Move/postpone Bank Holidays

theoneeyedman

Just a random thought/idea.

We have 2 Public Holidays coming up, the 'Mayday' and June Bank Holidays.

IMHO, we should postpone either or both of these until later in the year, perhaps late August/September.

With huge swathes of the country at home from work, these 'days off' are largely superfluous at the moment. Even for essential workers, they are likely to be working through them anyway, while businesses like bars/restaurants/amenities/hotels are losing out on big days and weekends.

Why not postpone one or both of these until we're back at work. At the end of the summer, we're likely to have some businesses open, some leisure facilities open, and we'd be able to enjoy them a bit, not stuck at home looking out the window for another day. It would perhaps allow people to mark the end of what will be a tough summer,and give these businesses a bit of a boost before the Autumn sets in.

jester77

Lots of people working at home, trying to juggle young kids, lunches, school homework and work at the same time.

A bank holiday is more than welcome, more would be nice!

Widescreen

It's always good to be optimistic and we need to be as positive as possible.

I don't agree on the Bank Holidays being moved, I think we should actually have more!

Even people like me working from home still look forward to days off, such as last weekend. All time off doesn't have to revolve around bars/restaurants.

As far as a lot of things you mention being open by August/Sept, I am not so sure.

Gyms for example, I know the place I go to couldn't practise social distancing if they wanted as the room isn't there in the changing rooms.

Bars would nearly be impossible to open and keep to the rules.

Some restaurants could probably do it to a certain extent.

It's going to be interesting as we all want things back as they were but we might have to wait for a vaccine before that happens.

Laois_Man

Bars, restaurants and hotels are not the only businesses in the world

There are plenty of businesses where yet another day with the door closed would mean more hardship.

Also, isn't May 1st an EU-wide holiday - not just Irish!

Shlippery

Yea, stuck working from home and was delighted to have Monday off, it's not the same as 'regular' bank holiday, but still happy for the short week. Tis' the sunshine that's wrecking the buzz and making things worse!

biko

OP, some of us working just as much as before, if not more.
Not everyone gets to sit on the couch watching Emmerdale all day.

theoneeyedman

biko wrote: »

OP, some of us working just as much as before, if not more.
Not everyone gets to sit on the couch watching Emmerdale all day.

Yea, me too BTW.

Just an idea, gotta say that both last Monday and Paddy's day were really not like a holiday at all, with everything closed down.
Just an idea, be nice to have something to look forward to late in the summer.
We won't be back to normal by then, with everything open for sure, but I'm guessing the pressure will be on to get something moving, or else we'll all starve with the country closed for 6 months.

ArmaniJeanss

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Yea, me too BTW.

Just an idea, gotta say that both last Monday and Paddy's day were really not like a holiday at all, with everything closed down.
Just an idea, be nice to have something to look forward to late in the summer.
We won't be back to normal by then, with everything open for sure, but I'm guessing the pressure will be on to get something moving, or else we'll all starve with the country closed for 6 months.

Presumably you aren't taking any annual leave at the moment (and won't be taking any in May or June either) so you should have plenty of days left for the second half of the year. Though that may be another issue down the line when 90% of people in an office look to take the last two weeks in September off.

Working from home is just a normal day for me. I was actually thinking of using 4 days annual leave after May Day. Have a nice week off.

Sometimes the best week off is the one were you actually do nothing!

robinph

jester77 wrote: »

Lots of people working at home, trying to juggle young kids, lunches, school homework and work at the same time.

A bank holiday is more than welcome, more would be nice!

How is a bank holiday day when working from home with the kids off from school any different to the other days of the week?

Every day of the week is the same for me. Fit in some work as best I can whilst entertaining / feeding /educating the kid.

FVP3

robinph wrote: »

How is a bank holiday day when working from home with the kids off from school any different to the other days of the week?

By not working? It being a bank holiday.

robinph

FVP3 wrote: »

By not working? It being a bank holiday.

Nice for some.

FVP3

robinph wrote: »

Nice for some.

I have kids. When working I work 8 hours. When not working I don't. The day off this week was totally different.

robinph

FVP3 wrote: »

I have kids. When working I work 8 hours. When not working I don't. The day off this week was totally different.

I'm guessing you have the luxury of a combination of someone else in the house who doesn't work and or older kids that can mind themselves then.

I'm lucky if I get 10 minutes in between demands for something else from the kid.