ChronicleLive readers have voted the Tuxedo Princess, affectionately known as The Boat, as the Newcastle nightclub of yesteryear they would most like to bring back. The floating venue secured a landslide 60% of the vote in a poll held earlier this month, despite technically being located on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne.
Landslide victory for The Boat
The poll offered four choices: Legends, Baja Beach Club, Tuxedo Princess and Planet Earth, with an option to vote for 'Other'. The Tuxedo Princess first docked on the River Tyne in 1983 and remained there until July 2008, when it was towed away and scrapped. Its closing party in December 2007 drew 300 guests, and crowds gathered to see it leave the Tyne for good.
The venue was famed for its revolving dancefloor, which proved treacherous for many, especially those who had paid for the infamous £10 all-you-can-drink nights. The contraption caused many a fall, whether from stepping on with courage, dancing too vigorously, or attempting to get off.
Celebrity connections and legacy
The Tuxedo Princess also attracted celebrities, including the late Kevin Keegan and several cast members of Auf Wiedersehen Pet. One of its biggest claims to fame is that a teenage Cheryl Tweedy worked there before finding fame on Popstars: The Rivals and enjoying a successful career with Girls Aloud and as a solo artist.
The nostalgia was prompted by news that the former Mood nightclub in The Gate is being converted into a luxury buffet for the second time since its closure over a decade ago. Firebird follows ZaZaBazarr, Mood's immediate successor, which never reopened after Covid.
