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31st Mar 2021

UK could get extra bank holiday in September

Danny Jones

The government are considering adding another bank holiday this year once all lockdown restrictions are over

This is the part where we all have to keep our fingers crossed. The word coming from several outlets is that the UK could receive an extra bank holiday in September.

The suggestion is that this proposal comes in the hope that an additional day off to celebrate the full end of lockdown could help boost tourism, the hospitality sector and the economy in general.

While the plans are yet to be confirmed – let alone the potential date – should it go ahead, it is believed that it will come in the latter part of the calendar year.

This would be excellent news to top off what already promises to be a good week. With lockdown restrictions eased this past Monday, many parts of the country in the thralls of a mini-heatwave, as well as impending bank holidays to look forward to on both Good Friday and Easter Monday, this would be a wonderful way to top it off.

As the director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, Bernard Donoghue says, industries such as in the tourism sector have had a “devastatingly hard year” and, more importantly, it would be a great way to “thank the NHS and key workers” who have got us through the past 12 months.

With beer gardens due to open on April 12th, two more bank holidays coming up in May, not to mention the return of holidays and the supposed ‘back to normal’ date by June 21st, things are finally starting to look up. Extra bank holiday or not, we’re getting there.

Don’t get too excited though. Boris Johnson recently expressed doubt over whether we deserve another bank holiday, saying home workers have “had enough days off” this past year, in case you needed a reminder of how far detached from reality the government are.