When I left my last band, it ewas going into a hiatus due to some taking breaks, holidays etc., and conveniently, there were no gigs on the books. So, at the end of the last gig we had booked - and after doing most of the packing up - I announced to the rest of the band, collectively, that I reckoned they should start up the New Year with a new bassist.
Seemed to work.
G.