Christmas Information

Welcome to our Christmas information page where you'll be able to find details of the festive opening hours for International House this year. We'll also have details on refuse and recycling collection dates and tips on staying safe when out enjoying our town centre.

ABC services at International House

If you need to contact us during the festive period, our opening hours during Christmas and New Year are as detailed below. Our main switchboard number to call us on is 01233 331111.

Services at Tenterden Highbury Hall

Over Christmas, ABC services at Highbury Hall will be available on Wednesday 17 December, 2-4pm and will resume on Wednesday 7 January 2026.

Waste collections

You can also find all this information on our festive waste collections webpage including recycling tips.

Please ensure your bin is presented prior to 6am.

Normal recycling, refuse and food waste service resumes Monday 12 January.

Garden waste collections

Garden waste collections will also be suspended for the weeks commencing Wednesday 24 December and Monday 6 January. Collections will resume on your normal day of collection from Thursday 8 January. 

Missed bin collections 

Missed bin collections can continue to be reported via the usual Report It channel.

Please note that any missed bins need to be reported the day after your collection was due, but no later than 48 working hours thereafter.

Once you have reported your missed collection, please leave your bin outside at the usual point of collection.

Help with the cost of living

If you are struggling at the moment and need a little extra help and support, visit the Cost of Living section on our website for a range of information.

Supporting rough sleepers

We have a dedicated team who work with rough sleepers, actively supporting people with individual care plans and needs assessments, to identify their principal needs and work with each client to signpost and ‘handhold’ to the relevant outside agencies, alongside assisting them into accommodation. 

We understand that the winter period often presents greatest risks to people’s health. It may provide increased opportunities to engage with ‘entrenched’ rough sleepers and other hard-to-reach groups, as they may be more likely to accept support at this time of year. Therefore, when the weather temperature is forecast at zero degrees or below for three consecutive days, according to the Met Office, we will implement our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP).

Supporting you during a flood

During an emergency, we will work with Kent County Council, Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency to co-ordinate the response for severe flooding. We will set up Rest Centres for people who are evacuated and unable to stay with family and friends. A Rest Centre is a temporary shelter for those who are evacuated where we will provide basic care and welfare support as well as information and advice.

We will also arrange temporary housing for anyone that is unable to return home. We will do our best in the circumstances to mount a reasonable flood defence response, including making sandbags available at locations of highest risk. For further information visit our Emergency Planning web page.

Recycling your real Christmas tree

Support Pilgrims Hospices with this special fundraising campaign which offers real Christmas tree collections from homes across the Ashford borough. Simply make a donation of your choice when registering your real Christmas tree and Pilgrims volunteer elves will collect the tree from your home and take it for recycling. The real Christmas trees will be collected Saturday 10 January - Sunday 11 January. Register your real tree by visiting Pilgrims Hospices website.

Need some Christmas inspiration?

What are your plans this Christmas? If you're looking for a family activity, a visit to see Santa or maybe fancy trying your hand at wreath making, don't miss the fab Christmas Inspiration guide that is available courtesy of Visit Ashford and Tenterden. 

It's time to party!

If you are out celebrating with friends, family or colleagues this festive season don’t forget your personal safety.

• Stay alert and in well-lit areas
• Don't become separated from your friends
• Never accept a drink from someone you don't know - see below for more details.
• If you haven’t already, make sure you download the WalkSafe app - the UK's leading personal safety app which is now available in Ashford and features real-time journey sharing, national Safe Space map access and instant SOS alerts
• Make sure you have enough money to get yourself home and don’t rely on simply being able to hail a taxi
• If you are planning on getting a cab then book in advance using a licensed taxi company or hail a hackney carriage in the street as licensed vehicles have a council licence plate, usually fixed to the rear of the car
• Check the driver has your name and/or booking reference and destination when they arrive. Verify that the phone number on their vehicle matches the one you dialled and that the driver has official identification with their photograph on it
• Do not get into an unmarked car that has pulled up at the kerb and asked if you require transport

For more tips on travelling safely by taxi visit our dedicated taxi customer information web page.

ABC Licensing partners with Pubwatch, APAC to distribute drink spiking test kits

Our Licensing team has worked in collaboration with the local Pubwatch scheme (delivered by Ashford Partnership Against Crime) to provide drink spiking tests to night-time economy venues.

This initiative ensures that if residents are concerned their drink may have been tampered with, they can request a test from local licensed premises, for the presence of certain substances, giving peace of mind during the busy party season. It will help identify suspected drink spiking incidents quickly, enabling vital evidence such as the drink and CCTV footage to be secured, and enable timely and effective reports to Kent Police.

So, whether you’re out for a Christmas party or ringing in the New Year, remember to look after your friends, keep an eye on your drinks, and don’t hesitate to ask for a test from bar staff if you’re concerned.

Beware of scams

During the busy festive season, we want to remind everyone to remain vigilant when purchasing goods or services online, or even when out and about in our borough. Here are a few things to be mindful of:

• How to shop and pay safely online - Criminals are increasingly turning to web-enabled fraud to steal our money and personal details. The following tips from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) will help you purchase items safely and avoid fraudulent websites. 
• Winter Fuel Payment scams - Remember that most people get the Winter Fuel Payment automatically if they’re eligible. If you receive a text that includes a link and alleges to be from the government, for example the Home Office or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - it could be a scam. Please do not click into any links within texts if you are not sure. You can report any scams related to Winter Fuel Payments, or suspicious messages to the government's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
• Parking QR code / text message scams - Remember that we never offer payment for parking by QR code, so please do not scan any QR codes if you see one on one of our parking machines. Also we'll never send SMS messages regarding penalty charge notices (PCNs) or any other related parking issues.
• Impersonation scams - scammers posing as various organisations like Amazon may send you calls, texts, and emails with various tactics to try to deceive you to provide personal information or sign-in credentials. With exciting offers available over Christmas including Boxing Day, it's always good to double check before making a purchase. Here are some more tips from Amazon on avoiding impersonation scams.
• TV Licensing scams - This year TV Licensing has become aware people continue to fall victim to increasingly sophisticated email and text scams - particularly scams that appear to be from TV Licensing, but are in fact fraudulent. Their STOP, CHECK, ASK campaign will help to keep you safe and it includes really useful tips on how to spot a TV Licensing scam and how to report it.