 One store had sold Buckfast to a 16-year-old |
Police have welcomed the decision to suspend the alcohol licences of several shops caught supplying drink to minors. The chief constable made formal requests to Fife's licensing board after reports that three stores were selling alcohol to under-age customers. Spar shops in Tom Morris Drive, St Andrews, and Main Street, Leuchars, failed test purchase operations. The Leuchars shop only received a warning because it had provided training to staff about requesting ID. A three-month licence suspension was imposed on the St Andrews store. Both premises had sold bottles of WKD Vodka to 16-year-olds. The Londis premises, trading as Good News in High Street, Leslie, was monitored by police following reports that drunken youths were causing problems.  |  If the trade members are acting responsibly and ensure that any person purchasing alcohol is over 18 year of age, they have nothing to fear |
A senior police officer told the board he had witnessed a 16-year-old buying a bottle of Buckfast liqueur wine from a 17-year-old sales assistant in the shop. The shop had only been awarded its alcohol licence two days before the incident, on 20 December, 2007. A three-month suspension was imposed. The Empire Bar in High Street, Methil, received a three-month suspension after being caught selling alcohol at 0300 BST. Its licence only allowed sales until 0100 BST. Ch Insp Dougie Saunders said: "If the trade members are acting responsibly and ensure that any person purchasing alcohol is over 18 year of age, they have nothing to fear. "If there is information that premises are contributing to the problems within communities in relation to the provision of alcohol, they will be subject of test purchase, and should they fail this will be brought to the attention of the licensing board." All licence holders have two weeks to appeal the decisions of the licensing board before the suspensions are imposed.
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