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Business as usual? Hong Kong crackdown on unauthorised premises fails to halt lease violators

Post investigation reveals that while a dozen businesses have closed after a deadly fire in Ngau Tau Kok, many quietly keep going

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DF Fitness at Tai Ping Industrial Centre in Tai Po. Photo: Edward Wong

A government crackdown after a deadly industrial building fire has prompted the apparent closure of around a dozen businesses ahead of a deadline to fix safety breaches, while those still in operation are ­trying to keep a low profile.

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The deaths of two firemen who battled a mini-storage blaze in June called into question the safety of the city’s factory blocks, which have seen a growing number of establishments engage in non-industrial activities that often are unlicensed or fail to meet fire safety regulations.
The Lands Department last month named six industrial blocks that had dangerous goods on their premises. It ordered that all found in breach – learning centres, shops, restaurants and recreational venues among them – comply by August 29. A 14-day grace period is to be given to the landlords, with a failure to vacate possibly leading to repossession of the properties.

That list included Shield Industrial Centre in Tsuen Wan, a 29-storey block home to a yoga centre, two gyms, a theatre and even a Taoist shrine.

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Another unit suspected of breaching lease terms, a theatre on the 19th floor, appeared closed and no one answered its doorbell. Its Facebook page, which once promoted rental of the venue for mini-concerts and performances, had been removed.

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