I was looking in my calendar and saw that May 5th is the May Day Bank Holiday and August.
August 25th is the Summer Bank Holiday.

What are bank holidays?
Are other businesses or schools closed on those days?

Is that August holiday in the UK in hono(u)r Karrow's birthday?

Bank Holidays are equivalent to Public Holidays elsewhere in the world there is the odd country that also use the term. But Bank holiday Is nearly always the main Term used in the UK.
Here is a list of the main dates used:
http://www.virtualuk.ru/greg/English/1/1holide.htm
I have just noted it is a Russian site!
There are other holidays such as the school term/half term holidays ,but they can vary country wide.
One "Public" Holiday in the UK is now nearly out of use, and that is the "Wake Weeks" in summer.
Worth a search on the Net.
This was when nearly all the factories had their annual holiday(2 weeks) in summer.and Towns would close up for about week in mid summer while everyone piled into coaches and trains and headed for the seaside.
Have to be over 40 to remember that.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bedstor:
Bank Holidays are equivalent to Public Holidays elsewhere in the world there is the odd country that also use the term. But Bank holiday Is nearly always the main Term used in the UK.
Here is a list of the main dates used:
http://www.virtualuk.ru/greg/English/1/1holide.htm

I have just noted it is a Russian site!
There are other holidays such as the school term/half term holidays ,but they can vary country wide.
One "Public" Holiday in the UK is now nearly out of use, and that is the "Wake Weeks" in summer.
Worth a search on the Net.
This was when nearly all the factories had their annual holiday(2 weeks) in summer.and Towns would close up for about week in mid summer while everyone piled into coaches and trains and headed for the seaside.
Have to be over 40 to remember that.[/QUOTE]
Blackberry week....oh the memories.

They are in my Day Minder 2003 calendar.
I also see a Spring Bank Holiday May 26th.
There are 2 holidays in one month.. that has to be good!

Holidays in England and Wales fall into three categories: "Common Law" (or "Public") holidays; "Statutory" (or "Bank") holidays; and "Holidays by Royal proclamation".

The "Common Law" holidays are Good Friday and Christmas day.

The "Statutory" (or "Bank") holidays are Easter Monday, the last Monday in May, the last Monday in August, and Boxing Day.

Holidays designated by Royal proclamation are New Year's day (since 1974) and the first Monday in May (since 1978).

It is commonly accepted (though not strictly accurate) English usage to refer to all eight of these days as "Bank holidays".

A Bank Holiday is a public holiday on which banks are legally closed. The country used to more or less shut down with the majority of businesses also closing. Nowadays, while banks and most offices do still close on those days, many shops and other businesses remain open.

England has fewer public holidays than any other country in Europe - and fewer than North America. Even Northern Ireland, part of the UK, has two extra.

Teeceeum - of course the August holiday is in honour of my birthday.

Bedstor,

I can remember schools closing for a couple of days so the kids could go gleaning in the fields after harvest.