We do have Public Holidays in Scotland but the recent late August Bank Holiday is an English one. Scotland fixes a late Summer holiday weekend at the beginning of August. Public holidays in Scotland tend to tie in with local culture, norms and traditions.
Earlier this week I found myself in a bar/restaurant in Inverness, the Capital City of The Highlands Of Scotland. It was one of a major chain networked throughout the United Kingdom.
Although we arrived in time for the weekday meal offer, customers were told that there was no special meal deal (two meals for £10) because it was a Bank Holiday. A Bank Holiday - whose Bank Holiday!?
The Barman, through whom I placed my food order, thought that over time the late August holiday had crept in, in some places as an addition and in others, as a replacement for the earlier one Scotland traditionally has.
"What" says I, "do you think will happen to the Bank Holidays in the event of a 'yes' vote for Scottish Independence?"
Him- quick as a flash " There probably won't be any!".........
The barman then talked about his view of the impending referendum and told me how he would be voting.
The Independence Vote has engaged all age groups of the population in Scotland and born Scots, who, for whatever reason are out of the country and who are gnashing their teeth because they are not allowed to participate in the vote. (You have to have been living in Scotland for six months prior and be registered to take part).
Even people waiting at bus stops in Edinburgh got chatting to each other, bouncing off thoughts and ideas about the referendum. All of them were keen to know and to get to hear for themselves, what populations in other parts of Scotland might vote for. One woman was surprised to hear there were no regular political meetings where I live 'on the periphery of civilisation'. One Member Of The Scottish Parliament (MSP) had put himself out to visit when I happened to be elsewhere, I explained. He deserves a lot of Brownie points for making the effort that no-one else in the Scottish Parliament has considered emulating.
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