The Department of Social Care is actively marketing the Jurby Store premises with Black Grace Cowley, contact number 645550, for commercial expressions of interest in running this retail facility. The property includes both the retail shop unit and adjacent residential property. The Department is seeking a leasehold Tenant who can offer excellent retail experience and good business acumen together with the ability to offer a good quality retail facility for the community of Jurby in the long term. It is hoped to have selected the new tenant by September. There have been a significant number of enquiries to Black Grace Cowley regarding the property, from a wide variety of retail providers. The Department will consider all the proposals to ensure it gets the best available for both the community and the tax payer We are aware the store is at the heart of the community and have been working tirelessly with the outgoing tenant of Jurby stores over recent years to help keep the retail facility open. Unfortunately due to extenuating personal circumstances the Tenants are unable to continue to run the stores and have now formally ceased trading. The Post office will continue to operate from the shop premises during the following days/time Tues 8.30am-13.00 Wed 12.30pm-16.00 Thurs 12.15pm-16.00 Fri 8.30am-13.00 The Department was approached by Mr David Cannan, MHK who suggested the owners of Ballaugh One Stop Shop, could run the Jurby shop as an emergency retail facility in the interim until a long term tenant was identified. Unfortunately this offer was later withdrawn when the owners of the Ballaugh One Stop Shop became aware from the Department that operating the temporary facility did not guarantee that they would be granted the long term leasehold of the property, without any external competition. The Minister for Social Care- Hon Martyn Quayle, MHK stated; “ It is very unfortunate the Jurby Shop has ceased trading and I am sorry for the inconvenience this may cause, in the short term to the local residents. I am confident the selection of a new tenant for the premises will offer a better long term quality retail facility for the Jurby community and by seeking expressions of interest from the Public, this will be in the best interests of the Tax payer .” - ENDS -