One of the island’s best-known supermarket sites has gone on the market for lease.

The premises on Market Street in Douglas, next to Chester Street car park, has been the home of supermarket chains Liptons, Presto, Safeway and Shoprite since it was built half a century ago.

More recently, it was used by Manx Care as a vaccination centre after the Covid pandemic hit. However, the centre has now been moved to a site at Noble’s Hospital.

Chapman Charted Surveyors have now been tasked with leasing the site.

In the advert it says: ‘The property has potential for a variety of uses, including, retail, food retail and leisure, subject to planning.’

‘Planning and retail policy is controlled by the Isle of Man Government who are supportive of a town centre only approach to retail.’

The advert also describes what the premises can offer to any tenant.

It says: ‘The property provides open-plan sales accommodation together with a large stock area and plant rooms on ground floor and staff welfare accommodation at first floor level. The property benefits from a large yard with loading facilities.

‘It would be possible to create additional pedestrian access openings directly onto Market Street, subject to planning.’

The property provides 20,483 sq ft on the ground floor for open plan retail, 6,748 sq ft for ground floor storage, 3,681 sq ft for the Ground floor former café and 1,049 sq ft for first floor staff facilities. The total floor space is 31,961 sq ft.

But the premises will not come cheap. If someone wants to take the whole site, then it will set them back £287,373 a year although prospective tenants have the opportunity just to lease part of the premises.

Leasing the ground floor retail will cost £204,830 per year, ground floor storage £40,488 per year, the former café £36,810 per year and the first-floor staff facilities area £5,245 a year.