Starting Dec. 6, a restaurant operating in the Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong has been mandated to close for 14 days following persistent violations of food safety and licensing regulations. The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene (FEHD) issued the temporary closure order against the establishment located at Career Court, 56–58 Tonkin Street, specifically Shops H and its associated outdoor seating area.
The closure, effective immediately until December 19, stems from the licensee’s failure to comply with the Food Business Regulation (FBR). The key offenses attracting the sanction involved the unlawful extension of the operating business area beyond the licensed premises and maintaining an unsanitary food preparation area.
Escalation of Regulatory Action
Officials reported that the licensee repeatedly disregarded existing regulations, prompting the heightened enforcement action. According to an FEHD spokesman, the establishment accumulated multiple convictions throughout the year.
The regulatory trail leading to the two-week suspension highlights a pattern of non-compliance:
- Mid-2025 Convictions: The licensee faced two convictions in July and September for the stated offenses. Penalties included court fines totaling HK$5,500 and the accrual of 15 demerit points under the department’s penalty system. These recent breaches directly triggered the current 14-day license suspension.
- Prior License Suspension: Additionally, the licensee had previous convictions in February and November of the preceding year, also related to the illegal expansion of its business area. Those breaches resulted in fines summing up to HK$7,700 and 30 demerit points. As a consequence, the eatery previously served a seven-day license suspension between January and February of this year.
Importance of Compliance in Food Service
The FEHD confirmed that accumulating excessive demerit points and repeated legal convictions, particularly those concerning public health and licensed operational parameters, results in mandatory license suspensions.
This case serves as a sharp reminder to all food service operators about the stringent regulatory environment governing Hong Kong’s thriving dining scene. The FBR mandates strict adherence to licensed boundaries to ensure public access and safety, and rigorous hygiene standards within food rooms to protect consumer health.
The spokesman explicitly warned that licensed food premises must operate strictly within the bounds of the FBR. Persistent contraventions can ultimately escalate from temporary suspensions to the permanent cancellation of operating licenses, threatening the viability of the business.
Maintaining Public Trust
For consumers, these enforcement actions underscore the government’s commitment to safeguarding hygiene standards across the city’s food sector. The FEHD utilizes the demerit point system as a transparent mechanism to track compliance and ensure licensees take corrective action.
To remain compliant and avoid similar penalties, food business operators are strongly advised to regularly review their operation protocols, ensure staff training covers hygiene and licensed boundary requirements, and proactively maintain excellent sanitation records. Resources regarding the Food Business Regulation and compliance checklists are available directly from the FEHD website.