Visiting a pub alone as a woman. Yes or No?

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Home or away, is it okay and socially acceptable, or not?

I wouldn’t

yes

Dear god. Yes of course, if I fancy a pint. I have discovered a wonderful local. If I'm lonely or bored ... baddabing! Society and interest on tap.

My former lodger used to regularly go out for a pint and read her book and she would without fail come home and say she'd spent the evening playing pool with attractive New Zealanders

I wouldn't and I couldn't imagine enjoying it but I don't drink or enjoy chatting to strangers so I wouldn't see the point. I could maybe imagine going into one that played music but then it would be more like going out to a music venue.

I went to a pub for dinner in Edinburgh when I was on holiday there twenty years ago. I suspect it was a fairly touristy place. (They had haggis on offer and I wanted to try it - god, what a disappointment! 😄) Didn't have any trouble and it wouldn't have occurred to me it wasn't socially acceptable.

I don't bother with pubs in general, though. Full of men drinking alcohol, a combination I can do without, and I loathe the smell of beer (and, back in the day, cigarettes). I don't drink alcohol, so pubs don't appeal.

There are several pubs round here o wouldn't want to go in as a couple let alone by myself, you'd get stared at. Restaurant pubs all fine.

Try MeetUp, there's a few groups here that go out to different nights out, very sociable.

All these "what year are you in" replies - it depends where you live and what pubs you've got. I'd have no qualms going into nearly all of my local pubs on my own.
But there are other pubs nearby that I wouldn't go near. Pretending these places no longer exist is deluded.
Have a look at some of the threads from women with abusive partners - most of those partners spend all their time in the pub. Those are the pubs to avoid if you're on your own, if you don't want to get threatened, hit on or have your drink spiked.
OP only you know what your local pubs are like. They might have a Facebook page showing what's on - some pubs will run book clubs, quiz nights, music nights. Or local groups may meet there. Pop in during the day and get the feel of them.

Seriously? Did I wake up in the past?

I know. Some of the replies on here show that we have a long way to go. I can’t believe this is even a question!

Of course it's fine.

I do it regularly 🤷🏼‍♀️

We can pretend all we like but the reality is a woman going by herself into a pub in the evening and ordering an alcoholic drink will get asked if she's waiting for someone and if she says no she will get funny looks and it will be noticed. Or it'll just be assumed she's waiting for a bloke and if one doesn't show up it'll be assumed she's been stood up

Other people's assumptions and funny looks aren't my problem.

I absolutely hate doing things like that on my own I find it a total ordeal.

But acceptable yes. I know two women that do, one who often goes and sits in a pub after work on her own and reads, and another who goes to live music events in pubs on her own at weekends.

If you're sitting their looking around and glancing at your watch then yes 😂

But that would happen in any context

Sitting in a pub in the afternoon eating a meal, or with your laptop or a book? Nobody will even look in your general direction

Sitting in a pub in the afternoon eating a meal, or with your laptop or a book? Nobody will even look in your general direction

You'd be lucky to find a seat for looking at a laptop and a book in my locals in the evening - or lunchtime as well at this time of year. I can say hand on heart I've never had to say why I'm in the pub to the bar staff, but then I'm old. All they're interested in is my order and where I'm sitting.

We can pretend all we like but the reality is a woman going by herself into a pub in the evening and ordering an alcoholic drink will get asked if she's waiting for someone and if she says no she will get funny looks and it will be noticed. Or it'll just be assumed she's waiting for a bloke and if one doesn't show up it'll be assumed she's been stood up

People can think what they like. Why would I let that bother me?
Life is so much easier when you don't give a shit what people think.

Edited: sorry I completely missed your last post.

Absolutely fine. Go for it.

Yes, I can’t imagine living the minutiae of my life according to what other people might think, notice or assume. If I know I’ve gone to the pub for a quick drink before a play, to do the crossword over a pint, or to watch a football match in company, or whatever, that’s more important than what other people might think of my presence.m

Yes, I can’t imagine living the minutiae of my life according to what other people might think, notice or assume

DGM was a great one for this. The joke was that she never talked to the neighbours, wouldn't recognise them in the street and wouldn't have a clue about their names but was still worried about what they'd think. People will always think something and you've no control over that, so why not let them get on with it if that's what they want?

Yes, though I do pick my pub a bit.

Interesting though about socialising, as opposed to just going in with a book. I'd be less likely to think I would develop a social life from the pub. If I wanted to do that I'd be more likely to start working there. That's only me though.

I do go into restaurant/food pubs by myself, but I have not seen vast quantities of women sitting there eating alone or drinking alone? I don't believe it's never an issue and everyone on mumsnet is doing this. I don't think it's unacceptable at all, but desirable, fun, it is if you have a lovely cosy local with people you recognise and can nip in and have a chat, but I've never found a local like this, round my way they all stare in astonishment that anyone has entered their pub, but I do live in quite a backwater tbh.

This is one good thing about the vast Wetherspoons in my city, you can sit there for hours on your own, ordering stuff to your table, staff are lovely, people don't look twice at you because there's such a mix of different people in there. Appreciate that might not be the case for all Wetherspoons!

What? Of course it is ok. I do it all the time and sometimes I don't eve drink alcohol! (I know!).

I used to pop into my old local for a pint by myself quite often. It was a lovely, traditional London pub at the end of my street.

Where I live now, there’s no way I’d do that, but I wouldn’t even walk to dog in the park here myself.

Yep I'm always in my local spoons on my own. If kids are at grandparents and dh is working I take my kindle and go for a pint.