A nightlife drama is brewing in Greater Manchester after a bar owner declared war on solo drinkers—insisting that people who party alone are simply too risky to let through the door.
Carl Peters, the outspoken owner of Alibi, a popular late-night spot in Altrincham known for karaoke and cocktails, stunned patrons by posting a blunt sign at the entrance: “No Single Entry. After 9 p.m.”
According to Peters, the new rule is all about safety—his staff’s and his customers’. He insists, “It’s not safe. It’s our job to maintain the license, make sure everyone is safe, mitigate risk wherever we can.”
But the decision has exploded into a full-on internet brawl, with outraged locals accusing the venue of discrimination—while others applaud the tough-love approach.
Peters said the backlash went from digital comments to real-life drama when a furious man confronted him outside the bar after spotting the sign. The bar owner recorded an Instagram video days later, saying he had endured “fury” over what he believed was a common-sense policy.
“I won’t apologize for prioritizing people’s welfare, safety when they come to Alibi. That is literally the number one priority for us,” he declared defiantly.
The controversial reasoning? Peters claims lone customers often cause the most disruption.
He argues that late-night solo patrons are frequently “someone drunk at midnight wandering around trying to find somewhere to go,” and that some end up pestering other groups because they “have no-one to talk to.”
“Sometimes if you let people in on their own, the reason they’re on their own is that they’ve got no one to talk to, so they start bothering other groups… So what we do as a venue is we just eliminate that,” he explained to the BBC.
Another concern: medical emergencies. Handling a passed-out patron with no friends nearby is “an absolute nightmare” in a packed club, Peters said.
Despite the uproar, Peters insists solo visitors aren’t banned altogether. The “no-singles” rule applies only after 9 p.m., when Alibi transforms from a casual hangout to a dense nightclub scene.
“If you’re alone, message the people you’re meeting,” he advises. Otherwise, expect to be turned away at the door.
The online world immediately fractured into factions.
Supporters cheered the move:
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“It’s your venue; you make the decisions and if people don’t like it then tough. Onwards!”
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“As a mom of 2 young adult daughters, I welcome your policy. Safety in numbers.”
But critics were livid:
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“Pathetic. I would never come in your bar.”
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“Narrow-minded,” said a man who works late and sometimes enjoys a solo pint, adding he’s “happy in my own company.”
To the critics, Peters has a message: he’s not budging. “It’s pretty straightforward… this is standard procedure,” he said, adding that his job is to “mitigate risk wherever we can.”
