Why pump's not on for kids

QA licensee friend of mine claims that you wrote that bottled shandy is allowed for children, but pump shandy is not.

Can you comment on this and explain what the difference is?

AMy distinction is perfectly true, and could apply to drinks other than shandy.

The bottled variety of such drinks are served by the licensee as a complete drink, the contents of which he does not directly control.

The complete drink in the bottle contains less alcohol than the minimum laid down by law to constitute an "alcoholic drink".

So it may be served, as a soft drink, for consumption by a person under 18.

In contrast, shandy which is made at the pump, involves the licensee in the sale of beer, which is an alcoholic drink.

The fact that he dilutes the alcohol to make the drink, so that the finished article may be less than the minimum alcoholic content, is immaterial in the decision on the sale of liquor.

He does sell beer to the customer, and if that customer is under 18 or intends to drink the shandy in the bar of the premises, then there is a technical breach of the law.

There is nothing illegal in persons between the ages of 14 and 18 ordering and paying for non-alcoholic drinks in the bar of licensed premises.

But the discretion remains entirely that of the licensee, who may quite lawfully refuse service of any kind of food or drink to unaccompanied children, in the interests of good order in his premises.

Fears over restriction order QI have some very unpleasant neighbours with whom I have had a running battle for some months.

I read about New Year and wonder if they could gang up on me and ask for a restriction order to close my pub on New Year's Eve?

Our sessions are at the beginning of December.

AWell, they could not close you down completely, but it is true that they could ask for a restriction order to apply, say, after midnight ­ and they would not need to do it at a licensing sessions either.

The problem is, they'd only have a few days before Christmas and the New Year to do it, and I think that without strong evidence of potential disorder, the magistrates would be most reluctant to impose it, especially if there was no support from the police.

They cannot seek this restriction in early December, because the relevant Order will not become law until around the 19th.

You will get just five days' notice.

Last year there were very few.

You will just have to hope that they relent, or that the justices take the sensible view.

Bottle size is no big issue QAm I obliged by law to put the size of wine bottles on my bar menu?

We sell wine by the bottle and glass on a regular basis.

AAlthough the normal bottle size for wine is 75cl, there is nothing in the Weights & Measures law which requires you to indicate the actual size per bottle, although you must indicate glass size as 125ml or 175ml, or both.

Wine sold in carafes should have a quantity marking on the menu or wine list.