Hello resident,

As part of our response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we will put out regular newsletters to help everyone in Bristol stay safe, know what is happening, and find out how they can get help if they need it.

We will continue to support our citizens in the best way we can, however there will be some service changes which we will share with you. The latest updates are available below and on our dedicated website https://www.bristol.gov.uk/crime-emergencies/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-need-to-know, Twitter and Facebook pages. If you can’t find the answers you need please email us at coronavirus@bristol.gov.uk.

We are living through one of the biggest challenges that this country has faced in decades, but our city is well-equipped to work through this. More than ever, it’s important that we support each other, share information and follow the government guidelines. If we all do this we can protect our families and the most vulnerable in our communities.

Stay safe. We are Bristol.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol

Local services
You might already be aware of some of the changes to the council services. We have summarised the latest changes below:
Waste services – garden waste and bulky waste collections have been suspended and household waste recycling centres are closed. Please continue to show your support for our crews by sorting your recycling properly, double-bagging coronavirus-related waste and keeping it with you for 72 hours before putting out for collection to reduce harmful bacteria.
School closures – all schools are closed until further notice, except for children of key workers and vulnerable children.
Citizen service point – some of our non-essential face-to-face services have been suspended or moved to telephone appointments.
Council tenants – we are providing essential services only to make sure that people's urgent needs are met.
Events – all public events have been cancelled until at least the end of July, including Bristol Harbour Festival.
Libraries – will stay closed until 1 May 2020. During this time, we are not able to accept returned books. Please do not leave them on the doorstep as they could be stolen or damaged with no-one there to collect them.
Museums – will stay closed until 1 May 2020. All events are cancelled until 31 May 2020. The enquiries service at Bristol Archives will continue during this time.
Register office – you can't register a birth at the moment and we are only registering deaths and still births by telephone. Also, it's not possible to give notice for a marriage or civil partnership and there are no marriage or civil partnership ceremonies taking place.
Funeral services – we are restricting funeral attendance to a maximum of ten mourners of immediate family or very close friends only and have postponed scattering and burial of ashes.
Leisure centres – will be closed until further notice.
Parks – facilities such as toilets and cafes and some park services have been closed or suspended until further notice.
St Nicholas Markets – will be closed until further notice.
Free parking for NHS staff and care workers – if you work for the NHS or as a care worker, you can park for free in all council owned car parks, on street pay and display bays and residents' parking zones, including shared use bays.