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Last orders for Temporary Event Notices (TENs) for the festive period
Submit Temporary Event Notices (TENs) early for festive events to avoid last-minute issues. Check deadlines and restrictions carefully.
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The mandatory conditions introduced in 2010 make it a requirement for premises to have an age verification policy in place, which requires their staff to ask customers who appear to them to be under the age of 18 to produce ID. It is extremely common for sites to operate stricter policies requiring ID from those appearing to be under 21, 25 or even 30! As a minimum, they need to produce identification showing their photograph, date of birth and a holographic mark.
Examples of acceptable IDs include:
Other forms of legitimate ID which meet the criteria described above are also acceptable.
However, fake IDs and borrowed IDs are extremely prevalent and are being used more frequently, therefore, staff need to ensure that they are being vigilant and thorough when checking ID.
To help premises stay ahead of the game, we have set out some tips below on what to look out for on IDs and some best practice measures if you spot a fake ID.
Also check for the following:
UK passports are valid for up to 10 years and 9 months, currently there are only two styles in circulation, which are as follows:
Also check for the following:
Remember, any ID card issued by CitizenCard can be confirmed as genuine online, provided the cardholder presents their card to be checked.
It is a criminal offence to use false or borrowed ID to gain entry to licensed premises or to buy alcohol. If you are not satisfied with the document produced then you should always refuse the sale of alcohol and, if appropriate, ask the person to leave the premises. As with any normal incident or refusal, the incident and the details of the ID should always be noted and recorded in the refusal/incident book.
If presented with a fake or borrowed ID, you may ask the customer to hand the ID over to you, although door staff and bar staff do not have legal powers to seize ID. You could mention that the police will be called to investigate if they do not hand over the fake/borrowed ID.
Once in your possession, you should store the ID in a secure place until the police can collect it or a manager can take it to the police station.
We would recommend that the ID is handed over to the police as soon as reasonably practicable, but as good practice, false ID should not be held on the premises any longer than 72 hours.
Importantly, ensure that the situation is dealt with in a calm manner.
Contact Us
For more information or further guidance relating to dealing with fake or borrowed IDs, please call us on 01332 226 198 or fill in the form below and a member of our Licensing team will be in touch.
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