Licensees and staff told of underage drink blitz (From Stroud News and Journal)

Licensees and staff told of underage drink blitz

police in Stroud have warned the town's licensees and their employees that they face an £80 fine if they are caught serving alcohol to underage drinkers.

The warning comes after recent police checks of on-licensed premises in Stroud resulted in four £80 fixed penalty notices being issued to bar staff.

In May, as part of Operation Springboard - the Constabulary's six-week spring crime crackdown, officers carried out test purchases of alcohol at four locations in Stroud.

In three of the premises visited members of staff sold alcohol to the underage test purchaser. They were immediately issued with £80 fixed penalty notices.

At the fourth establishment, a private members club, a member of staff was given a fixed penalty notice for selling alcohol to non-members.

Insp Nick Holmes, of Stroud police, said efforts to combat underage drinking in the town's pubs and clubs would be stepped up.

"Bar staff need to be aware that we will be making test purchases in their workplace in the near future," he said.

"If we find that they are not checking the ages of the people they serve they could end up with an £80 fixed penalty notice.

"That is money they, not the licensee, will have to pay."

Insp Holmes said the problems associated with underage drinking, such as violence and anti-social behaviour, were behind the police clampdown.

"Pub and club managers need to help us combat drunkenness and disorder in Stroud by only selling alcohol to those old enough to buy it," he said.

"The majority of licensees understand this and regularly ask their customers to prove they are old enough to purchase alcohol.

"We are targeting the minority who seek to turn a profit from underage drinking by turning a blind eye to the problem.

"We would remind bar owners and publicans that persistent offenders run the risk of having their license to sell alcohol revoked."

PC John Breakwell, liquor-licensing officer for Stroud, said he was disappointed that so many licensed premises had fallen foul of the recent operation.

"I was disappointed that out of four premises visited by police all four committed licensing offences," he said.

"Having said that, I firmly believe that the majority of licensees in Stroud are law-abiding and are keen to help police when it comes to tackling issues like underage drinking."