The Mayor of Douglas says Treasury Minister Allan Bell is quite right to urge the Department of Transport to spend more money on progressing the schemes in hand for the town and making plans for South Quay

Colin Cain was responding to comments in which Mr Bell said the centre of the Douglas looked "shabby" and "down trodden" despite the Island's buoyant economy.

Stuart Peters reports:

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Mr Cain urges the Treasury Minister to consider all the other plans that are in hand for the regeneration of residential Douglas which have been on and off for 8 years.

He also cites the plans for the upgrading of Strand Street, Duke Street and Castle Street, the new harbour berths and the new hotel and bus station developments as schemes which should be taken into consideration.

The mayor goes on to say "if he (Mr Bell) was to put his hand in the pocket as the Treasury Minister and move these schemes along from his seat of power it would not take so long for the situation to be rectified."

Mr Cain (pictured) finishes by pointing out that initiatives like Britain in Bloom show that progress has been made in the appearance and wellbeing of Douglas, and he looks forward to a positive response from Treasury the next time a set of financial petitions are submitted.