Dover shop has alcohol licence revoked

A shop in Dover has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked after Kent Police raised concerns about a sale to a child.

Kent Police was contacted by a concerned parent in January 2024 following the sale of vodka to a 13-year-old child at Cabin News, London Road.

Officers investigated and found evidence that two bottles of vodka had been sold to the child, with no explanation provided by the premise's licence holder.

Review

Kent Police applied to Dover District Council for a review of the licence under the Licensing Act 2003, prompting a hearing on 20 March.

Oliver Jewell, Principal Trading Standards Officer for Kent County Council, explained at the hearing that officers had visited just one week before the incident to provide advice on preventing underage sales. The owner had been warned that a test purchase would take place and so should have been on high alert, but despite this a sale was made to a teenager.

The district council's sub-committee found that alcohol had been sold to the child and revoked the shop's licence indefinitely.

After the hearing, Mr Jewell said that Trading Standards fully supported the action and recommendations of the hearing and will continue to work closely with businesses and partner agencies to protect young people from all age restricted products.

Protecting children

PC Danielle Rolfe, Dover's Licensing Officer, said: 'Laws prohibiting the underage sale of alcohol are in place for a very good reason, to protect the health and well-being of children.

‘With the help of partner agencies, we will continue to enforce those laws to protect young people, and I hope the action taken here sends out a warning to other premises that such sales have serious consequences.'