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A company was fined $5,400 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (July 25) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The court heard that during an inspection last December, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected a club in Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). During the investigation, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Moreover, the actual layout of the club was found to have deviated from the registered drawings and the exit route in the club was blocked. Conditions 19, 3 and 9 of the CoC were breached.
The company, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department reminded all CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Issued at HKT 16:45
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