Christmas and New Year - Opening Hours

Released: Tuesday 23 December 2025

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Council Offices - Opening Hours

Wednesday 24 December to Friday 26 December 2025: Council Offices Closed
Monday 29, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 December 2025: normal opening hours 9am to 5pm.
Closed on New Year's Day, Thursday 1 January 2026
Friday 2 January 2026: return to normal opening hours

Please use the report function on our website to report any issues: Self Service - Ards and North Down Borough Council

Recycling Services

Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) at Balloo, Ballygowan, Comber, Donaghadee, Holywood, Kircubbin, Millisle, Newtownards and Portaferry will be closed on

Wednesday 24, Thursday 25 and Friday 26 December 2025
Thursday 1 January 2026.

Book your appointment online HRC Booking System - Ards and North Down Borough Council

For information about household collections please visit Holiday bin collection arrangements - Ards and North Down Borough Council or check the Binovation app.

Leisure Opening hours

Ards Blair Mayne, Comber Leisure Centre and Londonderry Park will be closed on Tuesday 23 December for a staff development day. Portaferry Sports centre will remain open as normal on Tuesday 23 December.

All centres will be closed on:

Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
New Years Day

All centres will reopen as normal on Saturday 27 December.

On Wednesday 31 December, Ards Blair Mayne, Comber Leisure Centre and Londonderry Park will close at 6pm. Portaferry Sports Centre will be open 8.30am to 3pm.

All centres will be closed on Thursday 1 January 2026 and will reopen as normal on Friday 2 January.

Please visit Leisure Ards and North Down for more information about our Council-operated Leisure Centres.

Please visit (Northern Community Leisure Trust (northdownleisure.com) for opening hours for Bangor Aurora Aquatics and Leisure Complex, and Queens Leisure Complex.

Ards Arts Centre

CLOSED: Wednesday 24 - Monday 29 December 2025

OPEN: Tuesday 30 - Wednesday 31 December 2025

CLOSED: Thursday 1 January 2026

OPEN: Friday 2 January 2026 onwards - usual opening hours

North Down Museum

CLOSED: Wednesday 24 - Friday 26 December 2025

OPEN: Normal opening hours from Saturday 27 - Wednesday 31 December 2025

CLOSED: Thursday 1 January 2026

OPEN: Friday 2 January 2026 onwards usual opening hours

Coffee Cure will also follow the same opening times as North Down Museum

Walled Garden, Bangor Castle

The Walled Garden is closed from Monday 22 December 2025 to Friday 2 January, opening again on Saturday 3 January 2026.

Ards Visitor Information Centre

31 Regent Street, Newtownards. Beside the Bus Station.

Closed: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Saturday 27 December, 1 January 2026

The Centre will be open Bank Holiday hours of 10am - 4pm on New Year's Eve, Wednesday 31 December.

Please note, Ards VIC closes for lunch, on a Saturday only, between 12.15pm - 1pm.

Bangor Visitor Information Centre

Tower House, 5 Quay Street. Near Eisenhower Pier

Closed: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and 1 January 2026

The Centre will be open Bank Holiday hours of 10am - 4pm on Saturday 27 December and New Year's Eve, Wednesday 31 December.

For all opening times, for each centre >> Visitor Information Centres - Ards and North Down, County Down in Northern Ireland