SBPA backs pubs on Challenge 25

Challenge 25 becomes a mandatory condition for all of Scotland’s licensed premises on 1 October 2011 under the terms of the Alcohol etc (Scotland) Act 2010.

This will mean all premises should have an age-verification policy in place, which will require operators and their staff to ask customers, who look 25 years old or younger, to produce identification proving that they are aged 18 or over.

Around 25,000 Challenge 25 posters will be sent out to the 5,000 pubs north of the border — 10,000 to SBPA members, 5,000 to the Scottish Licensed Trade Association and the rest will be sent to the freetrade.

There are also 55,000 badges and thousands of guide documents being distributed to thousands of pubs in Scotland to support the introduction.

Patrick Browne, chief executive of the SBPA, said: “On 1 October there will be a major change in Scotland’s laws relating to the sale of alcohol, with the introduction of Challenge 25 into law in Scotland for the first time. This will see many more customers asked for identification for the first time.

“The SBPA and its membership has fully embraced this and rebranded the existing voluntary Challenge 25 schemes for use in Scotland with a new logo and a range of materials for use in pubs.”

Councillor Stephen Dornan, the convenor of the City of Glasgow Licensing Board, has urged consumers to make themselves aware of the new requirements.

He added: “We welcome the introduction of Challenge 25 and commend the wider trade for its efforts in complying with the new laws due to come in on 1 October.”

A website, www.challenge25.org​, has also been launched. It offers advice to licensees and customers on the new rules.