Never mind a VE Day bank holiday... what about our wedding?
Get ready for a May Day Bank Holiday Friday!
TO most people the prospect of a Bank Holiday Friday will be a welcome change.
But Simon Aherne, 34, and Anna Cousins, 32, say the decision to move next year’s May Bank Holiday to commemorate VE Day has ‘ruined’ their wedding plans.
The Cardiff couple set the date for Sunday May 2, believing guests would have the next day off work.
But last weekend the Government announced the Bank Holiday will take place the following Friday on May 8.
This is to mark 75 years since the end of the Second World War when Germany surrendered to Allied forces on May 8, 1945.
Mr Aherne, a teacher and part-time DJ, said he and his PR professional fiancee planned their wedding for the Bank Holiday weekend so as many family members and friends as possible could attend.
Now they fear their guest list will be cut from 100 to 20 because many will be unable to travel to attend the wedding at Kingscote, Gloucestershire. Mr Aherne said: ‘How can the Government just chuck this on people with 11 months to go? They have had time to prepare and could have given people a lot more notice. If we have to cancel, we are going to lose our deposits – thousands of pounds.’
Announcing the change at the weekend, Business Secretary Greg Clark said: ‘It will ensure as many people as possible have the opportunity to remember and honour our heroes of the Second World War.’
The date switch allows a three-day weekend of commemorative events.
Sir Andrew Gregory, of the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, described the decision as ‘fitting’.