Bank Holidays in the UK

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Bank Holidays in the UK have existed since the founding of the Bank of England in 1694, although the number of bank holidays in a year, the dates themselves, and their significance have changed over time. Bank holidays in England and Wales, as well as those in Scotland (which may be on different dates) are fixed by statute.

Until 1834, there were roughly 34 holidays a year, mainly Saints' days and religious festivals, but this was then cut to just 4 days per year.

Traditionally Bank Holidays are public holidays when the banks do not open. They were almost universally observed across the whole of the United Kingdom (with some major exceptions in Scotland, where different dates are used, often varying from region to region).

During the 1980s, the number of businesses allowing staff time off for bank holidays (other than Christmas Day) declined markedly. Banks still observe some bank holidays, as do some businesses, and public transport often operates reduced services. Larger shops now generally remain open on all bank holidays with the exception of Christmas Day (and some even then), some with reduced opening hours. In some areas in Scotland different shops on the same street may close on different dates, because of local variations.

To complicate matters, since 1996 the banks, and some other businesses with branches across the UK, chose to harmonise closures, so there are public holidays and Bank Holidays in Scotland when the banks and post offices remain open, and other dates which are neither public nor Bank Holidays when they close. For example, postal sorting offices may often be closed in Scotland because of an English public holiday, when almost all other businesses are open.

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