26th December 2026 not a bank holiday

[sulon]

As title says because the official bank holiday has been moved to Monday 28th. How will this affect your plans? A close family member now has to work on the Saturday which means not being able to be with family on Christmas Day because of travel difficulties.

This has always been the case but it’s very harsh of their employer. Where do they work?

Christmas bank holidays (or any others) are never on a Saturday, it's always the next week day.

Retail. Family owned business selling luxury products

I knew this, but had never thought about how it would affect Saturday workers- it does seem quite unfair.

I think most retail workers would expect to have to work Boxing Day as that’s when the sales start?

The bank holiday is never at a weekend. Does seem a bit difficult though - I remember being a student working in a supermarket and always needing to swap around Christmas as my family were several hours away by train which meant that I couldn’t easily do late on Xmas Eve or early on Boxing Day. It did suck.

yet the trains are cancelled.

wouldn’t they normally be open Saturday (boxing Day) Anyway? And then I’m surprised they’re not open on the bank holiday

Many retail workers have to work Boxing day anyway whatever day it’s on. I always think this is shit for staff who don’t live near family and may have to drive a 3 hour trip home on Christmas Day evening so they can work the next day. Or not be able to go at all if they rely on public transport

I'm not sure why you're surprised? Bank holidays are always on the next weekday. I guess it's something that hasn't kept up with modern life.

It's a shame, but it's not surprising. If it's a small family business, can't they just explain that they want to book a day leave so they can see their family on Christmas Day.??

It’s always been this way. They could ask to use annual leave?

Retail. Had to use a holiday day to book it off otherwise would expect us in. Some will have to work as not everyone can have it off. (Will leave store short) we will still get customers in even if not busy.

Most larger companies plan christmas leave a few months in advance so it's fair, everyone takes a turn at providing cover for the business over the holiday period and at having time off. It's no different this year to any other year when the holidays fall over a weekend.

When you work in retail if Boxing day is the regular day you work you have to work unless you have booked a holiday. If you work in retail you work all bank holidays anyway.

I didn't know that. I just assumed people would get 25th, 26th, and 27th off. (And even the 28th as well in some cases...)

Most people I know are. In fact some are getting longer off. Most shops in the little market town 4 miles from me are closed from Thursday 24th December to Tuesday 29th December. Some are closed til 2nd January. A few are closed til the 4th January.

If you're that annoyed about it the main thing you can do is support retail workers by not shopping on the 26th. As long as people use shops, they'll be opened. Its completely unnecessary, there's no reason why buying a load of sales tat cant wait until the 27th or 28th.

Companies don't have to close on bank holidays, especially in retail - is she off on the Monday or is the store closed? I doubt a store open on the 26th is going to shut up shop on 28th just because it's a bank holiday on the calendar.

She should have read her contract. My DD works in a supermarket and has been scheduled for Xmas eve and the 26th despite neither being her working day. That's retail...

This doesn't have anything to do with Boxing Day bank holiday falling on a saturday and everything to do with retail opening on Boxing Day every single year

I just left a job in retail for a non job in retail. If I had been there this year I would have worked 24th, 26th, 27th, and 28th and hated it.

Retail is brutal. I can hand on heart say that I have not missed it for 1 second since I left and won't ever go back.

Always been like this - spent my teens working in retail. I've worked many a boxing day!

Bank holidays, Saturdays and Boxing Day are all usual working days in retail. I remember back when I was a student working in a department store, so many customers would tell me at the till that it was such a shame I had to work Boxing Day. I’d think if they didn’t go shopping I wouldn’t bloody have to!

Civil servants will get Monday off in lieu of Saturday, but we don't work weekends anyway.

Christmas Eve is a working day

But this is always the case, OP - you aren't making sense.

Shops open on Bank Holidays. Whether it's a Bank Holiday or not has no bearing on whether retail staff are in work or not.

It doesn't if it's the 26th or the 28th, your family member can be called into work either day.

@Beenaroundabit sorry I read that wrong but it’s too late to delete or edit my post