Under-age Alcohol Sales Laws Courses

We've been running a few courses recently regarding "Prevention of under-age alcohol sales", with a wide range of delegates from pubs, supermarkets, garages and a number of Licensing Officers attending our training.

As a result, no confusion any more:

1. No, you can't sell alcohol to a 16 year old when they eat a meal.
2. No, you can't allow an unaccompanied under 16 year old in without an 18 plus year old to accompany them.
3. Yes, a 16 year old can drink beer, cider or wine with a meal, providing it is purchased by someone over 18, and they accompany them whilst they eat the meal.
4. Yes, a 16 year old can enter a licensed premises, unaccompanied.
5. No, you can't purchase alcohol for anyone under 18.
6. No, you can't send anyone under 18 to purchase alcohol.
7. Yes, you can deliver alcohol to an under 18 year old, if it has been purchased by someone over 18.
8. Oh, and yes, you can be fined up to £5000.
9. Yes, you can be fined up to £20000 for persistent sales to under 18s.

...and yes there are about 30 other laws and regulations about under age sales.

Want to learn more? Phone 02392 345 679. More courses planned!

Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Training

Minimum Pricing of Alcohol To Be Dropped

"Call me Dave" Cameron has seen the light and backed away from his "Tough on alcohol pricing" commitment and will be walking away from the plan and eating his words.

I argued with myself in previous blogs and finally came down on the side of supporting the idea, on the grounds that any initiative to reduce the retail price gap twixt pubs and supermarkets would benefit pubs. Well now it’s gone (or going away) to be replaced by a more modest policy with the introduction of a ban on selling very cheap prices or loss leaders.

Most informed people within the industry thought it would never happen, and so it has proved to be. So pubs continue with the challenge to sell on "Value" not on "Price", and what fabulous value. Meet your pals, enjoy good company, watch a match, eat great pub grub, stop being lonely, sit by a warm fire, read a newspaper, play darts , find a romance, contribute to a charity, entertain friends, listen to a band, laugh, tell jokes, hear jokes and much more.

So a pint sat at home for £1.20 versus all of the above for another £1. No contest in my view!


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses

7.5% VAT Cut In Pubs and Restaurants for 'Tax Parity Day'

Jacques Borel, the 'VAT cut' campaigner has recruited some heavyweight players to join his "National day of Action" where pubs, restaurants et al will reduce their prices by 7.5% to show just what happens with such a reduction. In France when this was trailed, sales grew by some 8% on the day of action.

His campaign is to persuade government to reduce VAT from 20% to 5%, thereby giving tax parity compared to supermarkets for the 'on–trade'. His claim is that such a reduction would mean more growth, sales and employment within our sector. The 7.5% reduction on the day of action is the impact that it is estimated would result from the desired VAT cut to 5%.

Tim Martin the hero of JD Wetherspoon commented "We wholeheartedly support this initiative for Tax Parity Day, we are aiming to make it our busiest day of the year".

Says Jacque "Creating Tax parity between pubs, Restaurants and supermarkets will fulfil many government objectives. It will create jobs, and will raise the amount of taxes the government receives, since pubs and restaurants pay more taxes and create more jobs than supermarkets. It’s a win–win situation for government, voters and our industry".

Many say he is swimming against the tide. Well, many people also said that the chancellor wouldn't stop the Duty Escalator. But he did, didn’t he!

Who knows, with so many of the top players supporting Jacque, he could well work a miracle. Who else is supporting this? Well, catch a load of these top names; Heineken, Brains, Sheperd Neame, Punch, Charles Wells, Pizza Hut, Subway and Roadchef!

Look out for it in your local. September 25th is the date – book a table! And good luck say we.


Martin Read CMBII
Managing Director of Inn-Dispensable Personal Licence Courses