The test team: keeping an eye on ID checks

Figures released on underage sales last week offered signs of encouragement for the pub trade.

Test purchasing company Serve Legal revealed that so far in 2010, 77 per cent of pubs have successfully asked for ID when visited by one of their 18 or 19-year-old testers.

For the first time in years the on-trade is doing better than supermarkets at asking for ID, albeit only slightly, with the off-trade scoring 76 per cent.

The test results have become even more relevant since the second stage of the mandatory code came into force at the start of last month.

This means that, as well as ensuring 125ml wine measures are available, pubs must also have an age verification policy in place that all staff have been briefed on. Failure to do so could result in a fine or extra conditions on a licence.

According to Serve Legal the best way to comply is implementing either the Challenge 21 or the Challenge 25 initiative.

As we met in central London for a test purchase operation, Matt Eastwood, Serve Legal's commercial manager, explained: "Only local authorities can carry out sting operations with underage people, so our tests are good for checking age policies are being followed.

"One of the problems with local authority tests is that you only find out if you have failed, whereas we give continual feedback.

"Checking if you think someone is below 25 is probably about right, because it gives little room for error. And doing this means young adults generally expect to be asked for ID whenever they visit places such as pubs, bars and clubs."

The two testers we are with, Luke and Peter, are 19. You would probably guess they were about 18, but if you are thinking 21 or 25 you would definitely ask for ID.

We visit a few venues in a busy part of London at lunchtime. Luke is asked at one quiet pub but not at the other, while Peter buys his cider without getting challenged.

But this is not the usual result. In more than 700 visits Peter has been asked on 92 per cent of occasions. As well as pubs, this takes in the off-trade and other age-restricted sales such as cinema tickets and knives.

Meanwhile, Luke has completed 170 Serve Legal visits, across all venues, and been asked for ID on nine out of 10 occasions.

So on the rare occasions when they fail to ask, where do pubs fall down?

Luke said: "In my experience barstaff do not ask you if they think doorstaff have already done the job."

A lack of eye contact by staff, the bar being very busy or an understaffed pub can also result in fails.

However, Peter adds: "I always carry around either a driving licence or passport and so do most people I know, because more often than not you will get asked."

So pubs are improving but they could still do more, according to Eastwood.

Even though the pass rate is getting better, it is based on only 3,000 visits ­ a fraction of the 22,000 Serve Legal undertook in the off-trade in the same period.

Eastwood adds: "Pubs are improving but as an industry they have yet to really embrace this in the same way that supermarkets and convenience stores have been doing more. Young people are getting smarter all the time about buying alcohol, so everyone needs to be on their game."

And with the potential of fines of up to £20,000, what better reason is there to do just that?