Christmas and New Year Holiday Period
The Council Offices reception will be closed to the public from 4pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will thereafter remain closed until 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Other specific arrangements are detailed below:
Customer Services
The Customer Services phone service will close from 4pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will re-open at 9am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Registration Office, Kirkwall
Births, Deaths and Marriages
For information/advice on registrations between 29, 30 and 31 December 2025 please contact 07860 448271.
Emergency Out-of-Hours ‘Homeless Service’
For those requiring accommodation in an emergency (e.g. homeless) please contact the Out of Hours Officer on 07921 582962.
Scottish Welfare Fund
While the council offices are closed, no payments from the Scottish Welfare Fund will be made.
If you would like to apply for a Community Care Grant or a Crisis Grant during this time, complete the online application form but please note that you will not receive a decision until the council offices re-open.
If you are in crisis while the offices are closed it will not be possible to apply for a crisis grant. You should contact the emergency social worker by calling the Balfour Hospital on 01856 888000
Orkney Health and Care - Social Work and Social Care services
For emergencies, Out of Hours Duty social work services can be contacted through the Balfour Hospital on 01856 888000 for the duration of the holiday period for the following services:
- Justice Services
- Children and Families
- Adult and Learning Disability Social Work
- Community Occupational Therapy and Selbro Store
For all Care at Home enquiries please contact 01856 888390, the office will be staffed as usual from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm each day over the holiday period.
NHS Orkney Occupational Therapy will have emergency cover on Friday, 26 December 2025 and Friday, 2 January 2026. Teams will be open for their regular hours on 29, 30 and 31 December 2025. Please call 01856 888 118. Please call the Intermediate Community Therapy number – 01856 888234 if you require urgent support outwith these times.
Selbro – Community Occupational Therapy Service will open from 9am - 1.30pm on the 29, 30 and 31 December 2025 for urgent requests email: communityot@orkney.gov.uk
Infrastructure and Organisational Development
Normal procedures will apply for emergencies.
Housing and Other Council Owned Property
For reporting emergency repairs required to Council owned housing and other Council owned property please telephone Kirkwall 01856 873430.
You will be directed to employees who are on standby. Please hold until you get a response.
Roads, Footways and Street Lighting/Severe Weather
For reporting emergency defects relating to roads, footways and street lighting or during severe weather conditions and flooding please telephone Kirkwall (01856) 873535 ext 4249. If it is not an emergency please report it online.
To contact the Police in an emergency dial 999. For all other non-emergency enquiries please contact the Police on 101.
The Police Crimestoppers number is 0800 555 111 and this offers a confidential option.
Pay and Display Car Parks
Fees require to be paid in the car parks as usual except for 25 and 26 December 2025 and 1 and 2 January 2026. Any queries can be made at the Council Offices on Monday 5 January 2026.
Refuse Collection and Waste Sites
Information on refuse collection and waste sites opening times:
- Check when you need to put out your bins
- Reminder to householders of 2025 festive recycling changes
- Festive Period Domestic and Commercial Refuse Collections - Mainland and Linked South Isles
- Festive Period Domestic and Commercial Refuse Collections - Islands
- Festive Period Closures - Waste Management Sites
Business Gateway
Closed from 5pm Friday 19 December 2025 and reopens 9am Monday 5 January 2026.
Public Conveniences (including Travel Centre and Ferry Waiting conveniences)
Public toilets operated by the Council will close on Christmas Eve and re-open on 27 December, and close again on 31 December re-opening on 3 January 2026.
Note they may close earlier (on 24 and 31 December 2025) and re-open later (on 27 December 2025 and 3 January 2026) than usual opening times. Ferry waiting rooms are only open on days there are ferry sailings.
St Magnus Cathedral
- Thursday 25 December - Closed
- Friday 26 December - Closed
- Open from Saturday 27 December to Wednesday 31 December (inclusive) 9am - 1pm and 2 - 5pm
- Sunday 28 December 2025 - church service at 11.15am
- Thursday 1 January 2026 - Closed
- Friday 2 January 2026 – Closed
Normal opening hours will resume on Saturday 3 January 2026
The Orkney Museum, Tankerness House
Closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025. Scapa Flow Museum and Orkney Museum will reopen on Monday 2 March 2026.
Warehouse Buildings, Stromness (including Stromness Library)
Closed from 4pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopening on Monday 5 January 2026 at 9.15am.
Orkney Library and Archive
Closed from 3pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025, open again at 10am on Monday 12 January 2026. (Both the library and archive will be carrying out essential stocktaking between the 5 and 11 of January). Book return boxes will be closed from 2pm on 24 December 2025 to 9am on 5 January 2026 at both libraries.
Kirkwall and St Ola Community Centre
Closed from 3pm Wednesday 24 December 2025, open again 9.30am on Monday 5 January 2026.
Stromness Community Centre
Closed from 9pm on Tuesday 23 December 2025, open again on Monday 5 January 2026 at 9.30am.
Stromness Academy Community School
Closed from Friday 19 December 2025, open again on Monday 5 January 2026
Dounby Centre
Closed from Wednesday 24 December 2025, open again on Monday 5 January 2026.
All Healthy Living Centres
Contact each Healthy Living Centre for details.
- Westray - westray.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01857 677568.
- Sanday - sanday.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01857 600795.
- Shapinsay - shapinsay.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01856 711346.
- Rousay - rousay.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01856 821443.
- North Walls - northwalls.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01856 791085.
- St Margaret’s Hope - hope.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01856 831793.
- Stronsay - stronsay.hlc@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk - 01857 616449.
KGS Sports Centre
- Closed Wednesday 24 December 2025 to Sunday 28 December 2025, and Wednesday 31 December 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026.
- Open 29 & 30 December 2025:
- Monday 29 December 9.30am - 1pm
- Tuesday 30 December 9.30 am - 1pm
Stromness Swimming Pool, Health and Fitness Suite Sessions
Closed Wednesday 24 December 2025 to Friday 26 December 2025 inclusive.
Open Saturday 27 December 2025 to Tuesday 30 December 2025 inclusive. Please see timetable for swimming, health and fitness sessions.
Closed Wednesday 31 December 2025 until Friday 2 January 2026 inclusive.
Normal opening hours will resume on Saturday 3 January.
