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A man was fined $8,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (February 19) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in July last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club on Hankow Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, which has 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. OLA officers also found that the club's layout had deviated from the registered drawings. Conditions 3 and 19 of the CoC 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/Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:30
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