'Govt Losing HK$400m As Clubs Pay Token Rents'

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2018-02-21 HKT 19:32

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  Green Sense says cheap rents for clubs are basically subsidising the lifestyles of the rich. Photo: RTHK

Roy Tam speaks to RTHK's Candice Wong

A campaign group says the government is throwing away HK$400 million of potential revenue each year by charging private clubs only token rents.

Green Sense said it has found that 27 clubs are only paying 3 percent of the rateable value of the land they use.

The group's chief executive, Roy Tam, said these clubs are mostly for private members and not the public, and the cheap rents are basically subsidising the lifestyles of the rich.

Tam said according to his group, the area occupied by the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling should fetch a rent of around HK$80 million, while the club pays only around HK$2 million.

He said some of these clubs charge thousands of dollars to admit members and rake in huge sums.

Tam told RTHK's Candice Wong that claims by some clubs that they are open to the public at certain hours are also questionable, as most of the hours they offer are during the daytime on work days.