Man says going everywhere naked is ‘liberating’

By Charlie Fenton

A naturist has revealed how he attends his local pub naked - and says the experience is "liberating."

Colin Unsworth, 55, says he has gone completely nude to his closest watering hole alongside his partner Sadie Tann, 35, for some of his favorite musicians since 2022.

The wild foraging teacher has been a naturist for over a decade, first getting involved aged 42 with the sponsored World Naked Bike Ride in Manchester in 2012.

Colin said that he strips down to spread the message of body positivity and also raise awareness for mental health.

Though he says he received some backlash from strangers he has revealed "most of the time" he is met with "positivity" and "admiration" for being "comfortable" in his own skin.

He said: "We strip down in the car and go inside without clothes on.

"There are four pubs we go to and we had to build up relationships with the owners and staff to let us do it.

"At the shows people always ask questions saying I must be 'super confident' but mainly I accept and am comfortable in my own skin.

"Body shame has done a lot of damage to people - modern society holds a moral shame over a naked body but that should never be the case."

"I don't do it for attention, I do it to spread the word of body positivity."

Naturism is the act of going outside without clothes on in a non-sexual manner, which is legal in the UK even if it causes offense.

Though it can be seen as illegal if the person is acting in a way which causes harassment, alarm, or distress to others.

Colin, from Adlington, in Lancashire, says that throughout his childhood he was "hypersensitive" to touch and didn't like the feeling of clothes on his body.

He says this continued into his adult life but it wasn't until he parted from his wife of 20 years he decided to step into the world of naturism which started with him going wild shrubbing in just an apron.

Colin has revealed he goes to the pub naked once a month alongside Sadie mainly to catch some live music.

They arrive at the venue nude saying it saves the "awkwardness" of being clothed and then getting undressed.

He has told he had to spend time getting to know the owners and staff before he was allowed inside nude.

Colin said: "It took time before we were able to.

"I became a regular at the places and got to know the staff and the owner really well.

"We only did it when the owner agreed to it."

He says after entering for the first couple of minutes he feels "exposed" but after buying a drink and having a few conversations it becomes "normal."

Colin said: "All conversations happen with eye contact and after a few minutes you forget you are naked.

"When the music starts playing we feel vibrant and free and also feel accepted.

"People at the gig also tell us that it is better for their experience, they feel part of something that is liberating even if they themselves aren't naked.

"In a normal sense we are just there to enjoy the evening and music just like everybody else, making sure we are having a good time.

"It seems to add a positive vibe to pub - you find people often talk about it long after the occasion."

The naturist also says that he rarely runs into issues with people once inside.

Colin said: "People come up to us all the time and ask us questions.

"We find ourselves talking about body acceptance and positivity and most of the time they find themselves coming to terms with their own bodies after our conversations.

"People often say that they feel that we've made them feel that they can also be accepted as themselves."

Though he says when they do get abuse they "shrug it off" and continue saying they "aren't doing anything wrong".

But for Colin he says the angry words are a result of him challenging the narrative and spreading body positivity which is his main goal.