Laxey Wheel: Heritage body 'forced to sell family silver' for repairs

The Great Laxey Wheel last turned in September 2020

An Isle of Man heritage body has been forced to "sell the family silver" to pay for repairs to the Great Laxey Wheel, an MHK has said.

Tynwald voted unanimously to let Manx National Heritage (MNH) sell a residential property to help fund the works.

Daphne Caine said the government had "failed to preserve our unique heritage" by not paying for repairs.

MNH previously reached an agreement with Treasury to part fund the work.

Enterprise Minister Laurence Skelly said the property being sold was "not of cultural significance" and the buyer had made an offer well above the government's estimated value of £445,000.

The property, in Colby, belonged to Donald Collister, who left his entire estate to MNH in 2007.

Although the heritage body is run at arm's length from government, under the Manx Museum and Trust Act it must get Tynwald approval before selling any land or property.

Donald Collister left his entire estate to MNH in 2007

Mrs Caine said the need to sell the property to pay to preserve Isle of Man heritage was "a damning indictment of this and previous administrations".

She said it was "worrying" that a reduction in MNH's funding over the past decade, coupled with the impact of Covid-19, had led to a situation where it now "has to sell off the family silver to keep its head above water".

The Great Laxey Wheel, the world's largest working water wheel, has not operated since September last year due to damage but it is hoped it can turn again in 2022, once repaired.

Mr Skelly said the funding of MNH was a "wider debate", and not part of the motion regarding the sale.