6:35pm Friday 20th November 2009
A PUB and a shop were caught selling alcohol to underage teenagers in a police operation.
Staff at Co-op, in Bassett Avenue, Bicester, and the George and Dragon pub, in Fritwell, sold alcohol to youngsters working for police during a test purchase operation last Monday.
Staff at both premises were issued with an on-the-spot £80 fine. Five other shops in Bicester tested by police refused to sell alcohol to the teenager.
Sgt Adrian Thomas, from the Bicester neighbourhood team, said: “Underage drinking is something that we are committed to tackling.”
The premises which passed the test-purchase operation were McColls, in Villiers Road, Tesco in Hart Place and Sheep Street, Mid Counties Co-operative, in Barberry Place, and J&R Stores, in Buckingham Road.
A spokesman for Midcounties Co-operative said the Bassett Avenue shop runs a Challenge 25 policy but staff will now be retrained.
He added: “We take our responsibility with regard to sale of alcohol extremely seriously. We are a responsible retailer and apologise for this mistake which is an isolated incident.”
A spokesman for the George and Dragon pub was unavailable last night.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk