Plans for special new October bank holiday after lockdown are being considered

Downing Street has confirmed it is looking into the idea of adding another bank holiday in October, due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

The special bank holiday is being proposed to place in October this year, in the hopes of boosting half-term tourism. 

However, Number 10 has warned that adding another bank holiday comes with a cost to the wider economy.

Visit Britain’s acting chief executive, Patricia Yates, submitted the idea of an additional bank holiday in October – the government has issued a response that they will ‘respond to that in due course’. 

They have also stated that they are ‘supporting the tourism industry during this challenging period’, including providing ‘government support packages for businesses and workers’.

The government says its package includes a ’12-month business rate holiday and grants for companies’. 

It is estimated that bank holidays cost the British economy just over £2billion. 

However, the tourism chief said: “The idea that we could possibility have a bank holiday in October, because the industry has lost the benefit of the two May bank holidays. I think that’s an idea that’s being considered, to have an October bank holiday around half term.

“Because what we’re going to need to do is not just generate people in July and August but really extend the season this year for the domestic market.”