Underage test purchase failures must fall to almost zero by the end of the year, the Government has told the industry.
Figures released today show one in three pubs tested are still serving underage drinkers.
This is a significant reduction from the 52% caught in the summer blitz, but the figures - released by local authority co-ordinator LACORS - show that pubs still have a long way to go.
Over the festive period test purchasers visited 1,674 pubs and clubs, some targeted and others chosen at random, with 29% falling foul.
In comparison, 5,023 visits were made to off-licences with a 20% failure record - a drop of 16% since the summer.
During a six-week blitz on alcohol-related crime police issued 8,179 fixed penalty notices: Clearly we are moving in the right direction but we need to get there fasterMark Hastings BBPA
*38% for being drunk and disorderly
*37% for public order offences
*10% for selling to minors
*15% for alcohol-related offences
A total of 649 summonses were issued - more than 90% of which were for selling to minors.
Cllr Geoffrey Theobald OBE, chairman of LACORS, said: "Local authority trading standards officers and licensing staff have worked hard with the police during this Christmas Campaign to combat alcohol related disorder and in particular successfully targetting those establishments selling alcohol to under 18 year olds.
"In comparison to the Summer blitz campaign, it shows the overall underage sales rate down from 40% to 22%, with an on-licence reduction from 51% to 29%"
British Beer and Pub Association director of communications Mark Hastings said:"Clearly, we are moving in the right direction but we need to get there faster,"
"We need to challenge all those under-21 to produce ID and if they can not, they do not get served. Challenge-21 is the most secure way we can deliver."
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