have told the Examiner of their anger over large planters that have been placed outside their stores.

The businesses are based at 9 to 11 Duke Street, on the corner opposite Henry Bloom Noble Library, and are angry the planters will block their shopfronts.

The planters were approved as part of a regeneration works bid by the Department of Infrastructure (18/00421/B).

Gemma Wasley, owner of Rehab Squared, an interior design studio and furniture retail store, said the planters were bigger than expected and were ’encouraging people to walk on the other side of the street’.

She said this has caused a slow down in business for her, after the regeneration work saw parts of the street closed.

Gemma accused Douglas Council and the government of ’not helping the high street’.

Sharing her concerns is Michael Levine, who runs an antiques shop in the building.

He said he ’can’t see why the planters can’t be on the other side of the street’.

Obstruction

Mr Levine said he ’relies on windows which are now going to be obstructed’.

Jack Doyle of Sound Records said that while the planters won’t block his window, he appreciated the concerns made by others.

Kevin Oliphant-Smith, who runs The Loft cafe and originally contacted the Examiner about his concerns said the planters were ’blocking out their businesses’.

The business owners all said they didn’t see why the council couldn’t look at placing the planters outside of its library on the other side of the street.

After speaking to the businesses, we contacted Douglas Council.

Council leader David Christian said: ’This is a matter for the Department of Infrastructure who have put them there and were part of the planning application.’

He said a bike stand was being installed by the library.

He said the planters would be filled with flowers over the summer and then be planted with trees in November.

At the time of going to print, the Examiner had not received confirmation from the DoI that it was responsible for the planters.