We've compiled a list of almost everything you need to know to keep things running smoothly this Christmas, from travel information through rubbish collection dates to theatre opening times.
The survival guide
This Is Essex
National news and sport will be updated at regular intervals across the Christmas and New Year period.
From December 25 onwards, Local news and Local sport will be updated once per day on December 28, 29, 30, January 1 and 3. Normal service will resume on January 4.
Benefit agency offices
Benefit agency offices will be closed from Christmas Eve until December 29. They will close again on New Year's Eve until January 4. Opening hours at the offices are 8.45am-4pm apart from Wednesday when the offices open at 9.30am.
Councils
North Essex
Essex County Council helpline numbers
Social Services : (in case of emergency only) 01245 434083
Registration Services : For the registration of births and deaths. Outside normal working hours, contact can be made through the local police station
Highways helpline : 01245 437065
Waste Management helpline : 01245 491222.
For more helplines and services, visit our Helplines section under Infodesk
For council contacts, see our Government section
Colchester Council offices, including Angel Court cash office, Housing Advice Centre, Visitor Information Centre and Greenstead local housing office, will be close at noon December 24, reopening on January 4.
South Essex
Basildon Council
All district council offices, swimming pools and sports centres will be closed from Thursday, December 23 to Tuesday, January 4.
Basildon Golf Course will be open every day except Christmas Day.
Helpline: 01268 286622
Castle Point Council
Switchboard number: 01268 882200
Emergency out of hours number:01702 551754
Council offices, Runnymede Pool,Waterside Farm, and various civic halls largely close at 12pm on December 24, and reopen as usual on January 4.
Some centres are open for limited parents between December 28 and 30 - ring for details.
Civic halls include the Paddocks in Long Road, Canvey, Smallgains in Smallgains Avenue, Canvey Richmond Hall in High Road, Benfleet, Woodside Park in Woodside View, Thundersley, Hadleigh Hall in Rectory Road, Hadleigh, and Runnymede Hall in Runnymede Chase in Thundersley.
Rochford Council
Switchboard number: 01702 546366
Out-of-hours emergency number: 01268 527317
Council offices
Friday, December 24 - open
December 27 to 30 - closed
December 29 and 30 - open
December 31 to January 3 - closed
January 4 onwards - business as usual
Hospitals
For information on visiting and opening hours at the main hospitals during Christmas and the New Year, contact the following numbers:
North Essex
Colchester General Hospital (including maternity): 01206 747474.
Halstead Hospital: 01787 291010 (Not the 47 number).
Mid-Essex
There is one central switchboard number - 01245 440761 - for the following hospitals
Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.
St John's Hospital, Chelmsford.
St Michael's Hospital, Braintree.
William Julien Courtauld Hospital, Braintree.
South Essex
Contact GP in first instance or call NHS Direct 0845 4647 or the hospital's accident and emergency department
Basildon Hospital: 01268 533911
Southend Hospital: 01702 435555
Pharmacies
Call NHS Direct on 0845 4647
Leisure
Cinemas
For local cinema listings, gigs, shows and other events click here
Colchester Leisure World
Colchester Leisure World is closed from 4pm Christmas Eve to December 26 inclusive, December 31 and January 1.
It will be open 8am to 6pm December 27 to December 30, January 2 and 3.
For more information ring 01206 282000.
Theatres
Chancellor Hall, Chelmsford : Closed from December 25 to January 4. 01245 606505.
Charter Hall, Colchester : Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and December 27. Open as usual from December 28 to 30. Closed New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. 01206 282020.
Civic Theatre and Cramphorn Theatre, Chelmsford : Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Open as usual December 27 to 30. Closed New Year's Eve and New Years Day. Open 1.30pm to 4pm on January 2. 01245 606505.
Colchester Arts Centre : Closed from Christmas Day to re-open on December 29, 30 and 31. Then closed until January 4.
Columbine Centre, Walton : Closed from 1pm on December 24 to re-open on January 4 with normal opening hours. 01255 851680.
