It’s a Bank Holiday, a day off to do whatever you want.

Bank Holidays in the UK are all about the Bank of England. Before 1834, the Bank was closed for roughly 33 saints’ days and religious festivals. In  1834, that was slashed to four: 1 May,  1 November, Good Friday, and Christmas Day.

In 1871,  Sir John Lubbock introduced the Bank Holidays Act 1871, which specified the days, in England and Wales, Easter Monday, Good Friday, the 1st Monday in August, and Boxing Day. In Scotland, they have different holidays. The first Bank Holidays were known as St Lubbock’s Days for a while.

Nowadays in England we get 8 days off (although this year we get an extra day for the Queen’s jubilee and last year we got a day off for the Royal Wedding – well the monarchy costs roughly £40m a year and has to be good for something!). In the UK, our minimum leave allowance is 28 days inc. Bank Holidays.

So for this holiday, I shall be celebrating May Day and International Workers Day, late and by not working.

Happy Monday, people…