**********************************************
A company was fined $6,000 in the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (April 12) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The court heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection in December last year at a club in Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). During investigation, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for drinks without being asked to show their membership status or invited to join the club as members. Moreover, the number of people at the clubhouse during the inspection exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. Conditions 6 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
The company, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
A department spokesman said robust enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal clubhouse operations.
Ends/Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 16:31
NNNN
