Christmas Closure

Christmas Closure

If you have staff due to work on site at either the Nations, Locations or Walton Hall Campus between Christmas and New Year, please contact the Estates Liaison Line Team by Friday 12 December 2025. 

Please note in the event of adverse weather the Staff Emergency Information number 01908 (6)55666.

The Security Lodge will remain open throughout the Christmas period and can be contacted on 01908 (6)53666, or email [email protected].

If you are working on OU Premises over the Christmas Period, please provide the following details: 

• Building location
• Floor levels / office numbers
• Working days / hours

Berrill Reception and Liaison Line Team 

• The Berrill Reception and Switchboard will close at 15:00 on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopen at 08:00 on Friday 02 January 2026.
• The Estates Liaison Line will close at 15:00 on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and reopen at 08:00 on Friday 02 January 2026.

Catering 

• Week commencing 22 December 2025, the Hub will offer the standard menu on Monday & Tuesday, opening hours remain 11:45-14:00. An all-day breakfast will be served on Wednesday from 08:30 to 14:00. The area will reopen on Monday 05 January 2026.
• The Exchange (barista bar) will be open as usual 22 & 23 December from 08:00 to16:00, on Wednesday 24 the café will close at 15:00.
• The self-serve café in Berrill including the two hot drinks vendors will close on Wednesday 24 at 14:00 and reopen Monday 05 January 2026.
• Vending Services are available in the following locations, there will not be any support for service issues during the closure period. Please email EST-Catering.
• Friday 02 January food service, The Exchange coffee bar will be the only catering outlet open, selling a selection of hot and cold grab & go foods and drinks.

Vending Machines

Cleaning and Waste 

• The fortnightly Walton Hall Campus office cleaning schedule will stop on Wednesday 24 December, and restart on Friday 02 January 2026.
• Please remember to check fridges & remove food items before leaving for the holidays, the cleaning team have been requested to remove out of date items.
• A reminder not to leave food items on desks/worktops, please keep items secure in metal tins to deter pests.
• Walton Hall Campus, please ensure all waste is binned before leaving for the Christmas break, the cleaning team will start to remove all waste from 15:00 on Wednesday 24 December 2025.
• Cleaning for the Nations and Locations please refer to your local Support Services team. 

Go Green: Big Festive Switch Off

The festive season is here and is a time for fun and frivolities. It is very easy to forget the energy saving actions we can take to reduce our carbon impact at this time of year, so once again we are campaigning for everyone to switch off everything you can once you've finished working, ready to enjoy the festive break. 

Gritting Service

• There will be a reduced service over the Christmas and New Year break if gritting is required. The gritting team will grit the ring road and routes to identified occupied areas. Local parking for these areas will also be gritted.
• In the event of ice or snow, staff are advised to consider if they need to attend site. If attendance at site cannot be avoided, please park on the gritted areas on the ring road.
• Staff and visitors are asked to take particular care on footpaths, car parks and roads where surfaces remain untreated.
• If required, gritting of the whole campus will be carried out in preparation for staff returning to work on Friday 02 January 2026.

Postal Services - Post Room & Goods Receiving Terminal (GRT) (Dan Chapman)

• All post will be processed during the morning of Wednesday 24 December 2025 with a Royal Mail postal collection at 12pm. Agreed postal collections and deliveries will be in the morning before the Royal Mail collection at midday. The Post Room and GRT will close at 15:00 on Wednesday 24 December 2025, with services to recommence on Friday 02 January 2026.
• Owing to our supplier's commitments, the last day for processing DHL and Parcelforce consignments will be no later than 13:00 on Friday 19 December 2025. This is to ensure that all parcels can be delivered before Christmas and not ‘left in the system'.
• Post Room and GRT will be open for all collections until the morning of Wednesday 24 December 2025. Items not collected by 12pm will be held and made available for collection on Friday 02 January 2026.
• The private mail service is running between 09:00 – 15:30. We also offer our courier services. Perfect for if you are struggling to get to your loved ones this side of the year. We can even send Internationally!
• To discuss any items due in or around the Christmas time, please get in touch with the Post Room ([email protected]) and GRT ([email protected]).