main content Crackdown on underage alcohol sales

Bromley Trading Standards is appealing for information on traders in the borough that illegally sell alcohol to those under eighteen.

Underage drinking is not only harmful to those concerned, but it is also associated with antisocial behaviour, noise nuisance and litter. To help tackle the problem in the borough, Bromley Council’s Trading Standards department, in conjunction with the Police, is conducting additional test purchase operations where problems have been identified.

Volunteers who are under eighteen years of age will be sent into off-licences, supermarkets and pubs in the borough to see if they can buy alcohol. Anyone caught selling alcohol to those under eighteen will be liable to an £80 fixed-penalty notice. Premises’ Licence Holders may also be prosecuted, have their licence suspended and/or have conditions imposed on their licence.

Rob Vale, Manager of Bromley’s Trading Standards, said: “We want people in the borough to report underage sales problems they have encountered. We will follow up and conduct our own test purchasing over a number of weeks at premises that may be consistently flouting the law.

“With residents’ help we can crack down on licence holders who are not vigilant enough when selling alcohol. This will help to cut underage drinking and have an effect on the antisocial problems associated with it.”

If you know or suspect a trader is selling alcohol to underage children, make a note of their trading name, the address of the premises, and call
Consumer Direct now on: 08454 040506 or email Bromley Trading Standards on trading.standards@bromley.gov.uk

 

ENDS


Notes to editors:

• Under section 146 Licensing Act 2003 it is an offence for any person to sell alcohol to a person under the age of eighteen.
• Tackling Underage Sales of Alcohol Campaign (TUSAC) – is a focused and targeted national initiative which aims to work towards the elimination of underage sales of alcohol.
• Premises targeted will have been identified as problem premises by Trading Standards and the Police and will be subject to test purchases over a number of weeks.
• Both on and off-licences will be targeted.
• The Safer Bromley Partnership is committed to continuously improving safety in Bromley. We want a borough where people can live, work, play and learn safely. Our members include Bromley Council, Bromley Police, Health, Probation, Fire and London Ambulance Services, the Metropolitan Police Authority and Broomleigh Housing Association.

For media enquiries, please contact Susie Clark, Communications Officer, on 020 8461 7911, or email susie.clark@bromley.gov.uk