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Two men and a company were fined $1,800 to $6,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (June 2) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in October and November last year, officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at two clubs on Foo Ming Street in Causeway Bay and Queen's Road Central in Central, which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).
In the club on Foo Ming Street, 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. The club staff failed to show the CoC or its certified true copy and the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 2, 17 and 19 of the CoC were breached. Furthermore, 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 and the company, being the manager and the CoC holder of the club respectively, were charged with contravening sections 21(1) or 21(2) of the Ordinance.
In the club on Queen's Road Central, the club staff failed to show the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. Condition 17 of the CoC was breached. The man, being the CoC holder of the club, was charged with contravening sections 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, June 2, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:47
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