Four times a year, offices and banks in Britain are closed on a Monday. No one works in them on these days. These public holidays are called Bank Holidays. On these days, business houses, factories, schools, and shops are also closed.
August Bank Holiday used to be on the first Monday in August, but in 1965 it was changed to the last Monday in August.
On Bank Holidays, British people like to go out of town into the open air. They go to the seaside or to amusement parks. Many families take a basket with lunch or tea to enjoy their meal outside. Good weather is important because a wet Bank Holiday spoils the fun.
Londoners often visit the Zoo outside London, but a true cockney takes his family to Hampstead Heath, a large natural park. There is a big fair on many Bank Holidays. There are many amusements for children and young people, like merry-go-rounds, swings, and puppet shows. Everybody buys bright balloons and paper hats. A very important event is the coming of the Pearly Kings and Queens. These are cockneys who sew pearl buttons all over their clothes and hats. The ones with the most beautiful costumes are named Pearly King and Queen for one year.
