Latest blitz finds pubs still selling to under-18s

A higher proportion of pubs sold to under-18s during the latest Home Office crackdown, according to early figures released this week.

A large number of targeted pubs and shops were found to be flouting the law during three weekend operations carried out in 25 police areas in March, although the statistics have yet to be confirmed. Last summer 51 per cent of targeted pubs were found to be selling alcohol to under-18s.

The latest action was mainly targeted on national chains - although some tenanted outlets were also visited.

Speaking at the National Pubwatch conference in High Wycombe, Patricia Foy, a chief inspector at the Home Office's Police Standards Unit said: "It still appears to be far too easy for minors or drunk people to get alcohol. Is the message getting though? Early indications are that it is not."

Ms Foy said the Home Office was looking at action to ensure more police powers were used against licensed premises.

Conference speaker Mark Jones, chief executive of Yates Group, laid down a challenge to other pub companies to tighten up their acts.

Last year Yates launched its Bar Safe strategy, which includes minimum pricing across its 150 venues, to ensure that they were trading responsibly.

"I'm strongly promoting our best practice to colleagues in the industry. I would like to see more pubcos doing the sort of things we are doing and building strong relationships with the police," Mr Jones declared. "Staying responsible is the only game in town." During 500 visits to Yates venues as part of last summer's crackdown the chain was caught out twice, selling once to an under-18 and once to a drunk.

Yates is now ramping up the Bar Safe strategy with funding increased and is looking to extend its eight-week paid-for- policing trial in Nottingham to a year if it proves successful.