Furious at this Landlady's behaviour

[pebblesparker]

More of a WWYD. My DD (16) works Sat eve and Sun lunchtimes at a small local pub/restaurant. The staff are almost all under 18. It is run by a 25yr old who fronts the restaurant and her fiance who heads up the kitchen. Unfortunately this is quite an explosive relationship made worse by the fact that she regularly gets very drunk and he gets annoyed. She is diabetic and has apparently ended up in hospital because of the drink.
On one occasion recently it was exclusively hired out for a 50th Birthday party for 70 guests who the landlady knew. The landlady proceeded to get so drunk that she passed out in the kitchen leaving the young staff to cope with 70 guests many of whom were also the worst for wear. One of the guests was verbally abusive to DD who ended up in tears and by the time the fiance found out the guest had left. I had to collect a distraught daughter at 1.30 am. I was furious and very concerned that there was no support from the adults but DD insisted that I didn't get involved. This afternoon the restaurant was again hired for a exclusive party and again the landlady got drunk. She even sent DD to the local shop with her credit card to get some Red Bull for Jager bombs. DD was supposed to finish at 4.30 and we were due to go out this evening. At 6pm when she still wasn't finished Dh insisted that we collect DD. This time the landlady and her fiance had a blazing row, he stormed off in the car, she continued to drink and left the young staff in charge again. The whole toxic environment is stressing DD but she loves the other staff and really gets on well with them.
AIBU in feeling that this is disgraceful behaviour for an employer especially when her staff are so young. I feel there is potentially also a safeguarding issue. What if a customer were to become aggressive etc. I would really like to give this landlady a piece of my mind but my daughter still wants me to leave it.

Any advice oh wise MN

There are strict regulations about the hours under 18s can work and their working situation

The Landlady sounds highly unprofessional and not following these guidelines, however, there is not 'safe guarding issue's as these are not applicable to people working - regardless of age.

Who serves/pours the drinks if the staff are under age and shes paraletic? Maybe a licensing issue which you could report?

Id be angry too but i dont think you should get involved. I'd help her look for another job!

.. pressed post too soon.

You need to encourage your daughter to leave the role. The working environment sounds toxic and unprofessional.

However, as an ex hotel manager I would expect all staff regardless of age to address their concerns directly rather than through a parent.

Agree, if your dd is at school/college her hours are regulated. Your dd needs to learn that poor working conditions are not acceptable even if colleagues are convivial. If she is serving alcohol the ll is breaking the Law.

This landlady's behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and I'm sorry that your DD who is only 16 is having to deal with aggressive customers and an alcoholic in probably her first job ever - however, it is good experience for her as unfortunately they are all out there. You need to ask DD whether she feels safe at work and whether she wants to continue to work at this place. Reiterate that if she is rota'd on till 4.30pm then she MUST leave at 4.30pm and you will be there outside in the car waiting for her. If she doesn't emerge after 15 minutes then you will go in and "collect" her as the first poster is right, there are strict rules about how many hours under 18s can do. You do have to take a step back and allow your daughter the freedom to take control of this situation whilst also being mindful that she's not yet an adult.

Thanks for all the replies. I have checked into the working hours and will definitely insist she finishes before 12 on a Sat night in future. Interested that she should have a 30 min break on a Sun though, not sure how that will go down.
There are a couple of staff that are 18 and she can serve alcohol with them present apparently.
As suggested I will continue to step back and give her the confidence to leave if necessary, but it so hard to see her anxious about it, like many of us she doesn't handle confrontation well.

I would seriously encourage her to apply for other jobs whilst still there. It's a good life lesson not to be loyal when you are not being treated fairly.

Your dd is loyal to other employees. That’s sweet, but a valuable lesson is not to stick in a terrible environment out of loyalty.

There are a couple of staff that are 18 and she can serve alcohol with them present apparently.

No, no she can’t. That’s illegal. She has to be 18 to serve alcohol.

In fact ignore my post above, I’ve just looked online and it turns out I am wrong, which I’m very surprised at!

The landlady is breaking the law and, unfortunately, so is your dd.
Ignorance of the law is not a defence.
She needs to be out of there asap.

I really don’t think she can serve alcohol until she is 18.
I might ring the local police and ask them to confirm this.

Really?
When did the law change?

I had a job in a pub when I was a student.
I was only allowed to collect glasses, serve food and wash up until I turned 18.

you can serve alcohol under 18, but it has to be supervised and approved by an 18yo.

I would question how much the 18yos are supervising because she would literally have to check EVERY single time.

I assumed you had to be 18 but google suggests “16 and 17 year olds can serve alcohol in a bar or restaurant as long as the sale is approved by the licence holder”

If ll is pissed she is not supervising the sale of alcohol.

That's not right lottie. An 16 or 17 year old can serve alcohol in a restaurant provided the licensee or manager has authorised the same. However kts a moot point as together a drunken licensee can authorise anything!

Just report her to your local licensing authority and let them do their stuff.

starfish, yes that’s what I said once I had corrected myself

I would be reporting the whole situation to the police tbh with her being too paralytic to be responsible and underage kids being left in charge. And tell your daughter she needs to quit. I worked in pubs before and in my experience this sort of situation tends to escalate and end up with people being hurt. Unsavoury characters tend to gravitate to places like that pub as they see a situation they can exploit.

Your 16 year old DD is illegally serving alcohol whilst the license holder is passed out drunk?!

Everything previously posted re working hours and breaks for under 18s is good advice but the alcohol serving is illegal and would be enough for me to encourage her to quit on the spot, even without the toxic environment.

What @CuriousaboutSamphire said. This very young landlady is way out of her depth and needs to stop soon before something really shit happens.

Same as a supermarket. Under 18 can sell alcohol providing they have authorisation from a person who is over 18. My DS is glad he has turned 18 so he doesn't have to seek approval on every single transaction which involves alcohol.

This is a Licencing issue. Speak to the local authority. By getting drunk on the premises the Landlady is in breach of her Premises Licence, and also her Personal Licence (assuming she holds one). Very serious, and could result in the pub losing its Licence.