Shop owner stripped of position after store sold underage booze (From Hereford Times)

Shop owner stripped of position after store sold underage booze

4:50pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News

THE boss of a Ross -on-Wye off licence has been stripped of his position after his store was caught selling alcohol to underage teens for the fourth time.

Ramanathan Ratheyan can no longer be the designated premises supervisor at Gwalia Stores on Broad Street which has also had its licence suspended for three months.

A council committee heard that the latest underage sale saw a 16-yearold boy sold four cans of lager without being challenged about his age.

It happened during a test purchase organised by the police and trading standards and follows three similiar underage sales since 2007.

Police licensing officer Jim Mooney told the Regulatory Sub-Committee on Tuesday that Mr Ratheyan, whose wife and brother also work at the store, has failed to contact officers to discuss ways of stopping the problem.

A letter from Mr Ratheyan’s solicitor was read to the committee, saying revocation of the licence or removal of the DPS would ruin Mr Ratheyan’s family life, adding it would be “against natural justice”.

He said he found the police’s view that no contact had been made “a bit strange” as Gwalia Stores did not receive police representation until the end of August.

All staff have since been re-trained with Mr Ratheyan buying a till system which prompts employees to check customers’ ages when buying alcohol.

The solicitor said Mr Ratheyan realised the sale was unacceptable, adding he didn’t make the sale himself.