17 year olds and soft drinks in a public house

[mangetoute]

my son was asked for id in a public house, while with me (father) after nine pm , i was buying the drinks a soft drink for him, the bar person stated she could not serve him because they did not have a licence to sell soft drinks to a minor after nine pm.

[ChuckFickens]

Thanks for telling us.

[bednobs]

yeah. nice story, thanks

[mollykins]

but they were selling the soft drink to you.

[TCL-MUMPING]

I think the characters and the plot need a wee bit development

[factor-fiction]

I don't think the pub would make this up, so think it's likely the pub was correct. Anyway they can refuse to serve anyone they like

[ChuckFickens]

Actually the pub have made it up, there is nothing in the licensing laws that cover 17 year olds being in the bar or buying (soft) drinks at any time. (under sixteen's can't be on a licensed premiss between midnight and 5am)

But the important part is "it's their pub" they can refuse to serve whoever they want for whatever reason they want as long as the reason would not be covered by discrimination laws (i.e. race, age, sex or disability)

[karenmac60]

But surely this falls under age discrimination then....

[hc4361]

No such thing in law as age discrimination.

[Buenchico]

Hc4361 needs to add ' . . . other than in employment' to that answer. (The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 apply there).

It's not unusual for licensing authorities to include a provision in a premises licence which prohibits minors from being on the premises after 9pm. (The Licensing Act 2003 only prohibits children under 16 years old between midnight and 5am, but local authorities have the powers to impose additional conditions). I suspect that it's such a condition which you encountered. (i.e. your son shouldn't have even been on the premises, rather than getting served any type of drink).

Chris

[joko]

its also to stop the pub being filled with kids in the eveeing

[socket2008]

It's a bit like those Tesco Expresses you see that won't sell alcohol to under 30's. Interestingly, I was in a shop in the midlands last week where there was a sign that said they don't serve alcohol to.....under 32's. Strange, weird but true.

[boxtops]

Good grief, under 30s? - they'll be saying they can't sell stuff to pensioners next!

[ChuckFickens]

I would have been really peed off if I ever got refused alcohol for being under 30!

[Skyline D]

I was in my local one night (Scotland) when the licence holder was warned by the police because they stopped in on a random check and discovered two minor children still in the bar (in the company of their parents and drinking soft drinks) after 9pm. Apparently this breached the terms of his licence in a local ruling.

As Chris has already intimated, this will be about his presence, rather than what he was drinking and whether it really is "illegal" or just a pub rule probably depends on where in the country the original poster is.

[joggerjayne]

You don't need a licence to sell soft drinks.

You can sell soft drinks any time, anywhere, to anybody.

The sale of soft drinks is not a "regulated activity" under the Licensing Act.

But ... as EDDIE says ... pubs can make up their own rules. Despite being called "public" houses, pubs are actually private premises.

[4getmenot]

But chuck they asked him for ID, so maybe just asking him for ID if he was over 16

[ninjatracey]

Its the law in Scotland. Under 18's can be in designated areas ONLY up till 8pm if not having food and 9pm if having food and only then if they are accompanied by an adult (over 18) I am a licence holder and these are NOT local restrictions but listed in the Licenceing Act 2005 which came into force in Scotland in 2009. The pub did NOT make it up the licencee would be in danger of losing his licence has a licence standards officer chosen that evening to pay a visit. Joggerjayne does not know what she is talking about !! A corner shop is one thing a LICENCED premise is another. Children and young people (16 and 17) are NOT allowed on the premises at ALL after 9pm not even to use the toilet. Read the licencing act its all there in black and white. You as the customer dont have to know all the ins and outs of it but, as a licence holder and pub owner I need to know it inside out and to the letter as ignorance of the law is no excuse for me.