I (21M) am a foreign student in the UK. I live here completely without my family and I don’t know anyone here. On Saturday I decided to break out of the studying routine and go out to this famous irish themed pub where they sing a lot of music and have a good time till morning. I went in, entry was 5£, got stamped on my wrist and proceeded to order a pint of guiness for 6.5£ which i found overpriced but i payed to stay. The area was very big yet very tight with people, everyone was singing and ordering drinks and shots and I was just happy to be there experiencing people socialise and have a good time, which is really what I went for, the atmosphere. Now as I sat in front of the bartender he kept asking me if I wanted more drinks, which was pushy of him but I didn’t make stress out of it so I keot declining and went on to order at slow intervals so as to not get drunk. Then I started to talking to the people there, just 3 guys who said hi to me and asked me why I was alone, I explained it and one of them even offered me a drink which I accepted. Now after that there was this guy who was coming back and forth and asked me if I was doing well, I said I’m fine. But next time he came he asked me if I wanted drinks, I declined, then he looked at me and said that I looked tired and I needed to get some air and that I looked a bit weird there observing the area alone. I said sure because the area was really tight and warm and I went out for a breathe of cold air where I sat out for a bit and he came after me telling me that the boss saw me in the camera too drunk and tired and that I had to leave. I asked him if I made others uncomfortable or was being stressful and he said no, you can come next time if you have friends. So I said okay I’ll sobee up here and go, he said not to do at the door and rather just leave somewhere else. I said okay and went back home walking for 40 minutes. Did I really deserve this? I don’t think I’ve hurt anyone there and I barely talked to anybody.
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I (21M) am a foreign student in the UK. I live here completely without my family and I don’t know anyone here. On Saturday I decided to break out of the studying routine and go out to this famous irish themed pub where they sing a lot of music and have a good time till morning. I went in, entry was 5£, got stamped on my wrist and proceeded to order a pint of guiness for 6.5£ which i found overpriced but i payed to stay. The area was very big yet very tight with people, everyone was singing and ordering drinks and shots and I was just happy to be there experiencing people socialise and have a good time, which is really what I went for, the atmosphere. Now as I sat in front of the bartender he kept asking me if I wanted more drinks, which was pushy of him but I didn’t make stress out of it so I keot declining and went on to order at slow intervals so as to not get drunk. Then I started to talking to the people there, just 3 guys who said hi to me and asked me why I was alone, I explained it and one of them even offered me a drink which I accepted. Now after that there was this guy who was coming back and forth and asked me if I was doing well, I said I’m fine. But next time he came he asked me if I wanted drinks, I declined, then he looked at me and said that I looked tired and I needed to get some air and that I looked a bit weird there observing the area alone. I said sure because the area was really tight and warm and I went out for a breathe of cold air where I sat out for a bit and he came after me telling me that the boss saw me in the camera too drunk and tired and that I had to leave. I asked him if I made others uncomfortable or was being stressful and he said no, you can come next time if you have friends. So I said okay I’ll sobee up here and go, he said not to do at the door and rather just leave somewhere else. I said okay and went back home walking for 40 minutes. Did I really deserve this? I don’t think I’ve hurt anyone there and I barely talked to anybody.
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> Maybe I was drunk and making people uncomfortable by my presence so people asked security to make me leave
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
Find a different pub, mate. NTA.
Sounds like a crap pub. I’m not from the UK but I have travelled alone around Europe and gone into plenty of pubs by myself. NTA- they don’t sound very welcoming.
Sounds like a tourist trap kinda place where they just want people spending money. Next time try and find a nice local, something with out a cover charge, and hopefully you find some better people!
Anywhere that charges for entry and stamps your hand is not the kind of place to go on your own when you’re new to the area. Maybe try a less “famous” pub, you tend to find people are friendlier in traditional English pubs.
Edit – NTA.
Limited number of customers are allowed in the venue, replacing you makes financial sense.
“If you aren’t spending enough money to justify your entry, fuck off and go somewhere else you impoverished waste of space” – The Owner, probably.
Wow, that was rude. I guess they were pissy that you weren’t spending more money.
Unless there was a sign on the door that said only parties of two or more were allowed in, you did absolutely nothing wrong.
You went into a tourist trap. They make money by volume. Coming in and taking up space at the bar without ordering is what irked them. You also likely got more tipsy than you realized.
NTA. But next time go to a local pub
Your mistake was going to a ‘famous Irish themed pub’. What you describe sounds fucking awful. I’d find a quiet local boozer with old fashioned seats and tables and you’ll soon find someone to talk to, if that’s what you’re looking for.
You probably weren’t spending enough money in their eyes. Possibly racist if you are a person of colour? Normal pubs don’t chuck people out for drinking alone.
Some pubs rely on it during the day.
NTA. Do feel free to name and shame this antisocial pub.
NTA. Not a thing wrong with flying solo, especially if it’s a popular tourist spot.
There can be some places where the bar is for serving only, not sitting at – might be a reason for extra attention? (couldn’t tell from the story if this might apply)
My only guess is you were sat at the bar (completely allowed) which they decided was taking up room from other people who might spend money
Nothing wrong with going to a bar alone. I don’t drink anymore but I’ve done it a fair few times. Just find somewhere better next time
Which part of the UK?
Without you naming it this sounds like Waxy O’Connor’s. It’s a tourist trap and they wanted you out so they could get someone else in drinking faster. Nta.
NTA but don’t sit at the bar in a busy pub, he wasn’t being pushy you were obstructing customers.
It sounds like you went to a tourist trap, had some language/cultural issues and got more drunk than you realised.
I mention language/culture because some of the stuff may have been banter – it would be very unusual for English pub patrons to complain about you “looking tired” or that it looked wierd to be “observing” but I could totally see lads on a night saying it as a joke/ invitation to join them – example
“oi mate do you want another Guinness you look like Billy no mates sitting there alone”
This actually means “pull up a chair and join us”
Was the person who asked you to leave a member of staff?
next time try a local pub not a famous one with a cover charge.
NTA, you just unknowingly stumbled into a bit of a minefield. There’s a few unspoken rules in British pub culture that you’re probably not going to pick up on if you’re not with a local. Sitting alone at the bar drinking slowly in a packed pub is a bit of a faux pas as you’re obstructing the bar. Also you picked the wrong establishment, but we’ve all walked into the wrong pub before so actually you’re getting an authentic UK drinking experience.
As others have recommended, try a more traditional pub if you can – it’ll be friendlier & more relaxed, & most people will be happy to guide you through the intricacies of pub etiquette. And maybe sit at a table…