Christmas 2023 – Key Council Information

Waste Collections

Household Waste and Recycling

There are changes to household waste and recycling collections this year.

If your collection should fall on Monday 25 December, it will now be collected on Saturday 23 December instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.

If your collection should fall on Tuesday 26 December, it will now be collected on Saturday 30 December instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.

If your collection should fall on Monday 1 January, it will now be collected on Saturday 6 January instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.

There are no other changes to scheduled waste and recycling collections. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on your usual collection day.

Garden Waste

Garden waste collections will be suspended from Monday 18 December and resume on Monday 15 January.

Clinical Waste

If your clinical waste collection should fall on Tuesday 26 December, it will now be collected on Thursday 28 December. We will contact all residents affected by this change. All other clinical waste collections will continue as normal. We will not be booking any sharp collections in the week between Christmas and New Year.

Christmas Trees

If you have a real Christmas tree you can take it to your nearest KCC Household Waste Recycling Centre in Margate or Sandwich for recycling. Christmas trees will not be collected as part of our regular waste and recycling collections.

Kent-based charity Pilgrims Hospice is collecting Christmas trees for recycling in return for a donation. They will be collecting from selected locations across Thanet between Friday 5 and Monday 8 January 2023. You can find out more and book collections on their website: www.pilgrimshospices.org/treerecycling

Customer Services Opening Times (telephone only)

• Friday 22 December  – 8.45am to 5pm
• Closed from Saturday 23 December – lines reopen at 8.45am on Tuesday 2 January 2024

The Gateway

Thanet Gateway Plus will be closed for council services from 2pm on Friday 22 December, reopening at 10am on Tuesday 2 January.

Harbour Office, Ramsgate Opening Times

Royal Harbour, Ramsgate Opening Times

Please note the following services will be running as normal over the festive period:

• Port Control – 01843 572112 (24/7)
• Dock Master – 07919 211143 (7.30am to 7pm)
• Security – 01843 587661 (24/7)

Harbour Office opening times

• Friday 22 December, 10am to 12pm (telephone lines open until 1pm)
• Office is then closed until Tuesday 2 January – Office re-opens 10am

Crematorium, Margate Opening Times

Grounds and Chapel

The grounds and remembrance chapel at the crematorium and Margate and Ramsgate cemeteries will be open as usual from 9am until 4.30pm every day, including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s day.

Crematorium office

The crematorium office will be open from 9am to 4.30pm as usual, except for Christmas Day, Monday 25 December and Boxing Day, Tuesday 26 December and New Year’s day, Monday 1 January (as these are bank holidays). Cremation services are taking place on Wednesday 27, Thursday 28 and Friday 29 December, between 9am and 1pm.

The Visitor Information Centre

The Visitor Information Centre Team will be available during the festive period for face-to-face, telephone, email and social media enquiries as follows:

• Wednesday 20 – Saturday 23, open from 10am – 5pm
• Closed from Sunday 24 – Tuesday 26 December
• Wednesday 27 – Saturday 30 December,  open from 10am-5pm
• Closed from Sunday 31 December, Monday 1 January and Tuesday 2 January

The Visitor Information Centre will be open from 10am – 5pm from Wednesday 3 January 2024.

Public Toilets opening times

All toilets will be closed on Monday 25 December (Christmas Day). Toilets will be open as normal on all other days.

Information on locations and opening times can be found on our Public Toilets webpage