<P> The number of holidays in the UK is relatively small compared to many other European countries . However, direct comparison is inaccurate since the' substitute day' scheme of deferment does not apply in most European countries, where holidays that coincide with a weekend (29% of fixed - date holidays) are' lost' . In fact, the average number of non-weekend holidays in such countries is only marginally higher (and in some cases lower) than the UK . Worth mentioning is that public holidays in Europe which fall on Thursday or Tuesday typically become "puente" or "bridge" four - day or even six - day extended holiday weekends as people tend to use one or two days from their holiday entitlement to take off Monday and / or Friday . </P> <P> There have been calls for more bank holidays . Among the most notable dates absent from the existing list are the feast days of patron saints; 23 April (St George's Day and widely regarded as the birthday of William Shakespeare) in England and 1 March (St David's Day) in Wales are not currently recognised. 17 March (St Patrick's Day) is a public holiday in Northern Ireland and, since 2008, 30 November (St Andrew's Day) is a bank holiday in Scotland . St Piran's Day (patron saint of Cornwall) on 5 March is already given as an unofficial day off to many government and other workers in the county, and there are renewed calls for the government to recognise this as an official bank holiday there . </P> <P> After the election of the Coalition Government in May 2010, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport launched a pre-consultation in 2011 which included the suggestion of moving the May Day Bank Holiday to October, to be a "UK Day" or "Trafalgar Day" (21 October) or to St David's Day and St George's Day . </P> <P> It is suggested that a move from the May bank holiday to a St Piran's Day bank holiday in Cornwall, on 5 March, would benefit the Cornish economy by £ 20--35 million . </P>

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