Store given booze ban
Julie Gilbert • Published 2 Nov 2011 10:00
For the first time a Clydebank off-licence has had its trading hours slashed as punishment for selling alcohol to an under-age youth.
Linnvale Grocers in Livingstone Street will not be able to sell alcohol at all for the next month and thereafter will only be able to serve drink up until 8pm.
This is the first time West Dunbartonshire's Licensing Board has altered a shop's licensed hours.
Councillor Jim Brown, chairman of the Board, said: "Selling alcohol to individuals younger than 18-years-old is completely unacceptable.
"It breaks the law, often leads to anti-social behaviour that has an impact on the local community and can fast-track these teenagers into a life of alcohol misuse.
"I hope this tough action serves as a warning to licence holders throughout West Dunbartonshire that if they don't stop selling alcohol to underage youths then we will take steps which severely impact upon their business."
The undercover test purchase operation was launched by police after intelligence suggested alcohol was being sourced by underage teens around the Linnvale area.
Linnvale Grocers has previously failed test purchases twice before in the last five years and also received a fiscal's letter when two staff allegedly sold alcohol two hours earlier than is allowed.
The most recent licensing report also identified that there were incomplete training records for staff, and that the summary of the premises' licence was not on display.
This article appeared in Clydebank Post 02 Nov 11
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