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A man and a company were fined $3,800 and $6,800 respectively at Kowloon City Magistrates' Court today (May 8) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in October last year, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected a club on Chatham Road South, 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 drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Moreover, the club staff failed to show the registered drawings of the club upon OLA officers' request. Conditions 17 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
In another operation on the same day, OLA officers inspected a club operating with a CoC on Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. Apart from serving non-members, the club was found to have a layout that deviated from the registered drawing and its exit route was blocked. Conditions 3, 9 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
The man 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 stipulated therein. Enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 17:12
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