Local news

Worst test purchasing results

Cheltenham is the worst area in the UK for selling alcohol to children, according to Gloucestershire police. Despite a three-year awareness campaign, half of all off-licences sold alcohol to a 15

year

old in the most recent test purchase operation . PC Andrew Cook, Gloucestershire police's licensing officer for Cheltenham and Tewkesbury, said: "I

understand

these results are worse than any other policing area in the UK."

London retailers lose licences

The TFC off-licence in Welling, south London, has lost its licence after repeatedly selling to under-age drinkers, despite a change of management. The shop failed test purchases

and was found to be in breach of

conditions on its licence. Hari Newsagents

in Bexleyheath

also lost its drinks licence after failing test purchases .

Edinburgh's poster campaign

A campaign to stop people buying alcohol

for under-18s has been launched in northern Edinburgh. Posters warning of £1,000 fines for anyone caught doing so have been put up in off-licences in that part of the city by the Forth Neighbourhood Partnership, which formulated the campaign with help from the police and

local authority.

Costcutter to reward retailers

York-based Costcutter has relaunched its Five Star scheme to reward professionally

run stores and committed retailers. Retailers can earn additional rebates on purchases if they stick to five key guidelines in the business, including

trading and promotions, category management and store standards.

Off-licence thief sentenced

A knife-wielding robber has been jailed for two years for threatening an off-licence worker. Michael Garry, 27, stole £1,000 from The Local in Albert Road, Southsea, on Oct 15, 2006. Portsmouth Crown Court heard how Garry told the student cashier that he would "cut her up" with a kitchen knife if she didn't open the safe. The two-year sentence will run on top of a seven-year sentence imposed at Lewes Crown Court in 2007 for two similar robberies in Eastbourne and Llandudno.

CCTV cameras stolen

Thieves stole two CCTV systems from a Buckinghamshire off-licence they broke in to overnight on Oct 10. They also took cash and a large quantity of cigarettes from Wine Rack in Chalfont St Peter, after forcing open a window. Police have made an appeal for witnesses

to come forward.

Bootleg vodka costs licence

A store in Cardiff has had its premises licence revoked after selling bootleg vodka. M Stores, on Pen-y-Wain Road, in the Roath area of the city, was found to be selling 644 bottles of counterfeit vodka. The vodka was not deemed by

Trading

Standards officers to pose a health risk.