Booze ban for shop

The Penge Food Centre, in Penge High Street, will have to stop selling drink from July 7 after having its licence reviewed by Bromley Council.

A number of conditions including better training for staff have also been imposed on the store.

The review by the council's licensing sub-committee was held after underage volunteers helping the council's trading standards department were sold alcohol on two separate occasions.

Sub-committee chairman Councillor Tim Stevens told the store's owner, Mehmet Keso: "I have to warn you this is a serious matter.

"If you fail again you could face losing your licence."

On February 9, test purchases were carried out in the Penge area by trading standards officers, the police and council licensing officers.

Out of 11 stores tested, the Penge Food Centre was one of three which sold alcohol to underage teenagers.

A 15-year-old boy bought a four-pack of lager and a 17-year-old girl was sold an alcopop there.

Mr Keso was warned about this, but on March 22 another test purchase was undertaken and a 15-year-old boy was sold a four-pack of lager.

The other two stores which failed the first test were not caught out again.

At the licensing sub-committee review on Monday, trading standards manager Rob Vale presented details of the Penge Food Centre's failure to ID youngsters.

He said there was not enough supervision of staff, they were not properly trained or recruited and the store had failed to change after the first test in February.

Mahir Kilic, on behalf of Mr Keso, said the shop was making changes, including using training logbooks.

Mr Kilic said the cashiers who had sold the alcohol no longer work at the shop.

He added: "There has been poor management in some areas."

Trading standards officers have brought six other cases relating to the sale of alcohol to underage people for the council to review in the past four years.

Of these, one lost its licence and two others had their licences suspended.