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Shops caught selling alcohol to girl, 15
FIVE out of seven shops in Castle Point and Rochford sold alcohol to a 15-year-old girl as part of an undercover operation.
Essex County Council Trading Standards carried out the operation and said it was disappointed by the number of shops in the two areas that sold booze to the youngster.
It warned that shops face losing their licences unless the situation improves.
Trading Standards carried out a test purchasing operation in the Castle Point and Rochford districts on Saturday, where five out of seven shops tested sold alcohol to an underage volunteer.
Each of the shops which failed the test purchase has been warned and investigations are continuing.
The shops will also be retested by trading standards and any that are caught out again could lose their licences.
Roger Walters, Essex County Council's executive member for Trading Standards, said: "These are very poor results, and will not be taken lightly.
"Trading Standards takes a zero tolerance approach to underage drinking, and we will take appropriate action if shops continue to ignore our warnings.
"These shops risk losing their alcohol licences if results do not improve."
Sgt Paul Saunders, from Benfleet police station, works closely with the Rochford and Castle Point Crime Reduction Partnership and said the figures were "depressing".
He said: "This is very concerning and a very backward step that there are so many shops willing to serve underage people.
"From a police perspective, we do deal with young people who make themselves vulnerable by being in a drunken state.
"Sometimes alcohol plays a great contribution to a lot of antisocial behaviour."
9:18am Thursday 15th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Doughnut, Benfleet on 9:40am Thu 15 May 08
Dear Council. Zero Tolerance ? If you want to cut out anti-Social behaviour stop replacing the word "could" with "will"....ie "any that are caught out again WILL lose their licence". No more warnings !!!
Dear Council. Zero Tolerance ? If you want to cut out anti-Social behaviour stop replacing the word "could" with "will"....ie "any that are caught out again WILL lose their licence". No more warnings !!!
Posted by: ShagNasty on 10:19am Thu 15 May 08
Name and Shame the shops that are selling.
Name and Shame the shops that are selling.
Posted by: sharon, castlepoint on 10:55am Thu 15 May 08
what would be the point of naming and shaming them,
the kids would all head down there in there shroves,
just their licences away,, no ifs no buts
what would be the point of naming and shaming them,
the kids would all head down there in there shroves,
just their licences away,, no ifs no buts
Posted by: sharon, castlepoint on 10:55am Thu 15 May 08
what would be the point of naming and shaming them,
the kids would all head down there in there shroves,
just their licences away,, no ifs no buts
what would be the point of naming and shaming them,
the kids would all head down there in there shroves,
just their licences away,, no ifs no buts
Posted by: Doughnut, Benfleet on 11:37am Thu 15 May 08
Also, they went to all that effort to prime a 15 yr old to work for them, and they ask her to only call on 7 ? How many licensed premises are there in CP & Roch ?
Also, they went to all that effort to prime a 15 yr old to work for them, and they ask her to only call on 7 ? How many licensed premises are there in CP & Roch ?
Posted by: :¬), Benfleet on 2:10pm Thu 15 May 08
Better to publish the names of the shops that passed the test, then the kids would know [bold]not[/bold] to go there!
It would make life a lot easier for me.
[bold]Seriously though, we were 1 of the 2 shops that passed.[/bold]
It really is a problem as we get lots of young people attempting to buy alcohol and cigarettes and some of them get quite abusive when asked for ID.
Better to publish the names of the shops that passed the test, then the kids would know
not to go there!
It would make life a lot easier for me.
Seriously though, we were 1 of the 2 shops that passed.
It really is a problem as we get lots of young people attempting to buy alcohol and cigarettes and some of them get quite abusive when asked for ID.
Posted by: Tony Winchester, W-O-S on 2:35pm Thu 15 May 08
Name n shame the shops.
Posted by: shopworker, essex on 6:43pm Thu 15 May 08
Having been caught out by this kind of sting a couple of years back I must just say that the things are not as cut and dried as would first appear. The shop I worked in never ever knowingly sold alcohol to minors. We always knew the way they looked, the manner in which they tried to buy it and the type of drink they bought. We always asked for I.D. no I.D, no booze. The set up is this. Choose a youngster who looks older and has a pleasant, mature attitude. Send them in with an adult who stands next to them while they politely choose a bottle (1 only) of alchopop. (boys never try to buy this, in real life. only young men, for their girlfriends) they say very little so you cannot judge by voices.They are dressed in an adult way and look about 20. they pay, leave with the adult (which makes you think they are two adult friends) and then, while you are frantically busy, (which you have been all the way through) the adult comes back alone and in front of a shop load of regular customers who know your integrity, cart you off out the back to threaten you with allsorts. This is NOT how teenagers buy booze and is a cruel and unfair way of "testing" shops out.Send in an abusive little turd who shouts the odds when asked for I.D and see how few get served then!
Having been caught out by this kind of sting a couple of years back I must just say that the things are not as cut and dried as would first appear. The shop I worked in never ever knowingly sold alcohol to minors. We always knew the way they looked, the manner in which they tried to buy it and the type of drink they bought. We always asked for I.D. no I.D, no booze. The set up is this. Choose a youngster who looks older and has a pleasant, mature attitude. Send them in with an adult who stands next to them while they politely choose a bottle (1 only) of alchopop. (boys never try to buy this, in real life. only young men, for their girlfriends) they say very little so you cannot judge by voices.They are dressed in an adult way and look about 20. they pay, leave with the adult (which makes you think they are two adult friends) and then, while you are frantically busy, (which you have been all the way through) the adult comes back alone and in front of a shop load of regular customers who know your integrity, cart you off out the back to threaten you with allsorts. This is NOT how teenagers buy booze and is a cruel and unfair way of "testing" shops out.Send in an abusive little turd who shouts the odds when asked for I.D and see how few get served then!
