Lack of safety certificate delays cinema's opening

The Palace APM cinema in Kwun Tong has postponed its scheduled opening tomorrow because it could not obtain a licence on time.

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said yesterday the Broadway cinema chain needed to provide additional documents and warned it would face prosecution if the cinema, in the APM mall, opened without a licence.

Unlicensed cinemas came under scrutiny when Mongkok's UA Langham Place was prosecuted for operating without a licence in November, December and January.

A Broadway spokeswoman blamed its public relations firm for mixing up the opening date, which she denied had been scheduled for tomorrow - as a press release had said. 'We never thought the cinema would be opened on the 28th,' she said. No firm date had been set, though Broadway hoped it would open by Saturday.

The Fire Services Department said it had completed its inspections of the cinema and would issue its approval of the building's safety as soon as possible.

The UA chain has said it is common for cinemas to operate without a licence because approval takes six to nine months.