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THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1982
NO-SMOK ING AREAS IN PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT PLACES
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ALL ENCLOSED PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT-CINEMAS, THEATRES, CONCERT HALLS AND AUDITORIA-THROUGHOUT HONG KONG ARE NOW REQUIRED TC DESIGNATE NO-SMOKING AREAS IN THEIR PREMISES UNDER NEW LICENSING CONDITIONS INTRODUCED BY THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
FROM NOW ON, ALL APPLICATIONS FOR NEW LICENCES OR RENEWAL OF LICENCES FOR SUCH PREMSIES WILL BE PROCESSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REVISED LICENSING POLICY.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT ALSO URGED MANAGEMENTS OF ESTABLISHMENTS WHOSE LICENCES ARE NOT YET DUE FOR RENEWAL TO COMPLY WITH THE NEW LICENSING CONDITIONS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
THE NEW CONDITIONS FOLLOW RECENT ANTI-SMOKING MEASURES APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
UNDER THE NEW LICENSING CONDITIONS, MANGEMENTS OF CINEMAS, THEATRES, CONCERT HALLS AND AUDITORIA MUST DESIGNATE NOT LESS THAN 50 PER CENT OF THE SEATS IN EACH TICKET CLASS (E.G. FRONT STALLS, BACK STALLS AND DRESS CIRCLES), OR 50 PER CENT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHERE NO FIXED SEATS ARE PROVIDED AS NO-SMOKING AREAS.
THEY ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO INDICATE SUCH DESIGNATIONS ON THE LAYOUT PLANS SUBMITTED FOR AUTHENTICATION AND RETENTION BY THE LICENSING AUTHORITY AND ON THE SEATING PLANS FOR USE IN THE TICKET BOOKING OFFICES.
AT THE SAME TIME, THESE PREMISES MUST DISPLAY SUFFICIENT NOTICES PROHIBITING SMOKING IN ENGLISH BLOCK LETTERS AND IN LEGIBLE CHINESE CHARACTERS OF SUCH SIZE AS TO BE CLEARLY VISIBLE FROM A DISTANCE OF TWO METRES.
+ THE NOTICES MUST BE DISPLAYED CONSPICUOUSLY IN THE NO-SMOK ING AREAS AND CONTINUOUSLY WHEN THE PREMISES ARE BEING USED AS PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
AT PRESENT THERE ARE ABOUT 100 LICENSED ENCLOSED PLACES OF ENTERTAINMENT IN THE URBAN AREAS AND ABOUT 30 IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
SMOKING IS ALREADY PROHIBITED IN ALL THEATRES, CONCERT HALLS, AUDITORIA, INDOOR GAMES HALLS AND STADIA MANAGED BY THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.