*****************************************
A man who had been operating a clubhouse in Tsim Sha Tsui was today (December 30) fined $3,000 for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The Kowloon City Magistrates' Court heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department inspected a clubhouse in Lock Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, in July. 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 and beverages without being asked to show their membership status or be invited to join the club as members. Clubhouse staff could not show the membership register upon an OLA officer's request. Conditions 19 and 20 of the CoC were breached. The man, 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, December 30, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:51
NNNN
