A BIG-brand retailer has been banned from selling alcohol for two months after illegally selling it to teenagers. 

The B&M store, in Worting Road, Basingstoke, had its premises licence under review after it had failed four purchase tests in 10 months, carried out by Hampshire County Council's Trading Standards officers.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee came to the decision at a meeting last Friday, as it believed the management of the store had failed in the prevention of crime and protecting children from harm under the licensing agreement. 

After the two months, further conditions will be put in place, including all sales of alcohol being carried out by a member of management. 

The borough council’s licensing sub-committee heard that since the test failures B&M management had been working closely with Trading Standards to ensure proper training was being carried out, a new challenge 25 policy had been put in place and all 12 of the store's supervisors now had a personal licence to sell alcohol. 

The store was granted permission to sell alcohol by the council in June 2013, but after four failed test purchases in a 10-month period – which included two within a five-minute period – Trading Standards believed the issue needed to be addressed. 

B&M’s solicitor Neall McCann told the sub-committee: “I think the company is gobsmacked by these failures and we would like to apologise and we want to move forward with the statue authority. 

“There has clearly been a matter of complacency as our B&M stores don’t just sell alcohol and this is something, along with Trading Standards, we're looking to address, starting with further training for all the staff.”

The committee heard Trading Standards officer Steve Lawford praise the attitude of the B&M management as “refreshing”.

The suspension will come into effect after a 21-day period, in which B&M has decided not to appeal the decision.