Give our southern villages tourism boost, say families

Residents in the south of the Isle of Man have called for a fresh boost for tourism ahead of the island's forthcoming election, as well as highlighting pressures on local shops and concerns about young people.

The island's southern-most constituency, Rushen, takes in the villages of Port Erin and Port St Mary along with its namesake parish.

Traditionally dominated by fishing and farming, the seaside villages went on to benefit from the so-called "bucket and spade brigade" tourist boom - which later fell into decline.

That loss, along with the rising cost of living, is something of much concern to traders, including Port Erin gift shop owner Dawn Sim, who said people were "just not coming out".

She said: "This year's been the hardest, it's the world situation, the cost of energy, even if people have got money they're hanging on to it. It's just very, very difficult."

Her husband Rob Sim said although there had been a "shop local" drive by the government during the Covid pandemic, that message had since fallen away.

And government schemes to support businesses, although "well intentioned", had largely been focused on hospitality and retail "doesn't seem to come into any of their equations", he said.

"We are grateful to our locals who keep us going, but figures are down generally," he said. "I'm not just talking the income, but the number of people."

Dawn Sim added that changes to the TT schedule in recent years to introduce back-to-back race days meant the less footfall in the south from visitors.

Dan Blythe, who owns an antiques and vintage shop in Port Erin, said his business did not "particularly rely on tourism" which made him different the majority of shop holders in the village.

However, he said rates charged on commercial properties could be looked at as it was "something that affects all bricks and mortar businesses".

He said concessions for firms that need to use the government-owned ferry services "to make life easier for small business holders to do trade on and off the island" was also something that would help.

"If people don't want town centres to keep shrinking then let's make it easier for them."

Vivienne Clarke, who works part-time in the village's pet shop, agreed that everybody "works hard to keep these small shops going, and it becomes harder every year".

She said getting parking nearby could be an issue and 'disc zone' areas meant the time people could spend in the shops and cafes was limited.

"I think keeping the communities alive is the most important thing and affordable," she added.

Chris Beards, who runs a card shop in the high street in Port Erin, said improving the economy to make it possible for firms to grow was vital.

"If people have got money to spend then hopefully they spend it locally, and I think people want to support the local shops generally," he said.

Attracting more high-end cruise ships to the island "could be a really important market for us" in the south of the island, he explained.

"I think there's been a bit of a focus on tourism numbers rather than the quality of the person coming.

"If we could get sort of a more high-quality tourist over then it has to benefit the economy really, I can't see that it wouldn't."

"Definitely more people could be pushed to come down south," he said, by taking some of the focus off Douglas.

But Kay O'Meara, who runs a pub in neighbouring village Port St Mary, said attracting walkers was more beneficial to the hospitality trade as "they will come in for a pint".

Her son, Callum O'Meara, said although cruise passengers would sometimes come in, "usually you just wave as the coach goes by".

"We're better off bringing in hikers, because they will spend more money - they need places to stay, they have to buy things to eat."

Looking at the broader issues facing the constituency, Kay O'Meara said she saw "no future" for the younger generation in the village.

"I see we have young people that don't want to be here... there's nothing in place for them, there's no housing," she said.

"I feel disillusioned. I mean, I've had my life, I was born here, I love it, I don't want to live anywhere else, but I can't see much of a future for the likes of my son and his baby."

Other concerns raised within Rushen included access to GP appointments, foot path maintenance, mental health support, the state of High Street in Port St Mary, and the impact of the island's ageing demographics on the welfare bill.

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