Bank Holiday - is it?

[Yv]

I am in work at the moment - that is to say, I am in the car dealership my OH and I own and I am using this customer and staff free time to get some decorating done.

So far [and its only 10-30am] I have had 4 telephone calls, people wanting to know what time the parts department is open until.

I have been very good, bit my lip and explained that it will be open again 8.30 tomorrow but it has got me thinking. We now seem to 'expect' that everywhere will be open on a bank holiday these days it it shocks up to find that actually, some places are closed, and they want holidays too. I am as guilty as anyone else on this.

Is it that we are so materialistic that we can't 'cope' if all retail outlets don't open every single day of the year, or is it that our lives are so busy we don't have time the rest of the week/year? Certainly if I am here on a Sunday I can guarantee the phone will ring twice as many times as on Saturday, which I always find odd.

I am not talking about religion or anything, just simple relaxation and family time, or 'me' time, or just simple 'time out' - is it time that it was encouraged again rather than chasing the mighty pound? :shrug: Probably a perverse question given that I am in work atm, but you get my drift.

I will come back and read when I have got a coat of gloss on that back door

 

[david357]

I am at work too, normal day at a food production factory that supplies supermarkets. They close on two days per year (at the moment!), Easter Sunday and Christmas Day.
We are lucky, I suppose, that we do not work weekends generally, apart from a new product launch, and we tell prospective employees that bank holidays are normal working days, the same as they are for supermarket staff.

 

[OutLore]

This is a major difference between the US and the UK - in the US there are very few "mom and pop" shops as they like to call them - IE privately owned shops. Most are large chains, who have numerous staff to run it 24/7/365

It took a while for Mrs OutLore to get used to having to work out whether shops will be open or closed on some days!

 

[Craft]

Its partly the fault of the big chains I think - even the shopping centre/mall in town is open until 8pm now. Supermarkets are open 24 hours. They do this so they can take more money, we get used to it.. So when we come across a situation where a shop is closed its frustrating and annoying because its not "normal".

In the case of this weekend I expect people are after parts because they haven't been able to get outside and work on cars all weekend, now the weather has improved they've been out, realised they need a part and... oh b****r.

 

[dod]

We're open and I'm at work. Great chance to clear up stuff without the phone going all the time.

 

[gumbo-67]

I totaly agree with you Yvonne, i think it should be encouraged. IT is one of the things i miss about Germany Sundays were like sundays when i was a kid..

 

[Flossyrockstar]

Its partly the fault of the big chains I think - even the shopping centre/mall in town is open until 8pm now. Supermarkets are open 24 hours. They do this so they can take more money.

But the dumb thing is if they opened from say 8am till 7pm they would still take the same money, they would just be busier and they wouldnt need the extra staff overnight so they could cut down on their overheads, especially now most of em do online trading.
Order your food on a wednesday night, get it delivered to work the next day,
Schimples.

 

[barneyrubble]

I'm at work today - apparently not all our European cousins celebrate this bank holiday - so some european markets are open, hence I'm in work. Still, treble time for bank holidays so that 70-200 VR2 is coming closer

 

[Flash In The Pan]

I am in work at the moment - that is to say, I am in the car dealership my OH and I own and I am using this customer and staff free time to get some decorating done.

You're closed on a day when your potential customers are off work?

I don't think I know of any main dealers up here that close on holidays, in fact in the dim and distant Arnold Clark branches used to be open on Christmas day.....

 

[Yv]

I'm at work today - apparently not all our European cousins celebrate this bank holiday - so some european markets are open, hence I'm in work. Still, treble time for bank holidays so that 70-200 VR2 is coming closer

It'll be worth it!!

I totaly agree with you Yvonne, i think it should be encouraged. IT is one of the things i miss about Germany Sundays were like sundays when i was a kid..

