
A velvet rope dropped in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, has ignited a fierce national debate, not over a new signature serve, but over a deeply divisive door policy that explicitly bans solo drinkers after 9 p.m.
The owner, Carl Peters, insists the rule, which he announced on Instagram under the heading 'Door policy drama', is not an exercise in exclusion, but a necessary measure to manage safety and atmosphere in a late-night, busy environment.