A Love Letter to 37-42 Loch Promenade

 There’s many stereotypes about the Manx. Some true, some untrue.

We foster very, very close relationships with our families. We enjoy a drink. We hate to see others succeed. We hate change.

While Extra’s Fancy’s time at 37-42 Loch Promenade can’t quite account for the first point, it’s certainly confirmed that yes- as we enjoy a drink, but also that we’ve collectively enjoyed watching the various iterations of their clubs and bars over the last five years go from strength to strength, while also accepting that the concepts- from Peggy’s to Kiki’s to Filthy Animals to Heartbreak Motel to Moonlight Club- were fleeting moments. 

The first Extra Fancy iteration was Peggy’s: a discotheque that imaged its clients as Kate Moss types, if Kate Moss had a penchant for taking home hey boys and eating chips, cheese and gravy after a night out. Peggy’s is rumoured to have got its name from American socialite Peggy Guggenheim, but the kind of glamour the club evoked by the end was more the all-fur-coat and no knickers type. As the club found its feet, Peggy’s identity became firmly rooted in the 90s and noughties, a camp haven dedicated to the holy trinity: Paris, Britney and Lindsay. 

Perhaps the most significant thing to come out of Peggy’s was the biggest safe-sex campaign ever known on island through their “Shag on the Prom”: a cocktail with a garnish of Pasantes (knock-off Durex, nothing but the highest quality for the customers). How effective it was at preventing our friends at the GUM clinic working overtime is questionable, but you can lead a horse to water… 

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Peggy’s had cult vibes. It was a bit gay. The tonic was overpriced. Complain about any of it and you’d find your comments on the back of a staff t-shirt. But most of all, Peggy’s was there for a good time, not a long time, and in October 2021 Peggy was killed while she was still having fun- instead of being dragged out like a tired old showgirl. Instead of another cub replacing her, a true innovation came for the island: a series of pop-up cocktail concept bars.

First, there was Filthy Animals, a Home Alone-themed bar that brought something new to Christmas, while evoking the nostalgia of Christmases gone by. Like Peggy’s before it, it celebrated the 90s- but this wasn’t Peggy’s with a few Christmas lights on. The team went all out in transforming the space into the McAllister’s front room. Each detail was thoughtful and fun, with the same level of mischief you’d expect from Kevin McAllister himself. 

Of course, after Christmas is the most romantic/depressing holiday of the year: Valentine’s. The Extra Fancy team really went out to make sure there was a space for us who’d be drinking alone during the holiday: Heartbreak Motel. It was a graveyard to doomed romances: Charles and Diana; Jen and Brad; Liz and Hugh. From its centrepiece of a bed with satin leopard print sheets, Heartbreak Motel was designed to feel like a seedy 70s hub: right down to their branded condoms that came with the bill (a real upgrade from Peggy’s pasantes). 

Finally, the last pop-up was Moonlight Club. Moonlight started as an ’80s bar- imagine Tom Cruise behind the bar in Cocktail and you’ve got the vibe- but ended up speeding through the decades to comfortably land back somewhere in the early noughties. Moonlight had mass appeal. Usually this means something is middle of the road, lacking a bit of identity- but Moonlight’s whole appeal was that it was an inclusive place on the island. If Peggy’s had been (maybe unfairly) criticised for being “exclusive”, then Moonlight was the opposite: come as you were, accept everyone else and you’d be accepted. Those who clubbed to the 80s tracks back when they were in the charts danced alongside those who think Y2K is vintage. If Moonlight was originally imaged to be an 80s bar, it imagined an 80s far better than the reality on-island: Moonlight was firmly an LGBTQ+ safe space, with frequent drag performances from the island’s emerging talents and Drag Race watch-alongs. 

Of course, we haven’t mentioned the mammoth in the room yet: Kiki’s. Unlike many pandemic ideas, Kiki’s was genuinely creative- emerging as a tropical island getaway when we couldn’t get away from the island. The escapism was helped by the basement setting: you could imagine you were somewhere completely different for just a few hours. 

Kiki’s at Loch Prom was almost absurdly good. Off-island (and, even on) people don’t expect much from the island’s nightlife: a few village pubs, maybe a grotty nightclub- but Kiki’s has proved that a small cocktail bar in the middle of the Irish Sea can be world-class. From its humble beginnings, Kiki’s and its staff keep winning awards. At Kiki’s, cocktails aren’t just a few spirits whacked together, hospitality isn’t just about making sure everyone has a drink in hand. The staff is genuinely dedicated to their craft- which is why they continue to be recognised for it. If that sounds like boring industry talk, it’s pretty simple how it pans out for the humble customer: it’s a good night out, with really good cocktails. 

Kiki’s can’t be killed. In fact, Kiki is moving onto bigger and better things: a new location on the quay. It’s a larger space (TWO floors): allowing for more private parties, more cocktail classes, more chaos. There’s a kitchen too, which allows a whole new potential for edible delights. There are windows and natural light and an outdoor space in summer, which means the staff can finally throw away their vitamin D tablets. There will also be reception for your mobiles- while the basement bars’ awful signal did add a dash of authenticity to the 90’s theme, but also caused a great deal of issues when the “I’m staying out for a few more” text never reached your partner. There will also be extended hours- anyone for a cheeky lunch break cocktail?

We’ve had some good times at 37-42 Loch Prom. But, while it may be time to say au revoir to the shags on the prom, we’re excited to say hello to quickies on the quay. 

Kiki’s will be opening on 32 North Quay on Wednesday October 18, subject to licensing approval.