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Teenage drinkers ‘misery’
Oct 10 2008 by Carl Butler, Flintshire Chronicle
A GET tough call for zero tolerance against those selling booze to under-age drinkers has been made as drunken youngsters make life a misery for pensioners.
Connah’s Quay Cllr Bernie Attridge, chairman of Flintshire county council’s licensing committee, says there should be a £1,000 fine for first time offences – not £80 on-the-spot fines against those selling to under-aged youngsters.
His call came as it was revealed that nearly a quarter of the 50 Flintshire off-licences “tested” by the county’s trading standards officers, sold alcohol to youngsters aged 16 and in one case 15.
Those who committed the offence were given on-the-spot fines and warned if it happens again their licences will be opposed.
Cllr Attridge says he had several telephone calls from worried pensioners in the Isabella Court sheltered housing scheme in Connah’s Quay, complaining about noisy youngsters using the complex as a drinking den.
“I had calls that about 30 youngsters were at Isabella Court with bottles and cans of drink, making life a misery for pensioners.
“I called the community beat managers. The youngsters are frightening the OAPs to death. They may only be drinking and loud but this is a regular thing and some of the pensioners, when it comes dusk, just won’t go out and are virtually prisoners. You have people aged 80-90 and one person who is 101 years old, and it’s horrible.
“An £80 spot fine is no deterrent, it’s an insult.
“I believe in one strike and you’re out. Those who sold the alcohol to these youngsters have created misery for pensioners. At the licensing committee I will be adopting a policy of zero tolerance.
“The mess left at Isabella Court was shocking. I will make sure any off-licence or supermarket that continues to sell to under-age children will be stripped of their licence.”
