XN000022-1984-07-22 — Page 7

SUNDAY, JULY 22, 1984

6

FOOD PLACES CONTINUE TO GROW

******

THE NUMBER OF LICENSED FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS OPERATING IN THE URBAN AREAS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THIS YEAR.

–

AS AT THE END OF LAST MONTH, THE URBAN COUNCIL HAD ISSUED A TOTAL OF 2 933 GENERAL RESTAURANT LICENCES AN INCREASE OF 186 OVER THE FIGURES FOR THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR.

LIGHT REFRESHMENT RESTAURANT LICENCES ALSO WENT UP BY 29 TO 799 THIS YEAR.

OTHER FOOD BUSINESSES ALSO REGISTERED AN INCREASE IN NUMBER THIS YEAR, WITH LAST YEAR'S FIGURES IN BRACKETS: FRESH PROVISION SHOPS 1 559 (1 481), FOOD FACTORIES 713 (683), FACTORY CANTEENS - 163 (129), BAKERIES 531 (512), AND FROZEN CONFECTION FACTORIES - 72 (51).

-

HOWEVER, THERE WAS A DECREASE OF SIX SIU MEI AND LO MEI SHOPS THIS YEAR FROM 326 TO 320.

·

APART FROM THE CATEGORIES LISTED ABOVE, PERMITS ARE REQUIRED FROM THE URBAN COUNCIL FOR THE SALE OF RESTRICTED FOODS SUCH AS MILK, ICE CREAM, CUT FRUIT, NON-BOTTLED DRINKS, CHINESE HERB TEA AND FOOD SOLD IN COIN-OPERATED AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINES.

THE NUMBER OF SUCH PERMITS AS AT JUNE THIS YEAR TOTALLED ABOUT 4 700.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL SAID THAT ALL FOOD BUSINESSES MUST BE RUN UNDER AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUISITE LICENCE OR PERMIT FROM THE COUNCIL.

A LICENCE OR PERMIT IS ISSUED ONLY AFTER THE PREMISES HAVE CONFORMED TO THE PRESCRIBED HYGIENE STANDARDS LAID DOWN IN THE VARIOUS BY-LAWS MADE UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND URBAN SERVICES ORDINANCE AND TO THE APPROVED LICENSING POLICY OF THE COUNCIL.

+FOOD PREMISES ARE ALSO REGULARLY INSPECTED BY HEALTH STAFF TO SEE THAT LICENSING CONDITIONS AND THE HEALTH LAWS ARE OBSERVED AND THE HYGIENE STANDARDS MAINTAINED, HE SAID.

+A CONTRAVENTION OF LAW MAY LEAD TO SUMMONS ACTION, WHILE AN UNRECTIFIED CONTRAVENTION AGAINST A LICENSING CONDITION MAY RESULT IN SUSPENSION OF THE LICENCE OR PERMIT.+