Calls for ‘new bank holiday’ as Mirfield pub prepares to host Trafalgar Day event for local veterans
A Mirfield pub is hosting a free Sunday lunch for local veterans tomorrow (Sunday) to commemorate Trafalgar Day.
The Old Colonial, on Dunbottle Lane, will see around 30 veterans gather for a traditional British Sunday lunch to mark Trafalgar Day.
The day is celebrated annually on October 21 and honours the triumph of the Royal Navy’s victory over Spanish and French fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The pub is renowned for its support of the area’s veterans and their families, and landlord Tim Wood is calling for Trafalgar Day to be made into a public holiday in the UK.
He told the Reporter Series ahead of the event:
“We are trying to resurrect Trafalgar Day. We used to celebrate it a lot of years ago, so we are trying to bring it back as a public holiday in October because there are no bank holidays from August to Christmas.
“We think the country needs a new bank holiday. We work our socks off and get very little back for it.”
He added: “We are going to start commemorating Trafalgar Day at the Old Colonial by offering a free Sunday lunch to veterans and their spouses. It’s limited spaces only but at least it’s something brand new.
“There will also be a talk, some decorative memorabilia and it will be a decent event. Hopefully it will be a springboard for the whole nation to jump on.
“It’s about having a pride in Britain. I think we should remember who we are, and our history, and celebrate all the good things about Britain.”