The Guv'nor

Bernard Brindley, licensee at the White Lion, Pailton, Warwickshire:

Police should act in a more honest and up-front fashion to help crack down on underage drinking

Enforcement or entrapment? Now there's something to ponder on. It all depends on who's doing the enforcement and who's being entrapped. That's what many licensees have learned to their misfortune due to some of the underhand and over-zealous sting operations that are being carried out by the police, local authorities and Trading Standards officers up and down the country.

As most responsible licensees want to eradicate underage drinking, they are more than happy to assist the authorities and I feel that more help would be given to the agencies concerned if they took a far more up-front and honest approach to the problem.

Many of you would have read the front page article in this paper (MA No.278, 19 January 2006) detailing the situation in Wales where 68 out of 71 on and off-licensed premises failed the test and were prepared to serve an under-18 who looked well in advance of her age.

She was accompanied by a plain-clothes policewoman, who could have easily been mistaken for her mother or aunt.

It is rumoured in Liverpool that the children being used for test purchases have been allowed to lie about their age.

This has got to be wrong and should not be allowed in such circumstances.

I have recently seen a copy of the guidelines issued to Trading Standards officers. It states that a young person in a sting operation is allowed to lie about their age.

I do hope that LACORS, the governing body for local authorities, acts on this situation as soon as possible.

Let's all work together in stopping underage drinking but let's do it above board and get co-operation from all those involved.

So remember, if they don't look over 21, don't just ask their age, insist on a proper hologram PASS (proof-of-age standards scheme) card or other authorised identification, like a photo driving licence or passport, otherwise no sale.

After all, it's your licence and livelihood that you are risking.