2020 Liberation weekend set to be extended

Tuesday 11 June 2019

Economic Development is proposing moving next year's May Day bank holiday to Friday 8 May in order to create a longer Liberation weekend.

Liberation Day falls on a Saturday next year, and a decision is yet to have been made as to whether there will be a replacement weekday bank holiday.

"The Committee for Economic Development has been giving consideration to the 2020 May bank holiday arrangements, conscious of the significance of the 75th anniversary of the island’s liberation and the fact that in 2020 Liberation Day will fall on a Saturday," said a spokesman for the committee. "We had already begun consulting with businesses on how an alternative bank holiday may affect them.  We then became aware the UK was considering a similar change, and so we have been awaiting clarification from Westminster to better inform our decision for Guernsey and to ensure alignment with the UK.

"Now that an announcement has been made in the UK, the Committee for Economic Development feels it is appropriate to propose a similar change, namely moving the May Day bank holiday from Monday 4 to Friday 8.

The decision will require approval from the States of Deliberation and will be brought to the Assembly as soon as possible.

When Liberation Day fell over the weekend in 2015, States members rejected a move, led by Deputy Matt Fallaize, to make Friday 8 May a public bank holiday.

"We appreciate that the change in day may cause some inconvenience for those planning events, travel or family occasions," said Economic Development. "We had hoped to be able to give guidance earlier, however that was dependent on getting clarity from the UK on its arrangements which only came over the weekend.

"Ultimately we hope by having a bank holiday on the Friday before Liberation Day, it allows more of an opportunity to commemorate the 75th anniversary and the sacrifices and challenges faced by those who lived through the Occupation."