RESIDENTS were stunned when their village shop lost its drinks licence.

The Mace shop in Bovington had its appeal dismissed by magistrates who backed Purbeck District Council’s decision to revoke the licence following sales to a 15-year-old girl.

The shop angered residents earlier this year when staff started asking anybody who wanted to buy alcoholic drink for identification – including a 56-year-old man.

But magistrates deemed that the shop’s efforts came too late.

Nikki Wallace, 26, used the shop to buy pear cider each week.

She said: “I’m gutted. It’s a nightmare. I don’t drive so I’m absolutely stuffed.

“I usually get drinks from there before I go out on a Thursday so now my friend has to bring it from Wareham. The Mace shop was convenient.”

The shop put up signs warning customers they would be asked for ID when Purbeck District Council’s licensing panel decided to revoke the licence in June – pending the appeal.

Then Nikki’s mother Mary, 44, had to show ID to buy a pack of 20 menthol cigarettes.

When the shop lost its appeal staff replaced the alcohol with soft drinks as signs went up telling the customers that the alcoholic drinks were no longer available.

Mrs Wallace fears people may risk driving to get more drink when they are over the limit at Christmas.

She said: “This is a pain with Christmas coming up.

“I don’t drink myself but my daughter Nikki and her friends like to go there before they go out.

“And we’ve got the army camp here with married couples who want a bottle of wine with their dinner.”

Purbeck District Council decided to revoke the licence after a 15-year-old girl bought alcohol during a test purchase. The licensing panel made the decision after hearing that the same had happened on three out of four previous test purchases.

A council spokesman confirmed that the company which owns the shop – Elior (UK) Ltd – had its appeal dismissed.

She said: “At Bournemouth Magistrates Court the magistrates returned their verdict on the appeal by Elior (UK) Ltd against the decision by Purbeck District Council’s Licensing Panel to revoke the Premises Licence at Mace Stores, Bovington.

“The magistrates dismissed the appeal by Elior (UK) Ltd and in a 10 page adjudication fully supported and upheld the Licensing Panel’s decision.

Court costs of £2,500 were awarded to the council.”

Elior (UK) Ltd declined to comment.