Festive opening hours and contacts

The Council Offices reception will be closed to the public from 4.00 pm on Friday 23 December 2022 and will thereafter remain closed until 10.00 am on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Other specific arrangements are detailed below:

Customer Services:

The Customer Services phone service will close from 4.00 pm on Friday 23 December 2022 and will re-open at 10.00 am on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Registration - Births, Deaths and Marriages:

For information/advice on registrations between 27 - 30 December 2022 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.

Electoral Registration Office: 

The Electoral Registration Office will close on Friday 23 December from 4pm and re-open on Wednesday 4 January 2023 at 9am.

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:

• Criminal Justice
• Children and Families
• Adult 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.

Orkney Health and Care has taken the difficult decision to close Older People’s Day Care from 19 December through to 4 January 2023 due to staffing issues. This affects two Mainland day care centres – Gilbertson and West Mainland. Day Care staff are being deployed to the Care at Home service during the festive period, so that Care at Home service users will receive the required visits on the days they would ordinarily attend Day Care.

Neighbourhood Services and Infrastructure:

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 and severe weather:

For reporting defects relating to roads, footways and street lighting or during severe weather conditions and flooding please telephone Kirkwall (01856) 876338.

You will either be able to speak to employees who are on standby or leave your message on the answering machine. The messages on this machine are checked several times each day.

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 2021 and 1 and 2 January 2023. Any queries can be made at the Council Offices on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

Business Gateway (Queen Street):

Closed from 12 noon Friday 23 December 2022 and reopens 9.00 am Wednesday 4 January 2023.

St Magnus Cathedral:

• Monday 19 December to Saturday 24 December (inclusive) 9.00 am – 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
• Sunday 25 December - Closed (church service at 11.15 am)
• Monday 26 December - Closed
• Tuesday 27 December to Saturday 31 December (inclusive) 9.00 am – 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm – 5.00 pm
• Sunday 1 January 2023 - Closed (church service at 11.15 am)
• Monday 2 January 2023 - Closed

Normal opening hours will resume on Tuesday 3 January 2023.

The Orkney Museum, Tankerness House:

Closed from 3.00 pm on Friday 23 December 2022, open again at 10.30 am on Wednesday 1 February 2023.

Warehouse Buildings Stromness (Including Stromness Library):

Open from 9.15 am to 3.45 pm on Friday 23 December 2022 and reopens Wednesday 4 January 2023 at 9.15 am.

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 2023. Note they may close earlier (on 24 and 31 December 2022) and re-open later (on 27 December 2022 and 3 January 2023) than usual opening times. Ferry waiting rooms are only open on days there are ferry sailings.

Orkney Library and Archive:

Closed from 3.00 pm on Friday 23rd December 2022, open again at 10.00 am on Monday 9th January 2023. (Both the library and archive will be carrying out essential stocktaking between the 4th and 7th of January). Book return boxes will be CLOSED from 2pm on 23rd December 2022 to 9am on 4th January 2023 at both libraries.

Community Centres: 

• Kirkwall and St Ola - Closed from 3.00 pm Friday 23 December 2022, open again 9.30 am on Wednesday 4 January 2023.
• Stromness - Closed from 3.00 pm on Friday 23 December 2022, open again on Thursday 5th January 2023 at 9.30 am.
• Stromness Academy - Closed from Thursday 22 December 2022, open again on Wednesday 4 January 2023.
• Dounby - Closed from Saturday 24 December 2022, open again on Wednesday 4 January 2023.

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:

KGS Sports Centre will be open as follows during the festive period:-

• Closed Saturday 24 December 2022 to Tuesday 27 December 2022 inclusive.
• Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 December – Open 9.00 am – 12.30 pm
• Closed Saturday 31 December 2022 until Tuesday 3 January 2023.
• Normal opening hours will resume on Wednesday 4 January.

Stromness Swimming Pool and Health Suite and Fitness Suites:

Saturday 24 December 2022:

• 08.30 am – 09.30 am Lane Swimming
• 10.00 am – 11.00 am Fun Session with Inflatable
• 11.30 am – 12.30 pm Family Session
• 08.30 am – 12.30 pm Fitness Suite

Closed Sunday 25 December 2022 to Tuesday 27 December 2022 inclusive.

Wednesday 28 December 2022:

• 07.45 am - 10.00 am Lane Swimming
• 10.00 am – 11.00 am Wellness Session
• 11.00 am – 12.00 pm Family Session
• 12.00 pm – 01.00 pm Lane Swimming
• 04.00 pm – 05.00 pm Fun Session with Inflatable
• 05.30 pm – 07.30 pm Family Session
• 07.45 am – 01.00 pm Fitness and Health Suite
• 04.00 pm – 07.30 pm Fitness and Health Suite

Thursday 29 December 2022:

• 07.45 am – 09.45 am Lane Swimming
• 10.00 am – 12.00 pm Family Session
• 04.00 pm – 05.30 pm Fun Session – Stepping Stones in Deep End
• (stones removed at 05.15pm)
• 05.30 pm – 06.30 pm Lane Swimming
• 07.45 am – 12:00 pm Fitness and Health Suite
• 04.00 pm – 06.30 pm Fitness and Health Suite

Friday 30 December 2022:

• 07.45 am – 10.00 am Lane Swimming
• 10.00 am – 11.00 am Wellness Session
• 11.00 am – 12.00 pm Family Session
• 12.00 pm – 01.00 pm Lane Swimming
• 04.00 pm – 05.30pm Fun Session
• 05.30 pm – 06.15 pm Lane Swimming
• 06.15 pm – 07.30 pm Family Session
• 07.45 am – 01.00 pm Fitness and Health Suite
• 04.00 am – 07.30 am Fitness and Health Suite

Closed Saturday 31 December 2022 until Tuesday 3 January 2023.

Normal opening hours will resume on Thursday 5 January.