Alcohol age checks in pubs and clubs over Christmas

New resources including posters, badges and training guides have been sent to every pub, club and nightclub in the county to help them challenge anyone who looks under 25. Other recent campaigns have focused on retail tobacco sales.

County Councillor Azhar Ali, Lancashire County Council cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “We fully understand the challenges of retailing age-restricted products, and our officers work hard to equip pubs, bars, nightclubs and shops with the resources to ensure their staff check people’s age whenever they should.

“It’s important that businesses get it right every single time and we want to help them. Check 25 exists to reduce negative impacts on health, crime and public nuisance, and protect children from harm.”

Trading Standards is also encouraging young people to get a PASS (Proof of Age Standards Scheme) card to avoid the risk of losing their passport or driving licence on a night out and becoming victim to identity fraud.

Officers are working with licensed premises to encourage them to accept the card as the key way to verify someone’s age.

You can apply for a PASS card at www.pass-scheme.org.uk. There are a number of suppliers, with the average cost of a card being £15.

Pat Rogers founded the Every Action Has Consequences charity after her son, Adam Rogers, was killed by a single punch thrown by a 16-year-old boy while on a night out in Blackburn. She said: “The boy who killed Adam was only 16, yet he had managed to drink in local pubs all evening, unchallenged, right into the early hours.

“He had problems with underage drinking in his much younger years too. It really is vitally important that anybody selling alcohol never sells it to under 18’s. Everybody involved in a business that sells alcohol should be well trained, especially those at the point of sale, or managing entry.”

Electronic versions of all the Check 25 resources can be downloaded at www.lancashire.gov.uk/lancan.