Herefordshire Council has reviewed the premise licence of Stokes Stores, Hoarwithy Road, Putson, after sales were made to under age persons on three separate occasions.
The regulatory sub-committee at their meeting on Tuesday, November 4 decided to suspend the store's licence for one day. The suspension will not come into effect for 21 days, giving the store time to appeal.
It was also agreed to impose three extra conditions on the licence being:
• A personal licence holder to be on site at all times during
sales of alcohol. This condition will be delayed for three months
so more people can be trained as personal licence holders.
• Train all staff engaged in selling alcohol in alcohol awareness
(not just personal licence holders). All new staff to be trained
within two weeks of commencing employment. Evidence of training to
be retained in writing and to be available for inspection by any
authorised person and trading standards officers.
• Operate a Challenge 21 policy
The review followed eight separate test purchase operations carried out by the council's trading standards section and West Mercia Police, since the start of the Licensing Act in November 2005. The store made three sales to under age persons in September 2006, December 2006 and August 2008.
People who made the sales were issued with fixed penalty notices.
Councillor Brigadier Peter Jones said: "It is always disappointing when premises sell alcohol to under age people, but the fact this store did so three times 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.