A shop in Dover has had its licence to sell alcohol revoked indefinitely following concerns raised by Kent Police. The decision comes after a 16-year-old boy was found heavily intoxicated in August 2024 and later required hospital treatment.
Investigations revealed that the boy had purchased a litre of vodka from Dylan’s Superstore, also known as the High Street Mini Mart. CCTV footage obtained by officers showed the shop assistant selling the alcohol without verifying the boy’s age or challenging him in any way.
Further enquiries by Kent Police revealed that the licence holder for the store was not present at the time of the incident and did not regularly visit the premises. There was also no evidence of proper staff training on challenging underage customers and ensuring compliance with licensing laws.
As a result, the town’s licensing officer, with support from Kent County Council’s Trading Standards team, applied for a review of the premises licence under section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003. At a hearing on Monday, 21 October, Dover District Council’s Licensing Committee made the decision to revoke the shop’s licence.
Licensing officer PC Danielle Rolfe commented on the decision: “The sale of alcohol to children puts them at risk of harm, as was the case when this boy was allowed to buy such a large volume of spirits unchallenged. We are committed to protecting young people from the dangers of alcohol and protecting the community from the antisocial behaviour which can follow underage drinking.”
She added, “I hope the revocation of this shop’s licence sends out a message to other businesses to run their stores responsibly, with consideration for children and the wider community. If they fail to do so, we will take action.”
Oliver Jewell, Principal Trading Standards Officer for Kent County Council, supported the decision, stating: “We fully supported the recommendations of Kent Police to revoke the licence due to the serious impact in this case. Our officers will always support retailers who are engaged and wish to comply. In this case, however, it was apparent that claims of being an experienced licence holder were contradicted by the actions, both before and after the incident. The plans put forward were both too little and too late.”
The decision serves as a warning to other businesses in the area to enforce strict compliance with licensing laws, ensuring the safety of young people and the broader community.
