May bank holiday 2024 opening times — Tesco, Waitrose & Lidl announce plans as shopping hours revealed

What other bank holidays are there?

A bank holiday is a national public holiday in the UK and the Crown Dependencies, and in the Republic of Ireland.

They were first introduced by banker, politician and scientific writer Sir John Lubbock, who drafted the Bank Holiday Act in 1871 – which was repealed and replaced by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971.

The May bank holiday isn’t the only bank holiday in 2024.

Below are the bank holidays that those living in England and Wales can look forward to in 2024:

• May 27, 2024 – Spring bank holiday
• August 26, 2024 – Summer bank holiday
• December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
• December 26, 2024 – Boxing Day

Scotland Bank Holidays

• May 27, 2024 – Spring bank holiday
• August 5, 2024 – Summer bank holiday
• December 2, 2024 – St Andrew’s Day
• December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
• December 26, 2024 – Boxing Day

Will Wetherspoons be open over the bank holiday weekend?

Most Wetherspoons pubs are open today, but opening hours vary from branch to branch.

You can find your local’s opening hours by visiting their website.

The exact time they shut varies from venue to venue.

Find out what other pubs are doing in our guide.

Esso petrol stations opening times

Esso is the biggest petrol station brand in the UK with over 1,200 locations.

Once again Esso garages are often open 24 hours a day, but the exact hours can vary depending on which one you go to — including over the bank holiday.

You can use Esso’s station finder tool on the Esso website to see which forecourts are open when.

You’ll also be able to see the other amenities it has, like toilets, food and drinks or an ATM.

Are newspapers published over early May bank holiday?

Most daily national newspapers are published on every bank holiday including the early May holiday.

Papers have continued to publish their papers regardless of the bank holidays, though some still like to uphold traditions and not sell a copy.

There are some publications, such as the Financial Times, that don’t publish on selected bank holidays. They also don’t publish a paper on a Sunday.

It is always worth checking online to clarify if your paper of choice will be printed.

Lidl opening times today

Lidl stores in England, Wales and Scotland will typically close a little earlier than usual today.

Opening times vary depending on where you live and your local store,

It’s best to check the Lidl store finder tool on its website to avoid a wasted trip.

What are other businesses doing?

Retailers‘ opening hours will vary over the bank holiday, so you should check each specific store to avoid a wasted journey.

Most supermarkets and large high street chains have store locators on their website which you can use to find the opening hours for your nearest branch.

The opening times of stores generally vary depending on the location and size of the store.

Public transport timings also vary on bank holidays, so ensure you check the timetables to avoid any travel troubles.

Iceland early May bank holiday opening times

Iceland stores are trading as usual on bank holiday Monday.

In some cities, stores are open until 9pm.

However, hours might vary depending on where you are in the country.

What about rail services?

A Saturday service will operate across rail services on bank holiday Monday, according to National Rail.

It is always best to check train travel with the relevant operator before you set off as there may be delays to services.

Wickes early May bank holiday opening times

Wickes stores are open as usual over the bank holiday weekend.

It means shoppers in England and Wales who are planning a DIY haul can visit until 8pm on Monday.

Homebase early May bank holiday opening times

Homebase stores are open today, but business hours vary from store to store.

Many are open from 8am on weekdays and Saturdays and from 10am or 11am on Sundays.

Shoppers can use the retailer’s store locater to find information regarding local Homebase opening hours.

Marks and Spencer early May bank holiday opening times

Today some M&S stores will open later and close earlier than usual.

For example, M&S Croydon opened at 9am instead of 8am, and will close at 6pm instead of 7pm.

The same goes for M&S Newcastle. In Aberystwyth, meanwhile, there’s no change to its usual opening time of 8am.

But the doors will shut earlier at 6pm instead of 8pm.

Opening times at M&S stores vary so it’s also always best to check your local store to avoid disappointment.

Is Ikea open today?

