Christmas 2024 – Key Council Information

Waste Collections

Household Waste and Recycling

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

If your collection is due on Wednesday 25 December, it will be collected earlier – on Saturday 21 December instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.

If your collection is due on Thursday 26 December, it will be collected two days later – on Saturday 28 December instead. Please ensure your bin is out by 6am on this day.

If your collection is due on Wednesday 1 January, it will be collected three days later – on Saturday 4 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 bins are out by 6am on your usual collection day.

Garden Waste

Garden waste collections will pause from Monday 23 December and resume on Monday 20 January.

Clinical Waste

If your clinical waste collection is due on Wednesday 25 December, it will be collected two days earlier, on Monday 23 December. If your clinical waste collection is due on Wednesday 1 January, it will be collected two days earlier, on Monday 30 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 10 and Sunday 12 January 2025. You can find out more and book collections on their website.

Customer Services Opening Times (telephone only)

The council’s main switchboard will close at 3pm on Tuesday 24 December. Lines reopen at 8.45am on Thursday 2 January.

Thanet Gateway Plus

Council services at Thanet Gateway Plus will close from 2pm on Monday 23 December and reopen at 10am on Tuesday 2 January.

Harbour Office, Ramsgate Royal Harbour

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

The Harbour Office will be open on Tuesday 24 December, 10am to 12pm.
The office is then closed until 10am on Thursday 2 January.

Crematorium, Margate and Ramsgate Cemeteries Opening Times

Grounds and Chapel

The Crematorium grounds, Book of Remembrance and both Margate and Ramsgate Cemeteries will be open as usual on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December, and Wednesday 1 January, from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Crematorium office

The crematorium office will be closed on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December, and Wednesday 1 January.

The crematorium office will be open Friday 27, Monday 30 and Tuesday 31 December between 9.30am and 4.30pm. Normal opening hours resume on Thursday 2 January, 9.00am to 4.30pm.

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:

Open: Wednesday 18 to Sunday 22 December, 10am-5pm and Friday 27 to Sunday 29 December, 11am-4pm.

Closed: Monday 23 to Thursday 26 December and Monday 30 December to Wednesday 1 January.

From Thursday 2 January 2025, the Visitor Information Centre will open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am-5pm.

Further information is available on the Visit Thanet website.

Public Toilets opening times

All toilets will be closed on Wednesday 25 December. Opening hours on Thursday 26 December and Wednesday 1 January will be 9am to 4pm.

Toilets will be open as normal on all other days.

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