Off-licence given alcohol reprieve

An off-licence which sold alcohol to teenagers including an undercover 16-year-old has avoided being stripped of its licence.

Booze Paradise, in Prestwood Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, survived a review into its future but police officers have been asked to pay the premises a visit to make sure "everything is in order".

West Midlands Police had originally called for the review by the council after it reported numerous calls from the public claiming that underage youths were going in to buy alcohol.

At a hearing of the licensing sub-committee at the Civic Centre yesterday, three backbench councillors were told that an undercover 16-year-old bought four cans of cider following the complaints.

A report prepared for the committee also stated that the CCTV at the shop was of "poor quality" and only recorded for 72 hours, and there was no fire risk assessment or plans in place in the eventually of a fire breaking out.

Michael Pearce, police licensing officer, said: "There was about 12 complaints from members of the public.

During the test purchase by a 16-year-old volunteer, he was not asked about his age.

"The present system at the shop in respect of challenging under-18s is, in fact, left to a guessing game."

Premises supervisor Satvinder Sandhu said the CCTV network had been updated, a fire assessment made and challenges logged.

The committee agreed the off-licence could carry on.