Booze ban for serving underage customers

By [pcraig] peter craig local government reporter peter.craig@gsmg.co.uk

A SPAR shop has been banned from selling alcohol three days a week because staff sold to underage customers.

On three occasions, over a period of nine months, staff at the Spar shop, on Legsby Avenue, Grimsby, sold lager, WKD and Smirnoff Ice to teenagers under 18 years.

Despite repeated warnings and advice, the offence was committed by staff on October 24 and December 10 last year and on July 25 this year.

The last offence was committed just three days after owner Stuart Shepherd and employee Andy Brewster tackled an armed robber, fending him off with a mop and bucket and bottles of wine.

Representing Mr Shephard, at a review meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council licensing sub-committee, solicitor Jonathan West said the staff were still in shock from the attempted robbery.

Members banned the sale of alcohol on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Test purchases were carried out on the Spar shop by Trading Standards officers using teenage volunteers.

On October 27 last year, a 16-year-old was sold Smirnoff Ice vodka. On December 10 last year, a 17-year-old was sold a four-pack of Carling lager and a 16-year-old bought a bottle of WKD, on July 25 this year.

Former Trading Standards enforcement officer Mark Edwards said officers targeted shops which members of the public sent details to on a hotline text messaging service.

Mr Edwards said his department relied on tip-offs from the public and intelligence from police community support officers.

Insp Tom Shaw, alcohol and violence reduction champion for North East Lincolnshire said there had been 14 instances of youths with alcohol in the streets in the vicinity of the Spar shop over the past six months and 56 instances of alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour.

He said there was no direct link although the alcohol had been bought from the shop.

Insp Shaw said: "Resources are thin on the ground and it takes up police officers' time dealing with anti-social behaviour and alcohol misuse."

Trading standards manager Andy Foster said a survey carried out by the Primary Care Trust showed more than 40 per cent of young people surveyed in North East Lincolnshire got heavily drunk at least once in the previous four weeks. The national average was 19 per cent.

Anyone suspecting a trader selling alcohol to underage customers was urged to contact the hotline on 82055 and text UNDERAGE and the details. To report the illegal sale of any age-restricted products, such as cigarettes, alcohol or fireworks, phone Trading Standards via Consumer Direct on 0845 4040506.