A controversial scheme intended to prevent young adults from buying alcohol for children has sparked a major row between retailers.
Independent Pal Patel, who owns Crofton News and Booze in Stubbington Green, Hampshire, is an avid supporter of the scheme, in which shoppers must be aged 25 or over in order to purchase alcohol at weekends. But the town's Budgens, One Stop and Threshers stores have all rejected the idea.
The scheme has been designed to prevent young adults proxy purchasing for the town's teenagers, who are being blamed for rising levels of drink-fuelled antisocial behaviour.
Stubbington has been identified as a trouble hot spot by police, who regularly seize up to 1,000 cans and bottles of alcohol a week from underage drinkers.
Pal said: "This is a serious community issue and as a community retailer we want to support locals in tackling it."
She slammed the retailers who aren't backing the scheme. "It's deeply disappointing and not very neighbourly," she said.
Budgens owner Mark Richardson said he was opposed to the scheme as he believed it would alienate responsible young adults.
Sergeant Roy Jennings, of Fareham police, disagreed. "The scheme is not ageist," he said. "Premises can already refuse to sell alcohol to anyone at any time, so this is no different."
The scheme is to run for the next six weeks, after which it will be reviewed.
Independent Pal Patel, who owns Crofton News and Booze in Stubbington Green, Hampshire, is an avid supporter of the scheme, in which shoppers must be aged 25 or over in order to purchase alcohol at weekends. But the town's Budgens, One Stop and Threshers stores have all rejected the idea.
The scheme has been designed to prevent young adults proxy purchasing for the town's teenagers, who are being blamed for rising levels of drink-fuelled antisocial behaviour.
Stubbington has been identified as a trouble hot spot by police, who regularly seize up to 1,000 cans and bottles of alcohol a week from underage drinkers.
Pal said: "This is a serious community issue and as a community retailer we want to support locals in tackling it."
She slammed the retailers who aren't backing the scheme. "It's deeply disappointing and not very neighbourly," she said.
Budgens owner Mark Richardson said he was opposed to the scheme as he believed it would alienate responsible young adults.
Sergeant Roy Jennings, of Fareham police, disagreed. "The scheme is not ageist," he said. "Premises can already refuse to sell alcohol to anyone at any time, so this is no different."
The scheme is to run for the next six weeks, after which it will be reviewed.
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