19/05/2026
There’s something a bit surreal about saying this …
But Peggy McCools is officially taking part in the Everywhere At Once Festival this year alongside grassroots venues all over the UK. And honestly, sometimes I have to stop and think about how we even ended up here.
Because Peggy’s was never supposed to be a music venue. For those that didn't know, when we first opened the doors, it was an antique and vintage shop. That was the plan. Music wasn’t part of the business model, there was no grand vision, no roadmap, no experience in running gigs or venues.
But somehow… music found us.
Or maybe we found it.
I’ve never been able to play an instrument. I’ve always been slightly jealous of people that can. But I’ve always loved music. And when I was younger, I used to say all the time that I wanted to do something connected to music when I grew up.
Then life happens, you get older, and you kind of convince yourself that ship has sailed. But then the universe threw a curveball. One door closed, another unexpectedly opened, and somehow it led us here — to Peggy’s becoming this strange, chaotic, beautiful little grassroots venue that means so much to so many people now.
The truth is though… trying to keep a grassroots venue alive in 2026 is HARD. Really hard.
The latest Music Venue Trust report says over half of UK grassroots music venues made no profit at all last year, with average profit margins sitting around just 2.5%. Thousands of jobs have disappeared from the sector, venues continue to close, and over 170 towns and cities across the UK no longer have regular touring music coming through them anymore. And you feel that pressure every single week when you run a place like this.
Crowds fluctuate. Costs go up constantly. Bills don’t stop. Some nights are incredible and some nights can honestly knock the wind out of you a bit. There are definitely moments where you question whether it’s sustainable to keep fighting.
But we do keep fighting.
Because slowly, something is happening here.
There’s a community forming. People are starting to care. Bands want to come back. Promoters want to put nights on. New faces are coming through the doors alongside the regulars that have backed us from the beginning. There’s a genuine feeling growing around the place now and that means more than I can explain.
Grassroots venues matter so much more than just “putting gigs on”. These places are the bottom rung of the ladder. They’re where artists learn their craft, where scenes are built, where people discover their new favourite band stood three feet away from them holding a pint. Without grassroots venues, there are no future headline bands. Every massive artist started somewhere small. And places like Peggy’s, and venues all over the country like us, are trying our best to keep that ecosystem alive despite everything being stacked against it at times.
So if you’ve ever been to a gig at Peggy’s… Bought a ticket… Shared a post… Dragged your mate out to watch a local band… Or even just told someone about what we’re trying to build here… Thank you. Genuinely.
And if you haven’t been down yet, maybe this festival is the time.
Because this only works if people support it.
We want everybody who loves music to feel part of what’s growing here.
Let’s keep building it together ❤️
