The request was approved by NSW Minister for Industrial Relations Dominic Perrottet and will apply from 12pm to 5pm on March 20.

Armidale Regional Council administrator Ian Tiley said the half-day public holiday was a fitting end to the Autumn Festival celebrations with the Armidale Jockey Club’s Armidale Cup race meeting.

“Armidale has traditionally celebrated the running of the historic Armidale Cup with a half-day public holiday gazetted for over 50 years,” he said.

“It has only been in the past three years that council supported a half-day local event day instead.

“I believe it is important that we support the not-for-profit Armidale Jockey Club in their biggest event of the year – a valued community organisation which in turn supports local activities and community clubs and contributes to the local economy.”