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Bar owner sparks fury over 'narrow-minded,' controversial late-night entry policy
by Deirdre Bardolf · Fox NewsNEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A bar owner is facing backlash online after posting a video mocking a customer who accused him of "discrimination" for banning solo drinkers from entering his bar late at night, a policy that has now turned into an international argument.
Carl Peters, owner of Alibi, a cocktail and karaoke bar in Altrincham, England, said in an Instagram video earlier this month that he has enforced a "no single entry after 9 p.m." rule since opening in 2022, according to reports.
In his initial video, which garnered over 10,000 views on Instagram, Peters described a late-night encounter outside the bar in which a man pointed to the "No Single Entry" sign and accused him of discrimination, comparing the rule to banning Black or Asian patrons.
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Peters recounted telling the customer, "Don’t bring your woke agenda here," adding that he knew the remark would "annoy him more than anything else."
The customer exploded, according to Peters, insisting he wasn’t "woke." Peters doubled down and asked if the man needed an adult to explain why late-night venues have entry rules.
Peters has maintained that his door policy is about liability.
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In a follow-up video that also received over 10,000 views, he said that if a lone customer has a medical emergency, such as a fall or a seizure, staff may not notice quickly in a packed environment, and that solo patrons sometimes "mither," or bother, groups because they have no one to talk to.
"Unless you're with a group, and we know who you're with, you're not coming in," he said.
After the first video, commenters blasted the policy, calling it "pathetic" and "narrow-minded," the New York Post reported.
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Some people argued that they work late and often go out alone after without causing problems. Others said the rule unfairly targets introverts or people who simply enjoy having a quiet pint by themselves.
But women and other patrons argued that the rule makes sense. "As a mum of 2 young adult daughters, I welcome your policy," one woman commented, adding, "Safety in numbers."
As the backlash snowballed and international news outlets picked up the story, Peters explained in the follow-up video trying to "draw a line under it," calling the entire situation "a total non-story."
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He insisted the rule applies only during peak nightclub hours and that single customers are welcome earlier in the evening. "This is standard procedure in nightlife," he said. "We’re not reinventing the wheel. It’s, to me, noncontroversial."
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He also took another swipe at critics, thanking the "keyboard warriors in their curry-stained vests" for their newly minted expertise.
"I'm astounded and kind of interested in the public interest in it," he said. "Twenty-four hours ago, who had an opinion on whether a bar should let people in on their own or not in late night spaces?"
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In an email to Fox News Digital, Peters maintained that the issue is a "non-story." "We will maintain our safe and responsible approach to running our venue and business," he said. "Like we always have."
Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.