Residents are being reminded of the amended opening times of Colchester City Council services and venues this festive period.
While key council services will continue operating over Christmas and New Year, the council’s main offices will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Friday, 27 December and will re-open at 9am on Tuesday, 31 December. They will also be closed on New Year’s Day – reopening for normal business from Thursday, 2 January 2025.
To find out more information about all the council’s services, visit www.colchester.gov.uk.
Residents wishing to access council services via their online account will be able to do so 24-hours a day over Christmas at www.colchester.gov.uk/online. This is the place to set up a Direct Debit quickly and easily, check Council Tax, apply for a Single Person Discount and switch to e-billing. Housing Benefit recipients can also view their entitlement, check correspondence and the income on a claim.
The key information and dates of council services over the Christmas period are as follows…
Recycling and rubbish collections
Garden waste pause: As in previous years and in line with Garden Waste Collection terms and conditions there will be no garden waste collections from Monday, 23 December 2024 until Friday, 3 January 2025, whilst we focus on collecting Christmas recycling and rubbish.
Garden waste pause: As in previous years and in line with Garden Waste Collection terms and conditions there will be no garden waste collections from Monday, 23 December 2024 until Friday, 3 January 2025, whilst we focus on collecting Christmas recycling and rubbish.
Monday collection changes: Flats bin-store rubbish collections scheduled for Monday, 23 December 2024, will now take place over the previous weekend.
Christmas week: There will be no scheduled collections on Wednesday, 25 December and Thursday, 26 December 2024. Tuesday to Friday scheduled collections will change as below:
Usual Collection Day New Collection Day
Tuesday, 24 December Monday, 23 December
Wednesday, 25 December Tuesday, 24 December
Thursday, 26 December Friday, 27 December
Friday, 27 December Saturday, 28 December
New Year's Week: There will be no kerbside or flats collections on Wednesday, 1 January 2025.
Tuesday, 24 December Monday, 23 December
Wednesday, 25 December Tuesday, 24 December
Thursday, 26 December Friday, 27 December
Friday, 27 December Saturday, 28 December
New Year's Week: There will be no kerbside or flats collections on Wednesday, 1 January 2025.
Usual Collection Day New Collection Day
Tuesday, 31 December Tuesday, 31 December
Wednesday, 1 January Thursday, 2 January
Thursday, 2 January Friday, 3 January
Friday, 3 January Saturday, 4 January
Tuesday, 31 December Tuesday, 31 December
Wednesday, 1 January Thursday, 2 January
Thursday, 2 January Friday, 3 January
Friday, 3 January Saturday, 4 January
Find out more here: Christmas and New Year collections
Information about Essex County Council’s Shrub End Recycling Centre opening times and items accepted can be found here.
Information about Essex County Council’s Shrub End Recycling Centre opening times and items accepted can be found here.
Recycle your Christmas tree: If you are looking to recycle your real Christmas tree following the festive period, you can ask St Helena Hospice to take it away for a small donation.
Volunteers supporting St Helena will be out across Colchester and the surrounding areas between 10 January and 13 January, to collect pre-registered real Christmas trees from the postcode areas of CO1 to CO9 and CO11 to CO16.
Volunteers supporting St Helena will be out across Colchester and the surrounding areas between 10 January and 13 January, to collect pre-registered real Christmas trees from the postcode areas of CO1 to CO9 and CO11 to CO16.
More information can be found here.
Helpline
The emergency alarm, response and monitoring service, Helpline, will operate 24 hours-a-day, as normal, during the Christmas and New Year period, providing support and equipment for elderly and vulnerable residents.
The emergency alarm, response and monitoring service, Helpline, will operate 24 hours-a-day, as normal, during the Christmas and New Year period, providing support and equipment for elderly and vulnerable residents.
Helpline users can contact the service or find out more at www.helpline247.co.uk or by calling 01206 769779.
Colchester Fibre remains available for emergency response. For any urgent issues relating to corporate, Colchester City Council, Colchester Borough Homes, CCTV or Helpline connectivity, please contact the Service Desk on 03333110003. If you have a named engineer for managed services, please contact them directly by their mobile telephone number. Installations and network build will be paused between 22 December and 8 January.
Leisure World
Residents looking to burn off the extra calories consumed over Christmas, de-stress in the spa or who want to make the most of the school holidays will find plenty to do at Leisure World Colchester, Aqua Springs, and the Colchester Sports Park.
