Changes to council services this Christmas
There will be a number of changes to the availability of council services and facilities this Christmas.
Community Hub
If you, a neighbour, family member or friend are struggling over Christmas for food or are feeling lonely, our Community Hub will be open every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Call our team on 01524 582000 or email customerservices@lancaster.gov.uk and we will support you and direct you to the help you need.
| Day: |
Phone lines open: |
|---|---|
| Thursday 24 December | 8am-3pm |
| Friday 25 December | Closed |
| Saturday 26 December | Closed |
| Sunday 27 December | 10am – 3pm |
| Monday 28 December | 10am – 3pm |
| Tuesday 29 December | 8am -6pm |
| Wednesday 30 December | 8am – 6pm |
| Thursday 31 December | 8am -3pm |
| Friday 1 January 2021 | Closed |
| Saturday 2 January 2021 | 10am -3pm |
| Sunday 3 January 2021 | 10am -3pm |
Meanwhile, our Customer Services Centre and other services will close at 3pm on Christmas Eve and re-open at 9am on Tuesday, December 29. The phonelines will also be closed on New Year’s Day and will re-open at 9am on January 4.
Markets
Festive opening times for the Charter Market and Assembly Rooms Emporium in Lancaster and Festival Market in Morecambe can be found at www.lancaster.gov.uk/markets
Salt Ayre Leisure Centre
Salt Ayre Leisure Centre will close for Christmas at 2pm on Christmas Eve and reopen at 6am on Tuesday, December 29. The centre will close for New Year at 2pm on New Year’s Eve and re-open at 8am on Saturday, January 2.
For more information on timetables, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/saltayre
Christmas waste and recycling collections
Don’t forget to check your collection calendar as there will be changes over the Christmas period to your normal waste and recycling collection days.
There are no collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
| Your usual collection day: |
We will collect on: |
|---|---|
| Monday 21 December | Saturday 19 December |
| Tuesday 22 December | Monday 21 December |
| Wednesday 23 December | Tuesday 22 December |
| Thursday 24 December | Wednesday 23 December |
| Friday 25 December | Thursday 24 December |
| Monday 28 December | No change |
| Tuesday 29 December | No change |
| Wednesday 30 December | No change |
| Thursday 31 December | No change |
| Friday 1 January 2021 | Saturday 2 January 2021 |
If in doubt you'll find a copy of your calendar at www.lancaster.gov.uk/bins.
Christmas tree recycling collection
For a small donation to St John’s Hospice, you can have your real Christmas trees collected from your doorstep by hospice volunteers in the new year. For more information or to book yourself a collection, visit www.sjhospice.org.uk/recycletrees , or call 01524 382538 during office hours.
Large or bulky items
For large or bulky household items, residents should call customer services to arrange a collection, telephone 01524 582491. For more information on Bulky Matters collection service, visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/bulkymatters
Alternative you can call upon recycling and reuse charity Freegle which offers a free Internet-based service where people can give away and ask for things that would otherwise be thrown away – visit www.ilovefreegle.org for more information.
Batteries
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without larger than normal supplies of batteries so the council is urging everyone this year to use the bins provided for used batteries at most major supermarkets in the area.
For more information and top tips for recycling as much as possible over the festive season, visit recyclenow.com
Trade waste collection service
There will also be changes to our commercial waste and collection service over the Christmas and New Year period. For more information visit www.lancaster.gov.uk/tradewaste
Suspension of garden waste collections
Residents in the Lancaster district who have subscribed to the council’s garden waste collection service are being reminded that collections will be suspended over the winter months in what is traditionally the quietest time for gardeners.
There will be no collections of garden waste from Monday, December 14 until collections resume on Monday, January 25 2021. During this time, people are being encouraged to either compost the green waste which may accumulate over this period or dispose of it at a local recycling centre.
However, people who wish to subscribe to the garden waste collection service provided by the council from Monday, April 1 2021, will be able to do so from February at a cost of £40 per green bin. There will be no increase in fees for this collections service for 2021/22.
Last updated: 21 December 2020