Is VE Day 2025 a bank holiday in the UK?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Thousands of people are set to line the streets in London next week to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, or VE Day.
The celebrations will cap off a week of commemorative events 80 years after World War II ended on May 8, 1945.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Royal Family will also be in the audience for the Red Arrows flypast, a Churchill speech performance, and a military procession of 1,300 armed forces members.
The procession will begin in Parliament Square, with a recital of Winston Churchill's famous VE Day speech, the moment Big Ben strikes noon.
Alan Kennett, a 100-year-old veteran who served in Normandy, will then be handed the Torch for Peace before the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment and The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery lead a procession down Whitehall.
Kennett, who travelled to Normandy with the Royal British Legion for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, called it a 'huge honour' and said the day 'brings back so many memories'.
While Victory in Europe (VE) Day is officially May 8 – the date the Second World War came to an end in 1945 – commemorations will kick off on the May bank holiday from Monday, May 5.
Celebrators will be able to see the Cenotaph draped Union flags, as well as a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace.
May Day also promises an RAF flypast over London.
That Thursday on May 8, there will be a party at Horse Guards Parade shown live on BBC One.
Plus, pubs and bars that usually close at 11pm can keep serving for an extra two hours on May 8.
People are encouraged to celebrate VE Day in many ways, from lighting beacons and bonfires to taking part in the 'big bake', where people are encouraged to bake an orange and ginger cake.
'I am delighted to provide a recipe for the official Women's Institute cake in recognition of Britain's women's incredible effort during WWII, for VE Day 80,' said author Nancy Birtwhistle.
'My recipe was used by my own grandmother who lived through two world wars,' she added. 'Her recipe doesn't require mixers or whisks, and the batter will not curdle.
'This is my tribute to the women preserving food, and working tirelessly using simple methods and ingredients in those times.'
Schoolchildren are also being asked to do 'Victory Veg' displays. Making a 'V' out of red, white, and blue fruits and vegetables they've grown, or make a piece of artwork or digital collage.
VE Day, May 8, is not a bank holiday.
Instead, the early May bank holiday, May 5, has been dedicated to community celebrations marking the anniversary.
These are the upcoming bank holidays in England and Wales for 2025: May 5 – early May bank holiday
May 26 – Spring bank holiday
August 25 – Summer bank holiday
December 25 – Christmas Day
December 26 – Boxing Day
Those wanting to celebrate the on the day itself should not despite, however.
That is because pubs will be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours, allowing revellers to celebrate until 1am on the Friday morning.
As the country celebrates the end of the Second World War, many will betreating themselves to a takeaway or some fast food.
Most McDonalds, Greggs and KFC outlets will operate normal hours on bank holiday Monday.
Monday May 5
Union Jacks will be draped over the Cenotaph and a military procession will take place from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace – including the Red Arrows roaring over the capital and beyond.
Street parties will be held across the country on the bank holiday.
Tuesday May 6
The moving display of ceramic poppies at the Tower of London, first installed to mark the centenary of the First World War in 2014, will return to the historic fortress.
Wednesday May 7
A Victory in Europe Day Anniversary Concert will be held in Westminster Hall at the Houses of Parliament, hosted by the Parliament Choir.
Thursday May 8
This is the actual VE Day. A service will take place at Westminster Abbey, which will serve as both 'an act of shared remembrance and a celebration of the end of the war'.
A concert will also take place at Horseguards Parade to mark the end of commemorations.
There's a good chance a street party will be taking place near you. Those with country parks, gardens, community halls and quiet roads are asked to unfold the chairs and tables and host a party.
And expect a lot of bell ringing, too. Cathedrals have been asked to ring their bells at 6.30pm in a united call to 'work for peace', explained Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, chair of the Association of English Cathedrals.
Friday August 15
Marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, a service will take place at the National Memorial Arboretum.
The Royal British Legion will partner with the government to honour those who died in the war in the Far East.
All three fast food chains have store finds, which you can use to double check before you visit. More Trending
For those caught up watching all the commemorations at home on TV, home delivery could be on the cards.
