Hygiene chiefs yesterday defended allowing unlicensed restaurant owners to operate in the wake of a food poisoning outbreak at one such outlet in Tsuen Wan.
Restaurateurs should be able to trade while applying for a licence, said Regional Services Department assistant director Lai Kwok-tung.
However, he vowed to be more aggressive towards restaurants which consistently failed to meet requirements.
'We will be considering being more vigilant in prosecuting those who are not doing their part [to apply for a licence],' he said yesterday. His comments came after 18 people were sent to hospital between July 19 and Saturday, suffering from gastroenteritis.
They had all eaten at the Sweetheart Garden restaurant in Tsuen Wan which was operating without a licence.
Although the restaurant applied for a provisional licence on February 5, it did not submit proof it had met hygiene requirements.
The owners have been prosecuted six times for operating without a licence, with the first conviction on July 22.