Relax with Sherrie time

Sherrie looks back at the outdated men-only rules and enjoys an evening out at her local – on her own!

Hello readers,

I’m not a big drinker and alcohol doesn’t like me very much. I’m prone to headaches and hangovers, so it has never been a fun night out for me, but don’t get me wrong – I can still party with the best of them! However, I find it odd that it’s still not quite accepted that a woman can walk into a pub on her own, sit at the bar as men do, and order a drink – even a soft drink. A woman on her own with a glass of wine or gin and tonic – that can’t be right, ‘she must be fast’ as my grandma would say. Meaning a lady of the night! In fact, up until 1982, women could legally be refused alcohol in pubs and bars.

There also used to be ‘women only’ entrances in pubs where they could enter and exit without being seen. Another institution which has always had a ‘men only’ policy is golf clubs. I remember one in Cheshire only about ten years ago which had an entrance for women as they couldn’t go in the front door and ‘men only’ bars. I asked the manager the reason for it and he replied, “There are pool tables and darts boards in there” – I had no response to this, just disbelief. I was with an actor friend, and both

‘I had no response to this, just disbelief’

of us were invited to a golf club for a charity luncheon and his wife acompanied us. When we arrived, we got out of the car and were welcomed, then started to walk up the steps to the entrance. My friend was then told very discreetly that his wife would have to go in the side entrance as it was a ‘male only’ club. Well, we all immediately got in the car and left!

My own pub story was actually quite recent. It was a hot night and I was on my own in a small village, so I went for a walk about 6pm. The local pub was beautiful and I plucked up courage to go in, sat at the bar and ordered a glass of wine. There were all men at the bar. “Here you are love,” one said and handed a piece of paper. I’d been entered into the pub quiz! An hour later I was handed a bowl of chips and £20 – I’d won! All the men clapped and bought me more wine and said, “Next week same time?” It was a joyous evening, I walked out very happy – and rather squiffy!