A police sting operation in Nottingham city centre on 5 March found 11 out of the 27 bars tested were serving under 18s, and a local police chief has warned that they may close down premises for breaking the law.
The 11 bars include venues owned by Luminar, Yates, Spirit, Mitchells & Butlers and the Nightclub Company. Police say they had warned bars in the city that checks would be carried out as part of a five-week crack down on drink-related disorder, the Morning Advertiser reports.
Police have given staff who served the youths a £80 fine and said action will be taken against the venues. Chief superintendent Les Kominiak said: "Some of them did the same thing during our last operation in December and we cannot allow it to continue."
"There are a number of options open to us to deal with this and they include shutting premises down if they continue to flout the law."
Police in six areas of the country have said they will carry out similar sting operations as art of the Home Office's Tackling Violent Crime Programme.
The campaign will test for venues selling alcohol to under 18's as well as ensuring that drinks are not served after closing time. So far the London Boroughs of Hackney, Lambeth, Southwark, Westminster and Brent & Islington have agreed to take part in the campaign. Elsewhere, Cardiff, Kingston-upon-Hull, Bolton, Wakefield and parts of Liverpool are also to running the campaign.
