Proposals to pedestrianise Market Hill in Douglas received a mixed response from businesses and the town hall.

But now a letter shown to the Manx Independent seems to indicate a possible change of plan or at least a delay to the Department of Infrastructure proposals.

The letter, from project co-ordinator Jim Davidson, begins by explaining the DoI will now not begin any work on Market Hill until ’January 2019 at the earliest’.

This is a significant delay to the plan outlined in a letter circulated last week to businesses on Market Hill that work was intended to start in September of this year.

That would have lasted about eight months and been due for completion by TT at the end of May 2019.

The initial letter detailed that this work would pedestrianise the area, with no loading or parking bays and ’no vehicle movements between 10am and 6pm’ as is currently the situation in both Duke Street and Castle Street.

Initial plans were met with surprise by David Christian, leader of Douglas Council, who said he and his town hall colleagues only learnt of the proposals via a Facebook post from a member of the public.

Andy Gibbs, one of the owners of Jaks and Barbary Coast, has voiced his and his company’s support for the plans, but believes it would need to go further before the area could really reap the benefits.

Mr Gibbs said: ’I am in favour of pedestrianising the whole of North Quay. Make the whole area an attraction. That would attract more business and hopefully more businesses. There are still some empty sites along the quay.

’However, I don’t see the point in just doing Market Hill, that won’t do much at all. In other places in the UK and around the world, they close areas like this to traffic except for emergency services and allow businesses to receive deliveries either in the morning or at night.

’We have to evolve. I know some won’t support it but business either evolves or dies and this would allow for greater use of the space. People could sit outside and that would bring more business to the area.’

However, Sarah Berry of Spill the Beans coffee shop, which she has run for over 18 years, disagreed, saying: ’We’ve been in contact with some of the other businesses here and the majority oppose it. Being regenerated sounds great, but this is an entirely different kettle of fish.

’We were hand-delivered the letters through the doors and then by Friday, we’d received another letter saying the consultation was going to run and it wasn’t as certain as it first seemed.’

Her words were echoed by Linda Coe of the Manx Legion Club who was concerned not only of a restriction of business but at limiting access to the building for ex-servicemen and women as well as other elderly residents who have reduced mobility.

She explained that the Legion also provides a regular meeting place for agencies that work with the elderly and is worried what effect closing the road to traffic would have on access to the services provided.

A DoI statement explained that its proposal was for both Duke Street and Market Hill to be given the high quality surfaces like those installed on Strand Street.

’This would mean improved links for visitors to Douglas between North Quay and the town centre,’ it said.

It announced an extension to the consultation period, admitting: ’We do recognise that we did not offer local businesses long enough to consider the plans and we will be writing to them again today to extend the consultation to allow a total of six weeks.’

Then came a new letter from Mr Davidson who said the DoI has received correspondence from most traders which had helped clarify issues regarding parking and loading. He says there will ’have to be a degree of compromise on both sides’ and options will be produced in about four weeks for further discussion with businesses.

Mrs Berry said: ’I hope something can be done. According to this, there are different plans being put together, so we’re not out of the woods yet.

’But I feel more confident we are being listened to.’