CALLS for the government to create a new permanent bank holiday have been backed by Basildon business leaders.

A new bank holiday in June would be a big help to the hospitality industry according to David Barnes, chairman of the Basildon Business Group, who said firms had borne the brunt of the Covid pandemic and needed the chance to recover.

A letter, signed by the likes of the Confederation of British Industry, Siemens, Iceland and Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden and sent to Chancellor Rishi Sunak, has called for the June bank holiday which will mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee to become a permanent fixture.

Signees pointed to the day off giving the country an economic boost after the pandemic and Mr Barnes was happy to back these plans as well.

Echo: Chairman of the Basildon Business Group David Barnes Chairman of the Basildon Business Group David Barnes

He said: “One of the industries hit massively through covid over the past two years has been hospitality and leisure. Another bank holiday will be a huge boost for them and has got to be welcomed.

“It’s going to be a good day off and in some respects I think it’s a post-Covid party. Around the rest of Europe they have a higher percentage of bank holidays than we do, and there’s only one country in the world with as few as we do.”

He added: “It’s about time we levelled up with the rest of the world, we can’t be the pariah. We need to treat people like human beings and putting that into a bank holiday would help."

While personally in favour of the plans, Mr Barnes was not sure all businesses would welcome an additional bank holiday with the current increase in energy and gas bills putting the squeeze on business. 

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Ian Gilbert, leader of Southend Council and councillor responsible for economic recovery, was also in favour of a new bank holiday as an opportunity for the hospitality industry - but would prefer a different date. 

He said: "I'm not adverse to the idea and certainly comapred to other countries we don't have as many public holidays. I've always personally felt St George's Day should be a bank holiday.

"If we were adding an extra one we should be looking at that. No doubt an extra day of good weather when people are off would make a quite a significant differences to businesses."