Alcohol Help

Selling alcohol for an under-18 has left a trader without his licence for seven days.

The penalty was imposed after a member of the public agreed to buy alcohol on behalf of someone who was under age.

Last week, Maidstone Borough Council’s Licensing Committee decided to suspend the alcohol licence of Marmaris, on Mote Road in Maidstone, because of the incident in March.

A Kent Trading Standards officer had been in the shop when the shopkeeper refused to serve the young person, only to agree to sell alcohol to an adult on their behalf moments later.

Buying alcohol for someone under 18 is a criminal offence, with a fine of up to £5000. Although the shop itself does not commit an offence in such a case, to knowingly allow a child access to alcohol by means of a proxy sale is considered to be failing the Licensing Act 2003 objective to ‘protect children from harm.’

In March, Kent County Council Trading Standards had been carrying out an operation in Maidstone following reports that young people in the town were able to buy alcohol in the shop.

It was later found that a number of strict conditions on the licence, held by the owner of the business, Savas Er, were not being met. These included keeping CCTV and making sure that staff training was up to date.

Richard Strawson, Trading Standards Area Manager, said after the committee hearing that it was vital for everyone to understand that knowingly allowing young people access to alcohol is unacceptable and will be dealt with.

“It is also important for everyone to realise that buying alcohol for young people is not acceptable. The conditions that are placed on licences help with this and other issues, so it is crucial that shop owners keep to those conditions.”

Kent County Council

Kenward Barn, Maidstone
Kenward Barn runs a programme for a group of men live together and work on their addiction issues

About us:

Situated on the same 17 acre site as Kenward House at Yalding, this project follows a 12 – Step programme of recovery, that will be familiar to anyone who has attended AA / NA or read their literature. Here you will address the particular issues of your addiction, in order that you may look forward to living a manageable life, without the need to resort to alcohol or other mind-altering drugs.

The Barn runs a programme in which a group of up to eight men live together and work on their addiction issues, using Group-work as the main means of resolving why they find themselves in their present condition and what has happened to bring them to this point. Working in a group helps to resolve some of the, often distorted, beliefs which have contributed to our problems and the way that we feel about ourselves. Unhelpful beliefs and behaviours are examined in a supportive manner, with others who may share some of our experiences.

This programme of recovery from addiction is designed to take place over a minimum of 13 weeks, although it is accepted that some people will need longer, especially if there are a number of personal issues.

The approach employed is a powerful blend of the 12-step process and cognitive self-change tools. This combination has proved to be a helpful method for changing unhealthy and addictive life-patterns.

The main components of this route to recovery are:

* Individual Care Plans
* Group Therapy
* ‘Steps’ groups
* Compliance with Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
* Introduction to the work of AA and / or NA
* ‘Recovery is a Process Not an Event’
* Safe place in which to grow in trust and self-esteem.
* Spiritual guidance
* Leisure pursuits
* Access to on-going support in second and third-stage accommodation.

Whether you are a newcomer to any form of 12-step recovery, or whether you have prior experience, the information and techniques in this programme will increase the security and quality of your recovery.

Contact Details:

Kenward Barn
Kenward Road
Yalding
Maidstone
Kent
ME18 6AH

Telephone: 01622 814 187

Highgate Hall: Yalding
Highgate Hall is a large Georgian property situated in the centre of the village of Hawkhurst, Kent

About us:

This is a first-stage residential project, offering a fully structured and therapeutic recovery programme for 9 men.

This programme of recovery from addiction is designed to take place over a minimum of 16 weeks, although it is accepted that some people will need longer, especially if there are a number of personal issues, which require further exploration.

The therapeutic approach employed is a powerful blend of the 12-step process and cognitive self-change tools, which enable the individual to break previously unhealthy and addictive life-patterns.

The main components of this route to recovery are:

* Individual Care Plans
* Group Therapy
* ‘Steps’ programme
* Key working support
* Daily personal journal
* Weekly objectives
* Progress Reviews
* Education programme, including IT skills
* Compliance with Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
* Introduction to the work of AA and/or NA
* ‘Recovery is a Process Not an Event’
* Safe place in which to grow in trust and self-esteem.
* Spiritual guidance
* Faith and Hope Groups
* Leisure pursuits
* Access to on-going support in second and third-stage accommodation.
* Groups facilitated by trained staff.

The house provides single bedrooms, with all other facilities shared. Staff are on-call out of hours; there are no resident staff.

Whether you are a newcomer to any form of 12-step recovery, or whether you have prior experience, the information and techniques in this programme will increase the security and quality of your recovery.

Contact Details:

Highgate Hall
Kenward Road
Yalding
Kent
ME18 6AH

Telephone: 01622 814 187