¹û¶³Ó°Ôº

Our closure dates are listed here with further information to help us switch off safely. We've provided or linked toÌýinformation on deadlines for postal delivery, howÌýto notify security about live experiment equipment, andÌýopening times for library and cafe services.

• Christmas and New Year ClosureÌý(dates and times)
• Laboratories and making constantly running equipment safe
• The Christmas Switch Off: Resources for closing down and the difference it makes
• Last ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Post Times
• Out of Hours Working: stay in touch, stay safe
• LibraryÌýOpening Hours
• Cafes and Refectory Christmas Opening Times

Christmas and New Year Closure 2020-21

¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s winter closure period will be from 5.30pm on Wednesday 22ÌýDecember 2021Ìýto 09.30am on Tuesday 4th January 2021.Ìý

Laboratories and making constantly running equipment safe

The following procedures apply to the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's main Bloomsbury site defined as all buildings except those of the post graduate medical institutes and sites away from Central London.
Before leaving for your break, Laboratory Superintendents and others where appropriate, unless otherwise instructed by the Head of Department should ensure that:

• all lights, heaters and computers are switched off in their department
• all gas and water taps are turned off and that hoses connecting apparatus to water taps are securely wired both to the water supply and to the apparatus
• the Security Office has received by 5pm on Tuesday 15th December a copy of a list of places, such as laboratories with constant operating equipment, where there is a possible danger from flooding or fire viaÌýsecuritysystems@ucl.ac.uk
• the Security Office has received by 5pm on Tuesday 15th December written details of persons who can be contacted in cases of emergency (other than those already on the Control room database)Ìýsecuritysystems@ucl.ac.uk

The ChristmasÌýSwitchÌýOff: Action on Climate Change

Taking action in your work place willÌýhelp to reduce polutionÌýthis Christmas.ÌýOver the 2020 Christmas period, staff and studentsÌýhelped ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº save 147 tonnes of carbon through switching off items that would have otherwise been left running. That’s equivalent to planting 2,425 trees. It also saved ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº a tree-mendous £88,441. 2020 was a quieter year on campus than normal, and the annual saving was down from 600 tonnes in 2019 (10,000 trees!) because our overall use was lower. Every year the Christmas Switch Off has had a real impact, and with your help we can avoid wasting carbon and moneyÌýthis Christmas.

See ourÌýresourcesÌýto take part in the switch-off including posters, email footers, switch off checklists and more!Ìý

Heating

As part of the Christmas Switch Off, buildings will not be heated. Areas that require constant temperature control for experimentation will be heated as normal,Ìýas will the Student Centre.

Out of hours work: stay in touch, stay safe

Heads of Departments and Directors of Operations are asked to remind members of their department of the need to take care when working during periods of closure and that any procedures which have been assessed as having a significant level of risk should not be carried out by persons working alone. We also ask you to consider the environmental impacts of running campus buildings for a very small number of occupants.Ìý
Ìý
If any members of staff are unsure of their personal access rights they can clarify this by contacting Security Systems. Ìý
Ìý
We would like to stress the importance for individuals to maintain internal security within their departments. ÌýAny incident which appears suspicious should be reported to the Security Control Room on the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Emergency Number - 222.

Latest recommended posting dates Christmas 2021Ìý

Detailed information is availableÌýfor the last dates you need to getÌýinternational and UK post / mail to the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Post roomÌýif you want it to arrive before Christmas. Please note this is a business function and personal items are not accepted.

The ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Mail Service will accept bulk mailings up to and including Monday 20 December.

The ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Mail Service will close at 2pm on WednesdayÌý22ÌýDecember and re-open at 7am on Tuesday 4 January.

Library Opening Hours

All library sites except the Student CentreÌýwill close at 17:00 on Wednesday 22 December and re-open on Thursday 6ÌýJanuary 2021.Ìý

You can still visit the Student Centre and access online resources between 23 December 2021 and the start of Term 2.ÌýTheÌýStudent CentreÌýwill be open throughout the Christmas period 24 hours a day for ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº students and staff.
Ìý
Please see ourÌýChristmas Opening HoursÌýpage for more information.

Cafes and Refectories Opening Hours

All cafes and refectories at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº will close on the 23ÌýDecember by 5pm except the Wilkins Refectory. LargeÌýoutlets will reopen by midday on Tuesday 4 January. Smaller outlets including the cafesÌýwill reopen as usual on MondayÌý10 January. These include; Bartlett Brew Bar, Fold Pizza, Engineering Cafe, ICH Refectory, Student Centre Cafe.

Wilkins Refectory will be open offering hot and cold drinks, confectionary and snacks for limited hours each day from 10am to 2pm over the break with extended hours to 4pm from Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 of December. On Christmas Day and Boxing Day there will be free hot drinks and mince pies.ÌýThe refectory will also offer fresh pizza which will be made to order to reduce wastage.

Please note:ÌýAll general access to campus during the closure period will be via the main Gower Street entrance on the production of a Valid ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº ID card.

Many thanks in advanceÌýfor your help and co-operation in implementing these arrangements and we would like to take the opportunity of wishing you a happy Christmas, Festive Season, and New Year.