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A woman was fined $20,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (July 15) 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 Lock Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, which had 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 as members. OLA officers also found that the club's layout had deviated from the registered drawings and the exit route had been obstructed. The number of people at the club during the inspection exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. Conditions 19, 3, 12 and 6 of the CoC were breached.
Furthermore, OLA officers found that the club had been operating under a name other than the one indicated on the CoC on the day of inspection.
The woman, being the CoC holder, 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, July 15, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:32
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