Challenge 25 is a policy under which anyone who appears to be under 25 is asked for proof of age before buying alcohol. It is not a law in itself, but it is a widely used licence condition and recognised good practice, because judging whether someone is eighteen by sight alone is unreliable. Selling alcohol to anyone under eighteen is a criminal offence for the person who makes the sale, and persistent underage sales can put the premises licence itself at risk. Trading Standards and the police use test purchases with young volunteers to check compliance, and a failed test often triggers a review.
Acceptable ID usually means photo identification with a hologram, such as a passport, photocard driving licence or a card carrying the PASS hologram, and digital ID options are evolving. Refusal logs show the venue takes its duty seriously. Staff also need confident scripts and visible backing from managers when guests become angry or abusive about being challenged.
What we ask on the show
- How do you train new staff to challenge confidently?
- What's the hardest refusal you've ever had to make?
- Has a test purchase ever caught your venue out?
- Should managers back staff even when a regular is offended?