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Two companies were fined $11,000 and 12,000 respectively at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (January 18) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.
The courts heard that in June and July last year, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department inspected two clubs in Minden Avenue and Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). During the investigations, OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the clubs for food without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Moreover, the club staff could not show the COCs or membership registers upon OLA officers' request. The exit routes in the clubs were also found to be obstructed. Furthermore, the actual layouts of the clubs were found to have deviated from the registered drawings, and included the addition of furniture. Conditions 3,9,19 and 20 of the CoC were breached.
The companies, being the CoC holders, were charged with contravening section 21(2) of the Ordinance.
A spokesman for the department said enforcement action would continue to be taken against illegal club operations.
Ends/Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Issued at HKT 17:48
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