Manager and operator fined for illegal club operation

     A man and a company were fined $12,000 each at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (March 26) for contravening the Clubs (Safety of Premises) Ordinance.

     The courts heard that in July last year, officers from the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department conducted an inspection at a club on Sharp Street West in Wan Chai which had been operating with a certificate of compliance (CoC).

     The club was found to have a layout that deviated from the registered drawing and the number of people at the club exceeded the maximum allowable capacity as stipulated in the CoC. Also, the club's staff failed to show a copy of the certificate of fire service installation and equipment and the registered drawing upon the OLA officers' request. Conditions 3, 6, 10 and 17 of the CoC were breached.

     The man and the company, being the manager of the club and the CoC holder of the club respectively, were charged with contravening section 21(1) (a) and 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.