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A company, a man and a woman were fined $4,000, $2,000 and $4,000 respectively at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (August 9) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection in February this year on a club in Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay, which has been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). During the investigation, the clubhouse staff could not show the membership register upon OLA officers' request. OLA officers 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 20 of the CoC were breached.
The company, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
Furthermore, the club was found operating under a name other than the name indicated in the CoC on the day of inspection. The man, being the club manager, was charged with contravening section 21(1)(c) of the Ordinance.
In another inspection conducted in February this year on a club in Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay, which has been operating with a CoC, OLA officers found that the actual layout of the club deviated from the registered drawing, with an increased number of tables and chairs. Moreover, the number of people at the clubhouse during the inspection exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. Conditions 3 and 6 of the CoC were breached.
The woman, being the CoC holder, was charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal clubhouse operations.
Ends/Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:04
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