Manager and operator fined for illegal club operation

     A woman and a company were fined $1,500 and $4,000 respectively at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (July 29) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.

     The courts heard that in January this year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club on Kimberley Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC). 
      
     OLA officers posed as customers and patronised the club for food and drinks without being asked to show their membership status or being invited to join the club as members. Condition 12 of the CoC was breached. The woman, being the manager of the club and the company, being the CoC holder of the club, were charged with contravening section 21(1)(a) and section 21(2) of the Ordinance respectively.

     A spokesman for the department reminded all CoC holders to comply with the conditions as stipulated therein. Enforcement action will continue to be taken against illegal club operation.