A tender process is underway to find a new operator for The Manor pub in Willaston after its current lease comes to an end.
The pub, which is owned by Douglas City Council and operated by Heron & Brearley, will close its doors this Saturday, October 24.
A council spokesperson said: ‘Following the expiry of the lease, the current operator decided not to continue operating the venue.
‘The Council is now progressing a competitive tender process to appoint a new operator and an announcement [is] expected in the coming weeks.’
An Okell’s spokesperson said: ‘Our lease has come to an end, and we wish Douglas City Council every success with its future plans.’
Heron & Brearley, also known as H&B, is a hospitality, logistics and retail group which includes Okell’s Brewery and Manx Independent Carriers. It also operates a number of Spar and Subway outlets around the Isle of Man.
An Oktoberfest-themed farewell party is being planned for the pub’s final day of trading on Saturday.
Since the closure was announced last weekend, regulars have been sharing memories and raising a glass ahead of the pub’s departure, with many expressing hope that it will reopen under new management.
The Manor first opened as a pub in October 1955, having been converted from a private residence built in 1844. It was the first licensed premises on a Corporation housing estate since the Second World War.
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Damian Ciappelli, MHK for Douglas North, said the announcement would be disappointing for Willaston and the surrounding area.
‘I hope that the venue will continue to trade under new management in due course,’ he said.
‘I am optimistic that in early course the Manor will re-open and continue its long-standing role as an important community hub in the centre of this large close-knit community.’