Party of none.
A bar owner has banned solo drinkers from entering his business in order to “mitigate risk” the companionless have been known to bring, dividing the internet over the controversial policy.
Carl Peters, the owner of Alibi in Altrincham, England, imposed new customer guidelines to create a safer atmosphere in the popular bar.
“It’s not safe. It’s our job to maintain the license, make sure everyone is safe, mitigate risk wherever we can. It’s pretty straightforward forward and to me this is a standard procedure,” he said on Instagram.
Peters revealed he faced “fury” from the controversial new policy in a video posted to Instagram in early November.
“I won’t apologize for prioritizing people’s welfare, safety when they come to Alibi. That is literally the number one priority for us,” Peters said in the post.
Peters says he was confronted outside the cocktail bar late at night but a man enraged over the new sign hanging near the door.
“No Single Entry. After 9 p.m.,” the sign reads. “Alibi does not permit single entry.”
Peters said a majority of solo customers are usually unflattering to be around, bothering the other guests.
“I understand that some people don’t agree with the policy but in a way I sort of don’t care because this literally comes up maybe once or twice a month at the door and it’s usually someone drunk at midnight wandering around trying to find somewhere to go,” he said.
Alibi, a popular bar and nightclub that features late-night karaoke 10 miles southwest of Manchester, established the new policy for two reasons, including in case a medical emergency occurred and the person wasn’t with anyone.
“In a late-night night busy bar environment, it’s an absolute nightmare for us to deal with,” Peters told the BBC.
The policy was meant to create a safer environment for the groups inside the nightclub atmosphere and protect the business from fines.
“Sometimes if you let people in on their own, the reason why they’re on their own is that they’ve got no-one to talk to, so they start bothering other groups,” he told the outlet.
“So what we do as a venue is we just eliminate that,” he said. “Unless you’re with a group and we know who you’re with, then you’re not coming in.”
Single guests outside Alibi are asked to message the people they are going to see to get into the bar, or be turned away at the door.
“It’s not safe. It’s our job to maintain the license, make sure everyone is safe, mitigate risk wherever we can. It’s pretty straightforward forward and to me this is a standard procedure,” he said.
Peters reiterated that the policy is not set in stone, as solo customers are still welcome inside, but not after 9 p.m., when it is a “nightclub” and packed with revelers.
Alibi’s policy divided the internet with some agreeing with Peters, while others questioned why only certain individuals couldn’t be banned.
“It’s your venue; you make the decisions and if people don’t like it then tough. Onwards!” one commenter wrote.
“As a mom of 2 young adult daughters, I welcome your policy. Safety in numbers.” another said.
“Pathetic,” one person wrote. “I would never come in your bar.”
“Narrow-minded,” another commenter said, adding he works late and sometimes goes out for a drink by himself, adding he doesn’t bother others and is “happy in my own company.”
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