Monday 26th August will be the last Bank Holiday of the summer, with Brits looking forward to a final long weekend before it turns into autumn and winter. If you haven’t made plans for the three-day weekend yet, take a look at this guide. It will explain what to look out for this Bank Holiday weekend, whether you decide to stay in at home or head out somewhere fun. Check the travel and weather warnings, plus the shopping tips below, for the best experience.
Bank Holiday Travel Warnings
As you might expect, traffic is likely to be a nightmare this Bank Holiday as people drive across the country for events or weekend breaks. The RAC is advising people to travel later in the day, as congestion will be at its worst between 11am and 6.30pm. More than 8 million people will be making at least one overnight trip this Bank Holiday weekend according to a VisitEngland tourism survey. Delays of around 30 minutes up to 1 hour are expected along the M25 and M6 in particular. There are still roadworks in place on several sections of major roads, which you can check here ahead of travelling. You might be planning to beat traffic jams by taking the train. However, Network Rail is carrying out almost 450 engineering works over the weekend, which will affect many railway routes. Some routes will be running replacement buses for LNER and East Midlands Railway, while the West Coast Mainline and Virgin Trains will operate reduced services. King’s Cross train station in London will be closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Bank Holiday Weather Forecast
Although this British summer has seen a lot of humidity and rain to the point of flooding, another heatwave is on the way this weekend. The dry and sunny weather you would hope for on a Bank Holiday day off is expected, but the Met Office is warning people to be careful. Temperatures are due to be in the mid-20s across the UK, but they could hit 33°C in South-East England. Friday may start out foggy, but blue skies are due to replace the wet and windy weather. The warmth and sunshine will encourage people to spend time outdoors and in nature. However, the RAC and HM Coastguard are reminding people to put safety first. Check your vehicle before travelling to avoid breaking down in the heat. If you go to the beach or the coast, avoid fast-flowing water and harbours and make sure there is a lifeguard on duty. Avoid jumping into bodies of water from cliffs, rocks, piers, or other structures.
Bank Holiday Sales
An extra day off work, coming right on the heels of payday for most workers, is the perfect opportunity for some retail therapy. Plenty of retailers are offering special discounts over the Bank Holiday weekend, which includes:
- ASOS – Up to 60% off
- All Beauty – Up to 60% off
- Amazon – End-of-summer sale (includes up to 30% off on Amazon devices)
- Argos – 20% off selected furniture
- Beauty Bay – Up to 40% off
- Boohoo – Up to 80% off
- Boots – Up to 25% off when you buy No.7 products online
- GAME – Summer deals (includes Nintendo Switch games)
- John Lewis – Up to 50% off (includes up to 15% off beauty and fragrances)
- Marks & Spencer – Up to 40% off furniture and 20% off homewares
- Missguided – 50% off (plus 20% off with the discount code holibabe)
- New Look – Use the code save10 to get £10 off when you spend £50
- NOW TV – One month free trial of Sky Cinema & Entertainment Pass
- Pretty Little Thing – Up to 70% off
- The Body Shop – 25% off with the discount code 14673
You can also check out the sales at AO, Currys, B&Q, Carphone Warehouse, Dreams, Dunelm Mill, Jessops, Next, Superdry, Topshop, Very, and Wiggle as these brands are running clearance summer sales and limited-time deals.
Bank Holiday DIY Tips
Don’t forget that hardware stores will also be running Bank Holiday deals this weekend. More than 30 million adults intend to use the long weekend to get some DIY done around their homes. The most common DIY jobs on most to-do lists are putting up shelves, building furniture, and painting walls. The nice weather will also allow many people to get to work outdoors on some gardening. However, it is NOT advisable to undertake professional-level repairs yourself. This means no plumbing or electrical engineering unless you absolutely know what you are doing. If you risk it, you could end up causing damage that lasts longer than the weekend and costs far more to fix than it would have before you meddled with things! Whenever you carry out home improvements, you should always check your home insurance policy beforehand. You don’t want to end up accidentally invalidating your home insurance cover.
Bank Holiday Entertainment
Maybe you just want to sunbathe in the garden or stay in and order a takeaway on your days off. But if you want to get out and about, take a look at the range of events that could be going on near you this Bank Holiday Weekend.
Outdoor Activities
- Belfast Mela (25th August, Belfast Botanic Gardens)
- Pollinator Festival (24th-26th August, the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthenshire)
- Adults-only Mediterranean Garden Party (25th August, Burley Manor, Hampshire)
- Big Bank Holiday Bash (26th August, The Fish Hotel, Cotswolds)
- Enchanted Horsham (23rd-25th August, Horsham Park, West Sussex)
- The Rattler Endurance Weekender (24th-25th August, the New Forest)
- Lap the Lough cycle ride (23rd-25th August, Lough Neagh)
Art and Music Events
- Notting Hill Carnival (25th-26th August, West London)
- Leeds West Indian Carnival (26th Aug7ust, Leeds)
- Steampunk Festival (23rd-26th August, Lincoln)
- Devizes International Street Festival (25th-26th August, Wiltshire)
- Exeter Street Arts Festival (24th August, Exeter)
- Arundel Festival (26th August, West Sussex)
- Curious Arts Festival & Byline Festival (23rd-26th August, East Sussex)
- The Hub Festival (23rd-25th August, Cardiff)
- Leeds Festival (22nd-25th August, Leeds)
- Victorious Festival (23rd-25th August, Portsmouth)
- Cottingham Folk Festival (22nd-25th August, East Yorkshire)
- The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival (23rd-25th August, Lancashire)
Enjoying Nature
- Children’s summer camps (Camp Wilderness, or Castle Howard Camp)
- Penhurst Place bushcraft days 25th-26th August, Kent)
- Malham Show (24th August, Yorkshire Dales)
- Godstone Farm (until 1st September, Surrey)
- Isle of Rum wildlife walks (24th-26th August, Inner Hebrides)
Beach Festivities
- The Brighton Mod Weekender (23rd-26th August, Brighton)
- Hope Cove Weekend (23rd-26th August, Devon)
- World Crabbing Competition (25th August, Norfolk)
- Urban Beaches (Millenium Square Bristol, Old Market Square Nottingham, Victoria Gardens Leeds)
LGBTQ+ Pride
- Manchester Pride (23rd-26th August, Manchester)
- Pride Cymru (23rd-25th August, Cardiff)
- Cornwall Pride (24th August, Newquay)
- Southampton Pride (24th August, Southampton)