Corn Exchange, Ipswich : Closed from Christmas Eve to January 3. Open as usual from January 4. Central booking line 01473 433100.
Ipswich Regent : Open from 1.30pm on Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day and open again from 1.30pm Boxing Day. Closed New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and January 3 and 4. Central booking line 01473 433100.
Mercury Theatre, Colchester : Closed Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. 01206 573948.
Princes Theatre, Clacton : Closed from Christmas Eve until January 3. 01255 423400
Quay Theatre, Sudbury : Open on December 24 from 10am to 1pm. Closed December 25. Open December 26 from 5pm to 9.30pm and as usual on 27, 28, 29. Closed December 30 to January 2. Normal opening resumes from January 3. 01787 374745.
West Cliff Theatre, Clacton : 01255 433344. Closed from Christmas Eve to December 28. Closed New Year's Eve to January 3.
Libraries
Libraries in Essex that normally open on Fridays will close at 1pm on Christmas Eve (December 24) and will re-open on Tuesday, January 4 next year (or the next open day if the library is closed on a Tuesday).
Post
The following timetable applies to all post deliveries in Essex:
There will be no deliveries on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and January 2 and 3.
Deliveries as normal on Wednesday, December 29, and Thursday, December 30.
There will be no collections on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, December 27, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and January 2.
Saturday-style on Tuesday December 28 and collections return to normal on Wednesday December 29 and Thursday December 30 with Sunday-style collection on January 3.
All post offices close at 12.30pm on Christmas Eve.
They will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and December 27 while December 28 will be restricted opening (only main offices) between 9am and 2pm.
In south Essex these include the main post office in Southend High Street; North Road in Westcliff; The Wick neighbourhood in Wickford; Pitsea main post office; St Paul's in Ballards Walk, Basildon; Shoebury main office; Hambro post office in Hullbridge Road, Rayleigh; High Street, Canvey; Leigh Road in Leigh and London Road in Leigh.
To check whether your local post office is open, telephone the Post Office Counters helpline on 0345 223344.
Offices will open as normal on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 but close on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, January, 1, 2 and 3.
Normal opening hours resume on Tuesday January 4.
Pensions and allowances due on Christmas Eve can be collected on or after Friday 17 December, those due on Tuesday 28 can be collected on or after Tuesday 21 and those due on Friday 31 can be collected on or after Wednesday 29.
Payments due on January 3 can be picked up on or after December 29.
Helpline numbers:
Customer Services: 0345 740740
Postcode Enquiries: 0345 111222
Refuse collection
North Essex
Colchester
No collections from December 27 to January 2.
Refuse service restarts January 3 on usual collection day.
Refer to recycling calendar for collection days.
Greenstead and West Mersea tips: Open every Saturday 8am-3pm except December 25 and January 1.
Information: 01206 282700/282703.
Tendring
No collections on December 27, 28 or 31.
Week commencing January 3 all collections a day later than usual.
Information: 01255 222022.
Braintree, Witham, Halstead
Refuse collections will operate normally on Christmas Eve, but will not resume until ten days later on Tuesday, January 4.
Information: 01376 552525.
Maldon
Usual collections up to and including Christmas Eve.
No collections from Christmas Day to Monday, January 3.
Information: 01621 875706.
Further details of the civic amenity sites in are on Essex County Council's hotline 01245 491222.
South Essex
Basildon
Normal collection date: Monday, December 27 and Monday, January 3
Revised collection date: Tuesday, January 4
Normal collection date: Tuesday, December 28 andTuesday, January 4
Revised collection date: Wednesday, January 5
Normal collection date: Wednesday, December 29 andWednesday, January 5
Revised collection date: Thursday, January 6
Normal collection date: Thursday, December 30 and Thursday, January 6
Revised collection date: Friday, January 7
Normal collection date: Friday, December 31 and Friday, January 7
Revised collection date: Saturday, January 10
Normal collection date: Friday, December 24
Revised collection date: Friday, January 14
Normal collection date: Friday, January 7
Revised collection date: Friday, January 21
Collections cancelled on Friday, December 31 and Friday, January 7. Normal service from Friday, January 21.
