Nicholas Craig column

Mar 4 2005 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal

Who invented half-term? Retailers? They should have, given the huge boost to trade provided by youngsters propelling parents through revolving doors towards tinkling tills.

Taking my lunchtime constitutionals along Northumberland and Grainger Streets a couple of weeks ago I was astonished to see a mass of people crowding the pavements each day.

Gaggles of girls, gangs of boys, grandparents with pushchairs supporting each other, mothers seeking a sit-down in the nearest shop. All of them contributed significantly to the health of our shops, restaurants and leisure attractions.

When I were but a lad, half-term meant playing football in the garden or street and occasionally going to the library. This recent half-term found every bus and Metro crammed with children being taken to some treat or other.

Half-term has moved from being a break in the school year to a full-blown festival. Newspapers publish lists with the 20 best places to stay during half-term, or 10 leisure hot spots. It's an event and it is growing year on year. The impact of family frenzy shopping is fantastic news for retailers.

Now there is a call for an extra October public holiday to break up the autumn "slog". The TUC believes the first day of the autumn half-term should be a Bank Holiday, 56 days after the last public holiday and 61 days before the Christmas break.

It seems like a good idea to me. Most parents who take time off at half-term would have one day that was not annual leave.

Leisure and retail industries would get a boost towards the end of the year and the tourism sector would benefit.

What about extending the idea and having a half-term for parents?

School would carry on, with extra lessons and cut-price childminders, while parents were given a breather to restore their battered work-life balance.

The one area that could suffer, however, would be the shops.

Many parents would prefer to either get away altogether to enjoy the sun, or curl up on the sofa with a video, as their children do as a matter of course.

I'd enjoy a well-earned extra lie-in and some peace.

I might even have a game of football or go to the library for a treat.

Nicholas Craig is a partner at Watson Burton LLP