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A man was fined $12,600 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (April 15) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in September last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club in Cannon Street, Causeway Bay, which has been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC).
OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club. During the investigation, OLA officers found that the club's layout had deviated from the registered drawings and the exit routes were obstructed. Also, the club staff could not show the certificate of fire services installations and equipment, the membership register and the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 3, 9, 10, 17, 19 and 20 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/Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Issued at HKT 17:20
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