Queries: StreetCare 01268 294949 (before midday on Christmas Eve)
Castle Point
Castle Point Council is not collecting household rubbish from Monday December 27 until Tuesday January 4 when collections will be as follows:
Normal collection day: Mon Dec 27, Mon Jan 3
Revised collection day: Tues Jan 4
Normal collection day: Tues Dec 28 Tues Jan 4
Revised collection day: Weds Jan 5
Normal collection day: Weds Dec 29, Weds Jan 5
Revised collection day: Thurs Jan 6
Normal collection day: Thurs Dec 30, Thurs Jan 6
Revised collection day: Fri Jan 7
Normal collection day: Fri Dec 31, Fri Jan 7
Revised collection day: Sat Jan 8
From January 10 collections return to normal.
The civic amenity sites in Castle Road, Rayleigh, Newlands on Canvey are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day and open between 8am and 4pm on the other days.
Rochford
Normal collection date : Monday, January 3
Revised collection day : Tuesday, January 4
Normal collection date : Tuesday, January 4
Revised collection day : Wednesday, January 5
Normal collection date : Wednesday, January 5
Revised collection day : Thursday, January 6
Normal collection date : Thursday, January 6
Revised collection day : Friday, January 7
Normal collection date : Friday, January 7
Revised collection day : Saturday, January 8
Additional refuse, placed alongside the wheelie bin, will be collected the following week
Normal collections will resume on Monday, January 10.
Southend
No collection on December 27, 28, 29, 30 or 31. Special arrangements to resume normal collections on Monday, January 3.
Normal collection day: Monday, December 27
Revised collection day: Monday, January 3
Normal collection day: Tuesday, December 28
Revised collection day: Tuesday, January 4
Normal collection day: Wednesday, December 29
Revised collection day: Wednesday, January 5
Normal collection day: Thursday, December 30
Revised collection day: Thursday, December 6
Normal collection day: Friday, December 31
Revised collection day: Friday, January 7
Transport
Rail
Great Eastern Railway
The following amendments have been made to Great Eastern and Anglia Railways' timetables.
Great Eastern
Christmas Eve: Normal service until midday, then a special service with last train from Liverpool Street at 9pm.
Christmas Day/Boxing Day: No service.
December 27-28: Modified services based on Sunday frequency.
December 29: Normal weekday service.
December 30: Normal weekday service with some changes to evening services.
New Year's Eve: Half-hourly service up to 9pm. Last trains to Liverpool Street from Clacton 8.37pm, Colchester 9.35pm, Witham 9.45pm.
New Year's Day: Special service from Liverpool Street every 40 minutes from 00.50 until 4.10am. Then half-hourly service from 10.30am to 9.30pm. No services on Braintree line.
January 2: Normal service.
Great Eastern information line: 08459 505000.
To Greenwich for Dome: Tickets for Dome and rail travel: 01206 575554.
Anglia Railways
Christmas Eve: Weekday service. Last train from Liverpool Street 8.30pm.
Christmas Day/Boxing Day: No service.
December 27-28: Bank Holiday service.
December 29-30: Normal weekday service.
New Year's Eve: Bank Holiday service. Last train from Liverpool Street 7.30pm.
New Year's Day: Special service.
January 2: Sunday service.
January 3: Bank Holiday service.
January 4: Normal service resumes.
Anglia Railways information line 08457 484950.
London revels - special trains will run from Liverpool Street to Colchester every 40 minutes from 0050 until 0410 on New Year's Day.
LTS Rail services for Christmas and the millennium
Friday December 24 : Special Christmas Eve service with last trains from Fenchurch Street at 10pm and from Shoebury at 8.35pm.
Saturday December 25 : No service
Sunday December 26 : Special boxing day service with last train out of Southend Central at 7.20pm and the last one out of Fenchurch Street at 7.40pm.
