The UK has 8 public holidays a year, called Bank Holidays. These holidays are to celebrate different historical, religious or special events, and also take place in the British capital.
It is important to take these holidays into account if you are going to visit London and if you are going to live in London, it is not going to be that you go to work on a day that is not due!
What will you find in this article?
Calendar of public holidays in London 2022 and 2023
This 2022 we have one more holiday than normal, since the United Kingdom celebrates in June the 70 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with the Platinum Jubilee. Public holidays in London (and UK) for the years 2022 and 2023 are as follows:
Upcoming bank holidays in England and Wales
| 2 June | Thursday | Spring bank holiday |
| 3 June | Friday | Platinum Jubilee bank holiday |
| 29 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 26 December | Monday | Boxing Day |
| 27 December | Tuesday | Christmas Day (substitute day) |
| 2 January | Monday | New Year’s Day (substitute day) |
| 7 April | Friday | Good Friday |
| 10 April | Monday | Easter Monday |
| 1 May | Monday | Early May bank holiday |
| 29 May | Monday | Spring bank holiday |
| 28 August | Monday | Summer bank holiday |
| 25 December | Monday | Christmas Day |
| 26 December | Tuesday | Boxing Day |
Upcoming Bank Holidays in London: What’s Open and What to Do
In general, it is always said that in London, although it is a holiday, it does not seem like it, and this is true on all holidays of the year except Christmas Day, a day on which the shops are closed and public transport does not work.
But aside from Christmas Day, on all other bank holidays you will find that all central London shops and businesses and London tourist attractions are open. So the shopping areas of Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly, Soho, Covent Garden… all of that will be open and it won’t look festive at all.
In the City area, being an area mostly for offices, they do tend to close almost all shops, just as they do on weekends. So this area will be really almost the only area in London that you will find practically empty, but do not worry, since this area is not usually one of the tourist areas.
Public holiday 2 January 2023 in London
New Year’s Day is celebrated on January 1 in London, and in London this day is celebrated with a famous New Year’s Parade that runs through the center of the British capital. It is without a doubt the perfect plan for the first day of the new year if you are thinking of spending New Year’s Eve in London. Usually on January 1 most central London shops will be open, as will many restaurants and cafes. In our article what to do on January 1 in LondonWe tell you which museums are open and what events are held to celebrate the arrival of the new year in the British capital. As January 1 falls on a Sunday in 2023, although celebrations still take place on January 1, the holiday is moved to Monday, January 2. On January 2, shops and businesses outside of London will close, but in London almost everything will be open.
Holidays 15 and 18 April 2022 in London
Friday 15th April 2022 is Good Friday in the UK and Monday 18th April is Easter Monday. In London, shops, attractions, museums and restaurants will be open throughout Easter, including bank holidays. The only change we need to mention is the British Museum, which is usually open until 8.30pm on Fridays but closes at 6pm on Good Friday.
You can see our article traveling to London at Easter for more information, tips and events.
Public holiday 2 May 2022 in London
The public holiday May 2nd is celebrated on May Day in the UK. In London all shops, attractions, museums and restaurants will open as normal.
This weekend the Little Venice Festival is celebrated, with 3 whole days of music, food stalls and numerous events related to the typical boats of the canals of England. An event that I recommend attending if you are going to be in London.
Holidays 2 and 3 June 2022 in London
This weekend we celebrate UK Spring Day on June 2nd, and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee on June 3rd. In London all shops, attractions, museums and restaurants will open as normal, and there will be events and celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s reign.
Holiday 29 August 2022 in London
The last weekend of August is celebrated in the United Kingdom on Summer Day, which in 2020 falls on Monday, August 31. It is the weekend that marks the end of summer, and although it is usually one of the most popular weekends to go to the British coast and enjoy the beach, in London it is this weekend when the famous carnival of Nottinghill.
Public holiday December 25, 2022 in London
December 25th is Christmas Day, and it’s really the only holiday of the year that London comes to a standstill. Stores are not open and public transport is not working. When the 25th falls on a Sunday, the holiday is moved to Tuesday, December 27th. We imagine that on December 27 almost everything will be open in central London, but in our December 24, 25 and 26 article we will update the information a few weeks before when they have confirmed what opens and how public transport will work on those dates. Here we tell you what to do on Christmas Day in London.
Public holiday December 26, 2022 in London
December 26 is Boxing Day in the UK, and this year it falls on a Monday. This day usually marks the start of the Christmas sales, and in central London many of the most famous shops and attractions are usually open, but I recommend checking the detailed information in our December 24, 25 and 26 article, as some tourist attractions and some museums may be closed on December 26 in London.
Transport in London on public holidays
During the On public holidays there is usually a reduced public transport service, but normally, even if the service is reduced, it is usually quite frequent and the difference is hardly noticeable, but if you want detailed information about schedules, it is best to visit the official transport website: www.tfl.gov.uk
The only bank holiday of the year that public transport in London does not operate is December 25, so this is something very important to keep in mind if you visit London at Christmas.