McDonalds, Greggs and KFC all have outlets on the main delivery apps Uber Eats, Deliveroo or Just Eat
This article was originally published on April 25, 2025
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: PLT launch stunning summer dress – and it's over £200 cheaper than its designer counterpart
MORE: My fiancé drinks so much he falls asleep during sex — should I call off our wedding?
MORE: Best VE Day celebrations across the UK – from Red Arrows flypast to royals and street parties
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
British and Spanish PMs agree Gibraltar deal unlocks 'huge opportunity'
LONDON, June 11 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a phone call with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, agreed that a deal on the status of Gibraltar unlocked the opportunity for both countries to advance bilateral relationship, Starmer's office said on Wednesday. "Prime Minister Sánchez congratulated the Prime Minister on his leadership," a Downing Street spokesperson said. "Both leaders also agreed that this development unlocks huge opportunity to advance the bilateral relationship between the UK and Spain, on behalf of the British and Spanish people." Starmer also spoke to Chief Minister of Gibraltar Fabian Picardo, the spokesperson said, adding that they both agreed the agreement would allow them to "plan for the long-term while protecting British sovereignty."
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Spending review: will Rachel Reeves's huge fiscal gamble yield electoral dividends?
Rachel Reeves has gambled billions of pounds of infrastructure spending on 'renewing Britain' ahead of the next election but faces a battle to convince voters that Labour can deliver change amid deep cuts to everyday spending. The chancellor admitted that 'too many people in too many parts of our country' were yet to feel the benefits of the change they voted for when Labour was swept to power with a huge majority last year. With many Labour MPs already feeling unsettled about the electoral threat of Reform UK, she has already launched a charm offensive to persuade them that her spending review on Wednesday was not a return to austerity. Economists warned that mounting pressures on spending, including the U-turn on winter fuel payments for pensioners and Labour MPs' backlash against disability benefit cuts, meant that Reeves could be forced to raise taxes or look for more savings in the autumn. There could also be other tax increases ahead, with the Treasury's calculations being based on assumptions that local authorities will put up council tax by the maximum 4.99% a year for three years to fund services, including adult social care. Writing in the Guardian , Keir Starmer said that departmental budgets, which will grow by 2.3% a year in real terms, showed the government had 'entered a new stage' in its efforts to transform the country. 'It is an investment in Britain's renewal, so working people have more money in their pocket, more pride in their community and more hope for their children's future,' he added. The NHS and defence were the big winners of the spending review, with 90% of the increase in the day-to-day budget over the next three years going to health and 80% of the boost in capital spending going to defence, according to the Resolution Foundation. However, it means that other Whitehall departments, including the Home Office, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, and the departments of culture, transport and environment all face real terms cuts to their everyday budgets, as well as the Foreign Office, mainly as a result of aid cuts. Ministers have been chastened by polls which suggest that Labour's decision to increase spending overall at the autumn budget has not yet filtered through to voters, after a bumpy first year in power and contentious decisions over welfare cuts and a national insurance for employers. A growing clamour for change has been reflected in a surge in support for Reform UK. In her statement to MPs, Reeves reminded them that Nigel Farage, the party's leader, had described Liz Truss's disastrous mini budget as 'the best Conservative budget since the 1980s'. She added that Reform UK was now 'itching to do the same thing all over again' and had already racked up £80bn in unfunded spending commitments since the last election. 'They are simply not serious,' she said. In what will be interpreted as a response to a threat from the right, the chancellor made a high-stakes promise to cut spending on asylum hotels by the end of the parliament, which she said would save £1bn. There was also £280m more a year for the new Border Security Command. But the Home Office will receive a budget cut which will extend beyond the asylum savings, causing alarm from police officers and the London mayor Sadiq Khan. The government also set out its own version of Elon Musk's 'Doge' efficiency pledges, suggesting they would make cuts of £14bn to through operational improvements, digital transformation, cutting consultants and AI. Despite free school meals being expanded to at least 500,000 more pupils, lifting 100,000 out of poverty, schools budgets will be squeezed. Teachers will get a 4% pay rise next year, with additional funding of £615m. But schools will still have to fund about a quarter of it themselves. The spending review marked the culmination of months of discussions between Reeves and her cabinet colleagues, with negotiations with home secretary Yvette Cooper going down to the wire. In the days running up to the announcement, ministers announced £15bn for transport outside London, £14.2bn to build a new nuclear power station and an almost doubling of government spending – nearly £40bn – on affordable housing over the next 10 years. After months of speculation over the government's commitment to the net zero agenda, Reeves confirmed that ministers would not cut Labour's landmark £13.2bn fund to fix draughty homes. Reeves drew a comparison with the 2.9% cut in the austerity years under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition – a retort to her critics who have accused her of a return to austerity. 