Holiday arrangements and opening hours

Services

• Bin and box collections

  There will be some changes to bin and box collections over Christmas and the New Year. Collection arrangements for general waste bins, recycling bins, compost bins, glass box collections and wheelie boxes are shown in this table.

  Normal collection date	Rescheduled collection date
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	Saturday 21 December
  Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day)	Saturday 28 December
  Tuesday 31 December (New Year's Eve)	Collections will take place as normal
  Wednesday 1 January (New Year's Day)	Saturday 4 January

  Please leave your bins and boxes out by 7am.

  • Find your bin collection day (link opens in new window)

  Collection arrangements for kerbside recycling boxes collected by Bryson Recycling are shown in this table.

  Normal collection date	Collection information
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	Saturday 28 December
  Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day)	Sunday 29 December
  Tuesday 31 December (New Year's Eve)	Collections will take place as normal
  Wednesday 1 January (New Year's Day)	Saturday 4 January

  All other collections over the holiday period are unaffected and will be collected on the normal collection day.

• Recycling centres and civic amenity sites

  Recycling centres

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	8.30am to 5.30pm
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	8.30am to 5.30pm
  Saturday 28 December	9am to 5pm
  Sunday 29 December	12 noon to 5pm
  Monday 30 December	8.30am to 5.30pm
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	8.30am to 5.30pm
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed
  Thursday 2 January	8.30am to 5.30pm

  (last entry 15 minutes before closing time)

  • Find out more about recycling centres

  Civic amenity sites

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	8.30am to 5.30pm
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	8.30am to 5.30pm
  Saturday 28 December	9am to 5pm
  Sunday 29 December	12 noon to 5pm
  Monday 30 December	8.30am to 5.30pm
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	8.30am to 5.30pm
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed
  Thursday 2 January	8.30am to 5.30pm

  • Find out more about civic amenity sites
• Our offices and switchboards

  Our phone lines and customer receptions

  Date	Status
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	Closed
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed

  • Find out how to contact us
• Bulky waste collection

  Bulky waste collection dates are booked in advance. Read more about our bulky waste collections.

• Births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships

  Registration office

  Date	Opening information
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 26 December)	Closes at 1pm
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	Open as normal
  Monday 30 December	Open as normal
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	Closed
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed

  Find out more about our Registration Office

• Cemeteries and crematorium

  Bereavement Services offices

  Our Bereavement Services office is in the Cecil Ward Building. 

  Date	Office opening times
  Saturday 21 December	Open usual hours
  Sunday 22 December	Closed
  Monday 23 December	Open usual hours
  Tuesday 24 December	Open usual hours
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	Closed
  Thursday 26 December	Open 8.30am to 11am
  Friday 27 December	Open usual hours
  Saturday 28 December	Open usual hours
  Sunday 29 December	Closed
  Monday 30 December	Open usual hours
  Tuesday 31 December	Open 8.30am to 11am
  Wednesday 1 January 2025	Closed
  Thursday 2 January 2025	Open usual hours

  • Find out more about Bereavement Services office

  Burials and cremations

  Date	Burials and cremations information
  Saturday 21 December	As usual
  Sunday 22 December	No burials or cremations
  Monday 23 December	As usual
  Tuesday 24 December	Cremations between 7.20am and 2pm For burial information, contact the funeral director
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	No burials or cremations
  Thursday 26 December	Cremations between 7.20am and 2pm For burial information, contact the funeral director
  Friday 27 December	As usual
  Saturday 28 December	As usual
  Sunday 29 December	No burials or cremations
  Monday 30 December	For burial information, contact the funeral director
  Tuesday 31 December	Cremations between 7.20am and 11.20am
  Wednesday 1 January 2025	No burials or cremations
  Thursday 2 January 2025	As usual

  • Read more about City of Belfast Crematorium
  • Read more about our cemeteries

  Cemetery grounds

  Date	Cemetery opening times
  Saturday 21 December	8am to 4pm
  Sunday 22 December	8am to 4pm
  Monday 23 December	8am to 4pm
  Tuesday 24 December	8am to 4pm
  Wednesday 25 December	8am to 4pm
  Thursday 26 December	8am to 4pm
  Friday 27 December	8am to 4pm
  Saturday 28 December	8am to 4pm
  Sunday 29 December	10am to 4pm
  Monday 30 December	8am to 4pm
  Tuesday 31 December	8am to 4pm
  Wednesday 1 January 2025	8am to 4pm
  Thursday 2 January 2025	8am to 4pm