These venues will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but open every other day over the festive period. Leisure World Tiptree and Leisure World Highwoods will close from Monday, 23 December and will reopen on 2 January.
Residents looking to burn off the extra calories consumed over Christmas, de-stress in the spa or who want to make the most of the school holidays will find plenty to do at Leisure World Colchester, Aqua Springs, and the Colchester Sports Park.
These venues will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but open every other day over the festive period. Leisure World Tiptree and Leisure World Highwoods will close from Monday, 23 December and will reopen on 2 January.
Colchester Castle
Colchester Castle will be closed over the Christmas period from Tuesday, 24 December to Friday, 27 December. It will be open as usual from Saturday, 28 December and will close again for the day on New Year’s Day.
More information can be found here.
Colchester Castle will be closed over the Christmas period from Tuesday, 24 December to Friday, 27 December. It will be open as usual from Saturday, 28 December and will close again for the day on New Year’s Day.
More information can be found here.
The Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is temporarily closed for essential renovations. We will announce a reopening date as soon as possible.
The Natural History Museum is temporarily closed for essential renovations. We will announce a reopening date as soon as possible.
Visitor Information Centre
The Visitor Information Centre and Hollytrees Museum will be closed from the 24 to the 27 of December. It will be open as usual from Saturday, 28 December and will close again on New Year’s Day.
The Visitor Information Centre and Hollytrees Museum will be closed from the 24 to the 27 of December. It will be open as usual from Saturday, 28 December and will close again on New Year’s Day.
Parks and open spaces
If you’re planning to blow away the cobwebs and take a traditional festive stroll on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day – Castle Park, High Woods Country Park and nature reserves across the city will be open throughout the holiday.
High Woods Country Park Visitor Centre will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Friday 27 December. It will reopen on Saturday, 28 December at 10am and resume its usual schedule of being open seven days a week, except for New Year’s Day, when it will also be closed.
If you’re planning to blow away the cobwebs and take a traditional festive stroll on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day – Castle Park, High Woods Country Park and nature reserves across the city will be open throughout the holiday.
High Woods Country Park Visitor Centre will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Friday 27 December. It will reopen on Saturday, 28 December at 10am and resume its usual schedule of being open seven days a week, except for New Year’s Day, when it will also be closed.
Colchester Cemetery grounds and Garden of Remembrance will be open as usual on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The Book of Remembrance room will be open on all of the Bank Holidays, between 8am and 4.30pm. There will be restricted cremations and burials between Christmas and New Year.
More information can be found here.
More information can be found here.
Colchester Market
Colchester Market will take place seven-days a week on Culver St East and West until Saturday, 21 December, and for late night shopping every Wednesday from 10am to 9pm, up to and including 18 December.
The High Street Market will continue to operate every Friday and Saturday, with a limited offering after 21 December before resuming on Friday, 10 January.
More information about Colchester Market can be found here.
Colchester Market will take place seven-days a week on Culver St East and West until Saturday, 21 December, and for late night shopping every Wednesday from 10am to 9pm, up to and including 18 December.
The High Street Market will continue to operate every Friday and Saturday, with a limited offering after 21 December before resuming on Friday, 10 January.
More information about Colchester Market can be found here.
Parking
St John’s Car Park will be closed from 7pm on 24 December until 5am on 26 December and vehicles will not be able to enter or exit the car park during this period. Details of all the city centre car parks, can be found here.
St John’s Car Park will be closed from 7pm on 24 December until 5am on 26 December and vehicles will not be able to enter or exit the car park during this period. Details of all the city centre car parks, can be found here.
All other car parks remain open and will be operating as usual over the festive period and customers are encouraged to use MiPermit to make contactless payments.
Further information about parking and travel in Colchester can be found here.
Colchester Borough Homes
Office opening times are as follows:
25-27 December: Closed
28-29 December: Open
1 January: Closed
2 January: Open
The Greenstead Housing Office will be closed on 28 December.
If you have an emergency when CBH is closed, please call 01206 282514
For anyone who finds themselves homeless or threatened with homelessness over Christmas, more information can be found here.
Cllr David King, the Leader of Colchester City Council, said: “As we approach the festive season, I want to thank our council staff for their hard work and dedication over the past year. While some offices and facilities will close briefly, essential services will continue to support our community during this special time.
“On behalf of Colchester City Council, I’d like to extend my warmest wishes to all our residents and staff for a joyful Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year. May the season bring moments of peace, celebration, and togetherness for everyone.”
Page last reviewed: 10 December 2024