City off-licences sell alcohol to underage teenagers in tests

Seven off-licences failed test purchases organised by Sussex Police and the Brighton and Hove City Council trading standards team from May to August.

The other two premises were described as “on-sales” businesses in a report to the council’s Licensing Committee on Thursday (November 28).

The nine failed test purchases accounted for more than a quarter of the 35 businesses visited.

The staff who made the illegal sales were each given a £90 fine – and the licence holders and premises supervisors were summoned to a meeting with Sussex Police.

Members of the council’s licensing team also worked with the Gambling Commission to test whether children under 18 were allowed to play gaming machines in pubs.

The report said that 70 per cent failed to stop children playing on the machines.

The results in Brighton and Hove were better than the national average, with 90 per cent of pubs across the country failing the test.

The report is due to be considered by the council’s Licensing Committee at Hove Town Hall on Thursday. The meeting is scheduled to start at 3pm and should be open to the public.