North Tyneside c-store alcohol licence under threat over underage vape, beer sales

A North Tyneside convenience store has been caught selling alcohol and vapes to children.

According to local reports, Supersave Food and Wine on Eastbourne Gardens in Whitley Bay may have its alcohol licence revoked after North Tyneside Trading Standards caught it selling booze and e-cigarettes to youngsters.

A North Tyneside Council Trading Standards report details how they had received a number of complaints that the store was selling restricted goods to underage children and enlisted young volunteers to carry out “test purchases” of alcohol and vapes to see if staff would refuse to sell to them.

During the test purchase conducted in February this year, a 16-year-old volunteer was able to buy an e-cigarette leading to the owner and licensee receiving a warning letter from Trading Standards. Another test purchase was carried out in May when a 16-year-old was sold a four-pack of Budweiser without being challenged about their age. The sales assistant was fined £90 for the offence.

Trading Standards said it was concerned about the two underage sales in a matter of weeks and have applied to North Tyneside Council to review the premises licence.

“As a responsible authority under the Licencing Act 2003, North Tyneside Council Trading Standards have concerns about the ability of the premises licence holder to uphold the licensing objectives i.e. the prevention of crime and the protection of children from harm,” North Tyneside Trading Standards said in the report.

“There are real concerns about the management of this premises. This is evidenced by two underage sales within the space of a few weeks, one relating to e-cigarettes and one to alcohol.”

Trading Standards said “clear advice and guidance” was given to the owner on how to prevent underage sales following the sale of e-cigarettes to a 16-year-old.

North Tyneside Council said that the shop faces having its alcohol licence revoked or conditions attached to it if the store is found not to be upholding its licensing objectives, which include the protection of children from harm, at an upcoming licencing sub-committee review hearing.

A spokesman for North Tyneside Council, said: “North Tyneside Council takes the sale of age-restricted products to minors very seriously. We caught this business selling e-cigarettes and alcohol to our underage volunteers on two occasions in February and May, and decided to bring an application to review their licence under the Alcohol Licensing Act 2003.