Moorlands MP, Karen Bradley today raised concerns regarding the loss of the Bank Holiday on 4th May this year.
Karen asked the Leader of the House whether it would be suitable to include the traditional May Day Bank Holiday, on the 4th of May as well as the planned May Bank Holiday on the 8th of May to honour the 75th anniversary of VE Day, effectively resulting in an additional Bank Holiday this calendar year.
Last year, the Government moved the Bank Holiday which normally takes place on the first Monday in May from that normal date to the following Friday, May 8th 2020, to allow the UK a public holiday on the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.
Karen said,
"I fully support the decision to make May 8th a Bank Holiday and am looking forward to the many events that will take place to mark this important date.
"It has been brought to my attention that people have planned weddings, sporting fixtures and civic events over the earlier weekend which cannot be changed and which are now at risk if the Monday is a working day. There are many towns and villages that hold traditional or newer celebrations marking the early May Bank Holiday, which would be inappropriate to be held on the same day that we mark the sacrifices of so many in WWII. And those who have planned personal events, such as weddings, may find that many of their family and friends are unable to attend if they cannot get time off work on May 4."
"Bank holidays always bring a lot of tourism to Staffordshire Moorlands and I know there are concerns about events such as weddings, sporting fixtures and civic events that had been planned before the changes to the Bank Holiday date had been widely known.
"I am concerned that this change could negatively effect local tourism within the Staffordshire Moorlands, as changes to planned civic and wedding events will now be inevitable and will also lead to less spectators attending local sporting events."