Coronation bank holiday re-designated in Torfaen to celebrate rugby club’s promotion

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

The Coronation bank holiday has been re-designated in Torfaen to celebrate a rugby side’s long awaited return to the top flight of the Welsh Game.

Pontypool sealed a return to the Welsh Premiership, the top tier of the domestic semi-pro game, at the weekend.

That prompted the leader of Torfaen Borough Council, and committed Pooler fan, Anthony Hunt to declare today’s bank holiday – denoted as a celebration of the Coronation of Charles III by the UK Government – would serve a different purpose.

I hereby declare Monday to be a Bank Holiday in Torfaen 😂 Let the celebrations begin 🔴⚪️⚫️ pic.twitter.com/kg9W812rAj

— Anthony Hunt (@PantegAnthony) May 6, 2023

The Labour councillor tweeted: “I hereby declare Monday to be a Bank Holiday in Torfaen. Let the celebrations begin.”

As well as adding colour blocks of red, white and blue – denoting Pontypool’s traditional hooped jerseys – to his tweet the councillor also included a laughing face emoji, perhaps indicating the changed status of the bank holiday wasn’t 100 per cent official.

Pontypool have been undefeated in the Welsh Championship this year and have been able to gain promotion having been denied either through heart-breaking on field losses or league restructuring when promotion was suspended.

In 2012 the club faced an uncertain future after it lost a high court challenge to the Welsh Rugby Union’s league restructure which saw it relegated from the premiership.

The council leader however appeared to concede his powers over bank holidays, which are set by the UK Government, were limited when he confirmed, in a reply tweet, he couldn’t declare further bank holidays with local side Talywain also celebrating a league championship.