The Licensed Victuallers Association has said a combination of winter illness and a rise of Covid-19 cases has affected the restaurant trade significantly.

For our latest Word on the Street feature, we asked the public if they had continued to go out to restaurants and pubs or have opted to stay at home over the festive season and new year. We also asked what their favourite places to eat were.

Dennis Hernandez, from Douglas, said his favourite restaurant was Just Pizza and Pasta.

’I like the food and it’s very affordable, so it’s a win-win situation,’ he said.

’I still go out but I usually order over the phone and just get takeout because I’m being more cautious with Covid.’

The 48-year-old added: ’I still get takeouts though because it’s important to still support the industry during this hard time.’

Charlotte Turner, 42, enjoys a Sunday roast from 1886.

’They do the best Sunday carveries in the Isle of Man,’ she said.

The woman from Patrick said she had been cautious about going out at the beginning of December because she had a holiday booked.

She said: ’Unfortunately we got hit with Covid once we got back, so I’m looking forward to getting back out and getting my Sunday dinner as I’ve been busy catching up with work in January.’

Miss Turner said it was important to support the restaurant trade, adding: ’I think you see more restaurants popping up now and I’ve been out recently and was quite surprised at how busy it was.

’I think there’s more people, rather than going out to pubs and gatherings, are liking to stay in their own circles so going out for a meal is a lot more sensible. People are contained in their own little areas then.

’I’m still trying to be quite mindful, I work at a Hospice so you’ve got to be really careful and make sure that you’re looking after yourself and everybody else.’

Meanwhile, Claire Hutchinson, of Onchan, said she often opts for Titan, a restaurant on Broadway in Douglas.

She said: ’They’ve got a special dish called "The Titan" and it’s a kebab on a skewer, it’s really nice!’

The 31-year-old added: ’I’ve continued going out apart from when the cases were really high. Over January, it’s quite quiet anyway I think because it’s after Christmas so people aren’t really going out.

’Our Christmas party was cancelled because of the number of cases but then we had it again the other week, so we just postponed it.

’But I’ve personally been going out as normal because I think we just need to live with it now and get on with it.’

Judith Fullerton, 37, agreed on Titan but also said she favours Barbary Coast, also in Douglas.

’I like a variety - I like going to Titan or Barbary Coast, or a pub, it doesn’t really matter, as long as the food’s good,’ the Port St Mary resident said. ’I’m fine about going out, I don’t worry about it.

’I’ve got my vaccinations, got my booster, I’m careful when I need to be, I just think you have to live your life really.’

When asked if she felt it was important to be supporting restaurants during the pandemic, she said: ’Absolutely, yes. I think it’s difficult for them to keep business going if people are being really cautious.

’I, of course, understand why people are being cautious or are worried about the current situation. I just think that also, for me, I don’t want to stay in the house all the time.’