Waitrose opening and closing times this August Bank Holiday Monday
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MAKE sure you know your local Waitrose's opening times to avoid getting caught out this bank holiday Monday.
Here's what you need to know to make sure your day off goes according to plan.
When is Waitrose open over the bank holiday?
Waitrose stores usually open between 7am and 10pm on weekdays.
This bank holiday Monday, most will adjust their hours to 10am and 7pm.
Most Little Waitrose will have normal hours.
But times will vary, so check your local branch's opening times on Waitrose's branch finder.
When is the next bank holiday?
The August bank holiday falls on the last Monday in August, and if you work in England or Wales, you'll get seven others per year.
After the coming bank holiday, the next will be Christmas Day, followed by Boxing Day, and then New Year's Day.
Many European countries have more public holidays than the UK.
Recent years have seen calls for extra holidays to be introduced recognising patron saints days in all constituent countries of the UK, as St Patrick's Day is recognised in Northern Ireland.
Why do we have bank holidays?
A bank holiday is a public holiday on which most people are given the day off work.
Bank holidays were first introduced in 1871 by Liberal MP John Lubbock, who said he hoped to relieve some pressure from work by securing them four additional days off.
Lubbock tabled the Bank Holidays Act, and the holidays were so popular that for a while they were referred to as St Lubbock's Days.
Under the act, no person was compelled to make any payment or to do any act on a bank holiday which he or she would not be compelled to do or make on Christmas Day or Good Friday.
The August bank holiday was introduced in 1965 to allow people to make the most of the summer period.
Each year's date was originally announced in Parliament on an ad-hoc basis, to the despair of the calendar and diary publishing trade.
Why do Scotland and Northern Ireland have more bank holidays?
Scotland and Northern Ireland both have bank holidays that England and Wales don't.
They fall on days of particular importance in each country's culture.
In Northern Ireland, workers get St Patrick's Day off as well as July 12, which commemorates the victory of protestant William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne.
In Scotland, January 2 is a bank holiday because of the extra importance of Hogmanay and New Year's in the country's culture.
St Andrew's Day is also a public holiday, though has to be taken instead of another bank holiday.
THE BEST OF THE REST
Bank or public holidays do not have to be given to employees as paid leave, an employer can decide whether to include bank holidays as part of a worker’s statutory leave.
The Government website has more details on what your worker’s rights are in regards to public holidays.
Bank holidays may also impact how benefits are paid, the gov.uk website explains how they may be affected.
