HALF of bars tested by an undercover police operation sold alcohol to teenagers.
Sussex Police1 officers have spoken of their disappointment that five out of ten Brighton and Hove venues sold alcohol to 16 and 17-year-olds during a weekend operation. Offending bar staff have been fined and cautioned while bar management will have to attend Sussex Police stations after the breaches. All bars selected in the operation had previously sold alcohol to children or had reportedly sold alcohol to children according to police intelligence and all operated a Challenge 21 or Challenge 25 policy.
First to fall foul of the operation on Friday night was the Blue Man in Queen s Road where a 16-year-old was sold alcohol. A barmaid was issued with a 90 fixed penalty and management was asked to attend a meeting with police. Staff at The View in Kingsway, Hove, sold alcohol to a 17-year-old while a 16-year-old was sold drinks at The Rock Inn in Rock Street, Brighton, and both venue s management will also attend a meeting.
Also in trouble are Patterns Nightclub in Marine Parade who sold alcohol to a 16-year-old and then immediately afterwards to a 17-year-old. The final transgressor was the Lounge Bar in Ship Street where a staff member who sold alcohol to a 17-year-old was given a 90 penalty notice. Venues that successfully challenged the undercover customers were Martini Bar in West Street, Your Friendly Shop in Upper North Road, Riki Tik Beach Bar in King s Road Arches, No 1 Bar in Middle Street and Boutique in West Street.
Sussex Police said the operation was called off after word spread between venues that an operation was underway. Jess Woodfall of the Blue Man said: We are absolutely gutted, we are not a venue that sells alcohol to children.
We have CCTV, staff training and an incident book so we need to speak with police what else we could be doing.
The 16-year-old was with a group of much, much older people very early on in the evening. Matt Grac, The View s restaurant manager, said: The women looked over 25 and the man looked under 25, we asked the man for ID which was provided but the women did not have one, as she looked over 25 to two of the staff and older than the man who was 24 so we took no further action.
The management acknowledge the responsibility they owe to the community and wish to apologise for this unfortunate incident.
Sgt Simon Morgan, of Brighton police licensing unit, said: I was disappointed to see so many premises selling to the children.
Sussex Police take the sale of alcohol to children very seriously and we will be discussing with premises management the changes we expect to be implemented to ensure children are kept safe.
References
- ^ Sussex Police (www.theargus.co.uk)