Your handy reference guide to the opening times of Wakefield Council services over Christmas

All non-essential council services will be closed from 5pm on Tuesday, December 24 and re-open on January 2 while essential services will vary their opening times over the festive period.

Plans are also in place to ensure the roads are gritted and kept clear, should the wintry weather take a turn for the worse, and staff are on standby in the event of an emergency.

Staff will be working throughout the holiday to ensure our residents, who need care at home, in residential care or children’s social work, are supported over the holiday season.

Here is a handy reference guide to the opening times:

Wakefield One and Town Hall

On Tuesday, December 24, the Customer Access Point at Wakefield One will open from 8.30am to 5pm.

Reception at Town Hall is open from 8.30am to 5pm. Normal service resumes on Thursday, January 2.

Bin Collections

Each household will have received an updated collection calendar for the festive period and 2025; this information can also be seen on the Where I Live  page.

The Household Waste Recycling Centres will open as normal over the festive period except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day, when they will be closed.

Centres can be exceptionally busy at this time of year and the advice is to avoid peak times between Christmas and the New Year, if possible.

All the local bring bank sites across the district are available for excess Christmas Recycling throughout the festive period.

For details see: Our Bring Sites - Biffa Wakefield - Working In Partnership With Wakefield Council

Trips to a Household Waste Recycling Centre can be made quicker and greener by sorting out recycling before visiting the centres. 

South Kirkby Centre is often less busy than Glasshoughton. Visitors are asked to avoid queuing on the road and visit on another occasion.

Libraries, museums and Pontefract Castle

Featherstone Library closes on Monday,, December 23 at 6pm. All other libraries close on Tuesday, December 24 at 2pm.

They all reopen on Thursday, January 2 or on Friday, January 3. For details click here.

Pontefract Castle grounds are open until 2pm on Tuesday, December 24, reopening on Thursday, January 2. 

Wakefield and Pontefract Museums close at 2pm on Tuesday, December 24 and Castleford Museum at 1pm, reopening on Thursday, January 2.

Leisure facilities

Any changes to opening times will be made available on the council’s website and should be checked before planning a visit.  

Pugneys Country Park

Pugneys café will close at 4pm on Monday, December 23 and reopens on Friday, December 27. Pugneys cafe/toilets are also closed on New Years Day. The car park will remain open.

Anglers Country Park

Anglers centre, cafe and toilets close at 4pm on Monday, December 23 and reopen on Friday, December 27. The cafe and toilets are closed again on Tuesday, December 31, and the centre is closed on New Year’s Day.

City of Wakefield Golf Club 

Closes at 2pm on Tuesday, December 24. Reopens on Thursday, December 26. Opening hours variable.

Sun Lane Leisure Centre, Minsthorpe Leisure Centre, and Aspire @ The Park

These close on Tuesday, December 24 and re-open at 9am on Friday, December 27. There are different operating hours between Friday, December 27 and New Year’s Eve, when they close again, at 4pm.

They reopen fully on Thursday, January 2. Check here for opening hours

Normanton Leisure, Thornes Park Stadium and Featherstone Sports Complex

Closed on Tuesday, December 24 and reopen on Thursday, January 2. Check here for opening hours

Bereavement services

The main office at Normanton will close at 3pm on Christmas Eve and reopen on Friday, December 27 (normal working hours).

The office will be closed on Saturday, December 28 and Sunday, December 29.

The office will be open normal hours on Monday, December 30 and is open until 3pm on Tuesday, December 31.

The office is closed on New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1. Normal office opening times resume from Thursday, January 2.

Wakefield and Pontefract Crematoria will be closed from 3pm on Tuesday, December 24 and reopen on Friday, December 27.

The Crematoria are closed on Saturday, December 28 and Sunday, December 29.

Both Crematoria are open Monday, December 30 and Tuesday, December 31, closing at 3pm on New Year’s Eve.

The Crematoria are closed on New Years Day, Wednesday, January 1, and reopen again on Thursday, January 2.

The Crematoria grounds will remain open for visitors throughout the whole of the holiday period.

The Book of Remembrance room at both Wakefield and Pontefract Crematoria will also be open every day during the holiday season. Times vary. This includes Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Registration services

The Registration service closes at 3pm on Tuesday, December 24. It is open on Friday, December 27 until 4pm, Saturday, December 28 until 12.30pm, and on Tuesday, December 31 until 3pm.

Services reopen on Thursday, January 2.

The copy certificate service will be closed from 3pm on Tuesday, December 24 until 9am on Thursday, January 2.

During this time people can order a copy certificate directly from the General Register Office here.

A service is available for anyone who needs to make urgent burial arrangements or who requires documentation to remove a body from England.

It is available between 9am and 10am each Sunday and Bank Holiday excluding Christmas Day and can be accessed by contacting Wakefield Council Contact Centre on 0845 8 506 506.

A service is available for urgent arrangements to be made for marriages or civil partnerships by Registrar General's Licence.

The service can be accessed by contacting the Registration Service on 0345 4 852 888, or, if outside normal opening hours, by telephoning Wakefield Council Contact Centre on 0345 8 506 506 between 8.30am and 5pm, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays excluding Christmas Day.

Markets

All markets will be closed on Wednesday, December 25, Thursday, December 26, and Wednesday, January 1.

For more information click here.

Customer services

Telephone lines remain open 24 hours daily on 0345 8 506 506. Residents are encouraged to report non-urgent matters via My Account.

Social Care Direct

Remain available 24 hours daily on 0345 8 503 503.

All services fully reopen on January 2.

Tony Reeves, Chief Executive at Wakefield Council, said: “Although we are closing some of our services over the festive period, many of our staff will be working over Christmas. Residents can be reassured that we have planned for any potential emergencies.

“If it’s an urgent matter or there is severe weather our teams can be contacted 24/7 through customer services, either over the phone or online. 

“On behalf of everyone, I wish residents a merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year.”