Christmas in Warrington

It’s Time for Christmas at Time Square!

Time Square is coming alive with Christmas fun and activity with a packed calendar of events across the festive period.

Visitors to the Time Square can look forward to a host of exciting spectacles, from music, bingo and Christmas elves, and of course Father Christmas himself, with the festivities launching from Monday 20 November.

Head down to Time Square for a spectacular array of festive events to start the Christmas season off in truly spectacular style.

Council services

Our non-essential services will be closed from 4pm on Friday 22 December and will reopen on Tuesday 2 January 2024.

  • You can report non-urgent issues on our report page
  • You can use the out-of-hours service for the contact centre
  • If you need to let us know about a rough sleeper, please report it to us
  • If you urgently need to speak to someone in adult social care, please call 01925 443322, option 2
  • If you urgently need to speak to someone in children's social services, please call 01925 444400
  • The registrar's office can be contacted using the out-of-hours contact centre service
Bin collections and recycling

Bin collections and recycling

Bin collections

Tuesday 19 December
Normal collection

Wednesday 20 December
Normal collection

Thursday 21 December
Normal collection

Friday 22 December
Normal collection

Saturday 23 December
No Collection

Christmas Eve (Sunday 24 December)
No Collection

Christmas Day
No Collection

Boxing Day
No Collection

Bin collections are moved to next day:

Wednesday 27 December
Collection of usual Tuesday round

Thursday 28 December
Collection of usual Wednesday round

Friday 29 December
Collection of usual Thursday round

Saturday 30 December
Collection of usual Friday round

New Year's Eve (Sunday 31 December)
No Collection

New Year's Day
No Collection

Tuesday 2 January
Normal collections restart

Please remember:
  • Christmas cards, cardboard packaging and foil can go in your blue recycling bin as well as aluminium cans and glass bottles
  • Christmas trees can be recycled via St Rocco’s tree collection on Saturday 13 January 2024 for a small donation, or you can take trees, wreaths and plants to community recycling centres
  • Some wrapping paper can’t be recycled due to the mix of materials and sticky tape can cause trouble for recycling plants. Make sure you remove any tape and do the scrunch test – if the paper springs back, it can’t be recycled
  • Don’t put batteries in your bins as they may cause a fire. You can dispose of batteries at your local recycling bank or LiveWire library. Lots of supermarkets also have battery recycling bins
  • Christmas tree lights can be taken to some of our community recycling centres that accept small electrical items
  • Baubles and tinsel can’t be recycled - re-use them for as long as you can, but if their time has come, put them in your normal household waste

Community recycling centres

Our community recycling centres are open throughout December.

Find out more about opening times and what you can and can't recycle at each centre:

Gatewarth community recycling centre

Woolston community recycling centre

Stockton Heath community recycling centre

All community recycling centres are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.

Warrington Christmas Appeal

Can you help to provide a great Christmas for Warrington families in need this year?

The Warrington Christmas Appeal is a not-for-profit community project that is working closely with a range of local causes and organisations to help ensure that no child goes without a gift this Christmas.

We are trying to make sure that each child (aged 0 to14) has a selection of gifts, and those aged 15 to 18 receive a gift card to be redeemed at Golden Square Shopping Centre, in addition to a toiletry gift set. Every child will also receive a pair of pyjamas.

How to donate

We need donations of good quality, new toys for children aged 0 to 14, and new nightwear for children and young people aged 0 to 18. Monetary donations to put towards gift cards for young people aged 15 to 18 can be made online via Crowdunder, or at The Toy Shop, at the address below. below.

  • The Toy Shop, 26-28 Sankey Street, WA1 1SL
  • Golden Square Customer Services, Golden Square Shopping Centre, WA1 1QB
  • Warrington Foodbank, Unit 9 Tanning Court, WA1 2HF (Monday to Thursday, 9am - 7pm and Friday, 10am - 2pm)
  • Friends of St Elphins Park, Pavilion Tea Rooms, Manchester Road, WA1 3AN (Tuesday to Thursday, 9am - 2pm)
  • Warrington Disability Partnership Centre for Independent Living, Beaufort Street, WA5 1BA
  • Warrington Town Hall reception, Sankey Street, WA1 1UH (Monday to Friday, 9.30am - 4pm)
  • School Uniform Network Shop, Golden Square Shopping Centre (Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 2pm)
  • Orford Community Hub, 102 Hughes Avenue, WA2 9EW

How to access the service

If you are in hardship this festive period, and have not accessed support through other referral channels, you can access the toy appeal in several ways. This includes:

You will be issued with a number, which can be redeemed at the Toy Shop. Please bring proof of address with you.

