Bank Holidays are the colloquial name for British public holidays. There is no legal right to time off, but most workplaces shut for the day. Schools and some universities also closed. Many shops are only open for restricted hours. They also feature in the Republic of Ireland. Scotland is slightly different (as usual). Apart from Christmas day and Boxing day, Bank holidays are not widely observed in Scotland. There is a parallel system of local holidays, with each town setting its own schedule. This system means that the entire population isn't on holiday at once, reducing traffic problems and the problem of everything being closed on your day off. Even banks use the local holidays, which means that in Scotland, a bank holiday is neither a public holiday or a day when banks are closed. No,