Council services over the Christmas period

On this page:

Christmas bin collection dates
Real Christmas tree recycling
Waste collection calendars 2025
Christmas recycling tips
Civic Centre
Car parks
Centres for the Community (meals on wheels, community transport, dementia services, community alarm)
Out of hours (emergency accommodation)
Parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries
Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex opening times
Xcel Sports Hub opening times
Hurst Pool opening times
Christmas lights

Christmas bin collection dates

There are some temporary changes to bin collections over the Christmas/New Year period. Residents will need to present their bins on a different day than usual. Please present your bins at the edge of your property by 6am on your revised collection day.

Please see below to check your revised collection dates.

After this date, collections will return back to normal and bins should be presented on your usual collection day.

Should bad weather disrupt collections over the festive period please keep your refuse/recycling bins out. We will try to collect any missed bins as soon as we can.

Real Christmas tree recycling

Garden waste subscribers can recycle their real Christmas trees in their brown bin. Please remove all decorations and lights and chop it up into smaller pieces before placing it in your garden waste bin. Trees can also be taken to your local community recycling centre (CRC).

You can also recycle your Christmas Tree with the Princess Alice Hospice. Collections start from Wednesday 8 January 2025 for a minimum donation of £20. For more information please visit the Princess Alice Hospice website.

You can also recycle your real tree at Garsons in Esher, where they will be collected and recycled as garden waste. Take your tree on or before Saturday 11 January (no later than 4pm).

Waste collection dates calendar 2025

Starting this year, we're taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint by moving our waste collection calendar online. As a result, printed guides will no longer be available for residents.

Instead, you can check your bin collection day on our website with a simple postcode search.  You will also see a copy of your waste collection calendar should you want to print off at home.

Christmas recycling tips

Please only put recyclable items into your recycling bin, otherwise the entire lorry could be rejected and not recycled. Thank you for your help.

• Wrapping paper and cards - only those not lined with foil or plastic and that don't have glitter or batteries can be recycled, so please consider when purchasing and buy carefully.
• Cardboard - flatten boxes to create more space in your recycling bin.
• Other recycling tips and tricks from Surrey Environment Partnership.

Civic Centre

The Civic Centre will be closed from 3pm on Tuesday 24 December and will open again at 8:45am on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Car parks

All council car parks will be open to the public over the holiday period.

To support local shops and businesses, there will be no charges in the in the council-run town centre and village car parks on Small Business Saturday on 7 December.

Charges will also not apply in all council-run town centre, village and commuter car parks on Wednesday 25 December 2024, Thursday 26 December 2024 and Wednesday 1 January 2025.

Please remember to drive slowly and safely in our car parks when there are icy conditions.

Centres for the Community 

All Centres will be open until Christmas Eve, then closed from Wednesday 25 December and reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025. 

Meals on Wheels

A reduced Meals on Wheels Service will be operating during the Christmas and New Year period. All clients will be contacted to confirm their needs. 

If you have any queries about your Meals on Wheels service, please contact the team on 01372 474 552 or email commservices@elmbridge.gov.uk 

Community Transport

Community Transport will be open until Christmas Eve, then closed from Wednesday 25 December and reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025.

Any voicemail messages left on the transport number: 01372 474 944 during the closure period will be picked up when services reopen. 

Dementia Services

The last Dementia Services Social Club before Christmas will be on Friday 20 December, with clubs restarting again on Friday 3 January 2025.

The Dementia Services Team will be answering enquiries from the office until Tuesday 24 December, reopening services again on Thursday 2 January 2025. 

If you have any queries about the service, please call 01372 474 547 or email dementiaservices@elmbridge.gov.uk 

Community Alarm

Our Community Alarm and Telecare Service is now provided by Mole Valley Life. For details of available services over the Christmas period, please visit the Mole Valley Life website. 

Out of hours - emergency accommodation

If you are homeless and need assistance (emergency placement) outside of our normal opening times, please call our out of hours service on: 0300 123 7718.

More information

GOV.UK: Help if you're homeless or about to become homeless

Citizens Advice: Homelessness

Shelter: Homelessness advice - or call 0808 800 4444 

Help for the homeless

Parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries

Parks, recreation grounds, cemeteries and open spaces are open 24 hours a day.

The only exceptions are Cobham recreation ground and Ditton Reach open space, Thames Ditton.

Opening times for both the above:

Tuesday 24 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Wednesday 25 December: closed
Thursday 26 December: 9am to 4:30pm
Friday 27 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December: 9am to 4:30pm
Monday 30 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Tuesday 31 December: 7:30am to 4:30pm
Wednesday 1 January: closed
Thursday 2 January: 9am to 4:30pm
Friday 3 January: 7:30am to 4:30pm

Green spaces bin collection

There will be a reduced bin collection service in green spaces and countryside sites between 23 and 27 December and no bin collection on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.  If a bin is full, take your litter home. We will be prioritising the bin collection following Christmas to catch up with any full bins. 

Cemeteries Office

The cemeteries office, based at the Civic Centre, will be open for enquiries between 8:45am and 5pm up to and including Tuesday 24 December and will resume on Thursday 2 January. It will be closed from Friday 27 December to Tuesday 31 December and re-open on Tuesday 2 January 2023.

Elmbridge Xcel Leisure Complex/Synthetic Turf Pitch opening times

Tuesday 24 December: 7am to 12pm
Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December: Closed
Friday 27 December: 6am to 6pm
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 December: 7am to 6pm
Monday 30 December:  6am to 6pm
Tuesday 31 December: 6am to 12pm
Wednesday 1 January: Closed

Xcel Sports Hub opening times

Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 December: Closed
Thursday 26 December: 12pm to 10pm
Friday 27 December to Tuesday 31 December: 8:30am to 4pm
Wednesday 1 January: Closed

Hurst Pool opening times

Tuesday 24 December: 7am to 12pm
Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December: Closed
Friday 27 to Monday 30 December: 7am to 5pm
Tuesday 31 December: 7am to 12pm
Wednesday 1 January: Closed

Christmas lights

As sustainability is embedded within all we do, the Christmas lights are LED and are on set timers to only be on from 6am to 9am and then dusk until midnight each day.

Elmbridge Borough Council oversee the installation of the Christmas lights in East Molesey, West Molesey, Walton-on-Thames, Hersham, Oxshott, Weybridge, Oatlands and Esher.

All other installations, including Christmas trees, are managed locally through the various Business Guild’s within those areas. If you have any questions please contact buildingmaintenance@elmbridge.gov.uk