Planning shift could unlock empty Sandown seafront hotels
Carole DennettSandown South councillor Ian Ward says years of work to resolve long‑standing planning barriers for empty hotels on the seafront…
Read MoreMedina Studios plan could bring £36m boost and 875 jobs to Island
A major new economic study says the Medina Studios development, which already has full planning permission, could deliver one of…
Read MoreCouncil £20 million budget gap looms
The Isle of Wight Council’s Director of Finance has warned that the 2026/27 budget will be the most challenging it…
Read MoreIt’s never too late for a happy ending
An 18‑year‑old cat, who faced spending his final months in a vet’s cage, has instead found a loving Isle of…
Read MoreIW OBSERVATIONS: Negative campaigning: we’re not printing it
With the IW Council elections now confirmed for May 7, the IW Observer has taken a careful look at the…
Read MoreCoat of Hopes visits the Island
Mal ButlerThe Coat of Hopes, a patchwork garment which is on a walking pilgrimage across the UK, arrived in Ryde for…
Read MoreResidents say ‘see you in court’ – again
The Isle of Wight Council is heading back to court over the controversial West Acre Park development, after Greenfields (IOW)…
Read MoreOur MPs views on the big national scandal
With national attention focused on stories surrounding Peter Mandelson and his links with Jeffrey Epstein – and growing speculation about…
Read MoreA perfect holiday home if you like life on the edge!
A two-bedroom holiday home in Freshwater is heading to auction with a tempting guide price of just £5,000. However prospective…
Read MoreHigh rate of school absences on the IW
Parents of one in ten children on the Island were issued with school attendance penalty notices (PNs) in the 2024/25…
Read MoreCowes stays open despite disruption
Cowes is fighting back as the town battened down the hatches for three more months of traffic chaos which began…
Read MoreAnother three months of road works
It’s set to be like the scene of a sequel to a horror film: ‘The Nightmare of Horsebridge Hill, Part…
Read More‘Stop Smoking, Feel Happier’ launches on the Isle of Wight on Friday
Isle of Wight ObserverA new initiative is encouraging Islanders who smoke to rethink the link between cigarettes and stress, as the ‘Stop Smoking,…
Read MoreFormer leader of MCA to look at ferry issues
The Government has appointed Brian Johnson, former Chief Executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), as the independent chairman…
Read MoreShould councillors increase their allowances?
Isle of Wight councillors will decide next Wednesday whether to approve the recommended new Members’ Allowance Scheme for 2026–27. Their…
Read MoreCare closer to home – New facility at St Mary’s
A breaking ground ceremony took place at St Mary’s Hospital on Wednesday to mark the start of construction on a…
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