Coast View Shop in Whitley Bay has alcohol licence revoked after alcohol was sold to 14-year-old girl

The council’s licencing sub-committee gathered to consider the future of Coast View Shop on East Parade, after complaints of underage alcohol sales were investigated by the police and Trading Standards.

A concerned parent called police after she discovered her 14-year-old daughter and her classmates had bought alcohol, including 7.5% Dragon Soup and small bottles of vodka, from the shop on New Year’s Eve last year.

Northumbria Police then obtained CCTV footage from inside the shop which confirmed the sales. The identity and age of one of the girls were also confirmed to police by their mother.

An officer was also dispatched to interview the employee who sold the girls the alcohol, with no ID checks, and also subsequently uncovered the shop assistant was only 16.

Under 18s can sell alcohol but only under supervision and the shop’s designated premises supervisor, Christopher Uche Osubor, was not present at the time. Mr Osubor told the committee he had left the shop for around two to three hours to replenish stock when the sales took place.

A visit to the shop also revealed several other breaches of the shop’s licencing conditions including single cans and bottles of beer and cider being available for sale. Miniature bottles of spirits were also available for sale on the premises.

Mr Osubor pleaded with the committee and said: “A few breaches have been identified and I am apologetic for that. I hope that will not be repeated again if I am given the opportunity to amend my ways.

“I plead for you to give me the opportunity to fix these things and I promise it will not happen again”.

Mr Osubor went on to say his other shop in South Shields has never had any similar problems and he was also in the process of appointing a new DPS for the Whitley Bay business. The shop owner also stated the remaining staff had been through documented refreshers in alcohol sale training, the 16-year-old shop assistant having been dismissed.

However, councillors present on the committee, after deliberation, decided to follow the recommendations of both Trading Standards and Northumbria Police and revoke the shop’s alcohol licence. Mr Osubor has 21 days from the delivery of the council’s written decision to appeal the decision at magistrates’ court.

The future of the shop had been intended to be decided on March 27, but Mr Osubor informed the committee he had not received relevant documentation from the council in time, ahead of the meeting.