'Austerity was a destructive choice for the fabric of our society, and it was a destructive choice for our economy too, choking off investment and demand,' she said. 'Creating a lost decade for growth, wages and living standards that is their legacy. My choices are different. My choices are Labour choices.' Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) hailed the 'genuinely big sums,' the chancellor has set aside for investment projects; but warned that some departments' day-to-day spending plans look tight. 'The funding increases for health and defence are substantial. The corollary, of course, is a less generous settlement elsewhere,' he said. Reeves changed her fiscal rules in last autumn's budget to pave the way for a £113bn uplift in investment spending, and Wednesday's statement set out details of where this funding will be allocated – much of it aimed outside London and the South East. Beneficiaries include green energy, social housing and transport. The Treasury hopes such projects will create jobs, including in deprived areas, and help to make the UK's sluggish economy more productive and kickstart growth. As well as changing Treasury rules to support investment in England's regions, the spending review would provide £52bn for Scotland, £20bn for Northern Ireland and £23bn for Wales. 'We are renewing Britain. But I know that too many people in too many parts of our country are yet to feel it,' Reeves said. 'My task as chancellor and the purpose of this spending review is to change that. To ensure that renewal is felt in people's everyday lives, in their jobs, and on their high streets.' With the chancellor insisting she would stick to her 'fiscal rules' – including meeting day-to-day spending through tax receipts – experts warned that any economic shock could push her plans off course. Andrew Goodwin, chief economist at consultancy Oxford Economics, said, 'considering the government's recent U-turn on winter fuel payments could be a precursor to higher government spending in other areas, it looks increasingly likely that substantial tax increases will be needed'. Ruth Curtice, director of the Resolution Foundation, said, 'after a summer of spending, the budget this autumn will be far more challenging. The economic outlook is looking weaker – not stronger – since the spring, and that will require more tax rises or welfare cuts for the chancellor to meet her fiscal rules'. Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said 'this is the spend-now, tax-later review' adding that Reeves 'knows she will need to come back here in the autumn with yet more taxes and a cruel summer of speculation awaits'.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
PSNI request support from UK colleagues to deal with Ballymena violence
Police in Northern Ireland have requested support from colleagues in the rest of the UK following further violence in Ballymena, a senior officer has said. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the force would be bringing extra officers, vehicles and equipment to areas where unrest has flared. He said there were disgraceful scenes in Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey on Tuesday, as businesses, homes and cars were attacked and damaged. By Wednesday six individuals had been arrested for public order offences, and one charged. A 'significant policing operation' is to be in place in Ballymena and beyond on Wednesday night and in the coming days. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he 'utterly condemns' violence which has left 32 police officers injured following a second night of disturbances. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the rioting 'risks undermining' the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in Ballymena at the weekend. Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course. Providing an update on the policing operation on Wednesday, Mr Henderson said: 'We are taking steps to increase available resources and are surging a significant number of extra officers, vehicles and equipment to those areas where the rioting is taking place. 'This will have an impact on our community, this will take away vital resources needed to police other areas. 'It will have an impact on our ability to serve communities. 'As part of my forward planning I have now activated the request for mutual aid resources from policing colleagues in Great Britain to ensure we have the necessary support and maintain public order and bring offenders to justice in the days to come.' He said they have requested about 80 officers through mutual aid. Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, Sir Keir condemned the 'mindless attacks' against police. 