TNAG-1555-FCO40-2119-Broadcasting-in-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 128

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Closure orders

6.107 In October 1982 a report by the Mongkok District Board Working Group on Vice Associated Establishments was published. The report revealed numerous vice associated establishments in the Mongkok district and expressed considerable concern over the problems thus created for local residents. Vice activity attracts a great number of undesirable characters, both customers and those associated with the trade. Local residents are annoyed and embarrassed living shoulder to shoulder with prostitution. In addition to disturbance, they voiced fears about security in apartment blocks, noise nuisance and fire hazards. Property values fall in areas where advertisements for the service s of prostitutes are common.

6.108 The report categorised three different types of vice associated establishment -

(a)

one prostitute apartments;

(b)

adult entertainment centres; and

(c) guest houses.

The first was found to be the greatest sources of public worry. The entertainment centres were normally found on the ground floor, while one prostitute apartments brought customers into residential blocks. Guest houses, small hotels used by prostitutes, created the least disturbance.

in

6.109 The report of the Mongkok District Board lead to the Fight Crime Committee setting up, April 1983, a Working Group on Vice Associated Establishments and Environmental Nuisance. The solution proposed by the Working Group was to make the courts of law more accessible to the occupiers of residential premises by creating a new summary procedure limited to nuisances created by vice related establishments [which would include one prostitute apartments]. The residents could obtain closure orders. The mechanics of the scheme would be

-

(a)

the complainants [which could include Mutual Aid Committees, Residents Associations and Owners Incorporations] would approach the relevant District Office to record their complaints in a prescribed form;