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A man and a company were fined $15,000 and $6,000 respectively at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (August 5) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in January this year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at two clubs on Nathan Road and Dundas Street in Yau Ma Tei, which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).
During the inspection, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club on Nathan Road for food without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club. The club staff also failed to show the CoC or its certified true copy and the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. The OLA officers also found that the club had a layout that deviated from the registered drawings and a fire resistant door had been held open. Conditions 2, 3, 9, 17 and 19 were breached.
In the club on Dundas Street, apart from serving non-members, the club staff also failed to show the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 17 and 19 were breached.
The man and the company, being the CoC holders, were 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, August 5, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:07
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