The Final Bank Holiday: Squeeze Every Last Drop

This weekend marks the last bank holiday until Christmas and, in the middle of August, that feels like an absolute lifetime away, so we’re determined to squeeze every last drop of summer fun out of this one.

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If you’re lucky enough to be off to an event like Creamfields, Leeds or Reading Festival, or Manchester Pride, you’re bound to have a ball, but if you’re planning to avoid the infuriating traffic and spend the bank hol a little closer to home, we’ve got some fab ideas for seeing out long summer weekends in style:

Okay, so this one isn’t such a fun idea, but be honest with yourself; if you don’t clear out the garage/put up those shelves/build that new cupboard this weekend, how likely is it that you’ll do it during the autumn? And then the winter? What are the chances it’ll still be undone when the first spring bank holiday rolls around?

Spend a couple of hours with your Nick Knowles hat on and get those jobs done and dusted. You’ll feel so much better without half-finished DIY hanging over you – trust us. Then, you’ll be ready to enjoy your bank holiday weekend properly!

Been meaning to read that novel everyone’s been talking about but simply not got around to it yet? Let yourself have a few hours with nothing more to do than enjoy your book this weekend. They’re called summer reads for a reason; it’s just not the same reading about a holiday romance or warmer climes when it’s freezing outside and a cosy fireside-filled novel would be much more suitable.

We recommend Together by Julie Cohen, a love story with a difference, which has been picked as part of Richard and Judy’s Summer 2018 Book Club. Richard Madeley might come across as more than a bit Alan Partridge sometimes, but he does know a good book when he reads one. Anything by Maggie O’Farrell is also a great shout, and her summer 2017 release I Am, I Am, I Am would be perfect for this weekend.

There is no point spending a precious bank holiday seeing nothing more than the windscreen of your car and the bumper of the vehicle in front of you as you watch miles and miles of motorway pass by at a snail’s pace.

Instead, make the most of what’s available to you closer to home. Even just spending time in your garden sitting in the sun is better than being stuck in endless traffic, but if you’re not lucky enough to have an outdoor space of your own, then going to your local park or beach is a lovely way to see out the summer.

Take a picnic with you, making a few twists on classics like these chorizo and honey sausage rolls from The Kitchen Alchemist, or these mini mushroom picnic pies by Amuse Your Bouche. Just make sure you take all of your rubbish home with you when you’re done.

We’ve been surprisingly lucky with the weather for once this summer, so you’ve probably already had a barbecue or two, but having another has got to be the ultimate way to say goodbye to the summer.

It’s highly likely that you’ve done the beef burger on a bun and the sausage in a finger roll already this season, so it’s time to go all out with your barbecue grub, cooking up sensational-tasting treats like these sweet chilli pork and chorizo burgers from James vs Burger, crispy halloumi burgers like these ones from Scrummy Lane, or these honey and garlic chicken wings by Miss Foodie.

To wash all that barbecue grub down, you surely need a cocktail or two, and what could be better than a frozen prosecco-based one, using this recipe from Lucy Loves? Use your Tefal Blender to crush up all that ice for a beautifully smooth and refreshing summer drink.

For the kids and teetotallers, these non-alcoholic raspberry mojito mocktails from A Sweet Pea Chef would be just the ticket, allowing everyone to raise a glass and toast the end of the summer.