Hmm, I think the thing is, I am not sure either way Terri, I like the idea od peaceful Sundays/Bank Holidays, but there are times when the convenience of open doors at Tesco, B&Q, whatever, is really good. Since leaving school, I always worked for comapnies that opened Sundays and in fact for 4 years, I never got a Sunday off other than those that were naturally part of my annual leave and it really didn't bother me, but now I do find myself wondering why we do it. Surely we can manage one day a week without everywhere being open

 

[barneyrubble]

But the dumb thing is if they opened from say 8am till 7pm they would still take the same money, they would just be busier and they wouldnt need the extra staff overnight so they could cut down on their overheads,

That's not entirely true, the supermarkets have had overnight staff stacking shelves for years. Almost all of them did, and now all they've had to add is a few checkout staff.

 

[Yv]

You're closed on a day when your potential customers are off work?

I don't think I know of any main dealers up here that close on holidays, in fact in the dim and distant Arnold Clark branches used to be open on Christmas day.....

YES!!!

Sorry, we might lose a couple of quid in takings, but I doubt it would be as much as I would have to pay staff [on double time] to be in. Bearing in mind we are very small, so even offering a day off in leiu would leave us struggling on a normal busy day.

Oh yes, I am also saving on the expence of cleaning bills for the idiots that wouldn't read the 'wet paint' signs

 

[Flash In The Pan]

YES!!!

Sorry, we might lose a couple of quid in takings, but I doubt it would be as much as I would have to pay staff [on double time] to be in. Bearing in mind we are very small, so even offering a day off in leiu would leave us struggling on a normal busy day.

Oh yes, I am also saving on the expence of cleaning bills for the idiots that wouldn't read the 'wet paint' signs

Since when did carsalesmen get paid by the hour?

 

[daddy day care]

I work in a food distribution warehouse. We close on Christmas day and that's it. Otherwise it's 24/7.

If we didn't you'd all complain that you couldn't buy a trifle or yoghurt on a Sunday

Andy

 

[whitewash]

the issue is that alot of people work monday to saturday, and therefore bank holidays are actually seen as days to 'get things done' take a look at B&Q carpark, its packed with people buying stuff to 'get things done'

 

[Trig's]

the issue is that alot of people work monday to saturday, and therefore bank holidays are actually seen as days to 'get things done' take a look at B&Q carpark, its packed with people buying stuff to 'get things done'

Mmmmm so when will these people actually get these "jobs" done.... As aint they back to work the next day :shrug:

So why go to these places on a BH Monday - whats wrong with Saturday-Sunday?

 

[2blue4u]

I totaly agree with you Yvonne, i think it should be encouraged. IT is one of the things i miss about Germany Sundays were like sundays when i was a kid..

aaah! Sundays in Germany. Walking to the cake shop in the village. Having dozens of friends round for a mega barbie - each bringing at least half a crate. Feeding the birds in the local pond. And car washing not allowed Those were the days.

Bank Holidays allow me to take a breather from the main business as all our clients take the day off. But I usually find something to do in my 'fun' business - I've just got in from letterboxing leaflets and I only stopped due to having seen the nasty looking cloud above.

 

[inaneredstripe]

Weve had 5 phone calls today asking if the studio is open.
no it isnt.

 

[Rovers_Andy]

not for me, up at 4:15 for a 6am start and a nice 12 hour shift

 

[TheNissanMan]

Yvonne I know exactly what you mean although by the sound of it at least you had some quiet time

We had a few calls for those that work part time (sorry I mean parts & service) and a good few people through the door which is always nice... We run a half team (3 in 2 off) on a BH but still sold 5 cars today which wasn't to bad for a BH

Glad to be finished though, the sales team get a day in leui, the mgmt don't but I wouldn't swap it for the world...

 

[whitewash]

Mmmmm so when will these people actually get these "jobs" done.... As aint they back to work the next day :shrug:

The Same day obviously, I've been to the local homebase, bought some seeds and compost and potted them, not somehting id usually have time to do on a normal weekend:shrug:

also lots of big shops know people are 'pottering' on a bank holiday and put offers on especially to get people through the door.

 

[donut]

i was there with you working as well Yvonne,,,,,well not there but here ,,,,,anyway how are you and jon doin????