Britain set to waste bank holiday

Britain set to waste bank holiday" class="imageframe alignright" height="200" src="http://pictures.directnews.co.uk/liveimages/Borat_1455_18742151_0_0_7017145_300.jpg" width="200"/>The UK is set to use the final bank holiday before Christmas watching TV and going online.

Despite the prospect of the likes of Notting Hill Carnival, the Reading/Leeds musical festival and the Tenby Folk Festival, some 36 per cent will spend time watching TV and a further third will go online.

Research by Mintel into how people spent the August Bank Holiday last year reveals just ten per cent took a short break away and 14 per cent visited friends and family.

Just nine per cent took part in the traditional DIY.

"Brits are simply not proactive or spontaneous during their bank holidays, preferring to lounge around the house and catch up with some rest," said James McCoy, senior leisure analyst at Mintel.

"There is still a growing debate around adding an extra bank holiday to the calendar, particularly one that celebrates a shared identity or sense of 'Britishness'.

"But for this to work people need to get off the sofa and get involved, much like our overseas counterparts who often celebrate national days with fiestas and carnivals"

He added the fact Brits do not do anything on bank holidays reflected a lack of national purpose.

"Today, it seems that bank holidays lack any real meaning beyond having a day off work.

"The challenge in adding an extra bank holiday is to find a day that celebrates national identity in an increasingly multicultural Britain," continued Mr McCoy.

The Mintel research shows the UK is split between 41 per cent – no doubt largely the English – who wanted St George's Day (April 23rd) as a new bank holiday and 38 per cent who thought Remembrance Day (November 11th) would be a better day.

The occasionally mooted Trafalgar Day for October 21st was backed by just a quarter.

"The smart money has to be on Remembrance Day in order to space out bank holidays more evenly. But more importantly it is a day on which everyone can reflect no matter what their background is," concluded Mr McCoy.

The TUC meanwhile is calling for a 'Community Day' bank holiday in late October to celebrate and encourage volunteering and community activity.