Season's greetings – holiday closure information
Find all the information you need to know about opening times and availability of services if you are planning to stay on or near our campuses this holiday period.
As the term begins to draw to a close, we understand that not all students will be travelling home and that some will be staying on campus or in London over the festive period. To help those of you remaining in London or staying on and around campus during this time, we hope that you find the following guidance about what is going on in the local area useful.
As well as the useful informationtion below, international students staying in the UK or travelling over Christmas can read the Advice and Counselling Service’s international advice blog to find social events that you can join over the holiday period, and key information for those of you travelling and re-entering the UK.
International Students House is a charity dedicated to British and international students in London. They run many social events around the Christmas period, so if you are feeling isolated then you may find this useful. They are running a Christmas lunch at International Students House on Christmas day. Tickets are only £15 for QMUL students and there are plenty of tickets left. There won’t be any public transport running on Christmas day, but you could use Santander bike hire. Please note that this event is open to all students, regardless of nationality.
The charity StandAlone has produced a festive guide for those who are no longer in touch with their families (estranged). It is intended to help with some of the most common festive frustrations and give you an idea of how others cope with the season.
Any QMUL student who is a care leaver and aged between 18 and 25 can apply for a free place at the the Hackney Christmas Dinner. This will take place on Christmas day from 12pm to 8pm at a secret location in Hackney, and will cater for up to 60 young people. You can expect to have a fun-filled day, an exquisite home cooked Christmas dinner in a relaxed and friendly environment. Young people from all ethnic backgrounds and faiths are welcome to apply. Please come to the QMUL Advice and Counselling Service, or call us, as soon as possible for help applying, as places are filling up fast!
What will be happening on campus?
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All central university buildings including the Queens’ Building |
Closed from Friday 22 December and will re-open Tuesday 2 January. |
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Campus catering outlets |
Closed Thursday 21 December and will re-open from Tuesday 2 January as follows:
Normal opening hours will resume as of Monday 8 January. |
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IT Services |
Support services will be operating as normal up to and including Friday 22 December. From Saturday 23 December to Tuesday 2 January there will be an out-of-hours telephone support service in operation only. If you call the IT Service Desk on 020 7882 8888, you will be put through to an operator who can offer general advice and help with requests such as password resets, login issues and Wi-Fi connection issues. You are read more about this service on the IT Services website. Full on-site service will re-open Wednesday 3 January. |
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John Smith’s Bookshop |
Expected closure dates are from Friday 22 December to Tuesday 2 January with reduced opening hours on Thursday 21 December. Please check in store for more details. |
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QMotion and other QMSU outlets including shops and cafés |
Full opening time details can be found here and also via the QMUL On Campus Christmas Facebook page. |
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QMUL Advice & Counselling Service |
Closed from 4pm on Thursday 21 December and re-opening Tuesday 2 January. Full details on opening times can be found here. Their website also has useful information on emotional wellbeing. |
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Residential Services |
The residential support team will be organising a number of events for the holidays. Details can be found below:
Laundry facilities will be accessible 24/7 (swipe card access). Mile End residences reception (ground floor of France House) will be open 24/7 across the festive break. |
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Security (all campuses) |
Available 24/7 every day. Contact numbers for the Security Control Rooms at Mile End, Whitechapel and Charterhouse Square are available on the Security webpages. The Security emergency number is 020 7882 3333. You can also call the Police on 999. |
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The Chaplaincy |
The Chaplaincy will be closed from Friday 15 December to Monday 8 January. However, if you need to speak to a member of our chaplaincy team about a spiritual matter, Reverend Ella Sharples can be reached at any time over the holidays on 07740547689. Details of local church services over the festive period can be found in the separate list below. |
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The Library |
For full details of the opening hours of our library spaces across all campuses including Canalside and The Hive, please see here. Both Senate House Library and the British Library will be closed over the festive period. |
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The SU Hub and prayer rooms |
Normal opening hours up to Friday 15 December. Restricted opening hours may be in place Monday 18 to Thursday 21 December. Full closure details can be found here. |
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Westfield Nursery |
The Nursery will close on Wednesday 20 December and will re-open on Wednesday 3 January. |
Additional online support and services
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The Students’ Union have created a handy Facebook page for students staying in London/on campus over the festive period. You can use this page to catch up with others during the break and find lots of information about events and activities running in London as well as full details of Union buildings and services' opening hours. |
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UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) student blog about Christmas in the UK. |
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Online referencing tool which provides clear guidance on the referencing styles required by each school. This tool enables you to:
You can also access Cite Them Right Online on QMplus. |
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Online study guidance and information. |
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Self-service tools and online resources. |
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Online resources to help you with with financial, welfare, legal, emotional and psychological issues. |
What is happening locally and across London?
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Free or low-cost activities |
Most major supermarkets will be closed on Christmas Day (Monday 25 December) but some local convenience stores may be open. Details of the seasonal opening times for shops closest to the Mile End campus can be found below. Please note that store opening times and travel links may be subject to change/restrictions:
- Sainsbury's Local Mile End (opposite Queens’ Building, Mile End campus)
- Co-op Mile End (under yellow bridge)
- Co-op Stepney Green (just by Stepney Green Tube Station)
Tips for the festive period
- Plan ahead
If you are intending to study over the festive break and require access to physical library resources then you will need to take the resources out on loan before the library closes. Full library opening times can be found here.
Ensure you have stocked your kitchen cupboards with enough food in anticipation of the shops being closed on Christmas Day (Monday 25 December).
Please note that there will be no public transport on Monday 25 December and limited public transport on Tuesday 26 December, so please ensure that you research and plan ahead for alternative means of transport. Local taxi services should still be running but may incur additional charges above the normal tariff. - Get together
If you will be staying on campus or in London during the festive break then get involved with QMSU’s Facebook page and connect with others in a similar position. - Explore the local area
Many local churches will have carol services that you can attend throughout the coming weeks.
See what else is on in the local area:
Tower Hamlets
Newham: Events, What’s On
Whatever you are doing this festive season, we wish all of our students a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year! We look forward to welcoming you back in January 2018!