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Two men and a company were fined $2,500 to $10,500 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (October 8) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in March this year, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at three clubs in Causeway Bay, which have been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).
During the investigation, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club in Cannon Street without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club. OLA officers also found that the actual layout of the club in Foo Ming Street had deviated from the registered drawings.
Furthermore, apart from serving non-members and having an actual layout that deviated from the registered drawings, the club in Yee Wo Street was found to have the number of people exceeding the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC.
Conditions 3, 6 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
The men and the company, being the CoC holders, 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, October 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:00
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