C-stores' leaders have won a battle to clarify a licensing law that some councils had interpreted as meaning a shop's licence-holder must always be present when alcohol is sold.

Guidance revisions to the 2003 Licensing Act have made it plain that assistants can be delegated to sell alcohol in the absence of the licensee.

The change follows a campaign by the ACS. Chief executive James Lowman welcomed the news, but warned that a store's licence-holder was still accountable.

"The individual in charge has to be confident that others that work there are properly trained," he said.