It’s 10 years since we said a fond farewell
A LAST PARTY ON THE TUXEDO PRINCESS IN 2007
IT was a spectacular feature of Tyneside’s social scene for quarter of a century, but 10 years ago we were saying farewell to the Tuxedo Princess.
More than 300 guests were invited to a special VIP party aboard the glitzy floating nightclub to give it a final send-off .
The brainchild of businessman Michael Quadrini, the Princess - a converted former car ferry - had arrived on the Tyne in 1983.
It lowered its gang plank at Gateshead Quayside for the first time on December 19 that year, with hundreds of revellers on board, and with the staff dressed in sailors’ uniforms.
‘The boat’ or the ‘The Tux’ became THE place to go. The look was big hair and padded shoulders.
You could sip cocktails on the deck, or listen to music in the piano bar. Or you could enjoy a meal, or boogie on the revolving dance floor to the sounds of the disco.
Famous revellers included Kevin Keegan, Gazza and a succession of Newcastle United stars, as well as the cast from Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
The likes of Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Rick Astley, Nik Kershaw, Noel Edmonds, Freddie Starr, Ian Botham, Kevin Costner, and Andrew Lloyd Webber, to name a few, partied there.
During the 1990s, the boat moved to Glasgow for a few years, and its place under the Tyne Bridge, was taken by the Tuxdeo Royale. When the Princess returned, the Royale moved to Teesside in 2000.
By 2007, the tide was turning and owners Absolute Leisure decided time was up for the Tuxedo Princess.
On December 7 that year, the Chronicle reported: “As the ship
prepares to leave in the New Year, men on stilts, fire eaters and burlesque dancers turned out to mark the occasion.
“Scores of people have met, fallen in love, married, worked and partied on board during its two stints moored on the Tyne.
“Jean Goldsmith worked as a cleaner on the boat. She recalls happy memories of her 12 months on board 10 years ago, saying: ‘It was a great place to work. I had lovely times here and it’ll be sad to lose her.’
“One Newcastle couple recalled meeting there in 1998: ‘We hit it off immediately and before the evening ended we had a go on the revolving dancefloor and came spinning off twice.’ They married soon afterwards. “Another couple from Cramlington had their wedding reception on the boat in 1987, recalling: ‘We planned a cold buffet for the hot weather in July, but it rained all day. Despite the rain we had a wonderful day.” One woman from Gateshead who met her future husband on the boat said: “We’re really sad the boat is leaving the Tyne as this is where I met the love of my life.” The Tuxdedo Princess was finally towed from its mooring on the Tyne in July, 2008. It was sailed to Greece and the breakers’ yard. The party was over.