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A man who had been operating a clubhouse with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) in Causeway Bay was today (August 19) fined $2,500 for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The Eastern Magistrates' Court heard that a clubhouse in Foo Ming Street, Causeway Bay had been operating with a CoC under the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance since July last year. The Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of Home Affairs Department found that the clubhouse served non-members in November last year, and the OLA subsequently issued a warning letter.
In December last year, an officer of OLA, posing as a customer, patronised the clubhouse for food and drink without being asked to show his membership status or invited to join the club as a member. Furthermore, it was also found that the layout of the clubhouse deviated from that as shown on the registered drawing. The man, holder of the CoC, was found to be in contravention of the special conditions 1 and 3 of the CoC, and he was subsequently charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said strong enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal clubhouse operations.
Ends/Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:30
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