Posted by: :¬), Benfleet on 7:36pm Thu 15 May 08
[quote][bold]shopworker[/bold] wrote:
Having been caught out by this kind of sting a couple of years back I must just say that the things are not as cut and dried as would first appear. The shop I worked in never ever knowingly sold alcohol to minors. We always knew the way they looked, the manner in which they tried to buy it and the type of drink they bought. We always asked for I.D. no I.D, no booze. The set up is this. Choose a youngster who looks older and has a pleasant, mature attitude. Send them in with an adult who stands next to them while they politely choose a bottle (1 only) of alchopop. (boys never try to buy this, in real life. only young men, for their girlfriends) they say very little so you cannot judge by voices.They are dressed in an adult way and look about 20. they pay, leave with the adult (which makes you think they are two adult friends) and then, while you are frantically busy, (which you have been all the way through) the adult comes back alone and in front of a shop load of regular customers who know your integrity, cart you off out the back to threaten you with allsorts. This is NOT how teenagers buy booze and is a cruel and unfair way of "testing" shops out.Send in an abusive little turd who shouts the odds when asked for I.D and see how few get served then![/quote] Cannot agree with this. If you follow the I.D. code you would check anyone who appeared to be under 21. I have asked for ID for people who it has turned out have been in their late 20's and early 30's.
At the end of the day, your licence is at risk, why risk it!
shopworker wrote:
Having been caught out by this kind of sting a couple of years back I must just say that the things are not as cut and dried as would first appear. The shop I worked in never ever knowingly sold alcohol to minors. We always knew the way they looked, the manner in which they tried to buy it and the type of drink they bought. We always asked for I.D. no I.D, no booze. The set up is this. Choose a youngster who looks older and has a pleasant, mature attitude. Send them in with an adult who stands next to them while they politely choose a bottle (1 only) of alchopop. (boys never try to buy this, in real life. only young men, for their girlfriends) they say very little so you cannot judge by voices.They are dressed in an adult way and look about 20. they pay, leave with the adult (which makes you think they are two adult friends) and then, while you are frantically busy, (which you have been all the way through) the adult comes back alone and in front of a shop load of regular customers who know your integrity, cart you off out the back to threaten you with allsorts. This is NOT how teenagers buy booze and is a cruel and unfair way of "testing" shops out.Send in an abusive little turd who shouts the odds when asked for I.D and see how few get served then!
Cannot agree with this. If you follow the I.D. code you would check anyone who appeared to be under 21. I have asked for ID for people who it has turned out have been in their late 20's and early 30's.
At the end of the day, your licence is at risk, why risk it!
Posted by: Paul, Canvey Island on 10:55pm Thu 15 May 08
The words used above are:-
'Trading Standards takes a zero tolerance approach to underage drinking, and we will take appropriate action if shops continue to ignore our warnings'.
I would have thought a zero tolerance meant that in the event of being caught selling to minors, Trading Standards would ensure that the shop or shops immediately lose their licence. That is what zero tolerance means to me. Not giving continual warnings. If the shop gets caught, name it, shame it and take their licence away.
The words used above are:-
'Trading Standards takes a zero tolerance approach to underage drinking, and we will take appropriate action if shops continue to ignore our warnings'.
I would have thought a zero tolerance meant that in the event of being caught selling to minors, Trading Standards would ensure that the shop or shops immediately lose their licence. That is what zero tolerance means to me. Not giving continual warnings. If the shop gets caught, name it, shame it and take their licence away.
Posted by: APR, Benfleet on 1:27pm Fri 16 May 08
[quote]The set up is this. Choose a youngster who looks older and has a pleasant, mature attitude. Send them in with an adult who stands next to them while they politely choose a bottle (1 only) of alchopop. (boys never try to buy this, in real life. only young men, for their girlfriends) they say very little so you cannot judge by voices.They are dressed in an adult way and look about 20.[/quote]
I would have thought that this verges on entrapment. I reckon a good solicitor would go to town on this.
The set up is this. Choose a youngster who looks older and has a pleasant, mature attitude. Send them in with an adult who stands next to them while they politely choose a bottle (1 only) of alchopop. (boys never try to buy this, in real life. only young men, for their girlfriends) they say very little so you cannot judge by voices.They are dressed in an adult way and look about 20.
I would have thought that this verges on entrapment. I reckon a good solicitor would go to town on this.
Posted by: boredteen, Benfleet on 5:54pm Fri 16 May 08
[quote][bold]ShagNasty[/bold] wrote:
Name and Shame the shops that are selling.[/quote] Yes, where exactly are these shops that are selling alcohol to 15 year olds? Just wondering
ShagNasty wrote:
Name and Shame the shops that are selling.
Yes, where exactly are these shops that are selling alcohol to 15 year olds? Just wondering
Posted by: Rae, Benfleet on 6:19pm Fri 16 May 08
[quote][bold]boredteen[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]ShagNasty[/bold] wrote: Name and Shame the shops that are selling.[/quote] Yes, where exactly are these shops that are selling alcohol to 15 year olds? Just wondering[/quote] ShagNasty's suggestion would probably encourage minors to shop for booze at these shops. much better to heavily fine the offenders, or close down persistant offenders.
P.S. I think I've seen one of ShagAwfully's films-it was disgustingly obscene, a bit like one of his postings on this site.
boredteen wrote:
ShagNasty wrote: Name and Shame the shops that are selling.
Yes, where exactly are these shops that are selling alcohol to 15 year olds? Just wondering
ShagNasty's suggestion would probably encourage minors to shop for booze at these shops. much better to heavily fine the offenders, or close down persistant offenders.
P.S. I think I've seen one of ShagAwfully's films-it was disgustingly obscene, a bit like one of his postings on this site.
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