St George's Day

Four extra bank holidays would be nice for those working but unfortunately the patron saints days fall at the wrong time - we already have Easter in March or April and then two bank holidays in May. Let's move them to the autumn or winter instead - Oct, Nov (as suggested) Jan and Feb. Even so for many shop workers and others it will make no difference,they will still be expected to work.

Surely four extra bank holidays just means one for each country of the UK.
Happy birthday to Shakespeare.

There is a St Georges Day parade and church service here today. Its instigated and arranged by the Scouts and Guides, they parade through the town and today will hold an outdoor service in the park bandstand as the big central Church St Mary's is closed for a massive re-ordering (refurbishment) project for a year!!!

We're celebrating. The cottage is decorated - as is the garden. Friends are arriving for St George's Day Lunch - local butchers best bangers with mash and caramelised onions. Home made Treacle Tart and custard plus a wonderful English Cheese Board for pudding. May even be sunny enough to sit in the garden !

Happy St George's Day !

I hope Theresa May grants us an Independence Day Bank Holiday in two years time. That will really be something to celebrate.

Google UK has it on their home page. That's good.

How pathetic that the one thing Corbyn has come up with is another 4 public holidays - OK for all those paid for public holidays not to mention the cost to small businesses. He says it will bring the union closer. Does he really think the Scots are going to celebrate St Georges Day?

No, I haven't got anything planned except roast beef for dinner!

We used to have a parade in our town with the Scouts, Brownies, Guides etc and various groups but alas no more.

Yes, there is always a Manchester St Georges Day parade, and lots of Manchester Terries walk with everyone else and get lots of fuss made of them.

There are Morris dancers performing in various venues around the country today and more on May Day

Have just remembered it's St George's day tomorrow, could hear the annual parade of guides, brownies, cubs, scouts etc marching down our high street. The sound of their band playing is quite lovely and uplifting. Otherwise I never remember it. It would be quite nice to have a public holiday for this.

Theoddbird - funny how we all see things differently - I too love my country which is exactly why i would vote labour! Please dont suggest labour voters (or remain voters ) dont love their country!!!

Neighbours flag has just been hoisted

It's today 23rd Jananana

Happy St George's "Etoille de Hollande" first rose out in the garden.

Lots of stuff happening today at National Trust places to celoebrate St George's Day.
Crafts in the walled garden at Gibside, where you can make your own St. George flag if you want one.

4 extra bank holidays is not the only idea that Corbyn has come up with, but anyone who wants to criticise him would obviously think so, because they are not concerned about his other socialist ideas.
Until 1834 there were 33 saints days recognised as public bank holidays. It was then cut to four.
When I was at school, Mayday itself was always a bank holiday no matter what day it fell on. Now it's just the Monday after May 1st. It's just so people can have a long weekend, rather than celebrating Mayday.
What's wrong with having traditions?

George wishes you all a happy St. George day!

There is a St George's Day parade in town & morris dancers will be out. I may go to my local for roast beef & yorkshire pud for lunch!! When I lived in Sth.London it meant the local scaffolding firm decorated their trucks with the cross of StGeorge and then drove round the local area shouting abuse at anyone they thought was "forrun"

what an odd thing to say Theoddbird ,so you care that much for your country you'll stand by and watch the tories destroy it .More than doubled the debt since 2010 ,punished the poor the sick the disabled and now I hear its the pensioners turn next....before they hand over the rest of the NHS to privateers or America... if thats the country YOU want to live in you are a very sad person

If we did have these extra Bank Holidays, it's unlikely that they would be celebrated on the correct day as Bank Holidays - apart from Christmas, Boxing Day and Good Friday are usually celebrated on Mondays, to make a long weekend, so they would lose their actual meaning very quickly. To celebrate them on the actual day would cause chaos as everything would close down mid week. What would happen if they fell on a Saturday or Sunday? What a daft idea! It obviously came from a desperate ploy to win votes, but wasn't thought through. There are a lot of Bank Holidays in spring as it is! I don't think this is going to win Labour any votes!

TheOddBird I totally agree with you. I've never voted Labour in my life and never would.

I ve always thought it such a strange day St George who is believed to be A Syrian who became a roman soldier slaying a mythical dragon in Turkey He is also the patron saint of dozens of different countries around the world why would he be England's patron saint, I mean why not, but I don't get it really ....

No I lost pride in my flag after it became the signal of BNP and other far right groups it can only be reclaimed when those groups cease to exist so I wouldn't raise one on a flagpole Some of the things that are going on in the name of my country make me ashamed of being English but that's another story and it's got nothing to do with not loving your country I still love dear old Blighty but can feel great shame for some peoples behaviour in the name of patriotism

I m with you Paddyann an unnecessary comment from theoddbird not everything has to be down to a red/blue fight

Chrisshy I had a message from my strong SNP /independence for Sotland pal today wishing me hapy St G day. She does not hate English people but she does not like Westminster!

Witzend First.I sympathise with your attack of shingles painful I can vouch for that.
I am proud to be a Brit and fail to understand why so many miserable individuals, look down on those of us who want to celebrate our history or traditions by the flying of a flag. We should be like the patriotic U.S who are people from all nations but where you can observe outside their homes the flags of their motherland flying next to the stars and stripes.
Imagine the shock[ horror] if that went on in the UK?

PS. The union flag, not the stars and stripes