A new development on Ramsey seafront is good news for the town.

That's the view of Ramsey commissioner Richard Radcliffe who says the old Grand Island hotel is beyond the end of it's economic life and suffers from being in a poor location.

Last week the commissioners sought assurances the new hotel and 96 apartments on Mooragh Promenade would be up and running before the demolition of the Grand Island.

Mr Radcliffe believes having a hotel much closer to the town centre will be good for today's market. He told Manx Radio: "We can all remember when the boats stopped in Ramsey and the hotels were busy on the Queen's Promenade and the North Promenade. But the days of the 'bucket and spade' holidays have gone and we have to accept that.

"Certainly there are plenty of business travellers coming to Ramsey and also there are specialist holidaymakers. It's not just the motorcycles, it's those here for walking, fishing and photography, etc.

"There is a market there, but it's a small, select market and if you have a quality product people will use it."

(Picture: A computer generated image of the proposed hotel on Ramsey's Mooragh Promenade).