Call for more protection from violent customers

A trade chief has reignited calls for the government to look at the protection the law offers licensees in dealing with underage sales and violent customers.

Rob Hayward, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), has written to Home Office minister Vernon Coaker following an attack on a Bolton licensee by a 17- year-old.

Ray Sutton, licensee of the Last Orders, Bolton, was badly beaten up outside his pub after taking a drink from the boy because he did not have any ID.

However, the attacker was only issued with a caution.

Hayward's letter states: "There is considerable concern in the trade that a licensee who is clearly taking seriously the responsible alcohol retailing message should be attacked in such a brutal way without apparently receiving adequate support from the law.

"Every day licensees face an extremely difficult task in preventing the sale of alcohol to under-18s. In this task they are successful the vast majority of times."

Hayward added that, according to the BBPA, more than one million refusals are made in pubs and bars every month.³Given the enormous challenge that this task presents, we would hope that the law would be fully deployed on licensees¹ behalf," he added.

³Licensees and all pub staff need effective protection from violence when they are upholding the law, seeking to sell alcohol in a responsible manner in the safe and controlled environment that our customers demand, and our pubs provide.² Earlier this year Peter Furness-Smith of Hertford brewer McMullen¹s also wrote to Coaker questioning the way the police dealt with such incidents.

However, in response to the latest incident, a Home Office spokesman said:

³This is a police matter. We have put the laws in place to protect any individuals or somebody who is doing their job.²