Sales of alcohol to children plummet

Derbyshire County Council has said it “regularly works” with teenage volunteers, under the age of 18, who attempt to buy alcohol in off licences across the county as part of the spot checks.

Since April this year, 71 checks have been carried out at premises in areas including Chesterfield and Bolsover, with only five of the shops agreeing to sell alcohol to the children.

This seven per cent “failure rate” is far lower than the 26 per cent rate recorded in 2008/9, and down again on the 13 per cent figure from last year.

Derbyshire County Council’s cabinet member for regeneration, Coun Kevin Parkinson, said: “I’m encouraged by initial figures from this year’s test purchasing which show Derbyshire’s licensed traders are taking a much more responsible approach to underage drinking than just a few years ago.

“We have a duty to protect the public and the livelihoods of the vast majority of traders who trade legally.

“Our officers take strong action where it is necessary and a number of traders have lost their licence because of underage sales.

“It is simply not worth taking the risk of making a single sale to an underage buyer.”

Checks have also taken place in the High Peak and North East Derbyshire, and further test sale operations are planned throughout the coming months.

County council trading standards officers lead underage alcohol enforcement checks in Derbyshire, working closely with police.

A council spokesman added: “Police are also assisted by trading standards officers when they carry out checks on the county’s pubs, clubs and bars.

“Joint visits are used to make local retailers aware of underage sales laws, the Challenge 25 scheme, and to warn of problems with illicit alcohol and tobacco.”