HOW DO BRITISH SPEND THEIR FREE TIME?

The British spend their free time in different ways. People generally use it to relax, but many people also do voluntary work, especially for charities. A lot of free time is spent in the home, where the most popular leisure activity is watching television, the average viewing time being 25 hours a week. People often record programmes so that they can watch them later.

Reading is also a favourite way of spending leisure time. The British spend a lot of time reading newspapers and magazines.

In the summer gardening is popular, and in winter it is often replaced by “do-it-yourself”, when people spend time improving or repairing their homes. Many people have pets to look after. Taking the dog for a walk is a regular routine.

Some leisure activities are mostly or entirely social. Inviting friends for a drink or meal at home is the most usual one. Sometimes people join friends for a drink in a pub, or have dinner in a restaurant. A visit to a pub often includes a game, for example billiards or darts.

The extra time available at weekends means that some leisure activities, many of them to do with sport, normally take place only then. Traditional spectator sports include football, cricket, horse racing, motor racing and motor cycle racing. Popular forms of exercise are swimming, tennis, ice skating, cycling, climbing, and hill or country walking.

Families often have a “day out” at the weekend, especially in summer, with a visit to a local event such as a festival, fair or show. Young people especially go to clubs and discos, while people of all ages go to the theatre, the cinema, art exhibitions and concerts.