92-year-old refused whisky after failing to provide proof of age

A 92-year-old woman was refused a bottle of whisky because she couldn’t prove that she was over 18.

Great-grandmother Diane Taylor, of Harlow, Essex, initially believed that the cashier serving her at the local One Stop shop was complimenting her when she was asked for ID.

However, after realising the female member of staff was serious, she had no choice but to find identification documentation to prove her age, her pensions card, bus pass, a blood donors card and even her pacemaker.

But none of them were enough as they didn’t show her date of birth and she was not allowed to buy the bottle of whisky for her son.

Speaking to the Harlow Star newspaper, she said: “I was in a hurry and it caught me off guard when she asked to see some ID.

“When I asked her exactly what she wanted she said proof of age. But I don’t have a passport or driving licence so what did they expect me to do?”

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Responding to the incident, a spokesperson for the shop said they had to enforce the ID policy or risk losing its licence, regardless of how old the customer looks.

He said: “Although we are very sorry for the inconvenience caused, staff at the store are required to ask all customers for ID as a condition of its licence to sell alcohol.”

The pensioner, who was born when Lloyd George was Prime Minister and George V was on the throne, had no problem buying a bottle of whisky elsewhere after being turned away.

“I am 101% with them for checking young people but carrying it to that length is just ridiculous,” said Mrs Taylor.