A £100m proposal for a marina in Ramsey bay has certainly got heads turning.

Nearly 600 people turned up to the public-interest meeting held at the Mountain Innovation Centre in Jurby this month.

During the event the island-based businessmen behind the project outlined their proposals for the 400-berth marina, extended breakwater, 5-star boutique hotel, piazza with bars and restaurants, and housing scheme.

We went to Ramsey to ask the public for their views.

’I think it will be an amazing asset for Ramsey and anyone exploring ways of investing that sort of money into the community should be encouraged,’ said Oli Pearce, 43, from Andreas.

’The benefits it would bring to this town cannot be underestimated. It will generate lots of opportunities in the north of the island.’

He listed benefits such as an improved shelter for the promenade with the extended breakwater and allowing the RNLI to have a permanently floating lifeboat which will ’save time to help people’. He added that it would turn Ramsey into a ’real hub’ for yachting, bringing in people from around the Irish Sea.

’We had our opportunity to preserve that part of Ramsey and it was demolished and rightly so because it was always flooding and was horrible,’ he said.

’It was reclaimed 100 year plus. For it to be reclaimed again, so what? Bring it on.’

Michael Starkey, who was born in Ramsey, is ’bitterly against’ the idea.

’It’s the loss of the shore and of an open space for the people to use for free,’ he said. ’We’re forming quite a big group and we’ll be campaigning and canvassing.

’We’re not against the marina, it’s against the building of 200 houses on a public beach.

’I swim in that sea and the seawater itself is the finest, cleanest water in the Isle of Man. It’s one of the most beautiful shores in the island. It just needs a little bit of tidying up and maybe a beach hut similar to Laxey’s.

’I just can’t understand how it’s got this far that a public beach can be taken over by developers and build 200 houses on it.’

Sheila Goodwin, 79, from Sulby, said: ’It could be advantageous in many ways, but on the other hand it’s a lot of money and is it really going to benefit the town? I think Ramsey has been improving over the last few years. A lot of shops in Ramsey are unique and you don’t get these sort of shops in Douglas.

’There are plenty of restaurants already of different types. I don’t know if we need any more.’

Verna Bowen, 41, from Ramsey, said: ’I think it’s a good idea from what I’ve heard, especially when I heard it’s going to have children’s facilities.’

She and her daughters believe there’s not much for young people to do in the north of the island.

Chelsea Brown, 20, said: ’I think the proposal is a good idea and would bring something to the island and to Ramsey itself. I think a lot of people in the island think there’s nothing here. I don’t think people see this as a place they would make time for in the summer holidays.’

Her sister Ellan Price, 11, said: ’At the weekend I just chill with my friends and go to the park or go swimming.’