The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (November 14) that a public auction for stalls at the 2020 New Year Fair at Fong Ma Po, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, will be held on November 22 (Friday).
 
     A spokesman for the FEHD said the annual fair will be held for 15 days from January 25 to February 8, 2020. The opening prices for the 22 dry goods stalls and six wet goods stalls are both $650.
 
     The auction will begin at 9.30am at the Assembly Hall, G/F, Tai Wo Neighbourhood Community Centre, Tai Wo Estate, Tai Po. Dry goods stalls will be auctioned first, followed by wet goods stalls.
 
     Bidders must be at least 18 years old and ordinarily resident in Hong Kong.
    
     Anyone can bid for more than one stall. A bidder must pay the bid price and register in his or her own name as the licensee of the stall immediately after successfully bidding for a stall. The bidder is also required to sign at once a licence agreement with the FEHD, or will forfeit the rights to operate the stall.
 
     The spokesman said that successful bidders should comply with all the stipulations and provisions as set out in the licence agreement. Otherwise, the department is entitled to terminate the agreement and the licensee shall immediately vacate the stall.
 
     For the conservation of the Wish-Making Trees, stall operators will not be allowed to sell placards tied to any heavy object (including fruit). The licence agreements of those who fail to comply with the requirement will be terminated.
 
     The fair site will be made available three days in advance for the setting up of stalls from January 22 to 24, 2020. However, no business shall be conducted on these three days. The Government may without cause postpone the commencement date and shorten the duration of the licensed period (including the duration for setting up stalls and business period of the fair), or suspend or cancel the fair in whole or in part. The bidding price (licence fee) paid will be refunded to the affected licensee on a pro-rata basis without interest. The licensee and his employees or agents must vacate the licenced area no later than the time specified by the Government verbally (by way of press release, public announcement or other similar communications) or in writing.
      
     The FEHD reminded licensees that the stalls are solely for the purpose of selling and promoting the sale of the permitted commodities, and no other activities are allowed in the licenced area. If the FEHD considers that any activity conducted by the licensee to publicise, promote, display, show or sell any permitted commodities in the venue is unlawful, immoral or incompatible with the object of the Fair, the FEHD is entitled to direct the licensee to stop conducting such an activity and the licensee must immediately comply with such direction.
      
     Stall licensees should not destroy, damage or abandon any unsold commodities at and in the vicinity of the stall. They shall completely remove the stall structure and all paraphernalia, together with all refuse, debris and unsold commodities (whether damaged or otherwise), from the licensed area before 6pm on February 8, 2020.
 
     For more information about the auction, please call the FEHD's Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office at 3183 9162 or 2657 1137. Details are also available on the FEHD website at www.fehd.gov.hk.

Ends/Thursday, November 14, 2019
Issued at HKT 15:30

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