Fancy opening up a pop-up shop in the heart of the capital during one of the busiest periods of the year for the Isle of Man?
If so, this could be just the opportunity you’ve been looking for.
The former M & Co shop in Douglas has hit the temporary rental market.
And the site’s owners, the Department of Infrastructure (DoI), has made the Market Street property available for a business, group or individual to take over the building during the Isle of Man TT this year.
And the temporary tenancy for the successful applicant will last from Monday, May 27 to Monday, June 10.
However there’s one major problem.
The roof is not watertight and the DoI has said it will ‘not accept any liability for water damage to stock’.
But if that doesn’t deter prospective renters, the temporary tenancy on the building is expected to fetch rent offers in the region of £7,000 plus VAT - and that’s including rates and utilities.
A statement accompanying the DoI listing which was posted online read: ‘Any offers made should include: Proposed use; Individual/company name, address and contact details; Rental offer.
‘Offers must be submitted and received by 12 noon on Friday, April 26 to the Commercial Team, Public Estates and Housing Division, First Floor Sea Terminal Building, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 2RF or alternatively by email to [email protected].
‘For more information please email [email protected] or telephone +44 1624 685940.’
The building has lain largely empty since its last tenants, clothing chain M&Co, vacated the site in April 2023 when the shop shut. Scottish retailer M&Co was founded as pawnbrokers Mackays in Paisley, Scotland back in 1834.
The firm switched to selling clothes in the 1950s and began rebranding its stores as M&Co in 2005, a process which was subsequently completed in 2020.
However, the company plunged into administration in December 2022.
The firm was rescued in a deal put forward by a company called Yours Clothing in February last year.
However, that deal only included the sale of the M&Co brand and intellectual property and not the retailer’s physical stores.
The move meant 170 M&Co stores across the UK and the British Isles was forced to shut, including the branch in Douglas, by the end of April 2023.
The closures meant the loss of around 1,900 jobs across the company, including a number in Douglas.
The store was most recently used by Douglas City Centre Management as a temporary base for some of their activities.
An Easter Market was held in the former M & Co store last weekend.