The Lodge at Glen Helen, a much-loved eatery, recently closed its doors after three successful years.

The cafe's lease expired in October, with the landowners opting to sell the property rather than renew the lease, a decision that left Kyle Porter, the owner of the Lodge, and his team unable to continue their operations at the location.

Speaking about the closure of the Lodge, which became a popular location for burger and milkshake lovers, he said: ‘We tried everything we could to keep it going, but in the end, the decision was out of our hands.

‘Once that happened, we found peace with it.’

While the closure marks the end of an era after three years at Glen Helen, Kyle and his team are gearing up for an exciting new chapter in Douglas, where they plan to launch a burger takeaway called Porters.

Following extensive renovations to the former Mandarin Express building at the top of Broadway, it’s hoped the new eatery will be ready to open on December 1.

A vision for expansion

Kyle’s move into Douglas comes after years of planning and a desire to make their signature burgers available for takeaway.

‘We’re big fans of takeaway foods’, Kyle said.

‘When living in Peel we always loved getting a Chinese or a pizza, but there are only so many times you can do that before you crave something different.

‘The Lodge at Glen Helen became very popular on the weekends, but we started thinking about putting our burgers into a takeaway so people could enjoy them any day of the week.’

This idea had been brewing for over a year and a half, with Kyle initially considering starting small in Peel.

However when a prime location became available in Douglas, the team decided to seize the opportunity.

‘It wasn’t our original plan but it felt like the right move’, Kyle said.

‘We did want a larger base in Douglas though, before branching out to other areas like Peel.’

The new takeaway will focus on what the Lodge Cafe became known for: high-quality burgers, ribs, wings and milkshakes.

The business aims to maintain its reputation for excellent customer service, which earned the Lodge Cafe top reviews on TripAdvisor during its three years of operation.

‘We were number one on TripAdvisor for a long time’, Kyle said.

‘People didn’t just rave about the food, but also the service. That’s something we’re really proud of, and we’ll continue to focus on that in Douglas.’

Commitment to local suppliers

A key part of Kyle’s business philosophy is supporting local suppliers, and Porters will continue this commitment.

‘We’ve always been big on sourcing locally, whether it’s the buns from Noah, meat from local butchers, or cheese from the Creamery’, Kyle said.

‘We believe in supporting the community that supports us.’

Kyle also emphasised that Porters won’t be trying to compete with existing takeaways, but instead aims to fill a gap in the market.

‘We’re not here to step on anyone’s toes’, he explained.

‘There’s no dedicated burger place in Peel, for example, and while we love all the local takeaways, we know there’s a demand for something different.

‘We’re confident Porters will bring something new to the table.’

Looking ahead

As for the future, Kyle has ambitious plans to expand Porters across the Isle of Man, with hopes of opening multiple locations in the coming years.

‘Ideally, we’d like to have two or three spots around the island’, Kyle said. ‘Douglas is just the start’.

Despite the excitement around the new venture, Kyle remains humble, noting that the success of Porters will ultimately depend on how the people of Douglas receive them.

‘It doesn’t matter how good your product is if people don’t want it’, he said.

‘We’re hoping the locals will embrace us the way they did at the Lodge, and we’re committed to delivering the same great food and service we’ve always been known for.’

With the opening date of December 1 fast approaching, Kyle and his team are working hard to ensure everything is ready.

‘The building needed a lot more work than we anticipated’, Kyle said.

‘But we’re perfectionists, and we want everything to be just right for when we open our doors.’

As Porters prepares to bring its beloved burgers to the heart of Douglas, it seems the closure of the Lodge is just the beginning of a new and exciting chapter for Kyle and his team.