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A man was fined $15,000 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (June 30) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in December last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club on Wan Chai Road in Wan Chai, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC).
During the investigation, OLA officers found that the club's exit route had been obstructed and the number of people at the club during the inspection had exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. Furthermore, the club staff failed to show the CoC or its certified true copy, the registered drawings and the membership registers upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 12, 6, 2, 17 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, June 30, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:30
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