Trading standards in underage alcohol crackdown as two shops called in for review

Islington’s trading standards team has flexed its muscles over underage drinking in the borough as two premises face stern treatment for serving booze to children.

Newsagent Shivas on Highbury Park and the Korkmaz Food Centre on Holloway Road both face sanctions by the Town Hall in back-to-back licence review hearings next week.

Trading standards received a tip-off in May from social services that a 15-year-old with whom they had been working had been “repeatedly hospitalised” after drinking alcohol purchased at Shivas, which was subsequently found to be selling “illicit” Polish beer.

Meanwhile, Islington Council has said it will need persuading that management at the Korkmaz Food Centre is fit to hold a licence, claiming that staff had received no apparent training in age restricted sales, showing “complete disregard for the licensing objectives”.

A spokesperson for Camden & Islington Public Health said: “The Chief Medical Officer’s guidance on alcohol advises that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. This is because there is well-documented evidence of the association between alcohol consumption and harm to children and young people aged under 18.

“Research shows that alcohol use in young people is associated with a range of health risks. Alcohol poses a greater health risk to children than adults because they are still developing mentally and physically.

“Alcohol poses both short-term health risks to children such as acute alcohol poisoning and longer terms developmental risks. Harms are experienced in both those who binge drink and those who drink regularly. A single incident of drunkenness can have severe consequences for a person aged under 18.”

Both premises will have their licence’s reviews at a 6 August meeting of Islington’s licensing sub committee.