What time is a normal time for social events?

[MrsFogi]

I have lived abroad for many years and sometimes get the feeling I am out of sync with "normal" London/SE timings for social gatherings. Can lovely mners give me an idea of what time they would normally expect to get together with friends for (a) dinner at home, (b) drinks at home no food, (c) drinks at a pub/bar, (d) dinner out? Lots of questions I know but every time I seem to suggest a time everyone seems to look at me like I'm an alien because it is "awfully late".

7/8 ish probably

Not London, but around 8pm.

9 for drinks without food.

A) 7-7:30
B) 8-8:30
C) 8-9
D) 7:30

Out of interest OP, what sort of times were you suggesting?

A) 7pm
B) 8pm
C) 8pm
D) 7pm

Basically for me, food at 7pm, drinks at 8pm.

Thanks for the answers so far. Littlelouse thanks for even going along with my a-d! I was going for 8ish at the earliest for anything and then 9ish for drinks so it looks like I wasn't wildly out but I suppose the hour/half hour later could horrify some people .

Booking a restaurant dinner in London before 8 or 830 would be weird.

Other times e.g. dinner at home/drinks tend to just be driven by circumstance/work so anything from 630 to 930.

I think starting any of those after 8pm is a bit late, Anything before7.30 is too early for me to sort out dc.

Pretty snall window but all my friends seem to be the same

I'd say eight ish for any of those, but that's partly because with children you have to start late enough to have them settled with babysitter, and early enough to get back.

Always 8pm for me.

All depends if you work. In other countries, norm is to go home after work, change, then dinner/drinks starting 8ish. In London, or other commuter cities, it all appears to happen after work and centrally. So drinks 5-7.30/8, then some who have a long commute catch the train while others head to dinner.

In suburbia, it's all after bedtime / when commuting partners can take over, so 8/8.30 for drinks. Dinner was usually 5/6 with the kids

Around 7-8 is normal I'd say. Seven would be a bit too early if people have young children to put to bed first.

7 30 pm to meet & have a drink before hand and dinner 8 pm.

Evening supper party 7.30 for 8.00 which means people turn up around 7.50
Drinks only 6.30-8.30 or lunchtime (you do serve canapés) unless you mean a party where only drink is served and there is dancing etc in which case it would be later.
Pub drinks can be anytime depending on whether it's after work drinks or an evening out - I think it's rare to go out just from drinks so they would be timed for whatever else you were doing - pre theatre etc.
Pub meal still maybe 7.30
Country tends to run slightly earlier than town so in London it might be slightly later by about half an hour.

Depends if they're going straight from work which is more likely in London, and also if they have children who will wake them up early.

If no children I'd say dinner at home 7 to eat at 8
Dinner out table booked for 8, could meet for a drink from 7.

I have children and I get twitchy if a table is booked for 8.30! Wouldn't have minded before though.