England v Ireland: the Saints battle it out

A battle for a new bank holiday is brewing between the English and the Irish.

A high-profile campaign by pubco Six Continents (6C) to make St Patrick's Day a national bank holiday in the UK has received overwhelming support from pub goers.

Meanwhile, Bedford brewer Charles Wells has urged the country to come out in favour of England's patron saint and support the campaign to make St George's Day a national holiday.

Customers at 6C's O'Neill's pubs are being urged to throw their weight behind the campaign. A petition has already gathered 10,000 signatures and the company is planning to present the results to Parliament at the end of the month. It is hoped that come 2004, St Patrick's Day will be a bank holiday.

Its actions come as Charles Wells leads a major campaign to get recognition for England's patron saint on April 23.

Charles Wells spokeswoman Sarah McGhie said: "It's great that 6C is getting behind the campaign to make St Patrick's Day a national bank holiday, but the priority for anyone living in England has got to be St George's Day.

"If the trade puts its weight behind St George's Day then there is the potential for us to earn an extra £38m."

Both sides agree on one thing: a national holiday for either patron saint would mean a big profit boost for the trade.

A spokesperson for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it would consider any proposals put before them.

The Value of St George​

The Value of St George, the new campaign that promotes the money-making potential of St George's Day, has now reached the government.

Letters have been sent to key ministers, including Tony Blair, to show why St George's Day, which takes place on April 23, should be an officially recognised day of celebration.

The campaign, launched by Bedford brewer Charles Wells in partnership with The Publican, aims to highlight the potential profit-boosting benefits England's patron saint could bring.

Paul Wells, managing director of Charles Wells, told ministers: "Research has estimated that publicans are missing out on a potential £14.1m and England is missing out on a potential £38.8m every year by simply not celebrating St George's Day in a way similar to that of St Patrick's Day. "These substantial figures have left us no option but to launch the 'Value of St George' campaign."

Mr Wells said further research conducted this year found the majority of people would happily celebrate St George's Day but are reluctant because they feel nobody else does.

He told ministers: "This is your opportunity to build on the momentum generated last year during the Jubilee celebrations and help us stem this tide of complacency and apathy within England by showing your support on April 23."

The brewer is pushing for an extra day's holiday to allow the public and businesses to make the most of this special occasion.

Responses to the letters are expected in the near future.

Meanwhile, licensees who want to get involved are urged to go to www.bombardier.co.uk where a special St George's Day section can be found.

Here a number of helpful forms can be downloaded, such as petitions for customers to sign and then send on to their local MP and a letter for the local magistrates to ask for a two-hour licence extension for April 23.

It also has letters to go out to the editors of local papers and station managers of regional radio stations asking for their support and attendance on the day.

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