The island’s hospitality sector could be open by the end of the summer, the Chief Minister has confirmed.

Howard Quayle made the statement during an urgent question from Jason Moorhouse (Arbory, Castletown and Malew).

Mr Moorhouse was asking about the decision to move the June 12 bank holiday to August 28.

Mr Quayle began by apologising for the communications failure that led to a petition being set up after it was announced on an order paper that the Senior Race Day bank holiday would be axed, but no mention was made as to a new date.

The Chief Minister said that the error had been ’less than satisfactory’ and admitted that the government ’forgot’ it was going to appear on the order paper.

He added that while it is unlikely residents will be able to gather as they may wish by June 12, he ’hopes by August we’ll have our pubs, clubs and restaurants open’.

We will have more coverage on this and the rest of today’s Tynwald sitting in Thursday’s Manx Independent.