Managers fined for illegal club operations

     Two men and one woman were fined from $6,000 to $10,500 at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (May 15) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.

     The courts heard that in October last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted inspections at two clubs on Yee Wo Street in Causeway Bay which had been operating with certificates of compliance (CoCs).

     During the investigation in one of the clubs on Yee Wo Street, the 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 member. Also, the club was found to have a layout that deviated from the registered drawings and the number of people at the club during the inspection exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. Conditions 3, 6 and 19 of the CoC were breached.

     The other club on Yee Wo Street also served non-members. The staff of the club failed to show a copy of the certificate of the registered drawings upon the OLA officers' request as well. Conditions 17 and 19 of the CoC were breached.

     The men and woman, being the CoC holder and the managers of the clubs, were charged with contravening section 21(1)(a) or section 21(2) of the Ordinance.

     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 operations.