A RETAILER’S right to serve alcohol is under review after concerns they weren’t meeting licensing requirements.

B&M store's premises licence has come under fire after four failed alcohol purchase tests were carried out at the Worting Road store.

The application to review the licence was put forward by Hampshire County Council’s Trading Standards Services who believe that the B&M store had neglected to aid in the prevention of crime and disorder and had not protected children from potential harm.

In a 10 month period staff at the store in Brookvale had illegally sold alcohol to two 15 year-olds and two 16 year-olds, which Trading Standards described as “unacceptable”.

In their application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s licensing committee, Trading Standards said: “Four test purchase failures in a ten month period, each by a different staff member, is unacceptable, particularly for a national store.

“Records examined and subsequently produced show that training on the signs and symptoms of drunk persons and the refusal of sales due to intoxication were not being adhered to.

“The store’s staff and management had clearly become complacent and were failing to promote the licensing objectives.

“Trading Standards seriously considered asking for revocation.

“However, we do not wish to put employees’ jobs at risk.”

Despite the push for the borough council to revoke B&M’s licence to serve alcohol, Trading Standards recommend the council considers putting a condition in place, stating the sale of alcohol can only be authorised by a personal license holder.

The B&M store was granted the license to serve alcohol back in 2013.
The borough council’s licensing sub-committee will meet on Friday, January 22 to decide on the application by Trading Standards. 

Councillors on the committee will have three options to consider - revoke B&M’s licence, suspended it for a three month period or make modifications to how the company sells alcohol at the Basingstoke store.