Pubs and bars are getting better at asking drinkers for ID if they look underage, according to test purchasing firm Serve Legal.
Serve Legal said that during the first 10 months of 2009, its nationwide team of 18- and 19-year-olds carried out 2,042 on trade site visits.
The overall pass rate for the year was 69%, compared with just 54% in 2008.
A Serve Legal test purchase is a "pass" if its mystery shopper is required to provide official ID in order to complete the purchase.
Scotland was the best-performing region, with a 76% pass rate (2008: 68%), followed by Wales, 75% (2008: 58%) and London, 73% (2008: 69%).
Worst-performing regions were the Midlands with 63% (2008: 66%), and Northern Ireland with 63 (2008: 56%).
Charlie Mowat, director of Serve Legal said: "Young people are becoming cuter and more daring when it comes to trying to buy alcohol. At the end of the day it comes down to whether or not they think they’ll be served. Pubs need to be on their guard and send out a strong message of zero tolerance.”
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By Neil Gerrard
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