Goodnight, Peggy! Three Years Glittering Up Manx Nightlife
Though she asked to be cropped out for her own privacy, the woman in this photo loves how much she features on Peggy’s branding. “Do you remember me? That’s my tit!”.
“Here for a good time, not a long time” ー Peggy’s has always had it as a part of their branding. And yet, when the beloved glittery nightclub and home of the leopard print booths announced a few weeks ago that they would be closing their doors for a final time, we couldn’t quite believe it. It seems like yesterday that they first opened up their doors as a pop-up Christmas venue. And yet, it is now three years later. In that time, they’ve made quite the mark on an otherwise sparse landscape of Manx nightlife.
We got to chat with two of the brains behind the glam, Jamie Lewis and Jess Kneen. Jamie is the owner and founder of Peggy’s and of the hospitality firm behind it: Extra Fancy. Jess has been on the Peggy’s train since the beginning too, working there from the age of seventeen: first as glass collector, then as bartender, as well as flitting through the crowds throughout that time as photographer. We spoke all about MILFs in sequins, Studio 54 ambitions, and creating a safe space to party.
The photos in this article are provided by Jess Kneen.
Taking it Back
Believe it or not, the original idea for Peggy’s came about from a conversation between Jamie and Sound Records’ own Jack Doyle. They met up for a pint in Sam Webbs just as Jamie was setting up his first business: Lewis Lewis, a bartending events firm. Though they weren’t quite sure exactly how back then, they wanted to put something together that would change the world (or at least the island!) for the better.
The original disco theme for Peggy’s came from a night Jack and Jamie had an idea for called Desert Island Disco. They even tried to get Craig Charles over the water for it, but his bitchy PA got in the way (and that’s a story for another day…) The space came about when Lewis Lewis bartended a birthday party there, with Jack on the decks. The landlords offered Jamie a six-week pop-up, and he took that idea and ran with it, offering the market what it was missing by aiming to create an inclusive nightclub space. Theme-wise, the woman whose birthday it was liked leopard print. The rest, as you can imagine, is history.
“To do Peggy's week-in week-out and do it justice is actually quite difficult. I really underestimated that when we went full-time with it. It's easy to throw six weeks of creativity at something and for it to be insane for those six weeks. Everyone's going to think 'oh, that's amazing', because we've thrown everything at it to be that. I just never wanted it to become stale." ーJamie Lewis
When they first started they were doing table service ー which Jamie and Jess agree seems crazy looking back. They sold table slots before they even shared a picture of the inside.
“I can’t believe we got away with this. It was basically Fyre Festival.” ーJess Kneen
Bit by bit, staples turned to nails and screws as the space became more and more established. After a rollercoaster six weeks at Christmas and a further stint during TT 2019, Jamie felt that they had milked rent-free periods long enough and decided to take Peggy’s on full-time in November 2019, when they pimped her out as she is now.
“Peggy’s was very much a mixed bag in the beginning. MILFs in sequins was definitely a big clientele.” ーJess Kneen
As with any nightlife venue, the clientele can vary greatly over time. Pivoting from what Jess affectionately calls the ‘MILFs in sequins’ demographic towards more of a younger crowd, Peggy’s has been on a bit of a journey. They’ve always played disco and house, but as DJs like PMIX brought in more house, the audience became younger. Jamie admits he has Podge (the man behind PMIX the DJ) to thank for bringing some big names in house before they were famous ー Meg Ward, for example.
Two weeks ago, Jamie even managed to snag the queen of queer nightlife herself, drag queen Jodie Harsh, for a set ー something he still can’t quite believe he pulled off. He said that if Peggy’s could have ended that night, he would have been happy. The crowd, too, felt like a cross-section of the Peggy’s audience from throughout their short history: everything from MILFs in sequins, to young house music fans, to all the gays the island could possibly muster up.
“There’s never been a night that’s been that way. There were 18-year-olds just being themselves and dressing how they want to dress.” ーJamie Lewis
Though I’m (sadly) not 18 anymore, I was there that night in drag. I don’t often do that these days when I’m not getting paid: only for Jodie; only for Peggy.
Who is Peggy?
Peggy’s is referred to affectionately by Jamie and Jess with she/her pronouns, and the brand is as much a part of the team as any other member of staff. There are many different Peggies that inspired the venue’s branding: Eastenders’ Peggy Mitchell of course (RIP), art collector Peggy Guggenheim, Peggy Olsen from Mad Men, Kate Moss (on an honorary basis), Princess Margaret (only from when Jamie realised that Peggy is short for Margaret), and, naturally, Ian Beale, who featured on the Peggy’s ceiling. Considering her long-standing relationship with the venue, Jamie also considers Jess a Peggy, too.
Peggy is also a part of Jamie, his alter-ego. Peggy is, quite simply, a good time.
