From the Dover Express, 16 July, 2009

Off licence breaches drink Iicence rules

Owners not present when police made test purchase

Report by Yamurai Zendera

KEY Stores could lose its right to sell liquor after breaching the terms of its licence.

Only the two owners of the off-licence in Ladywell, Dover, are allowed to sell alcohol or they must be present if it is being sold by staff.

But no authorised personal licence holder was on the shop floor when Kent Police did a test purchase last month.

The measure was one of nine enforced by the district council-after the police caught the store selling alcohol to two children aged under 18 in November last year and found evidence of previous incidents.

The owners had to go on a training course to become authorised personal licence holders and also adopt the Challenge 21 policy.

Key Stores co-owner Ravindran Sabartnam said it had made an honest mistake.

He said: "The lady who was here did not have an authorised licence. The other owner was at lunch. We have talked to the council and police."

A council source said the shop could be heavily punished second time around after police called in the review. He said: "The worst case scenario is they could lose their licence to sell alcohol."

The licensing department is awaiting police evidence before it reviews the case.

The "Hole In the Roof" pub in Deal and Deal Kebab and Pizza House are also having their licences reviewed.

From the Dover Express, 19 November, 2009. Report by Yamural Zendera

Two-month booze ban after committee told of breaches.

Shop appeals against suspension of licence.

AN OFF-LICENCE has appealed against the suspension of its legal right to sell alcohol.

Key Stores, in Park Place, Dover, was hit with a two-month booze ban by the district council's licensing sub committee after it heard police evidence that the shop breached its licence in June.

Nine measures had been imposed on the off-licence after police caught it selling alcohol to two children aged under 18 in November 2007 and found evidence of previous incidents.

One of the requirements was that only the two owners were allowed to sell alcohol or they must at least be present if it was being sold by staff.

Police said this was not the case when they did a test purchase in May last year.

Key Stores' appeal will now be heard by magistrates on a date yet to be specified.

A district council insider said: "They had 21 days to appeal the suspension. The suspension is no longer in place while their appeal is outstanding."