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Two women and two men were fined $2,000 to $8,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (May 4) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in October and December last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at three clubs on Portland Street and Shanghai Street in Mong Kok and Dundas Street in Yau Ma Tei which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).
During the investigation in the club on Portland Street, 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. Also, the club's staff failed to show the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 17 and 19 of the CoC were breached. Two men, being the manager and the CoC holder of the club respectively, were charged with contravening section 21(1)(a) or section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
Apart from serving non-members food, the club on Dundas Street was found to have the exit route obstructed. Conditions 12 and 19 of the CoC were breached. The woman, being the CoC holder of the club, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
As for the club on Shanghai Street, the club's staff failed to show the registered drawings and the membership register upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 17 and 20 of the CoC were breached. The woman, being the CoC holder of the club, 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/Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Issued at HKT 19:15
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