1Leisure activities in the UKLeisure activities in earlier centuries were largely conditioned by the rural and agricultural nature of British life. Village communities were isolated and transport was either poor or non-existent. People were consequently restricted to their villages and obliged to create their own entertainments. Some of the activities were home-based, while others were enjoyed by the whole village. These might be added to by itinerant players, who traveled the countryside and provided a range of alternative spectator entertainments.Improved transportation and road conditions from the eighteenth century onwards enabled the rural population to travel to neighboring towns where they took advantage of a variety of amusements. Spectator activities increased with the industrialization of the nineteenth century, as theatres, music halls and sports developed and became available to more people. The establishment of railway systems and the formation of bus companies initiated the pattern of cheap one-day trips around the country and to the seaside, which were to grow into the mass charter and package tours of contemporary Britain. The arrival of radio, film and television in the twentieth century resulted in a further huge professional entertainment industry. In all these changes, the mixture of participatory, spectator and home-based leisure activities has continued.Many contemporary pursuits have their roots in the cultural and social behavior of the past, such as boxing, wrestling, cricket, football, and a wide range of athletic sports. Dancing, amateur theatre and musical events were essential parts of rural life, and were often associated with the changing agricultural seasons. The traditions of hunting, shooting and fishing have long been practiced in British country life, in addition to a number of blood sports, such as dog and cock fighting and bear baiting, which are now illegal.There is a wide variety of sports in Britain today, which cater for large numbers of spectators and participators. Some of these are minority sports, while others appeal to majority tastes. Amateur and professional football/soccer is played throughout most of the year, and also at international level. The professional game has developed into a large family-oriented spectator sport, but has suffered in recent years from hooliganism, declining attendances and financial crises. Rugby football is a popular winter pastime, and is divided into two types. Rugby Union is confined to amateur clubs, while Rugby League is played by professional teams, mainly in the north of England. Both types of rugby are also played internationally. Cricket is a summer sport in Britain, but the England team also plays in the winter months in the Commonwealth countries. It is both an amateur and professional sport. The senior game is now mainly professional and is largely confined to the English and Welsh countrysides which play in the country championships.There are many other sports which reflect the diversity of interests in British life. Among these are golf, horse racing, hunting, riding, fishing, shooting, tennis, hockey, bowls, darts, snooker, athletics, swimming, sailing, mountaineering, walking, ice sports, motor-car and motor-cycle racing, and rally driving. American football and basketball are increasingly popular due to television exposure.The sporting notion of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” has long been a principle of British education. All schools are supposed to provide physical recreation, and a reasonable range of sports is usually available to school children. Schools may play soccer, rugby, hockey or netball during the summer. Some schools may be better provided with sporting facilities than others, and offer a wider range of sports. However, there have been recent complaints from parents that team games and competitive sports are declining in state schools. School reorganization and the creation of large comprehensives have reduced the amount of inter-school competition, which used to be a feature of education; some left-wing councils are apparently opposed to competitive expression; there is a shortage of playing fields; and a lack of adequate equipment. The position is particularly acute in the inner city areas, and is of concern to those parents who feel that their children are being prevented from expressing their normal physical natures. They maintain that the state school system is failing to provide sporting provision for children, and some parents turn to the independent sector, which is usually well-provided with sports facilities.The “arts” once had a somewhat precious and exclusive image associated with notions of high culture, which were usually the province of the middle and upper classes. The growth of mass and popular culture has increased the potential audience for a wider range of cultural activities, and the availability and scope of the arts has spread to greater numbers of people.