CURRENT POPULATION: 80,000
% POP GROWTH: 0.5 %
CITY AREA: 588 KM2

CITY DENSITY: 131 INH/KM2
GDP PER CAPITA: €24,800
DIALLING CODE: +44

WITH FRIENDS
LA PIAZZA
LOCH PROMENADE, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 672136
This bustling family-friendly Italian restaurant offers great sea views and value for money food, especially at lunchtime. There’s also a full takeaway service and a room for private parties.

ENTERTAINING A CLIENT
THE CONNAUGHT AT THE EMPRESS HOTEL
CENTRAL PROMENADE, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 661155
Now restored to its former Victorian glory, the conservatory houses the fine-dining option at this elegant hotel on the Douglas promenade. It offers outstanding sea views and competent cooking – a mix of the traditional and the continental – that combines the best of local produce, especially seafood dishes and in particular the famous Manx queenie (a kind of scallop). If fish isn’t for you, then Manx lamb is noted for its depth of flavour. The Connaught is open seven days a week for dinner and for Sunday lunch.

CLOSING THE DEAL
LA CUCINA
52 BUCKS ROAD, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 623959
Stylish dining is at its finest in this intimate restaurant specialising in seafood and variations on classical dishes. It’s run with consummate professionalism by owner Mario Ciappelli and his team. There are great finds on the wine list, too.

STYLE
G&D’S AND DANNY’S WINE BAR
PEVERIL BUILDING, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 627527
These two spaces offer a heady mix of great atmosphere, good food and wine, stunning décor and live entertainment. Danny’s is a comfortable space open from breakfast onwards while the industrial-chic-meets-Hollywood theme of G&D’s makes for a lively nighttime scene.

RELAX
SIR NORMAN’S AT THE SEFTON HOTEL
HARRIS PROMENADE, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 645514
Bearing the name of one of the Island’s most famous residents, Sir Norman Wisdom, this relaxed spacious bar overlooking Douglas bay offers morning coffees, light lunches, afternoon teas, pre-theatre suppers and dinner. A resident pianist plays most weekends.

VALUE
THE WELBECK HOTEL
MONA DRIVE, CENTRAL PROMENADE, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 675663
The George family have run this friendly hotel located just a street away from the seafront for more than 30 years, and offers guests a home-from-home experience. There’s a choice of en-suite bedrooms or six apartments, a small gym, conservatory restaurant and cosy bar.  

BUSINESS
PENTA HOTEL
QUEENS PROMENADE, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 680680
The smartly renovated Penta Hotel overlooks Douglas Bay. With 21 en-suite bedrooms, many with spectacular sea views, immaculate bathrooms, free Wi-fiinternet access and direct-dial phones, your business needs should be easily met.

BESPOKE
THE TOWNHOUSE
24 LOCH PROMENADE, DOUGLAS
TEL. 01624 6262125
A landmark Victorian building on Douglas seafront, The Townhouse has six luxuriously appointed apart-suites, extensive business facilities and office support services including free Wi-Fi.

One of the world’s most famous motorcycle festivals – the Isle of Man TT – takes place from 30 May to 13 June (www.iomtt.com). Saturday, 30 May is the start of practice week and race week roars into action on 6 June. There are two weeks of racing, events, owners’ club meetings and visiting live bands. Note, Senior Race Day on 12 June is a bank holiday on the Island.

One of the Island’s oldest sporting events is being held on 20-21 June (www.parishwalk.com). The Clerical Medical Parish Walk first took place as a sporting challenge more than 100 years ago, and since then it has become a major event – an 85-mile long walking race spanning 24 hours and calling in at each of the Island’s 17 parishes.

2009 marks the 100th year of weather observations at Douglas Borough Cemetery (www.gov.im). The UK Met Office’s National Meteorological Archive confirmed that the observatory was inspected by it on 24 July 1908 before the first observation was made on 1 January 1909. Weather observations are still made at the cemetery by Douglas Borough Council’s bereavement services team.

When you put the kettle on to make a cup of tea, the chances are that the switch control has its origins in the Isle of Man. The Island is home to the headquarters of Strix, a leading manufacturer of kettle switch controls (www.strix.com). It’s estimated Strix controls are used more than a billion times a day by 20% of the world’s people.

WORDS BY STEPHEN RITCH