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A man was fined $13,500 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (November 5) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance (the Ordinance).
The courts heard that in June last year, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club in D'Aguilar 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. The OLA officers also found that the club had operated beyond the licensed area and its layout had deviated from the registered drawings. Conditions 3, 18 and 19 were breached.
The man, 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 would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:01
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