'She was tipsy - you could tell when she talked': Telford chain pub investigating after staff accidentally served boozy 'mocktail' to seven-year-old girl
A brewery chain has launched an investigation after a seven-year-old girl was accidentally given a "mocktail” containing alcohol at a Telford pub.
Single mum Tracy Shaw took her two daughters to see a pantomime in Telford on Saturday (December 27) and followed up the Christmas treat with a meal and drinks at the Wrekin Giant in Southwater in the town centre.
Ms Shaw said her oldest daughter Amber, aged 28, and youngster Bethany, aged seven, ordered a jug of mocktails - non-alcoholic cocktails.
But the Telford mum said Amber, who has worked in the pub trade, realised within minutes that there was something off with her drink.
“They ordered a jug of passion fruit cooler, while i had a coffee,” Tracy said. “The mocktail arrived at the table and Amber poured a glass for Bethany.
"A few minutes later, when Amber poured herself a drink, she took one sip and realised it was full of alcohol - she works in a pub so could taste vodka and other alcohol. She spat it out but by then Bethany had drank a good four or five mouthfuls.”
She said staff at the restaurant told her it had been a “genuine mistake” and refunded the meal, but that by this point young Bethany was beginning to feel ill.
“She was tipsy, you could tell by the way she spoke," Tracy said. "She started to say she felt sick. The staff at the pub did not provide any help or first aid, just kept saying it was a mistake.”
The panicked mum said she took Bethany home and called 111, who told her that A&E would be busy and advised her to keep an eye on her daughter at home.
“They told me to make sure she drank plenty of water and ate something and hopefully it would wash through her system, but added that if she were to be sick then I should bring her in," Tracy said.
She said luckily Bethany made a full recovery but Tracy said the pub needed to “up its game” when it came to the serving of alcohol.
“She is only seven so it could have been a lot worse. All they would keep saying was that it was a ‘genuine mistake’ but it was dangerous - they did not even apologise.”
A spokesperson for brewery chain Greene King, which runs the Wrekin Giant under its Hungry Horse brand, said the company has launched an investigation.
The spokesperson said: "We are deeply sorry for what happened on this occasion. Ensuring the health and safety of our guests is our utmost priority and we are conducting a full internal investigation into what happened.
“We have also been in contact with the family following the incident, and all our team members have received additional training to ensure this doesn't happen again."
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