Ah I go by the general rule that you can't really have more than 5 good friends because I don't have the time. I have 6 at the moment and trying to offload one. I am like you. Shit in large group. My niche is 2-4. That's when I thrive. It's funny what you said around Covid and getting back out. The pubs in Ireland are dead quiet after covid because nobody can be arsed going out. The farmers are all happy with a few tinnys at home watching Netflix than to be going down the mountain in the cold and give away their money.
Two to four is a perfect number I'd say, as long as they're the right people of course, but that goes without saying.
I was just talking to someone this morning about the way the pandemic situation has affected so many aspects and certainly pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafe's which all have spin-off effects of course. We have cafe's in the city below high rise office buildings that now contain no, or a small percentage of the workers they once did, and the cafe's are either closed down or struggling. Think of the food and coffee suppliers, the companies that deliver them etc.
But, in my case, it's like you say, I just don't feel the need to go out much and I'm content with that state of being.
Thanks for your comment.