National Pubwatch, the organisation responsible for helping keep our drinking environments safe, have launched a new video campaign to help remind businesses of the identification process when dealing with potentially underage customers.

This comes as a response to the criticism that some pub and hospitality traders have received despite the success of the Challenge 21 scheme.

Challenge 21 is the industry approved standard for proof of age verification within the United Kingdom, with a range of acceptable forms of identification including:

• Driving licences
• Photo identicards bearing the ‘PASS’ hologram
• Passports
• Military identification cards

Any other forms of identification, such as birth certificates are not covering via this scheme. As a retailer, you are within your rights to refuse service to anyone bearing one of these forms of identification if it has expired.

The five step verification process for Challenge 21 is simple and easy to remember:

1. Check the ID card design – does it conform to official standards?
2. Check the hologram – is it genuine?
3. Check the card – has it been tampered with? Or does it appear to be of inferior quality?
4. Check the photo – does the photograph match the cardholder?
5. Check the person – are you totally satisfied?

By following these simple steps, you are avoiding committing an offence by serving alcohol to an underage customer. Commonly overlooked, failure to challenge a customer that appears does not appear to be of legal age is also an offence. So make sure you do not fail to do so.

The video was produced was in order to provide the large number of Pubwatch members with a simple training tool for their staff without needing massive amounts of information or intense training.

Pubwatch's 'tongue in cheek' Challenge 21 training video https://t.co/6qx2Llo7og #Pubwatch pic.twitter.com/JosbghEcsb

— National Pubwatch (@NatPubwatch) August 2, 2016

Steve Baker Chair of National Pubwatch said, “The criticism of the pub and hospitality trade for under age sales continues to be an issue despite the fact that for many years they have had the superb Challenge 21 scheme in existence. We have decided to promote the scheme and at the same time show how bar staff can demonstrate due diligence by following a few simple steps when checking ID”.

Brigid Simmonds, CEO of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “This is an excellent initiative from National Pubwatch. It is a fun and creative way of underpinning licensee training on the importance of Challenge 21.”

Check out the quick video and educate your staff on what forms of identification are acceptable.

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