Cocktail bar sparks debate after banning solo drinkers
A cocktail bar in Greater Manchester has banned solo drinkers after its owner claimed they “mither” other customers and pose safety risks late at night. The policy has sparked criticism, with some warning such policies could worsen the UK’s loneliness epidemic. But the bar’s owner says: “I won’t apologise for prioritising people’s welfare [and] safety.”
Carl Peters, owner and founder of Alibi in Altrincham, announced the policy in an Instagram post captioned ‘Door policy drama’, explaining why he had decided to stop “single” people entering the bar after 9pm.
He said: “Firstly, if someone is on their own, if something happens to them in a late night, busy bar environment, where people are drinking, it’s an absolute nightmare for us to deal with.
“It also happens to be the case that there’s a reason they’re alone, they’ve got no-one to talk to, so they start mithering other groups.”
Explaining the decision
He continued: “They’re not just gonna sit there in a bar having a drink on their own in silence. That’s when things start to happen and people are like, ‘who’s this person on their own annoying us?’
“So what we do as a venue is we just eliminate that. Unless you’re with a group and we know who you’re with, then you’re not coming in.”
Peters opened the bar, located on Shaw’s Road, in 2022. Alibi offers late-night cocktails and karaoke-themed events. He said the single-drinker ban has been in place since the beginning. In another Instagram video, the bar owner claimed one customer had complained the rule was “discriminatory”.
“I realised this geezer was a bit of a gammon,” Peters responded. “I said, ‘Sorry mate, don’t bring your woke agenda here’, knowing that that would be the thing that would annoy him more than anything else I could possibly say. There’s many reasons why our society is crumbling. I can’t help but feel that people like him that think they are the fabric of our society are part of the reason for that.”
Response to criticism
The decision has also come under fire in the press. The Independent alleged that barring solo drinkers from bars would “add to the loneliness crisis,” with a 2024 Centre for Social Justice poll finding that a third of 18 to 24-year-olds reported feeling lonely often or most of the time.
But Peters reacted to the backlash in another video: “I won’t apologise for prioritising people’s welfare [and] safety”, calling it the venue’s “number one priority”.
He added that such situations occur “once or twice a month, and often at midnight stumbling around looking for someone to go”, arguing: “To me this is a standard procedure in nightlife, we’re not reinventing the wheel. It’s non-controversial.”
Partner Content
Safety measures
He also questioned the risks associated with lone drinkers: “What if you bang your head? What if you have a seizure? What if you drink too much?”
But the policy has prompted a wider debate online. On Reddit, one user asked: “how often are people having medical emergencies in this place?” Another argued the practice was not unusual: “I think a lot of bars have this unofficially. There are plenty of posts on here about solo men being declined in the NQ.”
Others defended solo drinkers, saying they did not fit the “mithering” stereotype. One wrote: “I’ve travelled a lot for work and I quite enjoy a nice drink on my own after I’ve finished work. Explore the place a little, have a bite to eat, a couple of drinks in a couple of spots.”
Dress code rules
The policy is displayed on a sign at the entrance of the cocktail bar, which reads: “No single entry. After 9pm, Alibi does not permit single entry. If you are with guests already inside the venue, please contact them in advance of entry. This is for the safety of all guests.”
The sign also lists strict dress-code rules, prohibiting sportswear, tracksuits, Stone Island-branded clothing, baseball caps, ripped or frayed jeans, or any items with “roadman vibes”.
Alibi’s menu includes classics such as Margaritas, Brambles and Old Fashioneds, as well as more unusual options like Respect Yer Elders – made with Beefeater gin, pressed apple juice, elderflower, lime and mint – and the seasonal Apple & Cinnamon Old Fashioned. All cocktails cost £10.95.
Related news
WSET's Simon McMurtrie: 'I hope to be an enthusiastic cheerleader'
