By Craig Smith

A FIFE pub has become the first in Scotland to be stripped of its alcohol licence under the pioneering test purchasing scheme.

The Rothes Oak, Leslie, had its licence suspended yesterday for four months after staff sold alcohol to undercover teenagers working for Fife Police on two separate occasions in October and December.

Under the test purchasing initiative, which is being extended throughout Scotland, 16-year-olds attempt to buy alcohol from hotels, pubs and off-sales premises, with any test failures reported to the licensing board and the procurator fiscal.

After the Leslie pub fell foul of the scheme for a second time, members of Fife’s central area licensing board yesterday decided to take the unprecedented step of withdrawing the licence from licence holder Alexa Cameron on the grounds that she was not a fit and proper person to sell alcohol.

Chief Superintendent Andrew Laing, the police’s licensing spokesman, said the board’s decision should send a warning to all licensees of the need to be sure they were selling to over-18s.

“There have been a number of suspensions of off-sales licences in Fife, but clearly the consequences are far more serious when the sale of alcohol is virtually your only source of income,” he said.

“Every licensee in Fife should be more than aware of the Can’t Tell, Don’t Sell message.

“Drink and anti-social behaviour are significant issues for our communities.

“Being a licensee carries with it considerable responsibilities, to the public and the police.

“The message from the board’s decision today is simple—treat your licence with respect or you are going to be very sorry.”

On the first occasion, on October 24, two female test purchasers entered the premises in Leslie High Street and approached the bar, acting within sight of plain clothes police officers.

One of the teenagers was sold two bottles of vodka-based drinks unchallenged.

The barman was subsequently interviewed and revealed that he only worked at the pub part-time and had received no formal training in relation to the sale of alcohol to under-18s.

After Mrs Cameron was given a warning, a second test purchase exercise occurred on December 17, when male and female test purchasers entered the pub.

The boy managed to buy a soft drink and a pint of lager without any identification being required.

Mrs Cameron was not present at the hearing because of illness, but was represented by solicitor Tom Johnston.

He said his client had declared herself bankrupt, suggesting that her “days as a licensee were numbered” in any event, but argued that she deserved the right to a fair hearing by being there in person.

However, Councillor Bill Brand, chairman of the board, said the matter had been deferred a number of times and had to be addressed sooner or later.

Mr Johnston said the barman on the first occasion had only started the previous week and was not even on duty that day.

Describing that incident as “freakish,” Mr Johnston said the barman had only gone behind the bar to be helpful while the serving barmaid had been busy doing something else.

He said Mrs Cameron had over 10 years’ experience in the licensed trade and had done all she could regarding staff training and awareness of the under-age sales issue.

“The licensee can’t be in the premises all the time, but through her husband and her daughter she put in place all the steps required as a licensee. What else is a competent licensee expected to do?”

Susan McKessock, speaking on behalf of Fife Police, stressed that Mrs Cameron, as the licence holder, was still responsible for putting a working system of training and supervision in place.

“This is a very serious matter. The aim of the test purchasing scheme is not to increase conviction rates or catch people out but it is to prevent youngsters from obtaining alcohol,” she said.

On the subject of suspension length, Mr Johnston said Mrs Cameron has had severe health difficulties since April last year, and asked the board, “How hard do you want to kick a woman when she’s down?”

Board members voted 7-3 in favour of a four-month suspension.