A building that played a significant role in the island’s financial history has gone up for sale.

1 Prospect Hill, the former base of Dumbell’s Bank, is for sale for £1,500,000.

The last occupant of the building was NatWest, but since it moved its branch, the building has sat empty.

Plans were approved in 2015 for a bar/cafe/restaurant which would have included an outside seating area on Nelson Street. However there has been little to no progress on this since.

Black Grace Cowley, which is handling the sale, said: ‘An opportunity to purchase this impressive, period office building arranged over three floors. The property comprises of period stone and render with a pitched tiled roof providing accommodation over ground, first and second floors.

‘There are three staircases leading off the ground floor and two passenger lifts. In particular the property features attractive

detailing to the external elevations. The ground floor accommodation has planning permission for a coffee/wine bar area.

‘The property occupies a prominent corner position at the junction of Prospect Hill and Nelson Street in the central business district on the main thoroughfare running through the finance and business sector towards the retail centre. It benefits from a high level of passing traffic and pedestrian flow.’

See the estate agent's listing here.

Built in 1861, the building is decorated at roof level on its Prospect Hill side with VR, denoting Queen Victoria’s role as Lord of Mann at the time.

As the main branch for Dumbell’s, the bank played a key role in Manx life, with many business and prominent people banking with it. Though not Henry Noble, who was involved in the founding of the Isle of Man Bank.

The collapse of Dumbell’s Bank on February 2, 190,0 saw shares in the Manx Electric Railway and Steam Packet tumble, miners grow concerned that their wages wouldn’t be paid and widespread concerns from locals as to whether their money was now worthless.