typical

My wife was refused service in a Co-Op in Cambridge. Made her night. She's older than me...

Then I was refused too, because I was with her. First I'd known about this law.

auzdafluff

I know you were.

To be honest, I'd be lying if I didn't admit I frequently ignored the rule when it was kids under 11. But when they started reaching their teenage years, I'd use my discretion (are they a family?/are they buying a weekly shop?/are they buying the type of alcohol kids are normally after?).

However, after they reached 15/16, there was no chance of me serving them. After all, by that age, it's perfectly acceptable for them to stay at home while the parents go shopping.

Millhouse

Makes me think of the time when Mrs Millhouse agreed to get some fags (I've no idea why). The cheap sake kids short changed her by 2p. She came out of the shops - kids all excited... no fags.

britexpat76

I love this comment -

medway wrote:

@kh9871
Of course I'm prejudiced... just take one look at them. Tattoo's, died hair, obese, still breeding over a 16 year period. As you pointed out yourself, she can't even refer to her children by their own names, and feels the need to call the local paper when she can't get her booze. Complete pond life, which no doubt we are funding.


Couldn't of put it better myself.......

MissDemeanor

Does this law apply to children in certain age group?
I have never come across this when ive bought alcohol down at Tescos!!
I would say that everytime I have bought it I have had my son with me sat in the trolley!

Norm_uk

Same here.

Then again my father is quite an intimidating man and I looked older than I do now when I was 12.

N.

scrubbedexpat141

Not quite you old bastard. 24.

2006 I was leaving college though so was 17/18 and buying more booze than I think I give myself credit for.

scrubbedexpat141

Awesome fact. It's also why you can tell them to **** off when you park in the Mum and kid spaces.

scrubbedexpat141

Snap. People often don't argue with a 6ft5 Scot wanting to buy two cases of wine....son or no son, let him through.

Bahtatboy

That is UK: more chance the kid would freeze to death, even in July.

scrubbedexpat141

Urm...it was ASDA, she got the bus.

britexpat76

My standard parking space, don't want to be struggling half a mile across a car park with a trolley full of beers.

mikewot

If you want to, uhum, shock the staff then pitch up at the till with a load of booze, some nappies & baby food. When it's totalled say you haven't got enough money and can they take the nappies and baby food back :-)

auzdafluff

Unless your 15 year old was in the trolley, most experienced checkout operators use common sense.

auzdafluff

That was one of the reasons I supported the UK national ID card. If legally you have to have one from 12 – and make it a legal requirement to carry it – then it removes the intimidation factor.

You'd be surprised how many times I had to step in an ask kids for ID because it was obvious they'd intimidated the cashier. Probably three, four times a week, and that was during the week. On the Friday and Saturday evenings I covered, that easily went up to four to six a shift.

If you have to carry, you know you're going to get ID'd, then you'll remove the ability for idiots to chance it and intimidate people.

And if you're wondering if it's just bluster, it's not. I was assaulted five times in four years of working as a checkout runner; every single time it involved me knocking back pissed teenagers who thought they were about to get served because they'd intimidated the cashier.