  City Cemetery Visitor Centre

  Date	Centre opening information
  Monday 23 December	Closed
  Tuesday 24 December	Open as usual
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	Closed
  Thursday 26 December	Closed
  Friday 27 December	Open
  Saturday 28 December	Open
  Sunday 29 December 2024 to Wednesday 1 January 2025	Closed
  Thursday 2 January 2025	Open

  • Find out more about the visitor centre
  • Find out about the city cemetery heritage project
• Commercial waste

  Normal collection date	Rescheduled collection date
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	Friday 27 December
  Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day)	Saturday 28 December
  Friday 27 December	Sunday 29 December
  Wednesday 1 January 2025 (New Year's Day)	Thursday 2 January 2025
  Thursday 2 January 2025	Friday 3 January 2025
  Friday 3 January 2025	Saturday 4 January 2025

  • Read more about commercial waste collections
• Night-time noise service

  There will be no night-time noise service on:​

  • Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)
  • Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)
  • Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)
  • New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)
  • New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)

  Read more about our night-time noise service

• Port health

  Our imported food control service will close at 8pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and reopen at 11am on Thursday 26 December 2024. The service will close at 8pm on Tuesday 31 December 2024 and open at 11am on Wednesday 1 January 2025 (New Year's Day).

  Read more about our Port health service.

Venues and facilities

• City Hall

  City Hall building

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	Closed
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm
  Saturday 28 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm
  Sunday 29 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm
  Monday 30 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	Open 9.30am to 2pm
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed
  Thursday 2 January	Open 9.30am to 5pm

  You can access the City Hall building and our Changing Places facility through the front and rear doors on Donegall Square South. 

  Changing Places facilities can be accessed through the rear doors on Donegall Square South after 5pm.

  • Find out more about City Hall

  Visitor exhibition

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm. Last admission 4pm.
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	Open 9.30am to 1.30pm. Last admission 12 noon.
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm. Last admission 4pm.
  Saturday 28 December	Open 10am to 5pm. Last admission 4pm
  Sunday 29 December	Open 10am to 5pm. Last admission 4pm.
  Monday 30 December	Open 9.30am to 5pm. Last admission 4pm.
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	Open 9.30am to 1.30pm. Last admission 12 noon.
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed
  Thursday 2 January	Open 9.30am to 5pm. Last admission 4pm.

  • Find out more about the City Hall visitor exhibition

  Public guided tours

  You can access the City Hall building through the front and rear doors on Donegall Square South from 10am. 

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	11am, 2pm and 3pm
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	11am only
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	11am, 2pm and 3pm
  Saturday 28 December	12 noon, 2pm and 3pm
  Sunday 29 December	12 noon, 2pm and 3pm
  Monday 30 December	11am, 2pm and 3pm
  New Year's Eve (Tuesday 31 December)	Closed
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed
  Thursday 2 January	11am, 2pm and 3pm

  • Find out more about public guided tours in City Hall

  The Bobbin Coffee Shop

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	Open 9.30am to 4.30pm
  Tuesday 24 December	Closed
  Christmas Day	Closed
  Boxing Day	Closed
  Friday 27 December	Closed
  Saturday 28 December	Closed
  Sunday 29 December	Closed
  Monday 30 December	Closed
  Tuesday 31 December	Closed
  Wednesday 1 January	Closed
  Thursday 2 January	Closed

  • Find out more about The Bobbin Coffee shop

  City Hall grounds

  City Hall grounds will close on 22 December at 6pm, for the deconstruction of the Christmas market. The grounds will reopen at the end of January 2025.

• Belfast Castle

  The castle and visitor centre

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed

  • Read more about Belfast Castle opening hours (link opens in new window).

