Premise licence reviewed after under age sales

Herefordshire Council has reviewed the premise licence of the Somerfield store in Dishley Street, Leominster, after sales were made to under age persons on two separate occasions.

The regulatory sub-committee at their meeting on Tuesday, November 4 decided to suspend the store's licence for a period of 24 hours. The suspension will not come into effect for 21 days, giving the store time to appeal.

It was also agreed to impose two extra conditions on the licence being:

• All staff engaged in selling alcohol be trained in alcohol awareness in strict accordance with the training regime annexed to the letter from Blake Lapthorn dated 7 November 2008.
• Operate a Challenge 25 policy

The review followed three separate test purchase operations carried out by the council's trading standards section and West Mercia Police since December 2007 and sold to under age persons on two of these occasions.

People who made the sales were issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Councillor Brigadier Peter Jones, chairman of the regulatory sub-committee, said: "It is always disappointing when premises sell alcohol to under age people, but the fact this store did so twice means we have to take action.

"I hope the suspension of the licence, together the imposition of other conditions, will ensure the store doesn't break the law again," he added.