'I utterly condemn the violence that we have seen overnight in Ballymena and in other parts of Northern Ireland, including against PSNI officers,' Sir Keir told MPs. 'It's absolutely vital that the PSNI are given the time they need to investigate the incidents concerned rather than face mindless attacks as they seek to bring peace and order to keep people safe.' In a joint statement, ministers from across the Stormont powersharing Executive, which includes Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but 'division and disorder'. First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly later appeared together to voice their condemnation. Sinn Fein vice president Ms O'Neill told reporters in Belfast: 'It's pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.' She said ministers stood full-square with the young girl who was subject to the alleged sex attack but she said the criminal justice system must be allowed to deal with that case. 'Separate to that is the racism that we're seeing … people being firebombed out of their homes, people having their doors knocked in, having their windows being smashed, families being intimidated,' Ms O'Neill added. 'That is absolutely unacceptable and everything that needs to be done to bring it to an end is our focus in terms of the engagement we have with the PSNI.' Ms Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as 'unacceptable thuggery', adding: 'We've been in contact with the chief constable, and in constant contact with the PSNI throughout last night in terms of what was happening on the ground. 'I think today is about sending a very clear message that violence is wrong, it is entirely unacceptable. It must stop.' With the protests focused in predominantly loyalist areas in Ballymena, Ms O'Neill said she did not believe a visit by her would prove helpful in the current context. DUP MLA Ms Little-Pengelly visited the town on Wednesday, and met local residents. She said the local community are in fear and want the violence to stop. 'The key message here today is around that violence, and that the violence needs to stop, that's what the community wants to put across, and that's why I'm here to send that very clear and united message from right throughout the community and local residents for that to stop,' she said. Police said their officers came under sustained attack over a number of hours with multiple petrol bombs, heavy masonry, bricks and fireworks thrown in their direction in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena on Tuesday night. The PSNI deployed riot police, fired plastic baton rounds, and used water cannon as well as dog units as part of its response to the disorder. Police also reported that 'sporadic disorder' had also occurred in Newtownabbey and Carrickfergus, as well as incidents in north Belfast. It came after similar violent disorder around Clonavon Terrace in the town on Monday night, following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged. A PSNI spokesperson said earlier on Tuesday evening that a number of protests took place in areas of Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine and Newtownabbey. In Carrickfergus, two bins were set alight and bottles and masonry thrown at police in the Sunnylands area by a group of 20-30 young people at about 8.30pm. In Newtownabbey bins were set alight at the roundabout on O'Neill Road. During the course of the disorder in Ballymena, officers discharged a number of plastic baton rounds and a water cannon was also deployed in an attempt to disperse the crowds. The spokesperson said: 'Businesses and homes were attacked and damaged and a number of vehicles were also set on fire in the area. 'Seventeen officers were injured with some requiring hospital treatment. 'Five people were arrested on suspicion of riotous behaviour and remain in police custody this morning. 'A male was also arrested on suspicion of disorderly behaviour on the O'Neill Road in Newtownabbey. 'A number of nearby roads were closed by police to ensure the safety of the public and local residents, and to enable officers to deal with the situation and disorder safely. All roads were subsequently reopened.' Fifteen officers had been injured during similar scenes in Ballymena on Monday. Mr Boutcher said: 'The mindless violence witnessed over the past two nights in Ballymena is deeply concerning and utterly unacceptable. 'These criminal acts not only endanger lives but also risk undermining the ongoing criminal justice process led by the PSNI in support of a victim who deserves truth, justice, and protection. 'Ironically, and frustratingly, this violence threatens to derail the very pursuit of justice it claims to challenge. 'Let me be clear: this behaviour must stop. I appeal to everyone involved to cease all further acts of criminality and disorder immediately.' The Chief Constable said the investigation into the violence would include reviewing video footage and images of individuals would be released to identify offenders. He added: 'Since 2010, the PSNI has been critically underfunded. This neglect takes no account of the enormous demands placed on us by legacy issues or the unique challenges of policing in a post-conflict society. 'Our resourcing levels are not just inadequate — they are dangerous. 'I will be making arrangements to activate mutual aid resources to ensure we have the necessary support to maintain public order and bring offenders to justice.'
