A decision about the Cosy Nook cafe in Port Erin will be made in the coming weeks.

The future of the popular beach front cafe has been uncertain for many months.

Former leaseholder Phil Maltby’s contract came to an end in May last year and since then the building has stood empty.

When he realised his lease - which he had held since 2004 - would not be renewed his comments provoked strong public opinion on the cafe.

The latest is resident Brenda Pollitt, who said: ’Since November 2018 we have seen no further plans on the refurbishment of this local little gem beloved by locals and visitors alike and it appears to be being allowed to go to rack and ruin.’

She added: ’I want to know and everyone I speak to wants to know.

’We must keep it as it is. I’m too ancient to get a petition up but if someone did you would get an awful lot of signatures.’

She added: ’It’s terrible to let it get into such a state and then come up wiith a modern coffee shop. Having architects involved we all know what happens. It is unique.

’Losing it is a loss of character.’

Port Erin Commissioners have said they wanted ’to take back the property to undertake significant works’.

Investigations were being made into demolishing, rebuilding or renovating the property to make it suitable for year round use.

The scale and type of works, details of any changes and the duration of the works has not yet been ascertained.

A spokesman for the local authority said: ’We will be in a position in four weeks’ time to say more.

’Architects are working on it and we have a meeting with them on January 28.

’I don’t know what will happen, we’ll look at all options.

’Originally we appointed Hugh Logan Associates, but they wound the business up and in August we appointed another one, because of that we lost time.’

The spokesman added: ’The surveys have been done. Other than concept sketches there are no more details.

’Possibly whatever is decided will go to planning in February. It might go though planning swiftly.

’It’s unlikely to reopen in summer.

’Maybe we could get a temporary operator there for the summer - it depends on where we are with the project.

’If work has started we can’t have a temporary operator there. If it’s delayed we might have one there.’