In spring of this year, not long after the nation-wide protests sparked by the murder of Sarah Everard by a policeman in London, Peggy’s launched a campaign in collaboration with artist megmcart to get their message of “empowering and celebrating females in all their forms” out there and to make women feel safe. They are also involved in the Ask For Angela campaign, whereby women are made aware (via posters in the toilets) that they can ask a bartender for a fictitious member of staff, “Angela”, as code if they are in danger. The staff ー who are all specifically trained to deal with these incidents ー can then act appropriately: calling a taxi, kicking out the offender, and/or escorting the woman to safety.
The megmcart-designed posters make Extra Fancy’s zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment loud and clear; they speak for themselves. During our chat, Jamie was quick to add that he had no creative involvement in the campaign or the poster designs, leaving it instead for two female members of his staff, Feena and Beth to coordinate. And he’s right: it isn’t his place to censor or filter something with such an important message. Jamie admits that he’s learned a lot from this campaign himself in the way that he deals with harassment when he sees it in-person.
"Since it came out... I'm not gonna name names, but there's a lot of guys that did use to come in and were those kinds of people that don't come anymore. For me, all I hope is that they saw it and it offended them.” ーJamie Lewis
Since Peggy’s launched their campaign, Jess has noticed more venues around the island putting up posters like theirs in women’s toilets.
“I just think there's a lot to be learned. It shouldn't be down to just one venue or a handful of venues to be that way. I hate talking about me or what we do in this way but maybe the legacy of Peggy's is that people have seen that and other venues think ‘shit, maybe…’ ー even if they're just doing it to be popular or to fit in or to stay relevant. If that can transcend into other venues then we've done our job." ーJamie Lewis
Engaging with Young People and Artists
I spoke to Jess Kneen at the end of last year when she took photos at one of our gigs, and it was then I discovered she got her start as a photographer at Peggy’s. The original staff cohort got friendly in the Gef office on a typically drunk “training night” and a then-teenage Jess asked Jamie nervously if she could take a few photos at Peggy’s opening night. Massive camera with huge flash in hand, Jess wandered the dancefloor for the first time, capturing stolen moments in black and white. And Jamie was impressed:
"Those original photos [from the first night], those are just iconic. There's so many pictures in there that just look like Bianca Jagger riding a white horse." ーJamie Lewis
Studio 54 was open for only three years before the owners Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager got arrested for tax evasion (a fate which Jamie assured me he will not share!) Though Peggy could never hope to get anywhere near Studio 54’s iconic status, a snapshot of local nightlife history was something that Jess aimed to capture. A few years ago, a move to colour film changed the vibes of the photos, showing the various transformations Peggy has undergone.
Jess’ photos have made their way off film and into print far and wide: from the walls inside Peggy’s, to a billboard in town, to a photobook she made for Jamie’s birthday. Bringing this up was one of the many times Jamie got emotional during our interview ー and I don’t blame him: the end of Peggy’s is the end of an era for many, but none more so than for him.
And while Peggy might be finished in her current state and venue, Jess and Jamie have many plans for how she will live on through her photos. Jamie shared with us his plans to produce a hot pink vinyl somewhere down the line, with mixes from Peggy’s favourite DJs (think PMIX, Tom Doyle, Lyco, DJ Sound) and featuring a photobook insert as an ode to Jess and her camera. The idea for a coffee table book has also been floated.
Jess likes the idea of doing an exhibition in thirty years' time, where islanders can look back on their former partying selves. Whichever of these ideas does or doesn’t materialise, Peggy and her spirit lives on through them ー and through Jess, who is returning to college this autumn to continue her degree in visual communications.
"I don't think I would be taking photos now if it wasn't for Jamie and Peggy's. I mean, I probably would take photos, but not in the way that I do. I wouldn't have the place to do it, and I wouldn't have my cheerleader. Jamie is the ultimate hype girl." ーJess Kneen
The Isle of Man has always had trouble keeping young people on the island. Some reasons for this can seem daunting, and are hard for individuals to change: for example, young people are being priced out of any and all housing options by investors, and the government doesn’t seem to be particularly motivated to change that. As a young person myself who couldn’t wait to get off-island for university, the cultural and creative scene is what has kept me here since I returned 18 months ago ー and, within that sphere, so has my job at Sound Records. Peggy has given her own reason ー to party-goers, of course, but especially to staff.
“For me it’s always just been about keeping young people on the Isle of Man. Our staff is 16-25, mental age 22.” ーJamie Lewis
Bucking the trend, Jamie himself moved to the island at 21 and found himself lonely in his job working at a formal restaurant. Options for nightlife were depressingly limited, and he found the island a stifling place to be as a young person ー something I relate to, having grown up here. Jamie is adamant that the government needs to work hard to keep young people here, and over the past three years, he has contributed to that in his own way.
