Alcohol sale ban for restaurant

House Wong was found to be serving alcohol to children as young as 14

A restaurant in Witney has been banned from selling alcohol after being repeatedly caught selling drinks to people under the age of 18.

House Wong on the High Street failed three underage test purchases carried out by the council and police between 2006 and 2009.

On each occasion alcohol was served to volunteer children, as young as 14.

The restaurant's supervisor received a fixed penalty notice and a caution for the first two failures.

After the third test purchase in July 2009, Mr Lin Fong Cheung, 62, received a court summons.

He pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates' Court last month to selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18 and was fined £360 and ordered to pay £80 costs.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, chairman of West Oxfordshire District Council's Licensing Panel, said: "The restaurant repeatedly failed to act on warnings and advice given by police and our council as the licensing authority to prevent underage drinking on its premises and there is clear evidence that alcohol has been served to minors on many occasions."

House Wong has 21 days to appeal against the Licensing Panel's decision, which expires on 17 November.