A SHOP which sold drink to a 14-year-old girl is having its licence suspended for four weeks.

Canford Convenience Store in Bournemouth was visited by a teenager acting as a volunteer for Bournemouth’s trading standards during a test purchase.

Officers entered the store in Canford Avenue in Wallisdown at the same time and witnessed her being sold a bottle of Archers Aqua Raspberry Schnapps. She was not asked for her age, date of birth, or a valid ID.

Trading Standards officer Zara Fulmer wrote in a report for Bournemouth council’s licensing board that she went back to the shop afterwards but “had great difficulty” speaking to staff because of their limited English.

An interview was later carried out using a Tamil interpreter with the designated premises supervisor (DPS), Selvanayagam Raviendra, and his wife, who had made the sale.

Trading standards requested for Bournemouth council’s licensing board to review the licence on the grounds of protecting children from harm.

After the meeting councillor Andrew Morgan, licensing board chairman, said the shop requested only a week suspension but the board opted for four weeks and recommended Mr and Mrs Raviendra have free English lessons available in the town.

And David Kelsey, vice chairman, said: “We decided the shop warranted a four week suspension to enable them to carry out retraining.”

The shop has 21 days to appeal before the suspension starts but new manager Abilash Ramamoorthy said they will accept the decision.

“It’s our mistake,” he said.

“We have tried our best to adapt to the council’s requirements.

“We’ve had a change of DPS and retrained our staff so we are disappointed.”