A bar in Greater Manchester, UK, has sparked a heated debate after introducing a policy that bans anyone from entering alone after 9pm. A red-and-white sign on the door of Alibi, a cocktail and karaoke bar near Altrincham Market, tells customers: “No single entry. After 9pm, Alibi does not permit single entry,” adding that anyone meeting friends inside must be collected at the door, a rule the venue says is in place to protect guests.
The move has prompted a wave of criticism, with many calling it unfair and discriminatory toward single people. Social media users labelled the policy “misguided” and “sad on so many levels,” accusing the venue of stigmatising those who prefer to socialise independently.
In a video on Instagram, owner Carl Peters defended the decision by suggesting that lone customers pose safety and management challenges for staff in a late-night environment where alcohol is involved. He said that if a person is alone and something happens to them, it becomes “an absolute nightmare” for the team to manage. He went on to claim that some people who drink alone end up approaching other groups because they “have no one to talk to,” which he said can lead to complaints from customers. The venue, he added, chooses to “eliminate” such scenarios by refusing entry to anyone not already arriving with a group.
The sign also sets out a strict dress code banning sportswear, tracksuits, Stone Island clothing, ripped jeans and anything with what the bar describes as “roadman vibes.”
The policy has angered advocates who say it deepens negative stereotypes about single people. Nicola Slawson, author of Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms, said the rule feels like “another way to penalise single people and make them out to be something weird or freaky.” She argued that many drink alone for valid reasons, from parents seeking a quiet moment to elderly residents who rely on pubs for social contact, and warned the policy adds to loneliness at a time when social isolation is a major concern.
Solo travel blogger Sara Scott also criticised the bar’s assumptions, saying the owner was blaming all single patrons for the behaviour of a small minority. She noted that in her experience, groups are often more disruptive than lone drinkers and said the venue had lost her business entirely.
