Across the county, shopkeepers are being reminded of their child protection responsibilities as Kent Police continue to clamp down on underage alcohol sales. Over the past year a total of seven premises have had their licences revoked for selling drinks including beer and vodka to minors, some of whom ended up ill in hospital.
Two shops were in Deal, two in Dover, and three others in Canterbury, Herne Bay and New Romney. Warning letters were also sent to numerous other businesses across the county including 11 in Maidstone.
Kent Police’s licensing team plays a key role in keeping communities safe by working with partners to regulate licensed premises. From tackling underage alcohol sales to reducing crime and antisocial behaviour, the team helps ensure pubs, clubs and shops operate in line with the law and when a potential breach is identified, licensing officers investigate and take enforcement action where necessary. This may include issuing fines, providing formal warnings or applying to the local authority to suspend the shop’s licence.
Licensing Sergeant Pete Ballard said:
‘Having a licence to sell alcohol is a big responsibility and one the vast majority of shopkeepers take very seriously. Unfortunately we do sometimes receive reports of children becoming very ill because a shop worker hasn’t thought to check their age before selling alcohol to them. There have also been shocking and deliberate breaches of licensing laws including one shopkeeper who led an underage customer outside the premises to complete a sale, and another who hid vodka in a pre-arranged location for a child to collect later.
‘We take swift and decisive enforcement action when such incidents are reported, which in the most serious cases can result in a business losing its alcohol licence and being unable to continue trading. The licensing team does not tolerate those who prioritise profit over the safety of their customers and the wider community and we remain committed to working closely with our partners to ensure all licensing objectives are upheld.’
Kent Police are advising shopkeepers to:
- Adopt a ‘Challenge 25’ policy and always ask for proof of age if a customer looks under 25, not just under 18.
- Accept only valid forms of identity such as a passport or driving licence.
- Even if identity is shown, you can still decide not to sell if you are not satisfied.
- Provide staff with regular training on age-restricted sales.
- Watch out for adults attempting to buy alcohol on behalf of children and refuse such sales.
- Place prominent signs on display stating it is illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under 18 and that proof of identity will be required.