British Values: Alcohol laws and regulations
It is essential to know guidelines, facts and the law about alcohol in the UK, primarily if you work in establishments serving alcoholic drinks.
The most obvious restriction is that it’s illegal to sell alcohol to anyone under the age of 18 anywhere in the UK. You can also be stopped, fined, or arrested by police if you’re under 18 and drinking alcohol in public.
The sale of alcohol in the UK is also restricted and only venues that have obtained a license* are allowed to sell it. These places can be pubs, clubs, hotels, restaurants, and some shops such as supermarkets and off-licenses.
If you are working in a hotel or restaurant and are under 18, you can serve alcohol as long as the license holder or bar manager has approved the sale.
It is important to know these rules as breaking this law can result in prosecution and /or a fine for both the person selling alcohol and the person buying it. The Licensed premise where the alcohol was illegally sold can also be fined, or even shut down, so it is important that you follow the law.
Never be worried to ask a customer/guest for their ID if you are unsure or approach your manager for advice or approval to sell. Better to be safe than sorry!
It is also important to know the impact of alcohol. Anyone working in a bar, club, hotel, or restaurant and wants to raise awareness about the impact of alcohol on their employees and customers might find this content useful. https://resources.drinkaware.co.uk/collections/hospitality-and-leisure.
For more advice on the laws and under 18’s visit: https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/alcohol-and-the-law/the-law-on-alcohol-and-under-18s
*Licenses are granted and monitored by a local authority (usually the council), and almost all premises must have a qualified, designated person in place who can be held responsible for any problems. Licensed premises must abide by an agreement that sets out the times when they are allowed to sell alcohol, and that they carry out ID checks to ensure their customers are allowed to buy it (for example, that they’re over 18).
