Two island businesses announced that they are to close their doors this weekend, following announcements by others that they are scaling back operations.

Close Leece Farm Shop & Cafe announced it will close permanently on September 4, with Epernay, on North Quay, Douglas, saying it is closed for the foreseeable future.

The announcement of the closure of both restaurants has been met with sadness from customers, as well as people suggesting it reflects wider issues with the hospitality sector itself.

In its announcement Close Leece owners Tracey and Steve Ridgway said that Covid, as well as a combination of spiralling costs and changing customer habits had led to them making the decision to close.

They added: ‘Until September 4 we will be open as usual for Wednesday – Sunday lunches and afternoon teas, as well as breakfasts on Saturdays and Sundays. We will also be open for breakfast and lunch on Bank Holiday Monday, August 29.

‘For those of you with gift cards please try to spend them with us by the time we close on September 4. Our products will remain available with our great island retailers until mid-September.

‘We would like to thank our customers over the last 3.5 years, DEFA and other government departments, and, of course, all our staff for their great efforts, particularly in recent months. We wish you all well for the future and hope to see you before our doors finally close.’

Meanwhile Epernay said it was closing for the foreseeable future ‘due to trading circumstances’. However, it later changed its Facebook account to say it was permanently closed.

The two businesses are not the only ones to close or scale back in recent weeks.

The Meximann, based at White Hoe, has announced that they will ‘only be doing events and private hires for the foreseeable future’ from the middle of September onwards and the Apple Orphanage is on an extended break, but with the promise ‘I’ll be back’.

Meanwhile in Peel, Filbey’s has scaled down from running its restaurant and Douglas’s DreamBird closed back in June.

However, while businesses have either closed, are closing, or are scaling back, there are new businesses opening up.

Tacoma, the brainchild of Front Porch duo Rikki Dunnage and Edd Cox is due to open soon. On Monday they said that they will be launching their opening menu towards the end of the week, ahead of their planned opening in September.

Black Dog Oven in Peel has grown into a full bar and pizza restaurant, Tandoor Indian restaurant has moved into bigger premises after 10 years on Market Hill and restaurants such as Orange Indya, Monapoli Pasta Bar and Thai Taste Street Food have opened in recent weeks and months.

The Chamber of Commerce has said it has concerns for how many businesses will survive the winter and with the government due to announce support measures this Thursday, it remains to be seen how that will extend to businesses and restaurants.