Call This A Bank Holiday?

[barry1010]

Bank holidays aren't what they used to be - shops and businesses shut; limited public transport service; special tv schedule with Billy Smart's Circus, that Disney programme showing clips of Disney films (The Wonderful World of Disney?), a war film, a family film; fetes and fairs. Most people off work for the day.

The only thing that hasn't changed is the blerdy weather.

Which do you prefer - the bank holidays of yesteryear or today's version?

[Bobbisox1]

Definitely yesteryears,

[237SJ]

When you're a shift worker, bank holidays are a pain in the backside.

[barry1010]

When I was little we didn't have a car but the church and the pub both put on day trips to the seaside, we were spoiled for choice.

[gulliver1]

Sounds more like a Blank holiday, Barry.

[Canary42]

Neither, now I'm retired it makes little difference.

P.S. The weather here today is fine and sunny, most unlike the ABHs of yesteryear .

[barry1010]

It's a bit mizzly here. Thinking about it, when I was little today wasn't a bank holiday - it was at the beginning of August, like Scotland.

[barry1010]

Shift work is a nightmare, I couldn't stick it

[Maydup]

Bank Holidays meant Dad had an extra day off work and we went to the seaside. Everything there was open and doing the best trade of the year, so not too different to today if you go to one of our great British seaside towns. Except …. They are even busier as everyone has a car unlike yesteryear when he would squeeze a few extra kids from the neighbourhood into the back of the Bedford van.

[Maydup]

Personally I’m staying home for a day of peace and quiet today.

[Zacs-Master]

Yes, it was much better years ago, wasn’t it. You can’t even buy Wintergreen any more can you. And the price of fish and chips! Need a blerdy mortgage to buy em these days. The steam trains all ran exactly on time, there was always a friendly copper around and the sun shon from May until the end of September, constantly. Even at night. sometimes.

[LadyCG]

I prefer today's version of a BH. I've had to send OH out to get me some stuff from the Pharmacy. If the Pharmacy were closed I would have to continue suffering longer and to be honest I'm not in a good way. :-(

[douglas9401]

I too long for the heady scent of B.O. and wet woolen clothing suffused with stale tobacco and diesel fumes.

Ah the good old days.

[Zacs-Master]

And carbolic soap and Izal bog paper.

[calmck]

Always went to the fair on Hampstead Heath rain or shine

[Zacs-Master]

Surely there wasn’t any rain, Cal?

[barry1010]

Sorry you are not so well, LadyCG, hope you are soon feeling better.
Of course if you were in that predicament in the olden days the family GP would visit you at home to minister to you, bank holiday or not.

Yes, everything was open at the seaside, apart from the banks, but go any day in the winter and those businesses would mostly be closed. That had to make hay whilst the sun shone.

I read yesterday that some seaside resorts now charge £30 for a day’s parking. Bang goes the fish n chips and the 99

[fiveleaves]

I think it would be better if the summer bank holiday was moved to the beginning of August and we had another one before Christmas say in October.
Often found bank holidays boring as a kid, Would go down to the sea front and then wonder why you'd bothered. Nowadays get that feeling that I should be doing something worthwhile with the day but never quite sure what.
Some of the old, cherished bank holiday traditions like rival gangs fighting on the beach seem to have died out.

[barry1010]

five leaves, it used to be the first Monday in August, I think we have enough holidays already. When I started work I only got two weeks paid holiday plus bank holidays and worked 5 and a half days a week. I don’t think we should go back to that, though, but enough now

[douglas9401]

Unless something royal happens or some women win a kick about?

[Buenchico]

We need proper Bank Holidays back again, such as this one in Southend in August 1966:
https://postimg.cc/K1pcbZBZ

. . . or this one in Brighton in May 1964:
https://tinyurl.com/bdfz2arh