The August Bank Holiday or Summer Bank Holiday is a

public holiday A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year. Types Civic holiday A ''civic holiday'', also k ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, part of the statutory bank holiday provision. Originally, the holiday was held on the first Monday of August across the country, but was changed in the late 1960s to the last Monday in August for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It remains the first Monday for Scotland.

Creation

The holiday was one of four created by the Bank Holidays Act 1871 (along with Easter Monday, Whit Monday and

Boxing Day Boxing Day, also called as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part ...

), being the only one which was not linked to an

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

religious festival. The act was introduced by Liberal politician Sir John Lubbock. Lubbock argued that the act was passed with relative ease because of the naming as a 'bank' holiday, with those who might have opposed it thinking it only applied to banks.

Move to end of August

In 1964, an experimental move to the end of August was announced by the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development,

Edward Heath Sir Edward Richard George Heath (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 ...

, taking effect for two years from 1965, responding to pressure from the holiday industry to extend the season. The move applied to England and Wales, but not to Scotland. There was consultation on other methods of staggering holidays and reducing congestion related to this. Other suggestions included staggering school holidays by region, and introducing a four-term school year. Following the two year trial, each year's date was announced in Parliament on an ''

ad hoc ''Ad hoc'' is a List of Latin phrases, Latin phrase meaning literally for this. In English language, English, it typically signifies a solution designed for a specific purpose, problem, or task rather than a Generalization, generalized solution ...

'' basis, causing problems for publishers of the calendars and diaries. The rule seems to have been to select the weekend of the last Saturday in August, so that in 1968 and 1969 Bank Holiday Monday actually fell in September, causing concern amongst some politicians. The date was settled in statute with the passage of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which remains in force today, with the date specified as "the last Monday in August".

Proposed changes

In 2014, a

Private member's bill A private member's bill is a bill (proposed law) introduced into a legislature by a legislator who is not acting on behalf of the executive branch. The designation "private member's bill" is used in most Westminster system jurisdictions, in wh ...

was introduced by

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

MP Peter Bone to rename the holiday as ''

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

'' day, in honour of the late Prime Minister, but the bill failed to progress past the first reading.

References

{{reflist Public holidays in the United Kingdom August observances Holidays in England Annual events in England Monday observances