MP welcomes May Day Bank Holiday consultation

A consultation on whether to move the May Day Bank Holiday to another date has been welcomed by Meon Valley MP George Hollingbery.

Tourism and Heritage Minister John Penrose recently launched a website for people to discuss options such as moving the day to October or celebrating a patron saint day with a bank holiday earlier in the year.

“There is often a real glut of bank holidays in April and May, especially if Easter is late just like this year, so I welcome a consultation to find out if people want the May Day Bank Holiday moved,” said George.

“I generally support the idea as it seems to me there is a long slog between August and Christmas with no holidays at all.

“I would welcome a new bank holiday date in the autumn such as Trafalgar Day on 21st October as it would celebrate Britain's greatest sea victory in 1805.”

Those interested can contribute via the website: http://www.culture.gov.uk/consultations/8068.aspx or join the debate on Twitter using the hashtag #bankhol.

All opinions and ideas will be gathered together and whittled down to form the options in a formal public consultation to be launched later this year. One of the options will be to retain the current arrangements.