Queen's Diamond Jubilee: Government announces plans for a four-day weekend

Add to My Stories Share The UK enjoyed an extra-long weekend thanks to the Royal Wedding in April and now the Government is hoping to recreate the 'feelgood factor' of last month's celebrations by giving Britons a four-day break to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
Next year's Whitsun Bank Holiday, which is usually in late May, will be postponed until Monday, June 4 and an extra Bank Holiday will be added on Tuesday, June 5.Downing Street's plans for the celebration of the monarch's 60 years on the throne mean that Britons will be able to jet off on a four-day break without having to take any holiday leave.

Thousands joined in celebrations for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 and the streets were lined with people hoping to hand her flowers

Ministers hope that millions of people will join in the celebrations, which will mark the start of a 'feelgood summer' that will culminate with the Olympic Games in London.But business leaders have criticised the move saying it will hurt struggling firms during a period of economic downturn.
Phil McCabe of the Forum of Private Business said: The extra day off will no doubt motivate staff, but at a real cost to firms.

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One of the highlights is expected to be The Big Jubilee Lunch, for which neighbours will be encouraged to share a meal. It is to be launched by the Palace and environmental and educational charity the Eden Project.A Whitehall source said: We hope everyone will join in by holding street parties or other celebrations to mark a very special weekend.
A Royal source added: 'Local celebrations have always been part! of prev ious Jubilees.

Eden Project founder Tim Smit has joined Buckingham Palace to lauch the Big Jubilee Lunch'People particularly remember the street parties in 1977 for the Silver Jubilee and grassroots celebrations in 2002 for the Golden Jubilee.Eden Project chief executive Tim Smit said: 'We liven in a country where we keep talking about celebrating our differences, but this is a way of celebrating our commonality. One thing we have in common ... is that we treasure the monarchy.'One of the highlights of the Jubilee celebrations is expected to be when the Queen's Royal Barge leads a flotilla of more than 1,000 boats along the Thames on Sunday, June 3.It will be the largest river pageant to take place in Britain since the reign of Charles II.The Queen, who will be 86 when she marks60 years on the throne, is due to become only the second British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee. The first was Queen Victoria in 1897.