Licensing

The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has established the Catering Business Subsidy Scheme under the fourth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund. The Schem is now open to applications from eligible holders of the karaoke establishment permit with connected restaurant licence. A one-off subsidy of $50,000 will be provided to eligible permit holders of the karaoke establishment with part of the above licensed premises used as karaoke establishment has been closed pursuant to the directions issued under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) when the directions are in effect.

The application period and procedures are set out below:

Eligibility

The applicant shall hold a valid karaoke establishment permit issued by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene under the Karaoke Establishments Ordinance (Cap. 573). The details are as follows:

1. To apply for the subsidy, an applicant is required to fulfil the following criteria:
   1. the applicant holds a valid karaoke establishment permit issued by the FEHD and the connected restaurant licence issued by the FEHD
   2. on the date of approval of the application, the applicant is still holding a valid karaoke establishment permit and the connected restaurant licence shall be valid; AND
   3. the karaoke business is in operation on the date of submission and approval of the application; AND
   4. no application for transfer, voluntary surrender or cancellation of permit in respect of the permitted karaoke establishment in restaurant is under processing in the period from the date of submission and approval of the application; AND
   5. the part of the above premises used as karaoke establishment has been closed under the relevant directions issued pursuant to the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) by which karaoke establishment was ordered to be closed; AND
   6. the applicant is not subject to any bankruptcy or winding up procedure/proceedings/order at the time of the application and thereafter up to the grant of subsidy.

Note: In accordance with the directions issued under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F), karaoke establishments shall be closed from 2 December 2020 to 6 January 2021. This period may be extended subject to any further directions issued by the Secretary for Food and Health.

2. As an exceptional arrangement, an applicant not holding a valid karaoke establishment permit during the period, may apply for the subsidy, provided that:
   1. an application for transfer of a permit was made on or before 1 December 2020 and the applicant is the approved transferee; AND
   2. no subsidy has been granted by the FEHD under this Subsidy Scheme to the original permit holder in respect of the concerned permit under the Subsidy Scheme; AND
   3. the applicant meets the eligibility criteria in items 1b, 1c, 1d , 1e and 1f above.

Means of Application

• Obtaining Application Forms

  During the application period, eligible applicants may download the application form from the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk).  Alternatively, they may obtain the form in person at District Environmental Hygiene Offices (DEHOs) during office hours.

  • Notes on filling in and submission of application forms

    Before completing the application form, please read carefully the form, the application criteria and the notes therein.

    Submission of Application Forms
    • Completed application forms should be submitted within the application period by the following means:
      1. Return the application form by post to the DEHO in the district where the permitted karaoke establishment is located; or
      2. Submit the application form in person to the DEHO in the district where the permitted karaoke establishment is located.

         The opening hours of District Environmental Hygiene Offices are as follow : Monday to Friday： 8:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays Addresses and Telephone Numbers of District Environmental Hygiene Offices

    • An applicant may submit only one application form for each permitted karaoke establishment.  The provision of personal data in the application form is voluntary.  Multiple applications will not be processed.  An application will not be accepted if the prescribed form is not used or applicants tender late submission or provide insufficient or incorrect information
    • The application form shall be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on 28 January 2021.  For applications by post, the date of application will be determined according to the postmark date.  Late submissions will not be accepted.

Processing of Application

• FEHD will in general issue an acknowledgement of receipt of application to the applicants upon receipt of applications. No matter the application is submitted by post or in person, FEHD will make use of the local mobile phone number entered in the application form to issue acknowledgment of receipt of application and provide the relevant application number through SMS. No acknowledgement and notification of application number through SMS will be made if a local mobile phone number is not provided.
• Applications will be processed and approved by the FEHD in the order they are received.  Upon approval, each eligible karaoke establishment permit holder will receive a grant of one-off subsidy provided that the permittee is not subject to any bankruptcy or winding up procedure/proceedings/order when the subsidy is to be granted. The subsidy will be released to the permittee by a crossed cheque and by post to the address of the permitted karaoke establishment.

Other Points to Note

• FEHD will only issue subsidy once for each karaoke establishment permit. 
• The Government reserves the right to take appropriate action, including but not limited to refusing or not approving an application for subsidy or revoking any approval given and recovering any subsidy granted and all related expense incurred if false information is given, false declaration is made, or there is a breach of Cap. 599F or the direction issued thereunder.
• It is an offence under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (Cap. 201) to offer advantages to government officers in relation to their official duties.
• Applicants may be required to attend an interview and provide documentary proof before the release of subsidy.
• No fee is payable for obtaining or submitting an application form.
• FEHD has not entrusted any organisations/persons to receive/process applications or assist in the submission of applications.