Store owner removes himself as DPS after tenants caught selling booze to teenage girls

A police force has objected to an application for an alcohol licence at a shop amid “evidence of underage sales”.

Durham Police said four litres of vodka were sold to two teenage girls in one “highly irresponsible” transaction.

They object to the alcohol licence application, as does the shop owner in an apparent “dispute”.

Durham County Council’s licensing committee is to consider the application for an alcohol sales licence for Go Local on Osborne Terrace, Ferryhill on Wednesday (May 3).

It is requested for the shop to sell alcohol between 6am and 11pm every day.

In the application, an agent says the “family business” will install and maintain a comprehensive recordable CCTV system, with a Challenge 25 proof of age scheme, up-to-date records, diary log of refused sales and staff training.

The applicant is described as “owner manager” and “sole trader” on the form.

Sergeant Caroline Dickenson from Durham Police said the force objected on the grounds of preventing crime and disorder and protecting children from harm.

She said the police received “evidence of underage sales with a total of four offences” in October 2021.

“The sales relate to alcohol and vape products,” wrote Sgt Dickenson.

“The CCTV evidence from these incidents were of sufficient weight that fixed penalty notices were issued by Durham Constabulary on December 30, 2021.

“In particular, the sales that took place of October 15, 2021 were of significant concern, where four litres of vodka were sold to two 14-year-old females which is not only an offence but highly irresponsible and a huge safety risk.

“The footage of all these offences will be produced by Durham Constabulary should it be required by licensing committee.

“Durham Constabulary have also been made aware that the tenants have since turned off the store’s CCTV to prevent any further evidence of offences being gathered.”

She said to their knowledge the applicant for the alcohol licence was a tenant at Go Local.

She added there was an “ongoing dispute between the owners of the shop and the tenants”.

She told how the owners were licence holder and had been “designated premises supervisor” (DPS), with permission to sell alcohol until 10pm.

According to the police, that supervisor acted after finding out about the alleged underage sales.

“To prevent further age-related offences that could jeopardise the premises licence, the DPS of the existing licence has removed himself from the position and thus removing the ability to sell alcohol from the store by the tenants,” said Sgt Dickenson.

In an “unusual set of circumstances”, she explained, the tenants have now applied for their own premises licence.

She said the tenant seeking the alcohol licence was proposed as the premises supervisor.

She said the police could not support this when the tenant “has committed offences that have placed the original premises licence and local children at such risk”.

She added the police had objected to six notices of temporary events for alcohol sales made by the applicant.

In an objection, the existing licence holder wrote: “I am the landlord of the building.

“I currently have a premises licence myself for the said building and had to remove the DPS back in November due to the tenants who have applied for a new licence selling alcohol to underage children.

“I removed the DPS so that alcohol could not be served at the above premises to protect the local children and also protect my licence itself.”