A Costcutter store will have its licence suspended for 28 days after a worker sold alcohol to a 16-year-old.

Last week, we reported that one of the licence holders, Tajinder Singh Khurana, at the Costcutter shop on Coronation Avenue in East Tilbury sold a bottle of rosé wine to a 16-year-old girl who was accompanied by a 15-year-old.

Both the minors had been sent in by Thurrock Trading Standards on August 14 last year and, as a result of this sale, the store's licence was put up for review.

Following a Sub-Licensing Committee last night, councillors decided to suspend the licence for four weeks - an enforcement that will take effect after a three week period where the licence holders can appeal the decision.

This means they will be unable to sell alcohol during that period.

In addition, the designated premises supervisor, Mustafa Er, will be removed from the licence.

Chair of Licencing Committee, Councillor Ben Maney, said: “Any premises selling alcohol illegally to underage customers is of course a cause for concern.

“This committee takes these concerns very seriously and as a result it was agreed that additional conditions be added to the current licence.

“The current designated premises supervisor will be removed from the licence and CCTV must be installed at all points of sale. The CCTV footage will be made available to authorised officers and Essex Police.

“Finally, the premises licence will be suspended for the sale of alcohol for 28 days.

“Of course, there is a 21 day appeal period following committee decisions of this nature and therefore the conditions will not be enforced until after that time.”