Before the lights, the discos and the live music, the Ponda Rosa was no more than a pig farm in the quiet countryside of Ashey.
But by the 60s, 70s and 80s, the Ponda Rosa had become one of the Isle of Wight’s most memorable nightclub venues, where carveries met cabaret and comedy collided with country music.
Located in the countryside of Ashey near Ryde, the site was a working pig farm in the early 50s. However, during the swinging 60s, the farmstead was transformed into an entertainment venue that would define nights out for generations.
It was owned in its early years by Doug House and his family, who turned the site into a social hub. A model horse and cart sat proudly on the flat roof – a quirky landmark that locals and visitors still recall.
By the 1960s, the venue had become a bustling pub and restaurant known for hearty Sunday carveries and celebratory functions. Its nightlife identity really began to take shape in the early 1970s, when it became home to the Isle of Wight Rock ’n’ Roll Society. That’s when the dancing started – and it rarely stopped.
A major revamp in 1984 gave the building its signature mock-Tyrolean appearance, adding a chalet-style character to the countryside setting. Internally, the layout shifted to accommodate regular live performances, bigger crowds and themed evenings.
The Ponda Rosa soon became one of the Isle of Wight’s liveliest rural nightspots. There were dinner-dances, disco nights, cabaret acts, and country bands. Among the most popular regular performers were Shag Connor and the Carrot Crunchers, whose comedy-infused country music brought the house down with every visit.
Big names weren’t unusual either. The Wurzels made appearances with their scrumpy-fuelled hits, Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen delivered toe-tapping brass, and Roy Castle even took to the stage – a rare moment of national showbiz in the heart of Ashey. Local lore even places actor Oliver Reed at the venue.
One former regular recalled:
“In its day it had a lot of stars, comedy acts, dinner/dances – really great place. Shame it’s gone.”
Another said:
“It was the place to go in the 70s – one evening I got pulled out for a knife throwing act!”
The Ponda Rosa was also a hotspot for stag and hen dos, including one memorable night:
“Remember it? I was tied up and put in the cart on the flat roof on my stag night – in my pants!”
And for many, the memories were simple:
“Had so many happy nights there. Always had scampi and chips in a basket.”
By the 1980s and 90s, the Ponda Rosa had fully cemented itself as a dual-purpose venue – part pub, part nightclub. From roast dinners to late-night discos, it catered to every kind of night out. Its themed evenings included cabaret, dance music, and, later, adult entertainment.
Events such as male strip shows in its final years marked a shift in tone.
Attempts to revitalise the business included a rebranding as The Tirol – but these efforts ultimately couldn’t halt its decline.
By 2017, the Ponda Rosa had closed. Its structure deteriorated, the grounds became overgrown, and the building – once full of light and sound – fell silent.
In January 2022, developers submitted a planning application to the Isle of Wight Council to demolish the building and replace it with 5 homes and 2 holiday units. They argued that the site’s hospitality potential had passed, and that the land was better suited to residential use.
The nightclub may be gone, but the legacy of the Ponda Rosa remains vivid. It was more than just a rural pub – it was a proper Isle of Wight nightspot. A place where you could eat, laugh, dance and maybe even end up on the roof.
Whether you remember the disco lights, the jazzmen, or the chaos of a stag night gone sideways, the Ponda Rosa was – for many – one of the best nights out in the Isle of Wight countryside.
Did you ever go to the Ponda Rosa and what are your memories of it? Let us know in the comments…
Great article.
The Ponda Rosa used to be a great place,
such a shame it closed down.
I have many happy memories of Sunday roasts and other celebratory meals in my father‘s latter years. I seem to remember some delicious curries if my memory serves me well. Much fun and merriment over meals there and I believe I went to some Rotary events there too. Is there a plan for its future or the future of the land?
Yes, I recall two Isle of Wight Table Tennis Associations dinners there very late 60s early 70s. Good stuff!