Monday December 27 : Sunday service starting at 6.40am from Fenchurch Street and at 5.35am from Shoebury
Tuesday December 28 : Sunday service
Wednesday December 29 : Normal service
Thursday December 30 : Normal service
Friday December 31 : Special New Year's Eve service with last Fenchurch Street arrivals between 9pm and 9.35pm. Last service from Fenchurch Street at 8.50pm.
Saturday January 1 : Special New Year's Day services from Liverpool Street between 12.55am and 3.55am. Service then starts again at 9.40am from Fenchurch Street and 9.20am from Southend Central.
Sunday January 2 : Sunday service
Monday January 3 : Sunday service
Tuesday January 4 : Normal service
Links
Book your rail journeys at www.thetrainline.com
Find out more information at www.railtrack.co.uk
Air travel
There will be some flights operating into and out of Stansted Airport on Christmas Day.
On New Year's Eve most airlines will stop flights in the afternoon and will resume next day.
Airport inquiries: 01279 680500.
Speedlink Airport Services inquiries: 0990 747777.
West Anglian Great Northern Railway has made changes to its Stansted Airport timetable.
Information: 0345 484950.
Bus services
Eastern National
Across Essex and into Suffolk
December 24: As normal
December 25, 26, 27, 28: No service
December 29, 30: Saturday service
December 31, January 1, 2, 3: No service
January 4: Back to normal
Information: Essex Traveline 08457 000333. General inquiries 08456 008855. Not Christmas Day or Boxing Day.
Arriva
Colchester area
Christmas Eve: Normal service
Christmas Day/December 26: No service
December 27/28: Essex County Council's contract service 78C only from Colchester General Hospital to Brightlingsea via Colchester town centre 1745 hourly until 2345
December 29/30: Saturday service and Essex County Council's service numbers 11 (High Woods to Colchester North Station) and 15 (Lexden to Colchester North Station) morning and afternoon peak only
December 31/January 1: No service
January 2/3: 78C service only
January 3: Normal service.
Information 01206 544449 during operating hours.
Hedingham Omnibuses
North Essex
Christmas Eve: Normal service.
Christmas Day, Boxing Day, December 27 and 28: No service.
December 29 and 30: Saturday service.
New Year's Eve to January 3: No service.
January 4: Normal service resumes.
Inquiries 01376 571983 and 01787 460621
Eastern Counties
Buses into Suffolk from Lawford, Manningtree and East Bergholt
December 24: As normal
December 25, 26: No service
December 27: Sunday service
December 28: Sunday service
December 29, 30: As normal
December 31, January 1: No service
January 2, 3: Sunday service
January 4: Back to normal
Useful numbers
National Rail Inquiries: 0345 484950
Essex Traveline Bus Inquiries: 08457 000333
London Underground: 0171 222 1234
Ferries
Harwich ferry timetables will change for Christmas and New Year.
Stena Line, Harwich-Hook of Holland: 08705 707070 (reservations): 08705 755755 (ferry information)
Scandanavian Seaways, Harwich to Germany/Denmark:
08705 444333 (ferry information).
Utilities
For emergencies and general inquiries:
Anglian Water: 0345 145 145
Essex and Suffolk Water: 01245 491234
For all sewage problems: 0345 145 145
Gas/electric
Transco emergency number: 0800 111 999
Eastern Electricity: 01268 785566
For general inquiries and information on flood warnings: 0845 933 31111
To report environmental incidents: 0800 807 060 (emergencies only)
Other helpful information
The Samaritans' phone lines will be manned throughout the holiday season.
Linkline 0345 909090
Colchester/Tendring area: 01206 561234
Chelmsford area: 01245 357357.
For more helplines and services, visit our Helplines section under Infodesk
For more council contacts, see our Government section
If you can't find what you need to know here, there are more helpful contacts and information on the following pages:
Helplines (Utilities): Essex County Council's Year 2000 info
Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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