FEHD stringently combats restaurants operating without licence and seriously obstructing streets (with photo)

A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (April 12) that closure orders are being applied from the court against two food premises in Yau Ma Tei that have been persistently operating without a licence and causing serious obstruction to the streets.

The two food premises, located at Shop C-D and Shop A respectively on the ground floor of Temple Street, have been operating without a licence and occupying pavements and carriageways continuously, causing serious obstruction and environmental hygiene problems and great nuisance to residents nearby. From July 2022 to March this year, the FEHD received 437 complaints concerning the two restaurants, and conducted 132 blitz enforcement operations and instituted 306 prosecutions against their irregularities.

The spokesman said, "The FEHD has been taking enforcement and regulatory actions against the blatant contraventions of the two food premises in question and deploying manpower to step up the enforcement actions. However, the two restaurants continue to operate without a licence and obstruct public places persistently. Therefore, the FEHD believes it is necessary to apply to the court for closure orders under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132) to completely rectify their irregularities." The spokesman clearly stated that food business license applications will not be considered for operators who disregard the law.

FEHD officers have posted a Notice of Intention to Apply for a Closure Order prominently on the premises concerned and will promptly serve the person-in-charge of the restaurants and the owners of the premises with the notices. The applications for closure orders were submitted last month, and the hearing is scheduled for April 30 this year.

The spokesman stressed that the FEHD will persist in taking stringent enforcement actions against unlicensed food premises to safeguard food safety and public health. Operators are urged not to defy the law, while members of the public are appealed not to patronise these premises.

According to the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X), anyone operating an unlicensed food business commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000, imprisonment for six months and a daily fine of $900. Licensed food premises are required to exhibit its licence and a sign at a conspicuous place of the premises, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the department website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/list_licensed_premises.html). Members of the public can report any suspected unlicensed food premises by calling the FEHD hotline 2868 0000.

Ends/Friday, April 12, 2024

A spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said today (April 12) that closure orders are being applied from the court against two food premises in Yau Ma Tei that have been persistently operating without a licence and causing serious obstruction to the streets. FEHD officers have posted a Notice of Intention to Apply for a Closure Order prominently on the premises concerned and will promptly serve the person-in-charge of the restaurants and the owners of the premises with the notices.