Holidaymakers hope for another bank holiday

As Britons mourn the passing of the last summer Bank Holiday, a leading think-tank has called for a further bank holiday to be instituted.

The Institute for Public Policy Research proposed that a bank holiday be introduced on the Monday after Remembrance Sunday to say 'thank you' to national heroes.

The proposed timing of the bank holiday would position it as a 'national day' of the kind apparently favoured by Gordon Brown.

War victims would be commemorated, as is traditional on November 11th, although the think-tank also proposed that contemporary heroes such as the baggage handler who confronted the alleged bombers at Glasgow Airport be celebrated.

Workers may be hoping the idea catches on as they look ahead to a long winter.

Last week, the Association of British Travel Agents predicted soaring numbers of holidays overseas would be booked as Britons struggled to escape before autumn arrives.

The Mediterranean retains much of its summer heat through September, experts are advising, while Spain holds a plethora of festivals through the month, including the Barcelona theatre festival between September 22nd and 25th and the Cascamorras in Baza and Guadix, near Granada, where festival-goers hurl paint at each other.