The island’s Foodbank pays £16,000 rent for its new base in Tromode.

Foodbank volunteer Eric Corkish criticised the arrangement, claiming those in need were being ’ripped off’.

But Neal Mellon, a director of the Foodbank, said he was happy with the arrangement as it provided good accommodation at a significantly discounted rent.

Mr Corkish (pictured below), who has written to the Chief Minister calling for the charge to be removed, said: ’I’m disgusted that a charity to help people in need in the island is being charged £16,000.

’I’m so against it. I know the building is perfect for what we are doing. But as a charity we shouldn’t have to pay £16,000. I think it’s wrong.

’It’s an awful lot of money to take away from the charity, money we have to raise before we can even start giving food to people.

’This is money that should be going to supply people with food and toiletries.’

The Foodbank moved into Ballafletcher House in May. It had been empty for four years.

Mr Mellon confirmed the charity pays £16,000 to joint landlords, Isle of Man Creamery and the Meat Plant.

He said the property, formerly the premises of NFU Mutual, had been advertised by estate agents for a number of years but the charity was able to secure the building for a lower rent than first advertised.

It had originally been advertised for £40,000, he said, although the charity occupies only 70% of the building.

Mr Mellon said: ’We are happy with the arrangement. We needed good quality accommodation.

’This offers us what we wanted, a one-stop shop where we can interview clients, offer them a drink and also distribute parcels. It also has safe parking.

’It does offer us a very good opportunity to run a very good service.’

He added: ’It’s very good accommodation but yes it’s a further burden on the charity. The less we have to go out and rattle buckets the more hours we have to see clients.’

Mr Mellon said Mr Corkish, a former Ramsey commissioner and head of the Foodbank’s northern hub, was ’very dedicated and active Foodbank volunteer’.

’He obviously feels passionate about this issue of the rent.’

The charity has stores in Ramsey and the south of the island and one in Laxey, which is provided by the government at a peppercorn rent.

It also has the temporary use, free of charge, of a building owned by the Sea Cadets in Tromode, which is used to store and distribute the extra volumes of food at Christmas time.

The Tromode base is jointly owned by Isle of Man Creamery - through a property holding subsidiary - and Isle of Man Fatstock Association. Both are farmer co-operatives.

Neither are owned by government - although DEFA now effectively manages the abattoir.

Creamery managing director Findlay Macleod said: ’I am glad that Neal is happy with the arrangement. We have a long standing relationship and respect for Foodbank and the exceptional work that they do, often in difficult circumstances.

’It would be wrong for me to quote commercial details regarding the rental but Neal is absolutely right when he says that the rent paid is far below that advertised by the estate agent.’