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New conditions to the Licensing Act which require licence holders to have a proof of age policy and offer customers the choice of small measures come into force tomorrow (1^st October).

All premises licence holders or club premises certificate holders must make sure that the premises has an age verification policy for the sale or supply of alcohol.

Customers who appear to staff to be under 18, or any older age specified in policies or schemes such as Challenge 21 and 25, are asked to show ID with their photograph, their date of birth and a holographic mark. This must be done before they are served alcohol to prove that they are old enough to buy it.

Premises that operate age verification policies such as No ID No Sale, Challenge 21, Challenge 25 or Challenge 30 do not have to take any additional action to comply with the condition.

Accepted forms of ID are:

• Passport;
• Photocard Driving Licence;
• Cards issued by local schemes that have been verified through the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) and bear the official PASS hologram; and
• National Identity Card.

The Home Office will make example policies available for premises to use or adopt.

These will be available at:

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/reducing-crime/alcohol-related-crime/index.html

More information about Challenge 21 / 25 schemes is available at:

www.beerandpub.com/industryArticle.aspx?articleId=85

www.wsta.co.uk/Challenge-25.html

Staff of premises found failing to comply with the requirements to ensure that correct ID is produced before selling or supplying alcohol to anyone appearing to be under age will be committing an offence.

From the 1^st October new conditions that require premises to make smaller measures of alcohol available to customers come into force. Premises must make beer and cider available in half pint measures, gin, rum, vodka and whisky in 25 ml or 35ml depending upon the measures premises usually serve, and still wine in a glass of 125 ml measures. Customers must also be made aware of these measures by for example listing them on drinks menus or being informed by staff when ordering their drink.

For advice on the new mandatory conditions please contact the Council's Licensing Section on 0191 424 7949 of email licensing@southtyneside.gov.uk

Pres/rr/rs/lic/abpr363ck

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