Chapter 4
Leisure
How people in the UK spend their free time: gardens and national flowers, shopping, food and national dishes, cinema, comedy, TV and the licence fee, pubs, gambling and pets.
By the end you should know
- Match each nation to its flower and traditional dish
- Describe the development of British cinema and comedy
- Explain what the TV licence is and how it funds the BBC
- Know the age limits for drinking alcohol and gambling
- Know the main rules about keeping pets
People in the UK spend their free time in many different ways. This part of the handbook is full of pairings — flowers, dishes, films and directors — that the test likes to ask about.
Gardening and national flowers
Many people have gardens and spend free time looking after them. Flower and garden shows range from big national exhibitions to small local events, and many towns have garden centres.
What is an allotment?
An extra piece of land that people rent to grow fruit and vegetables.
Which famous gardens are in which part of the UK?
England — Kew Gardens, Sissinghurst, Hidcote · Scotland — Crathes Castle, Inveraray Castle · Wales — Bodnant Garden · Northern Ireland — Mount Stewart
Which flower is associated with each nation of the UK?
Key factEngland — the rose · Scotland — the thistle · Wales — the daffodil · Northern Ireland — the shamrock
They are sometimes worn on the national saints' days.
Shopping
Most towns and cities have a central shopping area, called the town centre, and covered shopping centres are common both in town centres and on the edge of towns. Most shops open seven days a week, with shorter hours on Sundays and public holidays. Many towns also have markets on one or more days a week.
Cooking and food
Many people enjoy cooking and invite friends home for dinner. Because of the country's mixed heritage and population, a very wide range of food is eaten. Some dishes are traditionally linked with particular nations.
Which traditional food is associated with each nation?
Key factEngland — roast beef with potatoes, vegetables and Yorkshire puddings (fish and chips are also popular) · Wales — Welsh cakes · Scotland — haggis · Northern Ireland — Ulster fry
Welsh cakes: a snack of flour, dried fruit and spices, eaten hot or cold. Haggis: a sheep's stomach stuffed with offal, suet, onions and oatmeal. Ulster fry: a fried meal with bacon, eggs, sausage, black and white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms, soda bread and potato bread.
Exam tip: haggis is Scottish, Welsh cakes are Welsh, the Ulster fry is from Northern Ireland and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding is English. Don't be fooled by 'Yorkshire' — Yorkshire is in England.
Films
The UK has strongly influenced modern cinema. From the start British actors worked in both the UK and the USA. British studios flourished in the 1930s, and during the Second World War films such as In Which We Serve helped keep up morale. Later directors including Sir David Lean and Ridley Scott found success at home and abroad, and the 1950s and 1960s were a high point for British comedy films. Today many films made in the UK are produced by foreign companies using British expertise.
What are the key facts about the British film industry?
Films were first shown publicly in the UK in 1896. British film makers are known for special effects and animation; Ealing Studios claims to be the oldest continuously working film studio in the world; the Harry Potter and James Bond series — which the handbook calls the two highest-grossing film franchises — were made in the UK.
Charlie Chaplin found fame in silent films as a tramp. Nick Park has won four Oscars, three for Wallace and Gromit films.
Which British directors made which famous films?
Alfred Hitchcock — The 39 Steps (1935) · David Lean — Brief Encounter (1945) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962) · Carol Reed — The Third Man (1949) · Hugh Hudson — Chariots of Fire (1981) · Mike Newell — Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Hitchcock and Sir Alexander Korda were leading directors of the 1930s; Hitchcock later moved to Hollywood. The 1950s and 1960s were a high point for British comedies such as Passport to Pimlico and The Ladykillers, and later the Carry On films.
What are the BAFTAs?
Key factThe British Academy Film Awards, hosted each year by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts — the British equivalent of the Oscars.
Famous British actors include Sir Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Sir Rex Harrison and Richard Burton. Recent British Oscar winners include Colin Firth, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dame Judi Dench, Kate Winslet and Tilda Swinton. Other famous films listed in the handbook: The Belles of St Trinian's (1954), Women in Love (1969), Don't Look Now (1973), The Killing Fields (1984) and Touching the Void (2003).
British comedy
Being able to laugh at ourselves is an important part of the British character. Medieval kings and nobles kept jesters; Shakespeare wrote comic characters; in the 18th century political cartoons mocked politicians and sometimes even the monarch. Music hall — variety theatre that was popular until television took over — produced comedians who later became TV stars. On TV, situation comedies (sitcoms) about family and workplace life remain popular, and stand-up comedy has made a comeback.
Which landmarks of British comedy and satire does the handbook mention?
Punch — satirical magazine first published in the 1840s · Private Eye — continues the satire tradition · Morecambe and Wise — music-hall stars who moved to TV · That Was The Week That Was (1960s) and Spitting Image (1980s–90s) — TV satire · Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969) — a new, progressive comedy
Television and radio
There are many TV channels, some free and some paid for by subscription. Popular programmes include soap operas such as Coronation Street and EastEnders. Scotland has a Gaelic-language channel and Wales a Welsh-language channel, and there are programmes made for Northern Ireland, some in Irish Gaelic. Radio stations broadcast nationally or regionally, some in Welsh or Gaelic; BBC radio is funded by the licence fee and other stations by advertising.
What are the rules on the TV licence?
Key factAnyone who watches TV on a television, computer or other device needs a licence. One licence covers a home, but people renting rooms with separate tenancy agreements each need their own. Blind people get 50% off. Watching without a licence can mean a fine of up to £1,000.
How is the BBC funded and what makes it unusual?
Key factIt is paid for by TV licence money. The BBC is a public service broadcaster and the only wholly state-funded media organisation that is independent of government. The handbook also calls it the largest broadcaster in the world.
Other UK channels are funded mainly by advertising and subscriptions.
Social networking
Social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter are a popular way to keep in touch with friends, organise events and share photos, videos and opinions — often on mobile phones while out and about.
Pubs and night clubs
Public houses (pubs) are an important part of social life, and most communities have a 'local' pub that acts as a meeting point. Night clubs, with music and dancing, usually open and close later than pubs.
What are the age rules for alcohol in pubs?
Key factYou must be 18 or over to buy alcohol in a pub or night club. At 16 you may drink wine or beer with a meal in a hotel or restaurant (including a pub's eating area) if you are with someone over 18.
Pubs usually open from 11.00 am (12 noon on Sundays). The licensee decides opening hours. Pub quizzes, pool and darts are popular.
Betting and gambling
Many people enjoy a bet on sport or other events, and there are casinos in many places. The National Lottery holds draws every week; you can play by buying a ticket or a scratch card.
What are the age limits for betting and the National Lottery?
You must be 18 to enter betting shops or gambling clubs. According to the handbook, people under 16 may not take part in the National Lottery.
Pets
Many people keep pets such as cats and dogs, for company or because they enjoy caring for them. Vets (veterinary surgeons) provide vaccinations and treatment, and some charities help people who cannot afford vet bills.
What does the law say about pets?
It is illegal to treat a pet cruelly or neglect it. Every dog in a public place must wear a collar showing its owner's name and address, and the owner must keep it under control and clean up after it.