East Lothian newsagent caught selling double allowed limit of alcohol granted more shelf space for booze

The Premier Store, on Haddington’s High Street, had been given five weeks to improve its training and practice after it was caught selling more alcohol than allowed on the shop floor.

A report to East Lothian Licensing Board last month revealed its licensing standards officer had visited the shop, which was only granted a licence to sell booze last October, in June and found double the shelf space allowed given over to alcohol, and when she asked about it she was told it was to ‘cash in’ on the Euros.

The officer also reported staff in the store giving false names on two occasions during checks as well as having to step in and stop alcohol being sold to customers who she feared could be buying it for underage drinkers.

New Premier shop on Haddington High Street applied to double its alcohol sales | Third Party

And she said staff were unable to produce paperwork proving they held a licence to sell alcohol or had been through required training.

The board gave the shop five weeks to improve after their representative Alastair MacDonald said he would ensure training for all staff and ensure everyone working at the store understood the rules.

At a meeting of the board today Mr MacDonald told members staff at the store understood “having a licence to sell alcohol is a privilege and they have to live up to that privilege”.

He said training had been undertaken by staff and the board’s licensing standards officer confirmed recent visit to the shop had found it ‘tidier’ and paperwork available for all employees.

The board agreed to approve the extended sales area for alcohol in the future saying it would continue to be monitored to ensure the higher standards introduced were maintained.