I was unfairly banned from many pubs/bars

In this day and age going to a pub to talk to people specifically is just unwise.  It was bad enough when I was a kid back in the 90's where you talk to the wrong person and maybe you end up with a bloodied nose for your trouble.  Nowadays they stab you or if you live in certain cities maybe worse.  if you want to socialise any place full of intoxicated idiots is about as bad an idea as it gets and that's before you add things like autism to the mix.

If you go to a pub to socialise, then grab a couple of beers first, but not enough to get trollied.  That will deactivate the security spidey sense.  Don't randomly speak to people.  You have to be super NT when you do it and pick your moments, but don't push into a group, have an opinion and move on.  To actually be accepted into a group takes time and well you have to invest a lot to do it.  Some groups you will never be accepted into.  For instance some groups wil be very blue collar, worked in the steel works for 20 years, unless you have that life experience, not a chance.  Other groups might be in a gang or linked to something nefarious, trying to talk to them well it won't end well. And if you are really unlucky and you mange to talk to someones girlfriend or wife, well you might be heading to hospital.

Choose your target pub well too.  A pub in an upper class area is probably a better place to engage with people.  Upper class people tend to not want to knock your front teeth out on first meeting.  Pubs in areas with lots of doctors, lawyers, teachers, people you might have a good conversation with are also generally the ones that have the most to lose from using physical violence and therefore act more like prope human beings.

Easiest thing to do is not go to pubs.  Go to a community centre to socialise, get involved in something.  Your local area might have a community garden for instance, join in.  Similarly, maybe a neighbourhood litter picking group.  Volunteer somewhere.  Those are generally safe places for social interaction.

In this day and age going to a pub to talk to people specifically is just unwise.  It was bad enough when I was a kid back in the 90's where you talk to the wrong person and maybe you end up with a bloodied nose for your trouble.  Nowadays they stab you or if you live in certain cities maybe worse.  if you want to socialise any place full of intoxicated idiots is about as bad an idea as it gets and that's before you add things like autism to the mix.

If you go to a pub to socialise, then grab a couple of beers first, but not enough to get trollied.  That will deactivate the security spidey sense.  Don't randomly speak to people.  You have to be super NT when you do it and pick your moments, but don't push into a group, have an opinion and move on.  To actually be accepted into a group takes time and well you have to invest a lot to do it.  Some groups you will never be accepted into.  For instance some groups wil be very blue collar, worked in the steel works for 20 years, unless you have that life experience, not a chance.  Other groups might be in a gang or linked to something nefarious, trying to talk to them well it won't end well. And if you are really unlucky and you mange to talk to someones girlfriend or wife, well you might be heading to hospital.

Choose your target pub well too.  A pub in an upper class area is probably a better place to engage with people.  Upper class people tend to not want to knock your front teeth out on first meeting.  Pubs in areas with lots of doctors, lawyers, teachers, people you might have a good conversation with are also generally the ones that have the most to lose from using physical violence and therefore act more like prope human beings.

Easiest thing to do is not go to pubs.  Go to a community centre to socialise, get involved in something.  Your local area might have a community garden for instance, join in.  Similarly, maybe a neighbourhood litter picking group.  Volunteer somewhere.  Those are generally safe places for social interaction.