Isle of Wight Observer

The Isle of Wight Council has recovered the cost of urgent repairs carried out to save the historic hammerhead crane, in Cowes. The 150ft structure was at risk of collapse because of severe corrosion. After what the council described as a lack of action from the site’s former owners, Urgent Works Notices were issued in 2014 and 2016. The authority then stepped in to carry out stabilisation works, using Island-based contractors, to protect the Grade II* listed crane.

IW Observer reader, Mike Waddleton, has discovered that, while we might be envious of their subsidised ferries, the Isle of Wight has far more in common with Scottish islands than we might think. On a recent trip to Tobermory on the beautiful Isle of Mull, Mike wandered into a local shop and spotted a display that made him feel instantly at home. Among the toy boats sat a sign proudly declaring that the “working ferry boat” on sale was guaranteed more reliable than the island ferry.

The issue of Island dementia patients being moved to care homes on the mainland – as recently highlighted by the IW Observer – was raised in Parliament this week by West Wight MP Richard Quigley. Speaking in his first Adjournment debate on Tuesday, he warned that vulnerable residents were being “ripped away from their home” because the Island no longer has enough specialist dementia beds to meet demand.

Royal Marine Commandos intercepted a Russian-linked oil tanker off the Island in the early hours of Sunday morning. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the commandos, supported by National Crime Agency (NCA) officers, boarded the vessel, Smyrtos, during a six-hour mission in the Channel, the first UK-led operation of its kind. The vessel was escorted to an anchorage off the Isle of Portland, in Dorset.

Pupils at Brighstone CE Primary School learned about a range of careers during a special careers day on June 5. Professionals from sectors including healthcare, emergency services, architecture, hospitality, environmental conservation, retail, sports science, marine services, and public relations visited the school to speak about their jobs and answer questions from pupils.

Martin Groom beat the Maritime & Coastguard Agency in a landmark case; now the agency’s attempt to strip payments from Coastguard teams may have ignited a far bigger battle.

Age UK Isle of Wight has received a £700 donation, following a charity concert performed by Newchurch Male Voice Choir and Cotswold Male Voice Choir. The concert, held at St Saviour-on-the-Cliff Church in Shanklin, brought together the Island choir and their visitors from the Cotswolds for an evening of music in aid of the charity.

Child poverty has risen significantly across the Isle of Wight over the past four years, with the latest figures showing more than 4,500 children across the Island are living below the poverty line. Both the East and West IW constituencies are outpacing regional and national trends. The data, covering 2021/22 to 2024/25, shows a steady rise in the number of children living in households with incomes considered too low to meet basic needs.

Skip to content Top Stories Cowes café and restaurant, Jolliffe 1853, has closed with immediate effect saying a combination of challenges has left the business no longer viable. A spokesman said: “It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we, as of Monday, have ceased trading.

A treasure trove of West Wight historical memorabilia has been saved after the Totland Parish Council stepped in to offer new storage space. The West Wight Heritage Centre, run by the Freshwater and Totland Archive Group, has been based in Avenue Road, Freshwater, for nearly six years. But secretary, Janet Haire, explained: “The group started at Freshwater Library in 2010.