How to volunteer

If you are interested in helping out with the appeal, please visit Warrington Voluntary Action's website.

Care Leavers Christmas Market

The Care Leavers Christmas Market is back by popular demand, this year expanding their Christmas-themed products to include new artisan gifts! 

Warrington’s care leavers will be selling treats for Christmas Eve boxes, including Santa keys, reindeer dust and hot chocolate cones.

They are also selling home-made Christmas decorations such as lemon/cinnamon hanging decorations, handmade cards, origami stars, and fillable baubles.

The group of enterprising young people have been meeting through November and December to create all of the stock that will be sold on the stall at Warrington Market from scratch.

The market stall will be based in the foyer of the market on the following days:

  • Thursday 30 November, 10am – 2pm
  • Thursday 7 December, 10am – 2pm
  • Thursday 14 December, 10am – 2pm

The stall is cash only, with all profits going directly back to the care leavers involved in the project.

Warrington Market

Warrington Market's Christmas opening times:

Main market

  • Sunday 3, 10, 17 December - 11am-4pm
  • Christmas Eve - 10am-4pm
  • Christmas Day - closed
  • Boxing Day - closed
  • 27 to 30 December - 9am-5pm
  • New Year's Eve - 11am-4pm
  • New Year's Day - closed

Cookhouse

  • Sunday 3, 10, 17 December - 10am-7pm
  • Christmas Eve - 10am-4pm
  • Christmas Day - closed
  • Boxing Day - closed
  • 27 to 28 December - 9am-7pm
  • 29 to 30 December - 9am-11pm
  • New Year's Eve - 11am-5pm (ticketed event 7pm-1am)
  • New Year's Day - closed

Market Advent Calendar

Visitors are being invited to pick up an entry form from any of the stalls throughout December until Christmas Eve. Winners will then be given an opportunity to open a door to a ‘Giant Advent Calendar’ on display inside the market, to reveal a daily mystery prize.

For more information about the activities and events taking place over the festive period, visit the market's webpage.

Walton Hall and Gardens

There is lots going on at Walton Hall and Gardens this festive period, with events and activities for the whole family to enjoy.

Walton Hall and Gardens Christmas opening times:

Car park

Christmas Eve - 8am-4.30pm

Christmas Day - 8.30am-4.30pm

Boxing Day - 8.30am-4.30pm

27 to 30 December - 8am-4.30pm

New Year's Eve - 8am-4.30pm

New Year’s Day - 8.30am-4.30pm

2 January - 8am to 4.30pm

Children's Zoo

Christmas Eve - 10.30am-4pm

Christmas Day - 10am-12pm

Boxing Day - 10am-12pm

27 to 30 December - 10.30am-4pm

New Year’s Eve - 10am -12pm

New Year’s Day - 10am-12pm

2 January - 10.30am-4pm

Adventure Golf

Christmas Eve - closed

Christmas Day - closed

Boxing Day - closed

27 to 30 December - 10.30am-3pm*

New Year’s Eve - closed

New Year’s Day - closed

2 January - 10.30am-3pm*

*weather permitting

Heritage Café

Christmas Eve - 10am-3pm

Christmas Day - closed

Boxing Day - 10am-3pm

27 to 30 December - 9am-4pm

New Year’s Eve - 10am-3pm

New Year’s Day - 10am-3pm

2 January - 9am-4pm

Find out more about what's on and plan your visit via their website.

LiveWire

LiveWire leisure sites and library opening hours will be affected over the Christmas period.

More information can be found on LiveWire's website.

Golden Square Shopping Centre

Golden Square Shopping Centre's opening hours will be change over the festive period to provide more opportunity for shopping in the run up to Christmas.

Find out more about opening hours on their website.

Cost of living support

Christmas is a time for joy and happiness, but for families struggling with the cost of living, it can be a difficult time of year.

There are lots of organisations and schemes that can help you manage through the current cost of living crisis. Some of these are local to Warrington and there are also national schemes available to you.

We have split our list of help into different categories, depending on your specific situation. These include support with food, finances, bills and childcare.