Licensees targeted in move to cut underage drinking

Mark Branagan

TRADING standards officers will be able to call time on pubs and off-licences which turn a blind eye to underage drinking as part of a new purge in Scarborough.

A campaign to cut the supply of alcohol to underage drinkers is being brought to the town after being hailed a success in other parts of North Yorkshire, including neighbouring Ryedale.

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North Yorkshire County Council’s trading standards are teaming up with Scarborough police, Scarborough Council and local licensees to require young-looking customers to produce proof of age.

Police patrols of parks and car parks will be stepped up.

Also targeted will be adults who buy alcohol on behalf of children.

Chief Inspector Dave Foster said: “Anyone caught supplying youngsters will feel the full weight of the law.”

The new Policing and Crime Act includes provision to tighten up the law on underage sales of alcohol by giving trading standards officers the power to close premises which are caught selling alcohol to minors twice in any three month period.

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Under this “two strikes” rule, licensees face fines of up to 10,000 and three-month licence suspensions for selling alcohol to under-18s twice in three months.

County Councillor Clare Wood, North Yorkshire’s executive member for trading standards, stressed they were aware licensed trade jobs could be threatened.

She said: “The last thing we want to see at the moment is businesses closing down. The Alcohol Respect Campaign is about working together with businesses to reduce the sales of alcohol to minors

“In this way, they are helping to protect the community from anti-social behaviour, but they are also protecting themselves and the jobs of their staff.

“The campaign can help those businesses which want to stay within the law by removing the threat of prosecution and closure by the authorities.”