Ikea’s stores in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be open as usual today.

But it’s important to be aware that opening hours can vary.

If you’re planning a trip, it’s best to find your local store opening times on its website.

Just enter your postcode into its store locator tool to find your nearest branch.

Will post be delivered today?

Royal Mail says that it delivers on most days of the year, including Saturdays.

But it doesn’t deliver or collect on bank holidays, which includes the May bank holiday.

You’ll still be able to post a letter at one of the 100,000 post boxes across the country though.

What other bank holidays are there?

A bank holiday is a national public holiday in the UK and the Crown Dependencies, and in the Republic of Ireland.

They were first introduced by banker, politician and scientific writer Sir John Lubbock, who drafted the Bank Holiday Act in 1871 – which was repealed and replaced by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971.

The May bank holiday isn’t the only bank holiday in 2024.

Below are the bank holidays that Brits can look forward to for 2024:

• May 27, 2024 – Spring bank holiday
• August 26, 2024 – Summer bank holiday
• December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
• December 26, 2024 – Boxing Day

Iceland early May bank holiday opening times

Iceland stores are trading as usual on bank holiday Monday.

Most stores are usually open from 7am or 8am until 7pm, and in some cities, stores are open until 9pm.

However, hours might vary depending on where you are in the country.

Wickes early May bank holiday opening times

Wickes stores are open as usual over the bank holiday weekend.

It means shoppers who are planning a DIY haul can visit as follows:

England and Wales:

• Monday, May 6: 7am-8pm

Is the Co-op open today?

During bank holidays and special times of year some of the stores may open later and close earlier than normal, according to a statement on the shop's website.

You can check opening times for your local Co-op online.

Are GP surgeries open today?

Like most public services, GP practices have different opening times over the early May bank Holiday.

As this is a bank holiday, surgeries will most likely be closed. Some surgeries might operate an out-of-hours service, but these can vary from practice to practice.

If you phone your nearest surgery, the answering machine will give you advice on how to get hold of an out-of-hours doctor. 

Many walk-in centres will also be open as normal on the early May Bank Holiday.

However they could be busy, meaning you might spend a significant portion of your day waiting in the waiting room. With this in mind, it is always best to call ahead and check the opening times before you travel.

Always check to see if your local practice has shared any information online. Or you can phone up ahead of time.

Is Santander open today?

Santander is closing all of its branches on bank holidays.

Use the branch locator tool on the government's website to check when your nearest branch will be back open.

Santander has a call centre which you can reach on 0800 912 3123.

The call centre is open seven days a week from 8am to 6pm, but this may change over the bank holiday period.

You can also contact the bank through their online chat function. 

Home Bargains early May bank holiday opening times

On the bank holiday Monday, certain stores are operating with reduced hours.

For example, stores in England and Wales are typically open between 9am and 6pm.

Meanwhile, stores in Scotland are open as usual.

Normal trading hours are also in place for all stores on Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5.

To avoid disappointment, use the retailer’s store locator to find out what time your local branch is opening and closing.

Will Wetherspoons be open over the bank holiday weekend?

Most Wetherspoons pubs are open today, but opening hours vary from branch to branch.

You can find your local’s opening hours by visiting their website.

The exact time they shut varies from venue to venue.

Find out what other pubs are doing in our guide.

What other bank holidays are there?

A bank holiday is a national public holiday in the UK and the Crown Dependencies, and in the Republic of Ireland.

They were first introduced by banker, politician and scientific writer Sir John Lubbock, who drafted the Bank Holiday Act in 1871 – which was repealed and replaced by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971.

The May bank holiday isn’t the only bank holiday in 2024.

Below are the bank holidays that Brits can look forward to for 2024:

• May 6, 2024 – Early May bank holiday
• May 27, 2024 – Spring bank holiday
• August 26, 2024 – Summer bank holiday
• December 25, 2024 – Christmas Day
• December 26, 2024 – Boxing Day