Knuzden mini-mart banned from selling alcohol for one month (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Knuzden mini-mart banned from selling alcohol for one month

8:30pm Monday 27th July 2009 in

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A NEIGHBOURHOOD minimart has been stripped of its alcohol licence after reports of children drinking in the street.

Hyndburn Licensing Sub Committee has suspended Knuzden Supermarket’s premises license for a month after concerns were raised by police.

The store in Windsor Road in Knuzden, had failed two test purchases within the space of six months, selling lager to a 15-year-old boy and alcopops to a 14-year-old girl, who turned out to be be undercover police volunteers, the borough council said.

The licensing committee was told that the sale to the young girl had happened when the store’s license holder was present but who still did not challenge the 14-year-old.

Neither of the teenagers were asked how old they were, the council said.

The test purchases were set up by police after repeated complaints were made by residents to neighbourhood PCs and PCSOs through the area’s Police and Community Together meetings.

Residents said they were fed up of constantly seeing teens in the area becoming rowdy and creating a disturbance on the street or nearby park, according to police.

Hyndburn Licensing Officer for PC Les Sholicar who applied for the license review on behalf of Lancashire Constabulary said: “We will pursue cases like this vigorously as we will not tolerate alcohol being sold to underage drinkers, so anybody who thinks they can get away with it should think again.

“The test purchases are not set up to trick anybody and any licensee who adheres to the Challenge 21 scheme, asking for ID when customers look under 21, will not fail a test purchase.”

Coun Peter Clarke, Chair of the Licensing Sub Committee said: “We considered that suspension of the license was needed until a Designated Premises Supervisor (licensee) is appointed and training given to staff which will be refreshed every three months.

"We also want to see CCTV installed.”

Ward Councillor Doug Hayes added: “We will be monitoring the situation in the future as this sort of thing is just not on.

"Children should not be able to buy alcohol in this way.”

Owner of the off licence Tarsem Singh said: “I had told my staff to be careful about who they sell to but somehow we still failed.

"We will be making sure it does not happen again.”