HONGKONG'S restaurateurs have banded together to lobby for changes to the territory's licensing laws. More than 20 proprietors have become members of the Restaurant and Licensed Premises Association (RALPA) to lobby against what one member terms ''a horribly bureaucratic licensing system''. Under the present regulations the Liquor Licensing Board issues a licence when the business gets a restaurant licence. Approval from the Fire Services Department and the Building Authority must be obtained before the Urban Services Department will issue the restaurant licence. Although the Government says it is possible to obtain a liquor licence within six weeks, RALPA members say the process usually takes eight to 12 months. ''Every time the inspectors ask for an alteration, the plans have to be re-submitted, and it takes time to have another one arranged,'' a RALPA member said. ''We are not trying to get at the inspectors or their departments because they are only trying their best to administer the system with limited resources - we are not saying for a moment it is their fault - they have all tried to co-operate.'' The member denied RALPA was only for Western-style or expatriate-owned establishments. ''We have had very encouraging discussions with the locally-run Federation of Hongkong Restaurant Owners and another group representing fast-food chains. ''They want to work with us because they have had the same problems; we hope they will affiliate with us.'' Suggested changes to the laws include issuing temporary licences - after major work on features like fire exits has been completed - that will include a time limit for completing the rest of the work. Another alternative RALPA has devised is to have all the inspecting officers under one roof, as happens when club licences are issued. RALPA has already held a meeting with Mr Martin Barrow, the tourism industry's representative in the Legislative Council, and there are suggestions the restaurateurs should have their own functional constituency seat in the council.
