Tower Hamlets shop stays open despite selling alcohol to children

Harmon Singh Grover sold alcohol to two girls, aged 12 and 14, during a test purchase in August last year

A shop in east London has been allowed to stay open despite selling alcohol to two children without asking for ID or challenging them for proof of age.

Two girls, aged 12 and 14, were sent into Mannat Supermarket, Tower Hamlets, as part of a test purchase last year.

They were able to buy a can of pink gin and tonic without any challenge from the premises licence holder, Harmon Singh Grover.

Tower Hamlets Council has given the store a "first and last chance".

According to the council's licensing sub-committee, the eldest of the two children was able to walk into the store and purchase the can, which contained 1.3 units of alcohol, alongside a 12-year old girl, who also went unquestioned.

Never read the licence

When confronted over the purchase by Trading Standards, Mr Grover said the shop was busy and that he was the only member of staff working at that moment.

However, he admitted that he had never read the premises licence nor did he know any of the conditions within it, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Grover also said he was unaware of challenge 21 or challenge 25 - an age verification policy asking customers to prove their age if, in the retailer's eyes, they look under the age of 21 or 25.

As a result of the incident, Trading Standards demanded the shop's licence to be revoked - a decision backed by the licensing authority and the Metropolitan Police.

PC Mark Perry told the licensing sub-committee on Tuesday a revocation of the licence was "the only cause of action available".

'Very apologetic'

Despite this, the sub-committee decided that Mr Grover's store should be allowed to remain open, but stressed it was on a "first and last warning".

In addition, Mr Grover was removed as the shop's designated supervisor and its licence was suspended for one month.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Grover was Surendra Panchal, who told the committee that Mr Grover was a father of two whose family depended on the business.

Mr Panchal added that his client was "very apologetic" about the incident and vowed that "never again in his life would he ever serve anybody without asking for their ID".

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