BBPA: pub age checks work

One million people are turned away from pubs every month for failing to have ID, according to a new study by the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).

The survey proves initiatives such as the Challenge-21 scheme and intensive staff training are having a major impact on reducing the problem of underage drinking, but it also reveals the sheer scale of the problem facing pubs with such a huge number of under-18s attempting to buy alcohol.

"These figures show the huge effort pubs are putting in to tackle the issue," said BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings. "We won't get it right every time, but these results, along with the success of this year's Challenge-21 campaign and a host of other measures, show how seriously we are taking this. We will carry on with the campaign, redouble our training programmes and continue to work towards our target of zero test-purchase failures."

The news comes as the national 10-week test purchase operation, led by the Home Office, continues. Police and trading standards officers are mounting test-purchase operations in more than 3,000 licensed premises.

Bar staff face a fine of £80 while licensees could be hit with a fine of £10,000 and closure for persistent failure.

Hastings slammed the lack of action against under-18s who attempt to buy alcohol. Only five people were fined for the offence in 2006. "As an industry we would also like to see a greater weight of enforcement being applied to those doing the buying as well as those doing the selling," he said.

"The sheer number of under-18s being turned away raises some broader issues for the community. Given the scale of penalties we now face as businesses, we need broader support to get the clear message across - if you are under 18, don't try to buy a drink, it's against the law."

Mystery-buyer operation in action

Four pub operators tightened up their age-check procedures when they took part in a "mystery buyer" operation run by former Laurel boss Julian Sargeson.

Testers aged 18 and 19 were sent into 40 venues operated by four companies, which have not been named, and asked to buy alcohol.

The companies were all members of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), which paid for the operation.

The aim was to see if staff adhered to the Challenge-21 age-check policy - if no ID was asked for, it was registered as a fail.

Each venue was tested three times. Sargeson, director of the Serve Legal company that organised the operation, said pass rates were three times as high in the third test compared to the first.

"It was a catalyst for a bit of positive action by the companies involved," he said.

"It made people think they are not as good [at preventing underage sales] as they thought they were. The companies set aside time to do training and made sure Challenge-21 posters were up."