DH and I attended the junior school's production of a show last night. Took DS1 and DS3 with us. DS2 was performing. Just before you entered the school hall, the PTA had a table with a big sign "XXX's Bar". They were selling bottles of fizzy pop and had boxes of red and white wine - pop was 50p a bottle and wine was £1 a "glass" (plastic cup - and it was sh*t wine too, although that didn't stop me drinking it ).
While we were sitting in the hall waiting (it was stiflingly hot in there), I gave DS1(12) some money and told him to get everyone a drink. He came back with pop for himself and DS3 (DH didn't want anything) and a glass of red wine for me - and the PTA had happily sold it to him!
Our local Tesco Express has just sacked an employee for selling alcohol to a 16 year old, so what do you think would be made of a school's PTA selling alcohol to a 12 year old??
I went in today to talk to the head about it but he was busy so I spoke to the school secretary who was greatly shocked. I also raised the issue of whether the PTA had a licence. The PTA's view is that apparently you only need one if you charged for the wine, and the PTA has chosen to class the payment as a "donation". Well, in my book a donation is something where you choose how much you are going to give. Advertising wine at £1 a glass is not requesting a donation so I think they are sailing pretty close to the wind here.
Anyone know about this type of bending of the rules?? I've searched around and I cannot find any information which says that, if you make a donation for alcohol, you don't need a licence. I'm sure pubs and other venues would be making use of such a ruse.
If they are being incredibly stupid about this (and I think that they are), what, if anything, should I do about it??