Today's most viewed
LISTEN HERE
 Jessica Goyder is the latest musician to put her singles on our site. Listen here
| THE INSIDER
 Get the lowdown inside the corridors of power in Oxfordshire here.
| SEND AN OBITUARY
Send us a tribute to someone who has passed away
| ON YER BIKE
 Get the view from the gutter with cycling group Cyclox in Oxfordshire
|
|
|
|
Drinks action 'entraps' pubs, says landlord
 |
| Roy Moule behind the bar at the Waterwitch pub, in Didcot |
A landlord whose pub sold alcohol to a 13-year-old girl has called on police to leave publicans alone and target supermarkets, which he claims are supplying teenagers with drink.
The Waterwitch, in Cockcroft Road, Didcot, is the latest in a series of licensed premises to fail undercover test-purchasing operations organised by the police.
Landlord Roy Moule, who has managed pubs for the past 15 years, has called for officers to switch their attention to shops selling alcohol to teenagers, rather than trying to catch out pubs. But police said they would continue to target pubs until they stop getting caught selling alcohol to under-18s.
In the past year, at least 41 fines and 18 written warnings have been issued to licensed premises in the county for failing test-purchasing operations. Three are on final warnings and could have their licences suspended if they get in trouble again.
Mr Moule said: "The police came here with a couple of kids all dressed up and looking much older than 18. Everyone thought they looked older.
"I feel this is entrapment. There's going to be a lot of good landlords losing their licences because of this. But it's the supermarkets and shops the police need to be stopping. These kids out in the street drunk, effing and blinding and causing havoc every weekend, haven't been drinking in pubs.
"They've got their drink from shops. You see them staggering around most nights carrying drink they've bought and it's not from the pubs."
Police denied their test-purchasing operations, which are now carried out weekly, are a form of entrapment. Tony Cope, the force's licensing officer for Oxfordshire, said the Waterwitch sold alcohol to a 13-year-old girl.
He said: "The fact of the matter is we always target premises where we have intelligence of underage drinking, regardless of whether it is a pub, restaurant, supermarket or off-licence.
"We target as many, if not more, supermarkets and off-licences, as well as pubs. We're not going to leave one section of the business alone, because they think another section is worse.
"These places do not have a leg to stand on if two 14-year-olds go in and get served. In fact, in this case, the girl was 13.
"We never use anybody who looks 18 and they don't dress up to look older. If a premises cannot recognise the fact a 13-year-old girl is not 18, you have to ask if it should be in business. If they think a 13-year-old girl is 19 or 20, then they're not paying enough attention."
Five out of 11 pubs and licensed premises visited during test purchases in Thame last week failed.
5:10pm Monday 19th May 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: tough luck, at home on 5:06pm Mon 19 May 08
maybe he will ensure his staff are trained better, instead of whingeing about others. yes we all know supermarkets sell to under-age kids, but a pub should be more aware. kids of 13/14 DO look their age, so there is no excuse for allowing them to be served. it is so simple to ask for id, and if none is forthcoming you dont serve them.
maybe he will ensure his staff are trained better, instead of whingeing about others. yes we all know supermarkets sell to under-age kids, but a pub should be more aware. kids of 13/14 DO look their age, so there is no excuse for allowing them to be served. it is so simple to ask for id, and if none is forthcoming you dont serve them.
Posted by: didcot drinker on 5:55pm Mon 19 May 08
its up to you to check their I/D if they have none dont serve them, dont try and blame others, you broke the law & you get should get punished
its up to you to check their I/D if they have none dont serve them, dont try and blame others, you broke the law & you get should get punished
Posted by: Regular drinker, A pub bar on 6:13pm Mon 19 May 08
What part of 'if you are not sure of their age and they cannot prove it then don't serve them' does this man not understand?
What part of 'if you are not sure of their age and they cannot prove it then don't serve them' does this man not understand?
