154891

Ballacregga Corn Mill Tea Rooms & Restaurant Wheel Hill Mines Road Laxey IM4 7NJ

Planning Department Murray House Mount Havelock Douglas Isle of Man IM1 2SF

3 October 2017

Ref: Planning application no: 17/00812/C without prejudice

Dear Sir/Madam,

Ballacregga/Salmon Lake Centre

As manager of the above complex and having previously held senior management posts in Bettys Tea Room Harrogate and The Claremont Hotel in Douglas I feel that after reading the letter of objections from Mr Horsey regarding Ballacregga/Salmon Lake Centre I must respond.

The owners of the building have given me full authority and backing to turn this complex into a real top-class tearoom, a la carte restaurant and function centre that they and the Island may be proud of.

Since the Laxey flood over a year ago this complex has been completely transformed to an even higher standard and myself and the staff would be very pleased for your planning board to visit.

The function centre now concentrates during the day on our free entry Laxey Wheel exhibition and out of office training days for banks, e-gaming firms, departments of Government, lunch clubs, wakes etc. In the evening, we do dinner evening functions including government promotions, weddings, charity events etc but I do avoid stag and hen nights as we feel we are now an upmarket venue. We provide a coffee lounge area for afternoon teas.

The tearoom/café with its outside seating is also very popular during the summer 7 days per week resulting in our request to be able to use the balcony as now shown on the plan.

The a la carte restaurant with its open fire and cosy atmosphere, is also a great asset to the complex.

The Waterfall Room private dining restaurant is a must for small intimate personal groups a well-known people and Government ministers use it regularly. It is this group of people on a summers day that we would like to allow to open the sliding patio doors and use the balcony to complete a unique eating out experience.

Regarding Mr Horsey's other complaints regarding noise/smells, beer cars thrown at this house (we don't sell beer in cans), urinating etc, this really doesn't stack up as there is a fair distance including thick vegetation, trees and the main Laxey River between ourselves and his house.

The above is not the kind of behaviour of our upmarket type of customers.

I just find the remarks in the final paragraph of Mr Horsey's letter regarding the Clague family are totally distasteful. I know they are not the type of people that would want to harass anybody and Mr Horsey's remarks about their home should have nothing to do with this application. I am aware they do open their house and land and sponsor marquees for cancer charity occasions.

Their land is now a nature conservation area which the public and school groups are encouraged to enjoy.

Yours faithfully

Maria Danby

Complex Manager