Racecourse faces losing drinks licence after five test purchase failures

Five incidents of under-age alcohol sales in 12 months has led West Berkshire Council to call for a review into the venue’s policy.
Test purchase trials took place between November 2010 and November 2011, in which youngsters were sent by West Berkshire Council’s trading standards department and Thames Valley Police 2011 to buy alcohol.
On November 27, 2010, a 15-year-old and 16-year-old were served two alcopops after ID was requested, but not shown, and on the same day, the pair were served two pints of lager at a different bar, without ID.
On May 21, 2011, two girls, aged 15 and 16, were served gin and tonics without a request for ID.
All servers were fined by Thames Valley Police.
On November 26, 2011, a 17-year-old boy was served a pint of lager in the Fullers bar and later on in the day the same teenager was served alcohol in the Copper King marquee.
During the same trial at a wine bar on the second floor of the Grandstand, a staff member put a small bottle of wine on the bar next to the test volunteer but changed their mind about the sale at the last moment.
Trading standards has said that Newbury Racecourse had failed to protect children from harm and has called for a licence review.
To appease the authorities the racecourse can now agree to amendments to its licence to include random internal test purchasing, and adopting a formal system to ensure all bars, including those run by outside contractors, are monitored.
West Berkshire Council’s head of licensing Brian Leahy said that if the racecourse does not agree to the amendments, a suspension of its licence was an option for the licensing committee.
The review is not the first time the racecourse has been in trouble for selling to alcohol to minors.
In 2010 a meeting was held between the Racecourse, the police and trading standards to prevent underage sales and discuss best practice,
However three sales of alcohol took place in two subsequent test purchase trials.
A spokeswoman for the racecourse, Nicky Hares, said: “We are continuing to fully co-operate with West Berkshire licensing authorities, as we have always done and are working with them on a positive and mutually agreeable resolution.”