The Barnaby Blog 3 May 2025

Bank Holidays: A Schnauzer's Guide to Britain's Best Days Off!

Woof-woof! Barnaby here, the miniature schnauzer mascot of Barnaby & Boo's Ice Cream Café in New Malden! My whiskers are twitching with excitement to tell you all about those magical days when humans don't go to those "office" places and instead spend time with important beings (like me)!

Why They're Called "Bank" Holidays (A Mystery Solved!)

My humans were discussing these special days, and I've been all ears (and my ears are quite impressive, if I do say so myself)! Apparently, these holidays started way back in 1871 when a human called Sir John Lubbock (who I'd definitely have sniffed enthusiastically) created the Bank Holidays Act.

Before that, banks closed for 33 different days! Can you imagine all the extra walkies? But Sir John made it official with four special days: Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August, and Boxing Day. They're called "Bank Holidays" because the banks closed first, and then other places followed—like when I lie down for a nap and my human friend soon joins me on the sofa!

Sir John wasn't just thinking about bank workers—he wanted all humans to have time for fun things, like taking their dogs to parks and buying them ice cream. He sounds like my kind of human!

Bank Holiday Traditions (Or "Things That Make My Tail Wag")

Now we have eight Bank Holidays in England and Wales—that's 56 in dog holidays! I've noticed some very important traditions:

The weather always does a funny trick on Bank Holidays—even when it's been sunny for walkies all week, the sky gets all wet and drippy just in time for the holiday. My humans call this "typical Bank Holiday weather," but I think the sky is just excited and having a little accident, like puppies sometimes do!

The best tradition is what I call the "garden sprint"—humans rush to find seats outside pubs when the sun peeks out. From under the table, I get to meet so many new friends and sometimes find dropped chips!

Something called "brunch" happens a lot—it's like breakfast and lunch had puppies! Humans sit for ages in cafés (like our Barnaby & Boo's!) sipping drinks and eating foods that smell AMAZING. The best humans always save a bite of bacon for four-legged friends.

My Favorite Bank Holiday Activities

Bank Holidays are when my ice cream café gets super busy! Humans line up out the door at Barnaby & Boo's for our special flavors. I personally recommend the vanilla—though I only get tiny schnauzer portions because my humans say too much makes tummies upset. Not fair!

I notice that even when the sky is doing its wet thing, humans still eat ice cream on Bank Holidays. That's how I know humans and dogs aren't so different—we both know treats are important in ALL weather!

Bank Holidays mean longer walks in the park, where I get to show off my distinguished schnauzer beard to all the other dogs. Many humans use their day off to meet friends at our café, and I make it my job to greet everyone with a friendly sniff and wagging tail.

Some humans try to fix things around their dens on Bank Holidays. This is very entertaining for us dogs—there's usually lots of interesting words I'm not supposed to understand, and sometimes they drop things that make exciting noises!

Why Bank Holidays Are Paw-some

My humans were talking about "economists" (whatever those are) who argue about whether Bank Holidays are good. As a dog with excellent judgment, I can confirm they are the BEST days! Everyone is less "stressed" (a human condition that seems to make them less likely to offer treats).

These special days are when humans remember to pause and enjoy important things—like giving ear scratches, taking long walks, and sharing ice cream with their favorite schnauzer.

From my special cushion at Barnaby & Boo's Ice Cream Café in New Malden, I see how happy everyone is on Bank Holidays. Families come in together, friends catch up, and most importantly—more people are available to admire my magnificent schnauzer eyebrows!

This Bank Holiday, remember what's truly important: visiting your local ice cream café (preferably one with a handsome schnauzer mascot), taking time to sniff the lampposts—I mean, roses—and enjoying the company of your pack.

Woofs and licks, Barnaby 🐾

Keywords: Bank Holidays UK, Barnaby & Boo's Ice Cream, New Malden café, dog-friendly activities, Bank Holiday brunch, Bank Holiday traditions, ice cream traditions, miniature schnauzer, family activities, Sir John Lubbock, Bank Holidays Act, café culture, dog mascot

Raise your glass and sizzle a sausage for Sir John Lubbock this bank holiday weekend, the founder of Bank Holidays in the UK! He was a keen entomologist btw!

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