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A company which had been operating a clubhouse in Hung Hom was today (April 15) fined $3,000 for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department inspected a clubhouse in the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, last October. The clubhouse had been operating with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) under the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance. OLA officers, posing as customers, patronised the clubhouse for food without being asked to show membership status or being invited to join the club as members. This breached condition 19 of the CoC. A clubhouse staff member could not show the membership register after a request to do so by an OLA officer. This breached condition 20 of the CoC. The company, being the holder of the CoC, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said robust enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal clubhouse operations.
Ends/Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:31
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