I used to live in Spain and we had way more days off, so we definitely need more Bank Holidays in the UK
“We work a lot of hours in this country.” BY JESS LAWSON
People in Blackpool have been sharing their views on whether England and Wales should introduce more bank holidays in order to bring the country closer in line with the rest of Europe.
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The overwhelming opinion among those spoken to was that there should be more days off throughout the year, with many pointing to the higher number of public holidays enjoyed in other European countries.
One resident said: “Definitely yes, I used to live in Spain, and we used to have quite a lot of holidays.”
Another added: “We work a lot of hours in this country, so an extra bank holiday here and there would come in handy.”
A third person said: “As a working person I think it is fair that we should do.”
However, not everyone agreed more bank holidays were necessary. One woman questioned their modern relevance, saying: “Now they’ve closed a lot of banks, why do we need a bank holiday anymore?”
England and Wales currently have eight bank holidays each year, a figure that is lower than many countries across Europe. Spain has 14 public holidays annually, while France has 11 and Poland has 13.
The eight bank holidays in England and Wales are New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
There are no permanent plans to add further bank holidays, although additional days can occasionally be introduced for major national events such as royal jubilees or funerals.