Christmas Day and Boxing Day falls over the weekend this year so closure for that will carry over across Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th December.
Many services will reopen on Wednesday 29th December through to Friday 31st December.
After closing for New Year’s Day, services will reopen as normal on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
For special arrangements for certain services, please see the information below.
Isle of Wight Coronavirus Helpline
The Isle of Wight Coronavirus Helpline will close at 4.30pm on Friday 24th December.
It will re-open:
- Wednesday 29th December 9am to 5pm
- Thursday 30th December 9am to 5pm
- Friday 31st December 9am to 4.30 pm
It is then closed until 9am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Adult social care and Housing Needs
Offices close at 4.30pm on Friday 24th December and reopen at 8.30am on Wednesday 29th December. They then close again at 4.30pm on Friday 31st December and reopen at 8.30am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
- Outside of these times urgent calls should be directed to Wightcare by calling (01983) 821105.
- If you are worried about a vulnerable adult, please contact Wightcare on (01983) 821105 (24 hours).
You do not need to know everything about a vulnerable adult and what is happening before you contact us.
IN AN EMERGENCY CONTACT THE POLICE BY DIALLING 999.
Bereavement Services
The opening and closing times for the Bereavement Service will be:
- Christmas Eve 24th December (9am to 4.30pm)
- Christmas Day 25th December (closed)
- Boxing Day 26th December (closed)
- Monday 27th December (closed)
- Tuesday 28th December (closed)
- Wednesday 29th December (9am to 4.30pm)
- Thursday 30th December (9am to 4.30pm)
- New Year’s Eve (9am to 4.30pm)
- New Year’s Day (closed)
Crematorium Grounds and Book of Remembrance
The grounds can be accessed at any time, but if the gates are closed, please park in the road outside and use the pedestrian gate.
Office hours are as above for weekdays, except for bank holidays, when the office is closed.
All cremation documentation, burial forms and music should be delivered at least three clear office working days prior to each service, especially over this period.
Building Control
Building Control will continue to operate a Dangerous Structure out of hours service over the festive period.
If there is immediate danger and a threat to life, call 999. For all other situations, please call (01983) 821105.
Children’s Services
Offices close at 4.30pm, Friday 24th December and reopen Monday 27th December at 8.30am.
If you are worried about a child or young person, please contact:
- Isle of Wight Children’s Services: 0300 300 0117 (24 hours).
You do not need to know everything about the child or young person and what is happening before you contact us.
IN AN EMERGENCY CONTACT THE POLICE BY DIALLING 999.
Contact Centre and help centres
The Contact Centre closes at 4.30pm on Friday 24th December. It will then reopen at 8.30am until 5pm on Wednesday 29th December and Thursday 30th December and 8.30am until 4.30pm on Friday 31st December. It re-opens at 8am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Newport Help Centre will operate the same hours of opening as above but open at 8.30am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
The Help Centre, at Ryde Library, will close at 4.30pm on Christmas Eve and will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Coroner’s office
The Coroner’s Office closes at 4pm on Friday 24 December. It is open Wednesday 29th December to Friday 31st December. It reopens as normal on Tuesday 4th January 2022.
Council buildings or land
For emergencies involving council-owned buildings, please contact Wightcare on (01983) 821105.
Floating bridge
Cowes floating bridge Christmas and New Year operating schedule:
- Christmas Eve – 5.15am to 12.30am (next day)
- Christmas Day – 8am to 2pm
- Boxing Day – 7am to 12.30am (next day)
- 27th December – 5am to 12.30am (next day)
- 28th December – 5am to 12.30am (next day)
- 29th December – 5am to 12.30am (next day)
- 30th December – 6.30am to 12.30am (next day)
- New Year’s Eve – 5am to 1.30am** (next day)
- New Year’s Day – 6.30am to 12.30am (next day)
- 2nd January – 5am to 12.30am (next day)
- 3rd January – 5am to 12.30am (next day)
- 4th January – 5am to 12.30am (next day)
** Last crossing from East Cowes 1.10am, last crossing from West Cowes 1.20am
Please check the Floating Bridge website for live status before travel as the above timetable may change due to any potential adverse weather.
Highways emergencies
Flooding, fallen trees, traffic lights not working etc – please contact Island Roads, tel: 822440 or visit the website
The Island Roads Hub will be closed:
- from midnight 24 December to 7am 27th December
- from midnight 31 December to 7am 2nd January 2022
Emergency calls received during these times will be diverted to the duty engineer and dealt with accordingly.
Leisure Services facilities
The Heights:
- 19th to 23rd December – 6am to 8pm
- 24th December – 6am to 3pm
- 25th to 26th December – CLOSED
- 27th to 30 December – 6am to 6pm
- 31st December – 6am to 3pm
- 1st January – CLOSED
- 2nd January – 8am to 4pm
- 3rd January – 8am to 6pm
Medina:
- 19th to 23rd December – 6am to 8pm
- 24th December – 6am to 3pm
- 25th to 26th December – CLOSED
- 27th to 30th December – 6am to 6pm
- 31st December – 6am to 3pm
- 1st January – CLOSED
- 2nd January – 8am to 4pm
- 3rd January – 8am to 6pm
Theatre:
The theatre will be open for the following performances of Cinderella.
