Alcohol

Generally, young people under the age of 14 are not allowed in the bar of licensed premises during licensing hours. However, they can go into a pub with a Children’s Certificate but must be with an adult and stay in the garden or family room. If you are aged under 18 you may not buy or attempt to buy intoxicating liquor (i.e. alcohol) on licensed premises, which includes pubs, off-licences, supermarkets etc. (see exception below) Also, someone aged 18 may not buy or attempt to buy intoxicating liquor on licensed premises for consumption by someone aged under 18 (see exception below). It is an offence for a person under 18 to buy alcohol on behalf of a person under 18 that is to be drunk outside of licensed premises eg. in the street. Exception; If you are aged 16 or over and are accompanied by someone aged 18 or over, you can drink but not buy beer, wine or cider with a meal, eaten at a table on

licensed premises. Please remember that this is always at the licensee’s discretion.

Section one of the Act gives an Authorised Officer (police officer, PCSO) the right to remove alcohol from a person he/she suspects is under 18, if that young person is either in a public place or in a private place that the young person has unlawfully gained access to. The police officer also has the right to remove alcohol from someone who is aged 18 or over in such a place, if he/she suspects that the young person is likely to pass the alcohol onto someone aged under 18 to drink in that place, or if the alcohol has been drunk in such a place by someone in the young person’s company who is under 18. The Authorised Officer has the power to remove anything which he/she believes to be alcohol and dispose of it as they see fit, either on the spot or by taking it away. If you refuse to stop consuming alcohol, (or anything suspected to be alcohol) and you refuse to hand it over, these are ARRESTABLE OFFENCES. The Officer can either issue a fixed penalty (£50), or if dealt with in court can incur a £500 fine.