THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY BRITAIN

 is reflected in the ways the British organize their personal, sporting, leisure and

artistic lives. These features reveal a series of different cultural habits, rather

than a unified image, and are divided between participatory and spectator

pastimes. Some are associated with national identities and, in many cases,

are also connected to social class and minority participation.

According to the authors of We British (Jacobs and Worcester 1990:

124), the rich variety of leisure, arts and sporting activities disproves the

notion of Britain as a country of philistines who prefer second-rate entertainment

to the best. Yet there are frequent complaints from many quarters

about a ‘dumbing down’ of British cultural life in television programmes,

films, the arts, literature, popular music and education.

Certain findings about ‘leisure pursuits’ and their social implications

have been formulated by academics. Since most leisure time in Britain is

now spent within the home and/or family environment, this would seem to

indicate a separation from the wider social context. Much leisure provision

is commercialized or profit-oriented and is therefore part of the consumer

society. But access to leisure activities is unevenly distributed in the population,

because it is dependent upon purchasing power and opportunity.

Nevertheless, the creative and cultural industries which service the

‘leisure market’ are an important part of Britain’s social and economic life.

According to a DCMS survey in 2001, these industries generate £112.5

billion a year in revenue, contribute £10.2 billion in export earnings,

employ 1.3 million people and account for over 5 per cent of the gross

domestic product.