The Catering Business Subsidy Scheme under the third-round of the Anti-epidemic Fund will invite applications from October 13 to November 12.

A similar scheme was introduced in the fund's second round to provide financial relief measures to catering businesses hard hit by the epidemic and social distancing measures.

So far more than $3.2 billion in subsidies has been disbursed to eligible applicants.

The new round of the scheme will provide subsidies ranging from $50,000 to $250,000 to eligible licence holders of general, light refreshment and marine restaurants as well as factory canteens in operation, according to the premises’ floor area as specified on the licence.

The scheme is expected to benefit about 17,000 catering outlets.

Karaoke establishments, nightclubs and bars or pubs that are directed to close the whole of their licensed premises under the Prevention & Control of Disease (Requirement & Directions) (Business & Premises) Regulation, are eligible for an additional one-off $25,000 subsidy.

Application forms and guidelines can be downloaded from the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department website or be obtained from District Environmental Hygiene Offices from 9am on October 13.

The department will notify separately its cooked food/light refreshment market stall tenants as well as cooked food stall operators in public housing developments holding hawker licences about the application arrangement.