The Cosy Nook in Port Erin is closed until further notice.

Phil Maltby, who leases the building from the local authority, said he took the decision not to reopen for the season with reluctance, but had no choice after a structural engineer recommended areas of the building were not used for safety reasons.

He said over the years he has asked repeatedly for the authority to do maintenance work on the cafe ’to no avail’.

The local authority said on its Facebook page: ’[Commissioners were] surprised to the see the notice of closure and fencing at the Cosy Nook Café as no prior notice had been received from the tenant. The board is currently in discussions with the tenant to resolve the situation and to ensure that the café can open as usual for the forthcoming season.’

But the authority knew the situation, said Mr Maltby, who claims they all had a copy of the structural report - done on March 14 and emailed by him to all commissioners on March 27 - ahead of a meeting on March 30.

Mr Maltby, who has run the popular beachside cafe since May 2004, was told by the authority his lease would not be automatically renewed when it expires in 2019.

Minutes from the authority’s October meeting state: ’The clerk clarified that the current tenancy agreement would expire in May 2019 and as there was no option within the agreement to further extend the current lease, it would need to be put out to tender at the appropriate time.

’Larger maintenance tasks would be scheduled to coincide with the end of the current lease to ensure that the Cosy Nook would be fit for purpose for the future.’

But Mr Maltby is eager to point out the cafe cannot function until it has a new roof, and that water ingress has made ceilings of upstairs rooms upstairs unsafe.

He has written to the authority seeking details of discussions relating to the board’s new stance on his leasehold of the cafe asking why wasn’t his lease renewed as in the past and when was it decided to introduce a tender process?

He wrote: ’As you are aware, I have worked extremely hard to make the Cosy Nook Café an attribute to Port Erin.’

He referred to correspondence he had received from the authority: ’The extract also discusses "larger maintenance tasks" which will take place at the "end of the current lease". During my lengthy period in the café I have repeatedly advised your office of the requirement for works within the café to no avail. I would like to understand when a decision was made regarding these "larger" works, what they entail and what works are proposed to address the immediate problems which have been identified by myself. I would like confirmation that the survey which was carried out some time ago has been considered by the Commissioners and again request written confirmation of the board’s decision in relation to the same.’

Commissioners’ clerk Jason Roberts said: ’There is no date for the work on the building.

’No firm decision has been made on renovation. We want to make sure it’s there for generations to come.’