Benefit of the doubt

Take a look at my banner image. Now take a look at the image on the right.

If I came into your store and asked you for a half bottle of Smirnoff, would you ask me for ID?

Most stores operate an under-21 policy: if you are lucky enough to look under 21, we will ask you for ID. Now if I asked for a half bottle of Smirnoff would you ask?

This evening I went into the Spar in the village of Verwood (just along the road from my campsite) and did just that.

The gentleman who served me was a very nice man – in many ways everything a CSA should be. However, he looked at me once, then twice, before shrugging away his obvious doubt.

“You’re quite tall”, he said as his reasoning, before joking that “you’re probably going to tell me that you’re 13!” Yeah, real hilarious!

Underage sale of alcohol IS NO JOKE! There are laws for reasons: alcohol is harmful (I drink in moderation – I have more days on which I don’t drink than I do).

Only a couple of months ago, I was asked for ID in the Co-operative in Gillingham and at a bar in Lordswood. If I’m ever in doubt, I ask for ID. Even my work colleagues ask me for ID.

Perhaps Spar need to retrain their staff, before they fail a Trading Standards test purchase – or worse!