Christmas and New Year arrangements 2021

Council office closing times

Borough Council services at the Hinckley Hub will close at 4:30pm on Friday 24 December and re-open at 8:30am on Tuesday 4 January. 

In an emergency call 01455 251137.

Refuse & recycling arrangements

There will be alternate arrangements for collections due on Monday 27 December, Tuesday 28 December and Monday 3 January.  All other refuse and recycling collections will continue as usual during the Christmas and New Year period. However, the garden waste (brown bin) collection service will be suspended for two weeks during the Christmas and New Year period (last collection Tuesday 21 December and collections starting again Wednesday 5 January 2022). There will also be no collections of large items (bulky waste) between Monday 20 December and Monday 3 January 2022.

Alternate arrangements for refuse (black bin) and recycling (blue-lid bin) collections due on Monday 27 December, Tuesday 28 December and Monday 3 January are as follows:

• Refuse due on Monday 27 December will be collected on Friday 24 December
• Recycling (blue-lid) due on Monday 27 December will be collected on Thursday 23 December
• Refuse due on Tuesday 28 December will be collected on Wednesday 29 December
• Recycling (blue-lid) due on Tuesday 28 December will be collected on Thursday 30 December
• Refuse due on Monday 3 January will be collected on Friday 31 December
• Recycling (blue-lid) due on Monday 3 January will be collected on Tuesday 4 January

For residents living in rural west areas of the borough who usually have garden and refuse bins collected on the same day, collection arrangements are as follows: 

• Refuse due on Monday 27 moves to Friday 24 December
• Refuse due on Tuesday 28 moves to Wednesday 29 December
• Recycling (Blue-lid) due on Monday 3 January moves to Tuesday 4 January

Full details of collection dates

Free Parking on Saturdays in Hinckley

Christmas shoppers in Hinckley will once again be able to enjoy free car parking in selected town centre car parks on Saturdays this festive season. Shoppers can park for free from 9am in the Lower Bond street, Trinity West and Castle car parks on Saturday 27 November, as well as Saturday December 4, 11 and 18.

The Borough Council has agreed to repeat the popular offer again this year in order to thank shoppers for their loyalty and to increase trade for shops and businesses. Shoppers are reminded that parking is free in all council run car parks on Sundays throughout the year.

Hinckley Market at Christmas

There will be markets in Hinckley on Friday 24 December and Friday 31 December. There will be no market on Saturday 25 December, Monday 27 December or Monday 3 January. Markets will return to the usual Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from Friday 7 January onwards.

Festive Feast and Craft Market

A Sunday food and craft market offering a selection of hot and cold food plus crafts, collectibles and gifts will be in Market Place, Hinckley on Sunday 12 December from 10am until 4pm.

There will be 40 stallholders including street foods, warming mulled wine and cider, crafts, gifts, collectibles and more plus live music, Santa on Stilts and entertainment from Fosse 107.

Hinckley BID’s Santa’s Grotto

Hinckley BID is offering a Santa’s Grotto in Britannia Centre daily from Saturday 18 to Wednesday 22 December.

The grotto, which is located in the former Argos unit in Britannia Centre off Castle Street, is open from 10am to 12:30pm and then from 1pm to 4pm daily. 

Entry costs £2 per child, with free admission to under 3s. Each child will receive a small gift. No booking is necessary.

For further details please email info@hinckleybid.co.uk or call 01455 698494.

Festive Fun Run

A free festive family fun run hosted by Hinckley BID and the Borough Council will be held on Sunday 5 December in Hinckley Town Centre. 

The run, which is just under a mile long, starts with a warm-up from our resident ‘Healthy Elf’ from 10:45am in Market Place, Hinckley. Participants are invited to dress up as Santa, an elf or reindeer or wear their Christmas jumpers. 

There will be neck medals for everyone sporting festive dress, there will also be a £50 and £25 gift voucher to be won. Well-behaved dogs (on leads) in festive fancy dress are also welcome to join. 

The route is suitable for all abilities including wheelchairs and pushchairs - walking, toddling or ambling is encouraged for any non-runners. There will also be a sweet stop for all children on route.

Entry is free and parking is free in all council town centre car parks on Sundays.

To pre-register, phone 01455 698 494 or email info@hinckleybid.co.uk

Hinckley Leisure Centre

Hinckley Leisure Centre will close at 12 noon on Friday 24 December (last admission at 11am) and remain closed on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 December. The centre’s opening hours will be from 8am to 6pm from Monday 27 to Thursday 30 December. The centre will close at 4pm on Friday 31 December (last admission at 11am) and remain closed on Saturday 1 January 2022.

The Centre will be open from 7:15am to 6pm on Sunday 2 January and from 6am until 7pm on Monday 3 January. The centre will revert to normal opening hours from Tuesday 4 January. For further information including the swim and class timetable see the Leisure Centre’s website

Community Houses

Earl Shilton Community House and Wykin Community House close at 12 noon on Friday 17 December and Barwell Community House closes at 12 noon on Thursday 16 December.  All three Community Houses reopen at 9:15am on Tuesday 4 January.