Aberdeen Council Staff to Receive Additional Holiday for World Cup
Council staff in Aberdeen will be granted an extra public holiday to commemorate Scotland's participation in the World Cup.
First Minister John Swinney had earlier proposed that Monday, 15 June, be designated as a national bank holiday. While this proposal received approval from the King, the decision to implement the holiday is left to individual employers.
On Monday afternoon, a special meeting of Aberdeen City Council's staff governance committee resolved that its employees should be given the additional holiday.
This decision enables council workers to watch Scotland's opening match against Haiti, which, due to the time difference, will take place overnight, without concerns about sleep deprivation.
Previously, additional holidays were granted in 2022 to mark Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee and later that year to observe her state funeral.
Scotland's World Cup Return and Match Schedule
Scotland's men's national football team will be participating in their first World Cup since 1998, having qualified with a 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden Park.
However, an extra day off is not assured everywhere; for instance, earlier this month, Western Isles councillors opted against providing staff with a public holiday, citing budget constraints amid a deficit.
The national team’s first fixture at the tournament is against Haiti on 14 June, with kickoff scheduled for 02:00 UK time.
The other group matches are set for 19 June against Morocco and 24 June against Brazil, both beginning at 23:00 UK time.
Extended Hospitality Hours for Scotland Matches
In January, Aberdeen councillors approved extended opening hours for hospitality businesses during Scotland's matches.
The licensing board sanctioned a blanket closing time extension to 03:00 throughout the tournament, with additional time granted for Scotland games that extend beyond that hour.
