VALLEY Wine and Groceries, in Valley Drive, Gravesend, has had its licence suspended for 28 days after serving a 15-year-old alcohol during an undercover “mystery shopper” operation.

Gravesham Borough Council’s Licensing Panel hearing on Thursday 18 December, decided that Mustafa Atim, the licensee, cannot sell any alcohol for 28 days.

Kent Trading Standards applied for the review of Mr Atim’s licence following the visit on August 28.

A volunteer acting on behalf of the department entered the store and successfully bought two bottles of Tropical Bacardi Breezer, without being asked for any identification.

The Licensing Panel also imposed other conditions including that Mr Atim is present on the shop floor to supervise any age restricted sales (if he is unavailable, the sale of alcohol should not be made). CCTV must also be made available on demand to police and trading standards.

Trading standards officers visited the shop twice prior to the operation advising Mr Atim and his staff of the law.

They also received two complaints against Valley Wine and Groceries for selling alcohol to people under the age of 18.

Leader of Gravesham Borough Council Cllr Mike Snelling said: “We are determined to crack down on the sale of alcohol to youngsters. All the evidence is that alcohol is one of the principal causes of anti-social behaviour and it is important that this action – taken for the first time by this council – is seen as a signal of how seriously we take this and will continue to do so.”

Mr Atim has 21 days to appeal to magistrate’s court. If he chooses to do this then he will be able to continue to trade as normal until his case is heard.