The life and times of the British seaside holiday. The BBC explore the
Victorian beginings of this British
cultural export, its
history and heyday, and the slow decline into genteel decay -
and not so genteel - decay.Perhaps buoyed by nostalgia for childhood memories of lemonade ice lollies, sticky gobs of tar underfoot, and sand sandwiches, there's a move to promote
regeneration and reinvention. Especially now that the
beaches are
cleaner than ever, although some still occasionally subject to
unpleasant bobbing objects.
Although any regeneration might play on icons like the
piers,
beach huts,
grand hotels,
architecture, and
classic cafes, it's perhaps less likely to feature traditional and dubious delights like
Punch and Judy, end of the pier shows, fearsome landladies and
holiday camps. The builders of new sandcastles have grander plans, whether that be the
Las Vegas of the northwest, the artist's paradise of
St Ives, the surfer's paradise of
Newquay, or Hove's
multi-coloured pleasure dome. Anyway, would you like this
open or wrapped?
posted by reynir
on Aug 22, 2006 -
6 comments
