You're three-quarters through a packed bank holiday Saturday. Every table is turned. The bar queue stretches back to the door. Then someone from the team appears at your elbow with the news nobody wants mid-service: the ladies' washroom is out of paper.
It sounds trivial. It is not trivial. One empty dispenser, one bad review. One bad review, one fewer booking next month. Bank holidays are supposed to be the weeks that make your quarter — and a washroom that runs out of stock can quietly undo all of it.
May 2026 has two bank holidays: Monday 4th May (Early May) and the Spring bank holiday weekend of Monday 25th–Tuesday 26th May. That is two windows of peak footfall, compressed deliveries, and stretched staff. The good news: both are entirely survivable with a bit of preparation now. This checklist will get you there.
Why Bank Holidays Are a Washroom Stress Test
Hospitality venues typically see footfall increase by 30–50% over bank holiday weekends. That is not a busy Saturday — that is a busy Saturday running back-to-back for three or four days. Your washroom stock, calibrated for a normal week, will not keep pace.
Suppliers often don't deliver on bank holidays themselves, and many reduce collections in the days before. If you haven't ordered by Wednesday, you may be waiting until Tuesday. That is a long time to ration centrefeed rolls.
Staff are stretched across service, and restocking the washroom is nobody's priority when the kitchen is calling. Dispensers run low quietly and stay that way before anyone notices.
Guests notice. Not always in the moment — but later, in reviews. "Lovely food but the toilets were a state." It is one of the most consistent complaints in hospitality reviews, and almost entirely preventable.
Your Pre-Bank-Holiday Stockroom Checklist
Use this as your ordering and checking guide. Run it no later than Tuesday before the bank holiday weekend. Adjust quantities to your venue size — the figures below are illustrative.
| Item | Normal Weekly Stock | Bank Holiday Stock | Checked? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumbo toilet rolls | 1 case | 2 cases | ☐ |
| Standard toilet rolls (if used) | 1 case | 2 cases | ☐ |
| Paper hand towels (folded or centrefeed) | 1–2 cases | 3 cases | ☐ |
| Liquid soap / foam soap refills | 4–6 refills | 8–12 refills | ☐ |
| Hand sanitiser refills | 2–4 refills | 4–6 refills | ☐ |
| Air freshener refills | 1–2 per unit | 2–3 per unit | ☐ |
| Bin liners (standard) | 1 roll | 2 rolls | ☐ |
| Sanitary disposal bags | 1 box | 2 boxes | ☐ |
| Cleaning spray / surface wipes | 2–3 bottles | 4–6 bottles | ☐ |
| Spare dispenser batteries (if touchless) | 1 set spare | 2 sets spare | ☐ |
Note: figures are illustrative. Adjust quantities based on your venue size, number of cubicles, and typical weekly usage.
How Much Extra Stock to Order (By Venue Type)
Not every venue runs at the same pace. A 50-cover restaurant and a high-street salon have very different bank holiday pressures. Use the table below as a rough guide.
| Venue Type | Typical Footfall Increase | Stock Multiplier | Order By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant / pub (50 covers) | +40–50% | 2x normal weekly stock | Wednesday before |
| Hotel (30 rooms) | +30–40% | 1.5x normal weekly stock | Wednesday before |
| Café / coffee shop | +30–40% | 1.5x normal weekly stock | Wednesday before |
| Salon / barbershop | +20–30% | 1.3x normal weekly stock | Thursday before |
The rule of thumb: order by Wednesday at the latest. Some suppliers suspend or reduce deliveries on bank holiday Mondays and occasionally Fridays. If you leave it to Thursday, you are cutting it fine. If you leave it to Friday, you are on your own.
The Restock Schedule for the Long Weekend
It is not enough to have stock. It needs to be in the right place, checked at the right moments, and assigned to someone who will actually do it.
- Wednesday — Delivery day. Confirm the order has arrived. Do a full stockroom check against your checklist. Note anything missing.
- Thursday evening — Full reset. All washrooms fully stocked before close. Spares placed within easy reach — not buried at the back of the stockroom.
- Friday morning — Quick pre-open check. Five minutes, every washroom. Confirm dispensers are loaded and nothing has run down overnight.
- Saturday and Sunday — Mid-service checks. Assign a named staff member. One check mid-afternoon, one in the early evening. It takes four minutes and prevents the crisis.
- Monday (bank holiday) — Morning restock before peak. This is the day most venues drop the ball. Do a full restock before the lunchtime rush, not after it.
Assign the washroom checks by name, not by role. "The bar team" will assume the floor team did it. Put a name on the rota and a time next to it.
After the Rush — What to Review for Next Time
Bank holidays are excellent data. Once the dust has settled — Tuesday morning, coffee in hand — spend ten minutes on this review.
- What ran out first? This is your leading indicator. If you nearly ran out of centrefeed rolls on Saturday afternoon, that is your starting point for the next order. Note it now, before you forget.
- Did any dispensers fail or jam? A dispenser that jammed over a bank holiday weekend will jam again in August. Replace or service it before summer.
- Was the stock multiplier enough? If 2x felt tight, order 2.5x next time. If you had significant surplus on Tuesday, dial it back. Calibrate to your venue, not a generic guide.
One final note worth marking in your calendar now: the August bank holiday (Monday 25th August 2026) is typically the busiest of the year for UK hospitality. The weather, the school holidays, the end-of-summer instinct — footfall on that weekend consistently outpaces even May. The habits you build now will serve you well when it really counts.
If you'd like to be reminded before each bank holiday with a fresh checklist and supplier tips, drop your email below. Or if you're ready to place your order now, the washroom supplies you need are ready to go.
