The UK has relatively few public holidays compared to other European countries, which are usually referred to as ‘Bank Holidays’; the original meaning comes from the fact that these were days when banks would officially be closed. Most retail shops now stay open on public holidays in order to take advantage of customer demand, even though this practice is against the principal that Bank Holidays exist in order to give the employee a break from work. People who agree to work on Bank Holidays generally get paid extra for their efforts.