A SOUTH Tyneside off-licence which has twice sold alcohol to children is to have its licence reviewed.
KD’s off-licence and grocery store in North Road, Boldon Colliery, has demonstrated an “ongoing disregard” towards licensing laws, according to the council’s trading standards department.
Concerns over the running of the business have led to an application to review its licence before members of the council’s licensing sub-committee at South Shields Town Hall on Monday, February 25, from 10am.
A report to the committee says a “lack of care” had been demonstrated by the proprietor, Paul Kang, as to whom alcohol is sold.
On April 5 last year trading standards officers organised an underage test purchase operation at the premises, during which a 16-year-old boy was served with alcohol.
As a result the seller was issued with a warning letter.
On July 19 last year, a second under-age sales operation was staged when the store’s designated premises supervisor, Sandeep Singh Dhadda, sold alcohol to a 16-year-old.
A report to the committee says: “An investigation has been conducted after the sale of alcohol in July.
“This has revealed that a number of recommended measures given by the service have not been implemented.
“It is considered that the proprietor, Paul Kang, has had an opportunity to implement measures to alleviate under-age sales and has chosen to ignore advice provided.
“Our submission is that this demonstrates an ongoing disregard to preventing the sale of alcohol to persons under 18.
“It is therefore considered appropriate that the inclusion of further licensing conditions will help prevent further sales.”
Sanctions which can be imposed range from modifying the conditions of the premises’ licence to revoking it all together.
No one from KD’s off-licence was available for comment.