Sainsbury's Stores Alcohol Licences Under Threat

Mon, 20 Oct 2008

Sainsbury's stores in Leeds could be stripped of their alcohol licences after being caught repeatedly serving booze to children.

Police have confirmed that the retailer's shops in Middleton and Woodhouse Lane in the city centre have failed sting-style purchase checks seven times in the last 14 months.

Staff at the Middleton store were caught serving alcohol to the undercover children - aged between 12 and 15 - in August 2007 and then in February, June and July this year.

The children were able to purchase alcohol at the Woodhouse Lane store only two weeks ago, adding to two earlier breaches in March and August this year.

City and Holbeck police are now starting proceedings to have the stores' licences reviewed by a Leeds City Council committee, which will meet following a 28-day consultation process.

A spokeswoman for Sainsbury's acknowledged there had been "a small number of cases" where the Middleton and Woodhouse Lane stores had failed purchase checks.

But she stressed: "We take our responsibility to the local community very seriously and all colleagues are trained to a high standard in challenging anyone who attempts to buy alcohol underage."