taking our culture forward

The Douglas Hotel dates back to 1759, when Ulster merchant Robert Black leased some land, with a frontage of 64 feet to the quay, from the Duke of Atholl. He proceeded to build a residence on this plot. The property was later used by the Fourth Duke of Atholl as his Island residence while Castle Mona was built, and then by the Imperial Customs service. The building is shown as Custom’s House on Wood’s plan of Douglas in 1833. The Customs Service vacated the building circa 1862 after which it became licensed and was known as the Old Customs House Inn. It gained the name of the Douglas Hotel in 1863. The photographs below were taken in March 2012 and show the dilapidated state of the building as it currently stands.