A North Ayr supermarket is to lose its alcohol sales licence for two days this week (6 and 7 August) after staff at the store sold wine to minors.
Costcutter at 125-Lochside Road was the subject of specially convened meeting of the South Ayrshire Licensing Board, which considered a request by the Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police to review the store's licence after failing a police purchase test on 7 May 2010.
The Board also heard that staff training was not up to required national licensing standards.
Test purchasing is a police technique where a young person, supervised by at least one plain clothes police officer already on the premises, attempts to purchase alcohol.
Working closely with the police, young people aged between 16 and 16 and a half, are trained to answer questions truthfully if challenged on their age, or if asked to produce appropriate identification. If their attempt to buy alcohol is refused the test purchaser must not try to persuade or coerce staff to make a sale.
When the test purchase was carried out, a 16 year old youth was sold a bottle of wine without their age being challenged, nor were they asked for identification.
In addition to suspending Costcutter's licence for a temporary period, the Licensing Board also issued a formal written warning requiring the store to refresh staff training and to properly note all refusals to sell alcohol in their log books.
Costcutter will have to remove all alcohol on display for the duration of the two day suspension.
Councillor Ian Douglas who chaired the meeting said: "We have reminded Costcutter that the only forms of identification as proof of age are a passport, photographic driving licence or the nationally recognised PASS card.
"If a licensee or their staff has any doubt about the age of a customer wanting to purchase alcohol, they should refuse the sale.
"Our action today sends a strong message that the South Ayrshire Licensing Board deplores under age sales and we will take strong action if licensees are found to be in breach of licensing law.