HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
59
issue a full license instead of a provisional one all for the purpose of closing a loophole in licensing?
The current procedure is for the cinema operator to submit a proposed design layout together with its license application. As for details of fire safety installations, they can be directly submitted by the contractor to the Fire Services Department. On receipt of the layout plan, the licensing authority circulates it to various departments for examination. If the design is found not meeting the requirements, suggestions will be made to applicants. After sitting out by applicants, the licensing authority arranges for inspection by the Fire Services Department, Buildings Department etc. The above is the normal licensing procedure. As communication among the licensing authority, Fire Services Department, Buildings Department and cinema operators is often not direct, applications are often delayed when there are alterations to the design layout or fitting out work is not done in accordance with the layout plan.
I can quote 2 examples for your reference. When we were boys, the cinema houses we went to had exit doors that opened out by lifting the latches. Ten to twenty years later, we no longer use doors of such backward design. But strangely, although doors we now have are automatically locked and pushed to open, the Fire Services Department insists that cinema operators display the words 'lift to open'. Actually, doors nowadays cannot be opened by lifting. If a cinema operator displays the word 'push', people of the Fire Services Department consider it not up to standard.
The second example has to do with seats. After adjustments to seats have been made in accordance with the instruction of the Fire Services Department, operators may be told that the passage at the exit is not up to standard. In other words, operators are not told all the work that fail requirements at one go so that alterations can be made concurrently. We can see that the bureaucratic attitude of certain departments is holding up things.
According to USD records, 8–9 months are required on average to process an application for a cinema license whereas it takes only two months to fit out a cinema. If a cinema has to pend operation for as long as six months for need of a license, the operation cost is indirectly increased. This situation results in unlicensed operations. Certain cinemas would rather choose to pay penalties in order to continue operating without a license and cut cost. I believe this is one major reason for the large number of unlicensed cinemas all over Hong Kong (including the New Territories).
Of course, we are opposed to unlicensed cinemas. Legislation should be introduced to ban them. However, there is need to examine closely into the length of time required to process applications. I wonder if processing time can be cut by holding regular inter-departmental meetings of the licensing authority, Buildings Department, Fire Services Department and others to consider applications for cinema licenses. If the time required for processing can be shortened, maybe we can issue licenses, not provisional ones.
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