Should the Summerland site in Douglas be used again?

Residents give their thoughts about the area which has been left unattended since the entertainment complex was demolished in 2006.

A memorial was held this month in recognition of 45 years since the Summerland tragedy, which claimed 50 lives on August 2, 1973.

Sindy Lambert, 40, from Douglas, said: ’We always drive past it and I always make a comment on it because it’s such an eyesore.’

She explained that it must be difficult for those who have lost anyone in the fire to see the site derelict.

’They need to do something with it preferably for teenagers. I don’t have kids, but they do need somewhere to go like a bowling alley. Having a permanent ice skating rink would be awesome,’ she added.

Onchan resident Chris Lees said: ’I remember the old Summerland, not the original one. One of my kids went swimming there. I pass the site every day and there is nothing much to do on that side of the promenade now.

’At the very least it should be turned into a grassy area. I wouldn’t think it would cost that much to develop it into that.

’I know there has been calls to have a memorial there and I think a discrete plaque to recognise the tragedy would be fine. The place needs to cater to these people who do remember and I think doing that would be the most appropriate thing to do.’

He suggested that the government could give a ’peppercorn rent’ to those wanting to develop the site.

Port Erin residents Kim and Glynn Hargraves, aged 33 and 38, have two children and would like the site to be used again.

’I think they should make it into another Summerland site,’ said Kim. ’When I was around 14 years of age I was going down to Summerland all the time. It was a great place for people to go.

’It should be somewhere family-friendly with cabaret shows. The adults could sit somewhere while the kids can go into the play area. It would be good to have it as a place where you can take the kids and not have a curfew of when the kids have to leave.’

Her husband said: ’I remember the rollerskating rink, the Cave club and they used to hold the darts festival there, which they now have in the Villa Marina. It’s [an area] that’s not being used and is going to waste. When the place was demolished they moved swimming pools to the NSC and you don’t want to double up on that.’

Darren Bezuidenhout, aged 30, from South Africa, said: ’I think it should be used as another recreational site, but it’s quite tricky as Onchan Park is right there behind the area and there are things for kids to do there.

’It could be made into an outdoor cinema. I drove past there the other day and thought they should do something about it.’

Lauren Butterworth, 25, from Port Erin, said: ’It should be something for the children again. Summerland had that big play area and that’s what I remember being the best.’

Her partner Jake Corkish, 25, agreed: ’Summerland was amazing when I was young. The site shouldn’t be left as it is. It’s minging isn’t it? There isn’t anywhere for us to take the children when there is bad weather.’