“The party is the heart of it, and the inclusivity. Inclusivity across the board ー of everything: age, gender, orientation. All those people just feel good having a good time together. It did change over time, though. We had those fundamental parts, but maybe the age range changed. As soon as those [younger] people started coming, we were kind of like ‘Okay, we’ve got our people.’ We had our tribe, the diehards that came every weekend.” ーJamie Lewis
Jamie had been afraid of Peggy’s being branded only for young people ー with such a small population, once you get the mark of being a “young venue” on the island, older people tend not to come as often (even if it’s to avoid bumping into their children’s friends!) Still, though the clientele has pivoted, some events ー like the night with Jodie Harsh ー bring that beautifully diverse array of people that Peggy just lives to please.
The music, too, champions young talent. Jamie says he received hate ー actual hateful messages ー from people in bands saying that, by opening a nightclub in that spot (previously Amber), they were taking away a live music venue. In response, Jamie says that they are still supporting local music ー just not acoustic or indie bands; instead, it is electronic music producers and DJs who get the spotlight. And there is still snobbery within arts circles against electronic music. Jamie hopes that Peggy’s success over their three-year tenure ー during which they’ve given jobs, gigs and exposure to so many local DJs ー has done something to change perceptions.
"This one of Jack and Rowan is just my favourite photo ever. They look like Johnny Depp and Kate Moss." ーJess Kneen
We’ve already heard from two examples of young people Peggy has financially and artistically supported: Jess Kneen, as a photographer and bartender, and megmcart, as a young female independent artist, self-described “council estate Princess” and “socialist slut” who designed their posters. Peggy’s builds up their staff: Drew, for example, started the Peggy’s journey as a glass-washer and finished as a general manager. Now we see why Jess refers to Jamie as “the ultimate hype girl.”
In a bar, you build community through staff: you spend your evenings and weekends together, you share secrets. Jamie usually gets food for his staff after a busy night: they might have been there for 8+ hours, and then at 3am they can bitch about rude customers over pizza. Once you go home, you’ve left it there, and you’re not carrying it around.
"I remember it was TT week on a Tuesday, and Domino's don't deliver as late on weekdays, so all we had was a big bowl of Kinder Bueno Hippos and a load of packets of Space Raider crisps." ーJess Kneen, laughing. "My accountant bollocked me for [buying my staff food] all the time, but I said to him we'd spend more money training new staff. No one ever truly leaves." ーJamie Lewis
In Peggy’s, you do get the sense that Jamie looks after his people.
A selection of Peggy’s classic stickers
Here For a Good Time, Not a Long Time
After the owners got arrested, Studio 54 was sold, and it stayed open for another ten years. However, people only remember that three-year heyday under the (tax-evading) management of Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager.
"There's business decisions and there's personal decisions, and fundamental to both of them is that leaving on a high. I can't imagine anything worse than just letting it get a bit sad. She's at the point now that I can fondly say goodbye. I can say 'Do you know what? We've built our own community; we've enhanced other communities. We've got a good core team. We've done a good job.’” ーJamie Lewis
With the isolation of the surrounding Irish sea, things can become stale even more quickly on the Isle of Man; it’s that much harder to travel away from the same places. People often complain over here that there is nothing to do, but those same people don’t go when things actually happen. Peggy had her ride or die fans, and she had to say goodnight before they even thought about getting bored. The timing also feels strangely poetic: when Peggy’s closed after its first pop-up, Jamie’s son was born two days later; now Peggy’s is closing for the final time at this venue, and his next child is due a few weeks later!
Kiki’s Tiki Lounge next door is staying open, so some of the Peggy’s spirit stays alive there. Jamie may have longer-term ideas for the space, which are all still in the works and under wraps (for now!) Over the festive period, Jamie has some Extra Fancy plans for the spot: Filthy Animals, an (unofficially) Home Alone-themed pop-up event space. And it’s more than just Peggy’s with a bit of tinsel: whole new concept, whole new layout, completely different design ー and that’s not to mention the themed cocktails, gifts and hot dogs. Even when coming to the end of one massive project, it seems that Jamie can never quite sit still.
So, while Peggy is never returning to that location, she might not be dead yet. If she does come back, it will be in a pop-up capacity ー at full-force, and, as always, “for a good time, not a long time.” The iconic neon sign’s new home is inside Jamie’s recently-renovated home office ー that is, until the Manx Museum asks for it as an integral part of contemporary cultural history!
Jamie’s only reservation with this next step is that he feels like, by closing the venue ー surely the most explicitly inclusive space in Manx nightlife ー he’s taking something away. Where will that crowd go? Who will house those who don’t feel safe elsewhere? Jess and I had to remind him that that space was something he created in the first place. He's not taking away; he's given.
“[The sense of inclusivity] is still there. It’s fundamental to Kiki’s, it's fundamental to whatever's going to come next. It's in our fabric. We're called Extra Fancy." ーJamie Lewis
Written by Owen Atkinson
You can register your interest in Extra Fancy’s festive pop-up “Filthy Animals” on their website, or keep up to date on Facebook and Instagram.
Kiki’s Tiki Lounge remains open for all your tropical and Extra Fancy cocktail needs.
