Words cannot express how much I miss being at Peggysskylight. The Wednesday mornings for a quiet coffee; I love Peggys when theve just opened for the day and I have it all to myself. I miss the food and treating myself to lunch. It’s the only place in Nottingham where enjoying my own company is such a great experience. I miss Joshs’ Espresso Martinis. Jo’s salt and chocolate tart. I miss the music and the memories, The Last Poets, Me and Mr Jones, Tank and the Bangers. The New year’s Eve parties and dressing up. My birthday and my best friends dancing last year. I could go on and on. Most of all I miss Rachel and Paul.

I can’t wait to be back in Peggys for my regular Friday night after work cocktail, chatting with the staff and watching the band warm up for their performance in the evening. My heart and soul go out to you both I wish you all the luck and good fortune that’s out there.

STOP PRESS: UK JAZZ VENUE GETS IT ALL RIGHT (OR PEGGY’S MAGIC ELIXIR FOR ALL KNOWN ILLS)
What would you say if I told you that there’s a jazz venue right here in the UK that can on a Saturday night (a Saturday night, for Gawd’s sake!) present a no-holds barred, unapologetically ‘old school’ acoustic quartet, playing straight-ahead bop-based stuff AND attract a full house of over 100, largely comprising people under FIFTY, not all of them die-hard jazz fans but each unashamedly enthusiastic about what they’re hearing?

And what would you say if I told you the club has fabulous acoustics, a well-planned out stage, a great sound system, a beautifully upkept grand piano, serves delicious food, has friendly, personable staff and, best of all, is run by a jazz-playing, musically-eclectic and highly affable host?

Peggy’s is a positive breath of fresh air, a place in which performers, policy, public and proprietor all magically coalesce to create something long overdue and well worth shouting about.