The Leisure & Cultural Services Department today appealed to the public to observe the regulation on wearing masks at all times and keep places clean when celebrating New Year's Eve at its venues.

It will work with other government departments to implement a series of measures on New Year's Eve to reduce the chances of spreading COVID-19 in the community and maintain cleanliness and safety at the venues.

Such venues will include Tamar Park, the Central & Western District Promenade - Central Section, the Cultural Centre Piazza, Salisbury Garden, the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, the Avenue of Stars, Middle Road Children's Playground, Tsim Sha Tsui East Waterfront Podium Garden and the Urban Council Centenary Garden.

Moreover, the department will step up patrols at the venues and call on users to comply with the mask-wearing requirement in public places. Its staff will also work together with law enforcement teams of relevant departments to take action against littering, illegal hawking and acts that disrupt public order maliciously. Offenders will be liable to prosecution.

Crowd control measures will be implemented at the Cultural Centre Piazza, Salisbury Garden, the Avenue of Stars and the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade based on actual conditions during the holiday, the department added.