Public auction for Tai Po Lam Tsuen Fong Ma Po Fair stalls
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    The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (November 22) that stalls for the 2007 Tai Po Lam Tsuen Fong Ma Po Fair would be put up for public auction on December 12.

     To cope with the arrangements for protecting the Wishing Tree, the FEHD will hold a fair from February 18 to March 4 next year, from 8am to 6pm daily, at Tai Po Lam Tsuen Fong Ma Po.

     The arrangements among departments concerned were co-ordinated by the Tai Po District Office of the Home Affairs Department and supported by local people.

     The opening prices for each of the 32 dry goods stalls and six wet goods stalls are $650 and $910 respectively.

     The auction will begin at 9.30am on December 12 at Tai Yuen Community Hall, Tai Yuen Estate, Tai Po. Dry goods stalls will be auctioned first, followed by wet goods stalls.

     Bidders must be at least 18 years old and children under six years of age will not be allowed to enter the auction venue.

     Anyone can bid for more than one stall. A successful bidder is required to pay the bid price of the stall at the fall of the hammer. Bidders who use dishonoured cheques or fail to pay the sum required immediately after the auction will be sued and recovery action on the bid prices in arrears may also be taken.

     Successful bidders who fail to pay the sum required immediately after the auction will forfeit their right and the stalls concerned will be put up for re-auction immediately.

     For the protection of the Wishing Tree, stall operators will be prohibited from selling placards tied with any heavy object (including fruit), otherwise, the licence agreements concerned will be terminated.

     The fair site will be made available three days in advance for the setting up of stalls from February 15 to 17, however, no business shall be conducted on these three days.

     Stall licensees must completely remove the stall structure and paraphernalia, together with all refuse, debris and unsold commodities (whether damaged or otherwise), from the licensed area before 6pm on March 4. Licensees should not mutilate, destroy, damage or abandon any unsold commodities at and in the vicinity of their stalls.

     Interested bidders wishing to seek more information may call the FEHD's Tai Po District Environmental Hygiene Office at 3183 9109.

     Details are also available at the FEHD website: www.fehd.gov.hk.

Ends/Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:05

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