DETAILS explaining how and when people can make use of all city council services over the festive period are now available.
Numerous changes are taking place to the way various services and facilities operated by Leicester City Council are run over the Christmas and New Year period, as well as some additional changes due to the ongoing coronavirus restrictions.
The council will aim to prioritise that the city’s most vulnerable residents, while ensuring the safety of staff, services and people across the city.
All information covering the Christmas and New Year period 2020 is available on Leicester City Council’s website here.
The Customer Service Centre in Granby Street is currently closed, but has been operating a comprehensive online, email and telephone service during the pandemic. Its phone lines will be closed from December 24 to 28, and again from January 1 to 3. The service will be operating from 8am to 4pm on December 23, and from December 29-31, with normal hours resuming on January 4.
Numerous homelessness services will be providing Christmas and New Year provision between December 19 to January 3, including council-run facilities such as the Dawn Centre in Conduit Street behind Leicester Station, and also partner agencies offering help ranging from hot meals and washing facilities to support, advice and guidance. Opening arrangements vary.
Gypsum Close and Freemen’s Common Recycling Centres will close early at 2pm on December 24 and 31, and will be closed on December 25, 26 and on January 1.
Changes are also being made to bin collections over the festive period, with collections being made one day earlier during the weeks commencing December 21 and December 28.
Drivers wanting to park in the city centre Newarke Street Car Park will find it closed on December 25, 26 and 27 as well as January 1.
The three Park and Ride services, from Meynell’s Gorse, Birstall and Enderby, will operate extra services on Boxing Day and Monday, December 28, with buses running every 15 minutes from 10am to 4pm. They are operated jointly by the city and county councils. Full details of that service are available here.
Anyone wanting to work off the extra festive calories will still be able to visit either Braunstone Leisure Centre or Cossington Street Sports Centre. Both are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, and close earlier than normal on Christmas Eve, December 28 and December 31.
From January 2, Braunstone Leisure Centre, Cossington Street Sports Centre and Spence Street Sports Centre will reopen. The city’s parks will remain open to enjoy throughout the festive period.
The city council's walk-in testing centre for people with no symptoms of coronavirus, but who want the reassurance of a test, will remain open until 8pm on Wednesday (23 December). The test centre, at Fosse Neighbourhood Centre on Mantle Road, will then reopen on Tuesday 29 December.
People should continue to call 119, should they develop symptoms of coronavirus. They will be given an appointment for a test at one of Leicester's other testing units, which will remain open throughout the Christmas period - even on Bank Holidays.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “While this Christmas and New Year will undoubtedly be unlike any other we’ve experienced before, it’s important to know that we are still here to provide services to those who need it most during these unprecedented times.
“The city council’s website contains up to date information on what is open and when over the festive period, as well as details on how people can continue to access important services.”