搜索
1LeisureactivitiesintheUKLeisureactivitiesinearliercenturieswerelargelyconditionedbytheruralandagriculturalnatureofBritishlife.Villagecommunitieswereisolatedandtransportwaseitherpoorornon-existent.Peoplewereconsequentlyrestrictedtotheirvillagesandobligedtocreatetheirownentertainments.Someoftheactivitieswerehome-based,whileotherswereenjoyedbythewholevillage.Thesemightbeaddedtobyitinerantplayers,whotraveledthecountrysideandprovidedarangeofalternativespectatorentertainments.Improvedtransportationandroadconditionsfromtheeighteenthcenturyonwardsenabledtheruralpopulationtotraveltoneighboringtownswheretheytookadvantageofavarietyofamusements.Spectatoractivitiesincreasedwiththeindustrializationofthenineteenthcentury,astheatres,musichallsandsportsdevelopedandbecameavailabletomorepeople.Theestablishmentofrailwaysystemsandtheformationofbuscompaniesinitiatedthepatternofcheapone-daytripsaroundthecountryandtotheseaside,whichweretogrowintothemasscharterandpackagetoursofcontemporaryBritain.Thearrivalofradio,filmandtelevisioninthetwentiethcenturyresultedinafurtherhugeprofessionalentertainmentindustry.Inallthesechanges,themixtureofparticipatory,spectatorandhome-basedleisureactivitieshascontinued.Manycontemporarypursuitshavetheirrootsintheculturalandsocialbehaviorofthepast,suchasboxing,wrestling,cricket,football,andawiderangeofathleticsports.Dancing,amateurtheatreandmusicaleventswereessentialpartsofrurallife,andwereoftenassociatedwiththechangingagriculturalseasons.Thetraditionsofhunting,shootingandfishinghavelongbeenpracticedinBritishcountrylife,inadditiontoanumberofbloodsports,suchasdogandcockfightingandbearbaiting,whicharenowillegal.ThereisawidevarietyofsportsinBritaintoday,whichcaterforlargenumbersofspectatorsandparticipators.Someoftheseareminoritysports,whileothersappealtomajoritytastes.Amateurandprofessionalfootball/soccerisplayedthroughoutmostoftheyear,andalsoatinternationallevel.Theprofessionalgamehasdevelopedintoalargefamily-orientedspectatorsport,buthassufferedinrecentyearsfromhooliganism,decliningattendancesandfinancialcrises.Rugbyfootballisapopularwinterpastime,andisdividedintotwotypes.RugbyUnionisconfinedtoamateurclubs,whileRugbyLeagueisplayedbyprofessionalteams,mainlyinthenorthofEngland.Bothtypesofrugbyarealsoplayedinternationally.CricketisasummersportinBritain,buttheEnglandteamalsoplaysinthewintermonthsintheCommonwealthcountries.Itisbothanamateurandprofessionalsport.TheseniorgameisnowmainlyprofessionalandislargelyconfinedtotheEnglishandWelshcountrysideswhichplayinthecountrychampionships.TherearemanyothersportswhichreflectthediversityofinterestsinBritishlife.Amongthesearegolf,horseracing,hunting,riding,fishing,shooting,tennis,hockey,bowls,darts,snooker,athletics,swimming,sailing,mountaineering,walking,icesports,motor-carandmotor-cycleracing,andrallydriving.Americanfootballandbasketballareincreasinglypopularduetotelevisionexposure.Thesportingnotionof“ahealthymindinahealthybody”haslongbeenaprincipleofBritisheducation.Allschoolsaresupposedtoprovidephysicalrecreation,andareasonablerangeofsportsisusuallyavailabletoschoolchildren.Schoolsmayplaysoccer,rugby,hockeyornetballduringthesummer.Someschoolsmaybebetterprovidedwithsportingfacilitiesthanothers,andofferawiderrangeofsports.However,therehavebeenrecentcomplaintsfromparentsthatteamgamesandcompetitivesportsaredeclininginstateschools.Schoolreorganizationandthecreationoflargecomprehensiveshavereducedtheamountofinter-schoolcompetition,whichusedtobeafeatureofeducation;someleft-wingcouncilsareapparentlyopposedtocompetitiveexpression;thereisashortageofplayingfields;andalackofadequateequipment.Thepositionisparticularlyacuteintheinnercityareas,andisofconcerntothoseparentswhofeelthattheirchildrenarebeingpreventedfromexpressingtheirnormalphysicalnatures.Theymaintainthatthestateschoolsystemisfailingtoprovidesportingprovisionforchildren,andsomeparentsturntotheindependentsector,whichisusuallywell-providedwithsportsfacilities.The“arts”oncehadasomewhatpreciousandexclusiveimageassociatedwithnotionsofhighculture,whichwereusuallytheprovinceofthemiddleandupperclasses.Thegrowthofmassandpopularculturehasincreasedthepotentialaudienceforawiderrangeofculturalactivities,andtheavailabilityandscopeoftheartshasspreadtogreaternumbersofpeople.Popconcerts,folkandethnicmusic,andyouthculturepastimesoccupyaconsiderableamountofyoungpeople’sleisuretime,aswellascontributingtotrade,exportsandtheBritishimagenationallyandinternationally.Theseactivitiesmaybeamateurorprofessionalandcontinuethemixtureofparticipatory,spectatorandhome-basedentertainment.ThereisawiderangeofmuseumsandartgalleriesinBritain,whichprovideforavarietyoftastes.Inthepast,entrytomostofthepublicmuseumswasfreeofcharge,butinrecentyearsentrancefeeshavebeenchargedbysomeinstitutions.Thisdevelopmenthasledtolessaccessibilitytonationaleducationalandculturalheritage,whichshouldbeavailabletoallwithoutcharge.Butmuseumsandartgalleriesarealsofindingitdifficulttooperatewithlimitedfunds,andaredependentonlocalgovernmentgrantsandArtsCouncilsubsidies.Inaddition