The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) is operating the Commercial Bathhouse Subsidy Scheme under the fourth round of the Anti-epidemic Fund. The Scheme is now open to applications from eligible Commercial Bathhouse Licence holders for a grant of one-off subsidy. A one-off subsidy of $100,000 will be provided to eligible licence holders of the commercial bathhouses which are required to be closed under the directions issued under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F).

The application period and procedures are set out below:

Eligibility

The applicant shall hold a valid Commercial Bathhouse Licence issued by the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene on 26 November 2020. 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 Commercial Bathhouse Licence issued by FEHD on 26 November 2020 and is still holding the Licence on the date of approval of the application; AND
   2. the commercial bathhouse business is in operation on the date of submission of the application and on the date of approval of the application; AND
   3. no application for transfer, voluntary surrender or cancellation of licence in respect of the licensed Commercial Bathhouse is under processing between the date of submission of the application and the date of approval of the application; AND
   4. the licensed premises have been closed for the entire period as specified in the direction issued under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) by which a bathhouse was ordered to be closed ^{[Note 1]}; AND
   5. 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 1: In accordance with the directions issued under the Prevention and Control of Disease (Requirements and Directions) (Business and Premises) Regulation (Cap. 599F) which took effect from 26 November 2020 to 6 January 2021, commercial bathhouse must be closed. 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 Commercial Bathhouse Licence on 26 November 2020 may apply for the subsidy, provided that:
   1. an application for transfer of a Licence was made on or before 26 November 2020, and the applicant is the approved transferee after 26 November 2020; AND
   2. no subsidy has been granted by FEHD to the original licence holder in respect of the concerned licence; AND
   3. the applicant meets the criteria in item 1b, 1c, 1d and 1e 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 licensed commercial bathhouse is located; or
    2. Submit the application form in person to the DEHO in the district where the licensed commercial bathhouse is located.

       Opening hours of the District Environmental Hygiene Offices are as follows : 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

    3. An applicant shall submit only one application form for each licensed commercial bathhouse.  The provision of personal data in the application form is voluntary.   Applications will not be accepted if applicants do not use the prescribed form, tender late submission, provide insufficient or incorrect information or tender multiple applications.
    4. The application form shall be submitted by post or in person 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.

  Processing of Application

  • FEHD will in general issue an acknowledgement application to the applicant on receipt of application.  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 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.  On approval, each eligible licence holder for the premises operating a Commercial Bathhouse will receive a one-off subsidy of $100,000 provided that the applicant 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 licensee by a crossed cheque by post to the address of the licensed premises according to the record of FEHD.

  Other Points to Note

  • FEHD will only issue one-off subsidy for each commercial bathhouse licence.
  • 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 arising from false information given, false declaration made, or breach of Cap. 599F or direction issued thereunder or the licensing conditions of the relevant commercial bathhouse licence.
  • 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 the subsidy.
  • No fee is payable for obtaining or submitting application forms.
  • FEHD has not entrusted any organisations/persons to receive/process applications or assist in the submission of applications.