Three-in-four retailers sold drink to under-age buyer

A very high proportion of Tunbridge Wells retailers are willing to sell alcohol to under-18s, claims the local Courier newspaper after it conducted its own investigation.

The newspaper wanted to find out how easy it was for under-aged teenagers to obtain alcohol after a council report identified underage drinking as the number-one problem on the town's streets.

The Courier sent a 17-year-old into 12 town centre off-licences, shops and supermarkets to attempt to buy a bottle of wine. He was served with the alcohol by nine of them. While some scanned the bottle and asked for payment without hesitation, others questioned his age. But they still served him anyway – despite his not carrying identification.

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