The Council of Minister says that it planned to move the Senior Race Day Bank Holiday to August 28 all along.

In the order paper for May 19’s sitting of Tynwald Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan issues an order to cancel the June 12 bank holiday, with no mention of a new date being proposed.

At Thursday’s news briefing, the Chief Minister was asked about it and he didn’t say that we would get a bank holiday later in the year.

Later the Council of Ministers said this was because they hadn’t formally agreed to it then.

A website petition set up on Thursday attracted 5,999 signatures calling for the reinstatement of the bank holiday.

In a letter to Tynwald Members Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan apologised for the poor communication and said: ’Whilst matters are of course dependent on the release of the coronavirus control requirements, there are three core reasons as to why this is considered appropriate.’

He said that he hoped the Bank Holiday was planned far enough ahead ’so that some extended gatherings of family and friends could be allowed’.

Mr Cannan added: ’Similarly, that we consider that our retail, hospitality and leisure industry will have not only opened, but will have had some time to work out how to operate safely. A properly organised four-day weekend could provide a significant boost to the domestic economy in this respect.

’An extended weekend will allow us to recognise in a suitable manner the efforts of the NHS and care staff, key workers and others across the community during the pandemic.’

The Treasury Minister said that the way the change was handled and communicated upset some people and added: ’I can only offer my sincere apologies in that respect.’