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A man was today (April 28) fined $4,600 for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The Eastern Magistrates' Courts heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department last September inspected a club in Robinson Road, Central, which had been operating with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC). OLA officers, posing as customers, patronised the club for food without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. They also found that the actual layout of the club deviated from the registered drawing, with an increased number of tables and chairs. Conditions 3 and 19 of the CoC were breached.
Furthermore, investigators found the name appearing on the main entrance of the clubhouse and the receipt different from the name of the club registered in the CoC.
The man, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening sections 21(1)(c) and 21(2) of the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said robust enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal clubhouse operations.
Ends/Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:42
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