A shop which sold alcohol to a child has been given a super-strength booze ban.

The Willis and Short Convenience Store on 341 Oxford Road is one of six shops which have been handed stronger licensing conditions due to concerns including street drinking.

A review of Willis and Short’s licence was requested by the police due to concerns including the store failing in a test purchase involving a child in April 2019 where four cans of Red Stripe lager were sold to a child.

READ MORE: Sixth Oxford Road, Reading store faces booze licence review

At a licensing sub-committee meeting, held on December 22, councillors found failings in management procedures and breaches of conditions, including:

  • The licence on display at the premises was out of date
  • Training on the licensing objectives was poor
  • Although the CCTV system was in operation, staff could not download the records if asked to do so

The sub-committee agreed a series of conditions put forward by Reading Borough Council’s (RBC) licensing team, Thames Valley Police (TVP) and the licence holder.

The new conditions include a ban on selling beer or cider above 6.5 per cent and extensive training.

READ MORE: Oxford Road shop fined £10,000 and told it cannot sell super strength alcohol

Councillors on the sub-committee said they were pleased to note there had been co-operation by the licence holder since the review was announced.

A test purchase in November 2020 for alcohol by a child was passed, while the fitting of an external CCTV camera and its operation was due to take place before the new year.