Council and democracy

Store fined for underage alcohol sale

South Croydon shop caught selling alcohol to underage customer

7 March 2007

The joint owner of a South Croydon general store has been fined £500 and ordered to pay an additional £500 in costs for selling alcohol to an underage youth.
At the court hearing on 1 March, Croydon magistrates heard that trading standards officers had sent the 15-year-old to the Bridge General Store in Southbridge Road, South Croydon, as part of their series of test purchases to ensure alcohol is not being sold to youths.

The trading standards volunteer was able to buy a four-pack of a well-known branded lager without being challenged about their age by Bharatkumar Dadubhai Patel.

Mr Patel, the seller and owner of the business claimed via his solicitor that because the young person was so polite and unlike the usual aggressive youths who try to purchase alcohol, that it did not register to him that the person was underage.

Councillor Steve O'Connell, deputy leader and cabinet member for public protection and crime reduction, said: "The age restrictions on children buying alcohol is not a new concept, these traders know what the limits are, but either choose to disregard them, are blasé or just careless when it comes down to it.

"We are determined to crack down on traders who sell age-restricted goods like cigarettes, alcohol and knives to children and we will continue with our programme of underage test purchasing which ties into the council's drive to cut down on antisocial behaviour".

Volunteer purchasers acting for the council follow a national code of conduct and must admit their age if challenged. Children are only used if they look their age. The department is always looking for new recruits. Contact the council on 020 8407 1311 if you know of a child between the age of 13 and 16 who would be interested in becoming a volunteer.