00:10Rochester, well known for its history, it saw busy streets this afternoon as people
00:15made the most of the bank holiday. Bank holidays were originally introduced to
00:19give bank employees time off. By the time they've been widely adopted by people
00:23and businesses, although today many of them remain open. Bank holidays were
00:28first introduced by Sir John Lubbock, a scientific writer, banker and politician who actually
00:34grew up here in Kent. I spoke to some locals to find out how they were spending their time off.
00:40Just out on the bike today really, yeah. Yeah, I tried to get as far as Whitstable but it didn't
00:44quite come off so, in Rochester but obviously there's worse places to be so yeah, nice sunny
00:50day, it's nice to just enjoy it, a bit of music, a bit of atmosphere.
00:54I did go to church yesterday with my friend, she belongs to the local Baptist church, she
01:00met she was a member of and I go with her infrequently. I don't mind but I wouldn't
01:05say I'm a devout Christian or anything but I'm happy to go, you know, Easter.
01:09We've just been chilling to be honest with you, my daughter is revising for her GCSEs and so we've
01:16just been at home, watching some movies, trying to keep her cool calm and collected and now we're
01:21just out enjoying the sunshine. Yeah, relaxing, enjoying the weather, it's been a bit windy
01:26this weekend. We've got a boat mod at the Rochester Cruising Club so we're meant to go away for
01:31the weekend but our plans have slightly changed due to the winds but we've enjoyed the Rochester
01:35High Street and coming out with family and friends.
01:37While many of the businesses I visited were camera shy, they were clearly thriving, with
01:42a heavy footfall throughout the day. Only a handful of shops along the High Street were
01:47closed. Some owners told me they stayed open to remain competitive with neighbouring stores,
01:51while others said they were trading as usual after already taking extended time off over
01:56the Christmas period. So whether it's a chance to switch off or an opportunity to stay open
02:01and bring in some more customers, the bank holiday seems to be put into full use across
02:06Kent as we all ride into the summer.
02:12Maisie Walker for KNTV, Rochester.
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