Posted by: Phil Gale, Oxford on 6:21pm Mon 19 May 08
Target pubs, supermarkets, whoever. It may look like "entrapment", but it's hard to think of another way to enforce the law. And that law certainly needs enforcing!
I'd make the penalties much stiffer, actually: first offence, loose licence for 48 hours. second offence, loose it for two weeks, that kind of thing.
In America, you can get asked for ID at least until you're middle-aged, to avoid bars serving those they shouldn't. I see no reason for that not to happen here.
Target pubs, supermarkets, whoever. It may look like "entrapment", but it's hard to think of another way to enforce the law. And that law certainly needs enforcing!
I'd make the penalties much stiffer, actually: first offence, loose licence for 48 hours. second offence, loose it for two weeks, that kind of thing.
In America, you can get asked for ID at least until you're middle-aged, to avoid bars serving those they shouldn't. I see no reason for that not to happen here.
Posted by: Dave, Banbury on 7:22pm Mon 19 May 08
I went on a short break to Walton on the Naze in Essex last September and I was requested to confirm my age when purchasing a bottle of wine.
This was in the Co_Op on the High street.
I was 57 years of age last December!
I felt quite chuffed!
I went on a short break to Walton on the Naze in Essex last September and I was requested to confirm my age when purchasing a bottle of wine.
This was in the Co_Op on the High street.
I was 57 years of age last December!
I felt quite chuffed!
Posted by: Alfie, bbl on 9:08pm Mon 19 May 08
Years ago I worked in a pub and refused service to a young lad who proclaimed that he "worked at the car factory' and had to be 18 to do so. I knew that not to be true as my 17 year old brother worked there at the time. I refused the lad service. He went to the other side of the bar where a co worker serve him. I challenged the co worker as the lad was obviously not of legal drinking age. The response was, "oh well".
That's the problem, too many people just don't care and those that do are the ones being judged for trying to enforce these laws. There will be plenty of time to drink after you turn 18. But believe me, it's not worth the wait. I chose to be teetotal for the past 30 years and have no regrets.
Years ago I worked in a pub and refused service to a young lad who proclaimed that he "worked at the car factory' and had to be 18 to do so. I knew that not to be true as my 17 year old brother worked there at the time. I refused the lad service. He went to the other side of the bar where a co worker serve him. I challenged the co worker as the lad was obviously not of legal drinking age. The response was, "oh well".
That's the problem, too many people just don't care and those that do are the ones being judged for trying to enforce these laws. There will be plenty of time to drink after you turn 18. But believe me, it's not worth the wait. I chose to be teetotal for the past 30 years and have no regrets.
Posted by: Dave, Didcot on 8:55am Tue 20 May 08
Interesting that he says "target the supermarkets" when the Tesco next door is on a final warning and now has a "think 30" policy, meaning a second member of staff has to approve the age of anyone who might possibly be under 30.
If he wants to protect his licence he really ought to know that there's a crackdown in the area, and approve sales to anyone young himself.
Interesting that he says "target the supermarkets" when the Tesco next door is on a final warning and now has a "think 30" policy, meaning a second member of staff has to approve the age of anyone who might possibly be under 30.
If he wants to protect his licence he really ought to know that there's a crackdown in the area, and approve sales to anyone young himself.
Posted by: Mr Ison, England on 2:56pm Tue 20 May 08
Take a look at the number of socialising venues driven out of business by New Labour policy since 1997.
Take a look at the number of socialising venues driven out of business by New Labour policy since 1997.
Posted by: chey, oxford on 4:15pm Tue 20 May 08
I went to buy a bottle of wine from my local co-op in cowley and got asked for my ID.I felt rather angry beause im 34, i had to walk away and take it as a complement.Thinking about it the shame the poor woman must have felt when i pulled out my driving licence,it said it all by the look on her face!
I went to buy a bottle of wine from my local co-op in cowley and got asked for my ID.I felt rather angry beause im 34, i had to walk away and take it as a complement.Thinking about it the shame the poor woman must have felt when i pulled out my driving licence,it said it all by the look on her face!
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
