Less than one in six of workers will be taking an extended break in the week of the royal wedding, according to a new study.
The marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday April 29 is preceded by the four-day Easter weekend and followed by the May Day bank holiday on Monday, May 2, meaning many will enjoy a four-day week, a three-day week and then another four-day week.
But the poll of 1,179 customers by HolidayExtras.com found that 76% of people are either not bothered about having the time off work or did not even realise it was a possibility.
Just 16% of men and 20% of women will take the three days off between Easter Monday and the wedding, giving themselves 11 days off work.
Many are worried that the three short weeks will cause problems for businesses already struggling with a recession, government spending cuts and the VAT increase.
The company’s head of product innovation and development Anthony Clarke-Cowell said: “It is surprising that more people aren’t taking advantage of this extended break but employers must be breathing a huge sigh of relief.
“The three short business weeks combined with workers taking 11 day holidays could be crippling for small businesses who are already struggling in a tough economic climate.
“It’s estimated that bank holidays cost the British economy six billion a year so surprisingly it’s not necessarily a bad thing that most Brits won’t be turning the three consecutive bank holidays into an extra-long holiday at the expense of employers.”