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Three companies and a man were fined $1,600 to $5,400 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (April 10) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance (the Ordinance).
The courts heard that in September last year, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at four clubs in Mong Kok, which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).
OLA officers posed as customers and patronised two clubs in Portland Street for food and drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Condition 19 of the CoC was breached. The OLA officers also found that one of the clubs had a layout that deviated from the registered drawings, breaching Condition 3 of the CoC.
OLA officers also found that a club in Sai Yee Street served non-members and the exit route was blocked. Conditions 9 and 19 of the CoC were breached. Furthermore, apart from serving non-members, a club in Dundas Street had a layout that deviated from the registered drawings and its exit route was blocked. Conditions 3, 9 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
The three companies and the man, being the CoC holders, were charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department reminded all the CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:01
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