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A man was fined $15,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (October 22) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in April this year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club in Portland Street in Mong Kok, which has 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. The OLA officers found that the club's exit route was obstructed. Furthermore, the club staff failed to show the CoC or its certified true copy, the registered drawings and the membership register upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 2, 12, 17, 19 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 the CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:15
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