@DrMorbius
Hey @NotTheFordType - You generally post good stuff, but you do realise that this "I have to say if I'm out with friends or on my own in a pub I get really annoyed if someone tries to chat me up. If I wanted a date or a hookup I would either be on a dating app, or I'd be approaching you is bonkers. Right?
The "standard" social norm is for a man to approach a woman... How are we (men) supposed to know what we are supposed to do I am glad I am out of the dating scene
That said, Op I would hold off going up to random women in a pub
Men are supposed to know when to chat up a woman the same way they always have done - by not being a creepy, entitled fucker, and by understanding and reading some pretty basic social cues like body language, eye contact and, yes, including but not limited to if she actually shock horror approaches you to have a conversation.
If she's deep in conversation with her friends and hasn't noticed you, don't try to chat her up.
If she smiled vaguely in your direction once while scanning the room, don't take that to mean it's open season.
If she's sat alone reading a book, she doesn't want to be approached by some strange man by himself.
If she's at a walking group and another member of the group makes polite conversation with her, of course that's okay.
If she's at a book club, by all means talk to her about the book and see if the conversation flows. If it does, invite her to continue it over a coffee.
The fact that you've said your last sentence does indicate that you're not really as clueless/indignant at @NotTheFordType's points as you first seemed! Hope the OP is similar. OP focus on making friends first, male and female. It's important both for you in general and for your success dating. Loneliness and desparation isn't attractive x