Douglas Local Information: 10 top things to know... more
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1. History
The town’s name comes from its position on the banks where two rivers meet, the river Doo and river Glass. The town was an important trading post in the 18th century. In the 19th century, tourism became a big industry and led to rapid expansion. When the tourism industry declined in the 1950s, the offshore finance industry boomed.
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2. Now
Douglas is the capital of the Isle of Man and is the largest town on the island. It is the main centre for culture, arts, entertainment, eating, drinking and shopping. Thousands of tourists are still attracted to the town every year, for its beautiful countryside and beaches. Douglas Head is a magnet for those wanting to get a good view of the area and out to sea.
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3. Events
The Isle of Man TT Races take place on the island in May and June. Motorcycle fans flock to the island for two weeks to enjoy the racing. The TT Grandstand in Douglas, offers views of the start and finish line and much of the event’s activity takes place in the town. The Isle of Man Walking Festival takes place over six days in May and includes a selection of guided walks to...Read more
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4. Attractions
The Douglas Horse Tram service is the oldest horse drawn tramway in the world. The 20-minute service takes passengers along Douglas promenade between Victoria Pier and the tram station by Strathallan Crescent. The Camera Obscura, at Douglas Head, has 12 mirrors giving a 360-degree view over Douglas Bay, Snaefell and out to sea. The original building was constructed on the site...Read more
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5. Things To Do
Three Douglas Heritage Trail booklets are available from the Douglas Development Partnership office on Victoria Street. Walk 1 covers the historic harbour area; walk 2 covers the town centre and walk 3 is along the Promenade. Douglas Beach is also a popular spot for walkers. Nobles Park, in the town, includes a BMX track, bowling green, bandstand, sports pitches, café, play a...Read more
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6. Business
The pedestrianised town centre has many high street stores and specialist traders. The town is managed by the Douglas Development Partnership, a joint project between Douglas Borough Council and the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce. Indoor shopping centre The Strand, is home to many popular brands as well as the Art Market, a facility set up by four companies to sell a selectio...Read more
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7. Transport
Isle of Man Airport is in Ballasalla and has flights to UK airports and some European destinations. Buses run regularly from the airport to Douglas. The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company is the ferry operator offering services to and from the Isle of Man. Ferries arrive in Douglas from Heysham, Liverpool, Dublin and Belfast.
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8. Entertainment
The Villa Marina is a venue offering performing arts, conferences and functions. It is also home to the Broadway Cinema. The Gaiety Theatre, situated in a restored Victorian opera house, has a packed programme of live theatre and performing arts. Tours of the building are also available.
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9. Famous Landmarks
The Tower of Refuge was built in 1832 on a rock in Douglas Bay known as St Mary’s Isle or Conister Rock. The tower was built after many ships crashed onto the rock.
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10. Interesting Fact
The Isle of Man is home to an unusual breed of cat, known as the Manx Cat, which has no tail. No one knows exactly how the breed came about, but there are many stories and legends attempting to explain this tailless feature.
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Douglas Events
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01 June 2013 - 30 June 2013
Mananan International Festival of Music and the Arts
The Mananan International Festival of Music and the Arts takes place in June in nearby Port Erin. The festival focuses on classical music, but also includes performances of folk music and jazz and has cabaret, drama, lectures, poetry, comedy and even flower arranging. ...more
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01 May 2013 - 31 May 2013
Isle of Man Walking Festival
The Isle of Man Walking Festival provides an opportunity to explore the varied and spectacular landscape of the island. The festival runs for six days in May and consists of a programme of guided walks for all ages and abilities. The walks take participants through mo ...more
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01 August 2013 - 31 August 2013
Royal Manx Agricultural Show
The Royal Manx Agricultural Show takes place in Patrick in August and includes animal displays, music, competitions and more. The event, which runs for two days, is billed as a family day out and includes a full programme of entertainment as well as arts and crafts, fo ...more
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01 May 2013 - 30 June 2013
Isle of Man TT Races
The biggest annual event is the Isle of Man TT Races, which takes place in May and June. The huge two-week motorcycle event attracts thousands of spectators from all over the world, and much of the activity is centred around Douglas. The TT Grandstand is situated in t ...more
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Douglas Marketplace
Douglas Blog
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Dad plans mountain climb
Retired social worker Ray Johnstone is planning to climb a mountain to raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder. Ray, 45, from Douglas, who suffers from the anxiety disorder after being in the army, wants to climb Kilimanjaro to encourage...
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Hairdressing winner finds lost family
Winning a hairdressing competition brought more than just an award for Cath Purvis – she ended up finding family members she never knew she had. Cath, of salon Hot Gossip, in Douglas, won the title of Stylist of the Year in...
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Garden Party acts announced
Organisers of music festival The Garden Party have announced they will feature headline acts from the national scene for the first time this year. A spokesperson for the festival, which takes place on July 6 and 7, has...
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Horses help pupils
Working with animals and children has proved a big success for one secondary school. Ballakermeen High School, in Douglas, has been working with a local riding school in an aim to harness the calming influence of horses, and the results have been very...
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