Going out on your own.

When I lived in New York City, I used to go out by myself all the time - whether I was single or in a relationship.  I might go to a restaurant, order a nice meal for myself and sit and read a magazine or a book. Or I would go to the movies and sit by myself, or go to a museum and look at the exhibits myself.

I would like to be able to do things like this now.

If DH wants to do something that doesn't really interest me, I don't want to feel like I have to chose between tagging along and being bored, or sitting at home. I also don't want to have to depend on having other people to go out with. Although it's nice to have friends to go out with, I don't want to be stuck at home just because other people can't go out. I also just enjoy being by myself.

But I wonder how people will react to me. For example, if I go to a restaurant and eat a leisurely meal with nobody else at my table.

Does anybody else go out on their own like this in the UK? How do people in the UK react?

I wouldn't worry about it at all!  I am sure I have done all of those things by myself here - certainly a museum, and have gone out either for meal or coffee or whatever by myself.  I wouldn't hesitate to go to a movie by myself either.

A lot of times when you see someone here in a restaurant by themselves, they might have a book or a newspaper or something - but you don't have to have one, certainly.

Nobody thought anything of it.  I don't think anyone really cares - everyone is too self-absorbed with their own stuff rather than spending any thought worrying about someone else doing something alone (restaurant, movie, museum, etc).  I don't think it's any different from anywhere else really. 

I agree. I don't go to restaurants or the cinema much at all these days, either alone or with other people! But I've certainly been to museums on my own. I say if you want to go to a nice restaurant, do it!

I've gone out by myself here.  I really enjoy it.  Not that I don't enjoy dinners with my boyfriend, but sometimes I like to grab a meal, read a book, and just relax (and not clean up the dishes when I'm done!).  I didn't get any odd looks or anything.  I nearly always have a book with me that I want to read. 

Movies and stuff, definitely done that, same with museums.  And I've gone to the pub by myself (though not for more than one, and not during crowded hours), but that's less frequent. 

I've often thought about this subject. I've gone to restaurants on my own-or tried to anyway-as the selection in Crewe town centre is rather slim. (Why can't they have a Cafe Rouge here?! Why?!) My current favourite haunts are Costa Coffee(it's nice and comforting and there's good use of space there), and Subway and McDonald's(old, safe stand-bys). I'd much rather go to a pub and have a proper meal, but, when I tried to once(at our Gaffer's Row/Weatherspoon's), I felt self conscious and out of place for being there.

I've been to Hanley town centre on my own once, but, it was during my early days here in the UK, and wasn't used to everything yet, so, I went home after only 2 hours. :[

I want to go to Manchester or Liverpool on my own in the future; and my cousin's coming in from Chicago to London for a visit, so, I hope to make that a day out as well.

Are you asking whether there is less of a going out alone culture in Britain than in America? If so, I would say yes, there is less of one. I think it's a European thing. I'm married to a Russian and he doesn't understand it when I go out to dinner alone. This isn't the American women arguing endlessly with their Russian husbands over stupid things forum, but I think his attitude may reflect something European. And England is in Europe, and for me the restaurants are somewhat less comfortable and charming for solitary dining- no Nighthawks at the Diner around here. Overall people seem to go out in groups more than in the U.S. and certainly than in NY. But no one will look at you, no one will pay attention, and no one will care. The worst that can happen is the dreaded small table in a crappy place in the corner, and usually when that happens I just put on my American attitude and demand a better seat.

Do it. You might also try Meetup.com to find people doing things you want to do that your husband might not enjoy.

I like to go out by myself, too. I've never felt conspicuous about it in the UK. When I went to Bath alone, I ate at this lovely Italian place, and they didn't try to stuff me in the corner table.

I work away a lot and so am often out on my own in various UK towns on my own, and it's fine, I don't always bring a book, sometimes I just enjoy my own company and daydream, I've never felt self conscious about it, I suspect if you did it would make the whole thing more awkward.

I like doing things on my own and really need the alone time.  I have never felt odd, probably because I am too rapt up in the enjoyment of it!

I did all sorts of things by myself last summer in England. The bf was working during the week, so I went on day trips most every week, went to pubs by myself, museums, shops, park, and all over really. I never felt self conscious. Often, if I didn't have something to occupy me immediately (guide book looking up something to do or what have you) I found I was not alone at being alone and someone (or I) would strike up a friendly convo. It was great fun! Heck, I even went to the hospital on my own when I broke my finger there. Not a worry.

I wouldn't worry! I went out in London a lot on my own, films, Nando's (no fancy resturants as its not my thing), museums, etc. - I always went with a book, I can't just sit on my own with nothing to do; I feel weird.

Definitely go for it!

I wouldn't worry about *doing* things by yourself - no-one would think you're strange going by yourself to a gallery or a museum or even, depending on the film, the cinema. But with eating out, I think it is more likely to look odd. From my experience (and this is in London, so it might differ across the country) but it's generally alright to eat by yourself at lunch time and it's generally alright to eat by yourself the cheaper a restaurant is. So, at extremes, it's fine to have a sit-down kebab for lunch but unacceptable to have a very posh meal with a cheese course for dinner by yourself.

I think the dividing line would fall between eating at a cafe/bistro place for lunch and then for dinner. Either way, though, it isn't as if anyone will care whatsoever unless it's very, very out of place. So I suppose if your worry is "Will people think I'm being strange?" then you'd have to be very odd. But if your question is "Will what I'm doing be considered normal if people reflected on it?" then what I've said covers it, I reckon.

Thanks.

I can't afford too many posh dinners, so that's not really an issue. 

Going to the museum or art gallery alone is fine I'd say. Personally I feel very self conscious if I go for a meal in a restaurant alone, I've done it when away on business or even on trips to the US when I was visiting friends but staying in a hotel.
I don't mind going in a pub alone but prefer it if I have a newspaper to read, just so I'm not bored and just looking around at people. In the States I've done that and sat at the bar watching a game on TV, I even found myself explaining the rules of baseball to a Swedish couple in NY!