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A company and a man were fined $9,000 and $12,000 respectively at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (February 11) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in February and July last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at two clubs on Nathan Road in Yau Ma Tei and Argyle Street in Mong Kok respectively, which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).
OLA officers found that the layout of the club on Nathan Road had deviated from the registered drawings, and the number of people at the club during the inspection had exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. The club staff also failed to show the membership registers upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 3, 6 and 20 of the CoC were breached. The company, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
Apart from breaching conditions 3 and 6, the club in Argyle Street was also found to have breached condition 19 of the CoC by serving non-members. In addition, the club was found to be operating under a name other than the one indicated on the CoC on the day of inspection. The man, being the CoC holder of the club, was charged with contravening sections 21(2) and 21(1)(c) 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 11, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:31
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