A company is appealing the suspension of one of its petrol stations’ alcohol licences after lager was sold to a 16-year-old.

Pricewatch Ltd, trading as Power petrol station, in Old Mill Drive, Storrington, has received a 12-week suspension of its licence for selling alcohol to a West Sussex Trading Standards child volunteer.

Trading Standards officers had previously visited the store in April 2022 to give advice after receiving reports that vapes and other age-restricted products were being sold to children.

But on May 31, a member of staff at the store sold four cans of lager to a 16-year-old who had volunteered to take part in a test purchase operation by Trading Standards.

In September this year, West Sussex Trading Standards submitted an application for the licence to be reviewed.

Peter Aston, West Sussex Trading Standards team manager, said: “Despite us having visited the store to raise concerns about underage sales, a member of staff still sold alcohol to our child volunteer.

“All licensed premises are required to have an age verification policy in place and its important staff are aware what are acceptable forms of identification and when it should be asked for.

"We strongly recommend retailers operate a Challenge 25 policy and support their staff to follow it.

“I hope this case sends out a strong message to retailers that there are serious consequences, which could put their business at risk, if they flout the law.” 

The suspension of Pricewatch Ltd’s alcohol licence and removal of the designated premises supervisor (DPS) was determined at a meeting of Horsham District Council’s licensing sub-committee last week.

The suspension will come into effect just before Christmas, at which time the sale of alcohol must cease for 12 weeks.

Paul Salvidge, director of Pricewatch Ltd, confirmed the company is appealing the suspension and declined to make any further comment.

Duncan Crow, West Sussex County Council cabinet member for community support, fire and rescue said: “Trading Standards will continue to respond to allegations of age-restricted products being sold to children by shops in West Sussex, so in the run-up to Christmas I strongly encourage all businesses who sell age-restricted products to use this time to make sure they have good age verification checks in place.

“Disappointingly, eight further shops were visited recently and of those, four sold alcohol to our child volunteer.”

Anyone who believes a shop is selling alcohol, tobacco, vapes or knives to under 18s is asked to report it online to West Sussex Trading Standards at www.westsussex.gov.uk/TSReport.