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A woman and a company were fined $4,500 and $6,500 respectively at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (February 19) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in July last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected a club on Cochrane Street, Central, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). During the investigation, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food and drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Moreover, OLA officers found that the actual layout of the club had deviated from the registered drawings and the club staff failed to show the membership register upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 3, 19 and 20 of the CoC were breached.
In another operation in the same month last year, OLA officers inspected a club operating with a CoC in Wing Wah Lane, Central. Apart from serving non-members, the club was found to have a layout that deviated from the registered drawings. Moreover, the club staff failed to show the CoC or its certified true copy and the membership register of the club upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 2, 3, 19 and 20 of the CoC were breached.
The woman and the company, being the CoC holders of the clubs, were 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 would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:18
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