- Thursday 23rd December: Show starts 2pm
- Friday 24th December: Shows start 10.30am and 2pm
- Christmas Day: CLOSED.
- Boxing Day: show starts 2pm
- Monday 27th December: Show starts 2pm
- Tuesday 28th December: Show starts 2pm
- Wednesday 29th December: Shows start 2pm and 6pm
- Thursday 30th December: Show starts at 2pm
- Friday 31st December: show starts 2pm
- New Year’s Day: CLOSED
- Sunday 2nd January: Show starts 2pm
Westridge:
- 19th to 23rd December – 7am to 8pm
- 24th to 26th December – closed
- 27th to 28th December – 7am to 4pm
- 29th to 30th December – 7am to 6pm
- 31st December – CLOSED
- 1st to 2nd January – CLOSED
- 3rd January – 7am to 4pm
Libraries
- Cowes Library – closes 4pm, 24th December; reopens 10am, Tuesday 4th January.
- Freshwater Library – closes 4pm, 24th December; reopens 9.30am, Tuesday 4th January.
- Newport Library – closes 4pm, 24th December; reopens 9am, Tuesday 4th January.
- Ryde Library – closes 4pm, 24th December; reopens 9am, Tuesday 4th January.
- Sandown Library – closes 4pm, 24th December; reopens 9am, Tuesday 4th January.
- Ventnor Library – closes 4pm, 24th December; reopens 9.30am, Tuesday 4th January.
Museum Service
Record Office
The Record Office at Hillside, Newport is currently open by appointment only.
It will be closed from 12.30pm on Monday 24th December. It will be open between 10am and 4pm on 29th, 30th and 3st1 December. It will then reopen with its usual opening hours of 9.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm from Wednesday 5th January 2022.
Dinosaur Isle Museum
Dinosaur Isle Museum will be closed on 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th December inclusive. It will also be closed between the 1st and 3rd January, reopening on 4th January 2022.
On all other days it will open from 10am until 4pm, with last admission at 3pm.
Cowes Maritime Museum
The same opening hours as Cowes Library, above.
Museum of Island History
The museum will close on Thursday 16 December at 1pm and will open again on Tuesday 18th January at 10am.
Newport Roman Villa
The villa is closed for the winter period and will re-open on 1at April 2022.
Planning
The planning department will be operating within office hours with pre-booked appointments (no walk-ins).
Planning Enforcement complaints can continue to be made anytime online , and this can include reporting any alleged illegal works to protected trees.
Recycling and waste collection
This year there will be no day changes or alterations to the household waste and recycling collection service.
Please remember to set out your wheeled bins/gull-proof sacks and food waste by 7am on the correct day of your collection or they will not be collected.
The bulky waste and free re-use collection service will also be available on weekdays as normal over the festive period.
Between Monday 20th December and Friday 14th January, you can leave out extra polystyrene to the side of your black bin or black gull sack for collection, provided it is in clear or white sacks and contains no other items. Any excess black sacks will not be collected.
If you have an active Garden Waste Subscription you can also dispose of real Christmas trees as part of the service. The tree should be clear of all decorations and pots and can be left to the side of your garden bin on your collection day between Monday 3rd January and Friday 14th January.
Register office
The Register Office closes at 4pm, Friday 24th December. A telephone appointment service only will run on Wednesday 29th December, Thursday 30th December and Friday 31st December from 9.30am to 4pm. The office at Seaclose will open as normal on Monday 3rd January.
To register a death between 24th December and 2nd January, please call (01983) 823233. For the out of hours emergency service please call Wightcare on (01983) 821105.
Regulatory Services (Licensing, Environmental Health and Trading Standards)
The service closes at 4pm, Friday 24th December and reopens Wednesday 29th December at 8.45am. If you wish to talk to a specific officer please make an appointment, please note the public reception at Jubilee Stores is not open at this time.
An out of hours service will run on 1st January as normal, please call Wightcare on (01983) 821105.
Revenues, Benefits, Parking Services, Blue Badges and Payments Team
Online applications remain available for council tax/local council tax support/housing benefit and Blue Badges.
Christmas housing benefit payment arrangements – please visit the Website
To use the Citizens Access Portal to view your council tax account online please visit the Website (selecting Council Tax and then Citizens Access Portal).
To use the Citizens Access Benefits Portal to apply and notify a change of circumstances please visit the Website (selecting under the ‘Save time do it online’ Housing Benefits).
News shared by Isle of Wight council press office, in their own words. Ed
Image: S and B Vonlanthen under CC BY 2.0
