Its been a hell of a long time since I held a licence but my understanding is that the "Full on" licence ( normal pub licence ) allows you to do "off sales" ( to be consumed off the premises ) as well.

However many city centre pubs these days have various restrictions imposed on their licences by the local licensing bench.. My guess is there has been "problems" with drunkenness in the streets near this one and they have been stopped from selling "off sales" as a result. Realistically this would have been on alcoholic drinks but from a staff training point of view its much clearer cut if you say no off sales at all.

Just my thoughts.

Turns out that you are right. I called their Customer services and they confirmed that some pubs only hold licence to sell for consumption on premises. This cover alcoholic drinks, soft drinks and food.
She said that some of their pubs hold "off-license" too, but they are advice not to take advantage of it and not sell anything to take away.

Wetherspoons operate on extremely low margins, that is why their prices are so low. I cannot imagine that their operational expenses are much lower than industry standard so I would assume that they cut corners elsewhere and they have to sell massive amounts to break even. That is the exact reason why I never eat there. I don't mind going there for a drink now and then but often I find service very poor. I go mental when they serve me gin and tonic in a hot glass. Also, how do you explain to a student (which their staff usually are) who survives on lager and cider that "Tonic" and "Diet Tonic" are not the same thing? You just can't, their minds cannot comprehend such a thing

Also, have you ever wondered why they don't play music? They would have to buy a licence...

What I like about Spoons is that they sell "Kozel", very good Czech lager in bottle. I recommend it if you like your lager slightly bitter like I do.

I've had the ID problem with the missus at Lloyds in the past. At the time she didn't have a drivers license so her only ID was her Uni ID (with photo) and credit card (no photo but the name matches that on the uni ID and you have to be 18 to have one). They simply refused to serve her unless she had a drivers license or passport. I understand they need to be careful, etc etc but surely sometimes common sense has to prevail?

My favourite one though was maybe a year back (when she was 23) and on her way home from work from the hospital still in her nurses uniform. I met her at the local co-op to pick something up for tea and she went first to buy some fags (she's quit now though - about time!). The person serving wouldn't let her buy any. She pointed out she was on her way back from work so wasn't likely to have her passport on her! She also kindly told them she was 23, which to be honest, if you were a kid and wanted to lie about your age to be served you're not likely to say you're 23. You'd just go for 16/18 wouldn't you? Still no though. At this point I suggested a fifteen year old (as at that point they weren't serving her on the basis she looks under 16 surely as that was the legal age?) wouldn't get dressed as a nurse and fake official hospital ID to buy a pack of fags.

Needless to say any common sense was wasted on this turnip (who incidentally looked younger than the missus!) and I had to buy them.

Think that's bad. THe wife got asked for ID buying me spray paint the other week. She's 29, the bloke serving her looked about 12.

I'm always really impressed with Wetherspoons.

They have so many different beers to try at under £2.00 a pint. My favourite is currently £1.69 a pint, which is about half the price of my local!

Peter.

Well firstly businesses are advised to only take driving licences and passports, although some will also accept ID with the "pass hologram". Also general policy is that once challenged if you don't have ID then you don't get served.

Considering how harsh the penalties can be for the owner/licensee for under-age sales, I can't say I blame any business for being extra careful.

As for Wetherspoon I quite like them, tons of them in Cardiff and there's one in Truro. Cheap food & cheap beer = win.

Yeah, I'm generally quite sympathetic too (my dad used to own an off license so I know what it's like) but I just got pissed off with them 'cos I wasn't even asking for alcohol, and I had two forms on ID on me anyway (credit card and uni ID in the same name) so I just think she was being a twat.

I agree they have to be careful. My parents owned a newsagents/off license too. But someone dressed as a nurse. With hospital ID. Surely common sense ought to be applied.

Common sense doesn't cut it in front of a magistrate, or with the Police/Trading Standards. There's no room for business to manoeuvre here, it's extremely difficult if not nigh-on impossible to defend a charge of selling an age-restricted product to an under-age person. It's much, much easier to avoid any possibility of such an accusation in the first instance.

I agree that it's highly unlikely a nurse with ID is going to be under-age, but if I was the cashier I know I wouldn't take the risk - after all it's not you who gets prosecuted and ends up with a criminal record.

As I said, my dad owned an off license. His best mate also owned one - he still does infact, and last year trading standards went in with a sixteen year old dressed in a business suit and make-up. She bought a £14 bottle of white wine no questions asked.

The bloke came round our house with a picture from his top-of the range CCTV system which he had zoomed into her and both of us said we would serve her. When he told us she was a trading standards mystery shopper we were amased.

Trading standards' own guidelines say that their test purchasers must not wear any make up, and must be a true and fair representation of their age. They wrote to the bloke and said if he didn't pay a fine within 28 days he would be taken to court. He didn't reply to the letter and waited for his court summons.

When he appeared in court he took in the same photo, and a copy of the trading standards regulations. Trading standards were laughed out of court.

And what happened to said bottle of wine? Did the kid get to keep it

I take the point, though don't mistake a Code of Practice with the actual legislation. That's a rather poor showing by Trading Standards, and isn't standard practice...

Its bollox tbh. So you think a 15 year old would dress up as a nurse and fake hospital ID to buy a pack of fags? Seriously. How unlikely is that. I bet you could get a job at that shop.