  Cellar Restaurant

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	Closed
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	Closed
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  Friday 27 December	Closed
  Saturday 28 December	Closed

  Tavern Coffee Shop in Belfast Castle

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	Closed
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed

  • Read more about Castle Tavern opening hours (link opens in new window)
• 2 Royal Avenue

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Closed

  Find out more about 2 Royal Avenue

• Belfast Zoo

  Belfast Zoo is open every day except 25 and 26 December. We recommend booking online.

  • View Belfast Zoo's opening times (link opens in new window)
• Parks, playgrounds and open spaces

  All parks, playgrounds and open spaces will be open every day as normal over the Christmas and New Year period. Opening hours will be 7.30am to 4.30pm each day.

• Tropical Ravine and Palm House

  Tropical Ravine

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed

  Palm House

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed

  The Tropical Ravine and Palm House are open as normal on all other dates. 

  Read more about the Tropical Ravine

• St George's Market

  This table shows the dates St George's Market is open during Christmas and New Year.

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	10am to 4pm
  Tuesday 24 December	8am to 2pm
  Wednesday 25 December to Thursday 2 January	Closed
  Friday 3 January	Open as usual

  • Read more about St George's Market
• Car parking

  Our car parks are free to use on these dates (or the allocated bank holiday). 

  Dates not charged at our car parks
  Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 December 2024
  Wednesday 1 January 2025
  Monday 21 April 2025 (Easter Monday)

  All charged car parks (except Smithfield) are open and free to use outside of charged hours.

• Smithfield Market

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 December)	Closed

  • Read more about Smithfield Market
• Public toilets in Belfast

  Date	Availability
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	These public toilets will close earlier than usual. Agnes Street closes at 1pm Church Lane closes at 3pm Connswater closes at 1pm Drumglass closes at 3pm Ormeau closes at 2pm Wine Tavern Street closes at 2pm
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Agnes Street, Church Lane, Connswater, Drumglass, Ormeau and Wine Tavern Street public toilets are closed.
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Agnes Street, Church Lane, Connswater, Drumglass, Ormeau and Wine Tavern Street public toilets are closed.
  New Year's Day (Wednesday 1 January)	Agnes Street, Church Lane, Connswater, Drumglass, Ormeau and Wine Tavern Street public toilets are closed.

  All other public toilets will open as normal over the Christmas and New Year period. 

  • Read more about public toilets in Belfast
• Malone House

  Date	Opening hours
  Christmas Eve (Tuesday 24 December)	Closed
  Christmas Day (Wednesday 25 December)	Closed
  Boxing Day (Thursday 26 December)	Closed

  • ​Visit Malone House website (link opens in a new window)
• Community centres

  Date	Opening hours
  Monday 23 December	Concorde - open daytime and closed evening Duncairn - open afternoon and closed morning and evening Glen Road - open daytime and closed evening Hammer - open daytime and closed evening Markets - open daytime and closed evening All other community centres are closed.
  Tuesday 24 December (Christmas Eve)	Concorde - open morning and closed afternoon and evening Donegall Pass - open daytime and closed evening Duncairn - open afternoon and closed morning and evening Glen Road - open daytime and closed evening Hammer - open daytime and closed evening Woodvale - open daytime and closed evening All other community centres are closed.
  Wednesday 25 December (Christmas Day)	All closed
  Thursday 26 December (Boxing Day)	All closed
  Friday 27 December	Duncairn - open afternoon and closed morning and evening Markets - open daytime and closed evening All other community centres are closed all day.
  Monday 30 December	Duncairn - open afternoon and closed morning and evening Markets - open daytime and closed evening All other community centres are closed all day.
  Tuesday 31 December (New Year's Eve)	All closed
  Wednesday 1 January (New Year’s Day)	All closed
  Thursday 2 January	Closed: Braniel Clonduff Concorde (closed evening only) Cregagh Donegall Pass (closed evening only) Downshire Finaghy Hammer  Highfield Horn Drive Inverary Knocknagoney Markets Morton Sandy Row
  Friday 3 January	Closed: Braniel Clonduff Concorde (closed evening only) Cregagh Donegall Pass (closed evening only) Downshire Finaghy Hammer  Highfield Inverary Knocknagoney Markets Morton Sandy Row

  • Read more about our community centres
• Leisure centres

  For information on holiday opening hours at our leisure centres, check the Better website (link opens in new window).