Streamlined arrangement for Offensive Trades Licence under the Government lease for specified food businesses extended
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If a Government lease contains an offensive trades clause, which prohibits the carrying out of the trades of sugar-baker, oilman, butcher, victualler and tavern-keeper on the concerned lot and the premises thereon, the owner of such premises has to obtain an OT Licence from the LandsD in order to operate a food business in such premises.
The LandsD streamlined the arrangement for the OT Licence under the Government lease in November 2021 for three types of food business licences. If a premises, which is subject to the offensive trades clause under the Government lease, has been granted one or more of the following licences by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (DFEH) or the Liquor Licensing Board (LLB) respectively:
(i) General Restaurant Licence;
(ii) Light Refreshment Restaurant Licence; and
(iii) Liquor Licence;
an OT Licence will automatically be deemed to be granted by the LandsD. The owner of such premises is not required to make an application separately and pay the relevant fee.
To foster a business-facilitating environment for the food industry, the LandsD today has extended the streamlined arrangement for the OT Licence to eight other types of licences. If a premises has been granted one or more of the following licences by the DFEH or the LLB respectively:
(i) Bakery Licence;
(ii) Food Factory Licence;
(iii) Fresh Provision Shop Licence;
(iv) Frozen Confection Factory Licence;
(v) Milk Factory Licence;
(vi) Siu Mei and Lo Mei Shop Licence;
(vii) Composite Food Shop Licence; and
(viii) Club Liquor Licence;
an OT Licence will also automatically be deemed to be granted by the LandsD.
Details of the arrangement are contained in the Lands Administration Office Practice Note No. 3/2023 (www.landsd.gov.hk/en/resources/practice-notes/lao.html).
Ends/Friday, March 31, 2023
Issued at HKT 17:50
Issued at HKT 17:50
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