Christmas 2022 and New Year 2023 services

The following services will operate in East Wichel over the Christmas and New Year period.

The Stowe Church

Christmas Encounter

Sunday 18^th December from 11 am to 12.30 pm at The StoweAway. With a community ‘nativity’ brunch and chance to meet Jesus in the stable.

Carols and Christmas Quiz

Wednesday 21^st December from 7.45 pm at The Wichel Inn. The quiz is free to enter for teams of up to six people.

Carols by Candlelight

Christmas Eve, Saturday 24^th December, 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm at The StoweAway. A traditional and peaceful start to Christmas.

Waste and recycling collections

Swindon Borough Council hasn’t published details of its waste and recycling during the festive period. Based on recent years, there’s expected to be very little change to waste and recycling collections in East Wichel this Christmas, with collections happening on their usual scheduled days. The only changes are expected to be

Garden waste

There will be no garden waste collection on Monday 2^nd January.

Excess recycling

Throughout January 2023, Swindon Borough Council are expected to collect additional recycling as long as it is presented in sturdy containers. If you have excess cardboard, please break it down into manageable pieces and bundle it neatly next to your recycling boxes for collection. Your additional recyclable materials may be collected by a second vehicle at a different time. The council will not be collecting additional non-recyclable waste.

Christmas trees

In a significant change to previous years, those without a garden waste subscription must book the collection of their Christmas tree for recycling.

For those with a garden waste subscription, trees should be put out for collection on Monday 16^th January 2023 or Monday 30^th January 2023 and left out until collected.

Those without a garden waste subscription must book their tree collection using a form that the borough council says will be available on their website between Wednesday 28^th December and Friday 13^th January. Once the form has been completed, the borough council will tell you when your tree will be collected — this will be some time between Monday 23^rd January and Friday 3^rd February. If you don’t subscribe to the council’s garden waste collection, the council will not collect Christmas trees if you haven’t booked a collection.

Real trees — with all decorations and lighting removed — should be placed at the front of your property for collection on your designated day, clearly visible from the road. Trees that are too large for two people to safely lift must be cut into smaller pieces.

Pubs & Restaurants

The Wichel Inn

Open 11.30 am to 3.30 pm on Christmas Day; details for other days have not been published yet.

H&W Wichelstowe

Open as usual except:

Date	Opening times	Serving times
Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December	0930-2200	0930-1900
Christmas Day, Sunday 25th December	1130-1600	1130-1600
Boxing Day, Monday 26th December	1030-2200	1200-1900
New Year’s Eve, Saturday 31st December	0930-0100	0930-2100
New Year’s Day, Sunday 1st January	1030-2200	1200-1900
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd January	0930-2300	0930-2100

Copacabana Brazilian Restaurant

Copacabana is closed from Christmas Eve, Saturday 24^th December, and reopens at 4 pm on Thursday 5^th January.

Takeaway

Wichelstowe Fish Bar, having suffered from frozen pipes and stock supply problems, has already closed early ahead of Christmas, and reopens on Monday 2^nd January.

Shops

Shops in Wichelstowe have the following opening hours over the festive period

Date	East Wichel Co-Op	Waitrose
Monday 19th December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 10 pm
Tuesday 20th December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 10 pm
Wednesday 21st December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 10 pm
Thursday 22nd December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 10 pm
Friday 23rd December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 10 pm
Christmas Eve, Saturday 24th December	7 am to 6 pm	7 am to 6 pm
Christmas Day, Sunday 25th December	closed	closed
Boxing Day, Monday 26th December	9 am to 5 pm	closed
Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th December	7 am to 10 pm	8 am to 6 pm
Wednesday 28th December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 9 pm
Thursday 29th December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 9 pm
Friday 30th December	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 9 pm
New Year’s Eve, Saturday 31st December	7 am to 6 pm	7 am to 6 pm
New Year’s Day, Sunday 1st January	8 am to 6 pm	closed
Bank Holiday Monday 2nd January	7 am to 10 pm	8 am to 6 pm
Tuesday 3rd January	7 am to 10 pm	7 am to 9 pm

Bus Services

Friday 23^rd December

Normal bus service.

Christmas Eve, Saturday 24^th December

A normal Saturday service until 8 pm. The last buses on Swindon’s Buses service 11 will be the 1938 departure from Middle Wichel to the bus station and the 2028 departure from the bus station to Wichelstowe. The last buses on Stagecoach service 9 will be the 1905 departure from the bus station to Wroughton and the 1927 departure from Wroughton (1938 from Middle Wichel) to the bus station.

Christmas Day, Sunday 25^th December

No bus services.

Boxing Day, Monday 26^th December

Swindon’s Bus Company will be running a Sunday service on service 11. Stagecoach service 9 will not run.

Bank Holiday Tuesday 27^th December

Both Stagecoach and Swindon’s Bus Company will be running a Sunday service.

Wednesday 28^th December to Friday 30^th December

Swindon’s Buses will be running a Saturday service on service 11, and Stagecoach will be running a normal weekday service on service 9.

New Year’s Eve, Saturday 31^st December

Swindon’s Buses will be running a Saturday service on service 11 until 8 pm. The last buses on Swindon’s Buses service 11 will be the 1938 departure from Middle Wichel to the bus station and the 2028 departure from the bus station to Wichelstowe. Stagecoach will be running a normal Saturday service with the last buses at about 8 pm as usual.

New Year’s Day, Sunday 1^st January

No bus services.

Bank Holiday Monday 2^nd January

Both Stagecoach and Swindon’s Bus Company will be running a Sunday service.

from Tuesday 3^rd January

Normal bus service.

East Wichel News wishes all its readers a joyous Christmas and a peaceful new year.