An exclusive story delivered by our Isle of Man editorial team on the arrival of pub chain JD Wetherspoon caused such surprise that the leading news brand was accused of playing an April Fool prank on readers.
On March 31 reporter Tom Curphey broke the news, shared online on Isle of Man Today, that the first-ever Wetherspoon pub will open next month, with the UK-based hospitality chain confirming its arrival.
The new venue will take over the premises of the former 1886 Bar and Grill on Regent Street in Douglas.
Tom wrote: “Named The Conister Arms, the pub will officially open its doors on May 14, 2025, marking the debut of the budget pub giant on Manx soil.
“The opening is expected to have a noticeable impact on the local hospitality scene, with the brand’s reputation for affordable food and drink likely to prove popular with residents and visitors alike.”
The timing of the scoop, just a day before April 1, led some readers to accuse our trusted Isle of Man title of attempting to pull an April Fool’s prank on the community.
In a post on LinkedIn editor Dion Jones, Editor at Media Isle of Man, explained how the story had caused a stir.
Dion wrote: “This week, the Media Isle of Man newsroom broke a story that caught everyone’s attention – but not quite how we expected.
“We were the first brand to share the news that J D Wetherspoon is opening its first pub on the Isle of Man. It was confirmed, double-checked, and, frankly, a solid scoop.
“Yet, almost immediately, many readers assumed it was an early April Fools’ joke.
“I suspect it also raised a few eyebrows among our media competitors on the island, who ran coverage of the speculation while desperately trying to avoid crediting us as the source.
“And the reason? Timing. We published it on March 31, just a day before April 1. Add to that the fact that ‘Spoons opening on the island has long been the subject of speculation, and you have all the ingredients of a story people were primed to dismiss. But behind the scenes, this was treated like any other piece. We:
▪️ Verified it through Wetherspoon’s long-standing spokesperson.
▪️ Sought additional confirmation from another well-placed source.
▪️ Chose to publish before April 1 to avoid any risk of it being mistaken for a prank.
▪️ Explained all the above in a well-timed follow up (this step was not the norm, but the situation called for it).
“Despite that, the disbelief spread faster than the news itself. And I get it – we live in an age of misinformation, spin, and, let’s face it, too many newsroom April Fools’ pranks.
“It’s no wonder audiences are cautious. But for me, this situation reinforced something I strongly believe in: trust in journalism is fragile and it must be improved and protected.
“For those of us working in local journalism, trust is everything. We don’t always get it right, but we approach every story with the same intention – verify it, check it again, and report it as clearly and fairly as possible.
“This week has been a reminder of how easily doubt can creep in, but also how important it is to keep doing the basics right: accuracy, transparency, and honesty – even when the story seems too good (or too strange) to be true.”
On the back of the original story, the Media Isle of Man journalists kept the story moving with further updates.
They had reaction from Thompson Holdings, who said the arrival would help secure the future of Douglas city centre when the four-storey venue opens on May 14.
The Isle of Man branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) welcomed the news, describing it as a positive addition to Douglas’ hospitality sector, while some members of the island’s Licensed Victuallers’ Association (LVA) warned about the potential impact on existing pubs.
Scott Wood, managing director of Tindle Newspapers, said the coverage showed the strength of community-based reporting.
“We have a strong tradition of breaking exclusive news stories because of our close ties to the areas so we serve, so it is great to see the Isle of Man team generate such interest around a UK chain’s arrival,” he said.
“We understand that readers scrutinise the news they read but the quality of the reporting around this story, which overlapped with April 1, demonstrates the thorough approach we take to check our facts and get each story right to maintain the hard earned trust of the local community built up over many generations.”