Formal warning for East Grinstead convenience store after child was sold alcohol

The WKD blue was sold by Bharat Chaturbhai Patel, one of the owners of Londis Mini Supermarket, in Lingfield Road, when he was distracted by ‘a large energy bill he just received’.

During a meeting of Mid Sussex District Council’s liquor licensing panel on Friday (September 22), West Sussex Trading Standards suggested the premises licence should be suspended for three months.

Jon Bryant, the council’s senior licensing officer, told the meeting that the shop was visited in August 2022 after concerns were raised about the sale of vapes to children.

Advice was given to ensure all staff were correctly trained in areas such as Challenge 25 and the keeping of a refusals log.

But, during a test purchase on February 8, Mr Patel – who was also one of the people responsible for training others – sold alcohol to a child.

Peter Aston, Trading Standards team manager, said the shop was ‘undermining the licensing objectives’ when it came to the prevention of crime and disorder, and the protection of children from harm.

He added that suspending the premises licence would allow staff to be properly retrained and documented procedures to be put in place.

Mr Aston said: “Aside from the need to address training and procedures at the store, there must be some sanctions for selling age-restricted products, including alcohol, to children.

“We believe a three-month suspension is a proportionate outcome in the circumstances.

“Further, it may also serve as a clear deterrent for other businesses who continue to sell age-restricted products to children in Mid Sussex.”

Michael Kheng, representing the shop, said Mr Patel was ‘deeply sorry and apologises for this matter’ but his mind was focussed on the energy bill of more than £7,700 rather than the customer.

Mr Kheng added that it had been more than six months since the test purchase was failed and Londis had done ‘more than enough’ to retrain its staff.

He told the meeting that, had Trading Standards carried out a second purchase test, staff would not have failed, adding that a suspension of the licence ‘would not be appropriate’.

Members of the panel agreed.

Chairman Janice Henwood said they were satisfied that the conditions of the licence had been implemented during the six months since the test purchase.

Issuing a formal warning, she told Mr Patel: “You may have been momentarily distracted but that does not justify your failure to uphold the promotion of the licensing objective to protect minors.

“You must separate the distress of running a business and the obligation to uphold the conditions of your licence.”