Panorama Programme About Cost of Entertainments

Because Capitalism depends on people spending money.

I would imagine in days of yore grandparents couldn’t understand why the younger generations wanted to go to the cinema.
I go to these places with my family so I’m well aware of the cost.
It’s obviously very popular as you have to book a time slot.

Just yesterday, I was booking tickets to the zoo for my son and his family (two adults, one child and one baby) through a friend who can get special discounted rates. Out of interest, I thought I'd look up the normal ticket price and was shocked to discover it would be £89.50! That's before you add in the cost of parking and, of course, any food you might want to buy while you're there.

Zoos are concentrating on conservation now.

Their costs must be massive.

Having watched the Panorama programme all the way through, I think that the families featured made it very clear that they only go out seldomly for special occasions. They also stated that they will be going out even less as the cost of living soars. There was no indication that they were unable to enjoy themselves without going out and spending money.

The truth is that going out to eat and be entertained has become prohibitively expensive and as a result businesses are going under at a rapidly increasing rate which obviously leads to a sharp rise in unemployment. The total effect is a cycle of closures and a sharp reduction of disposable income which means more closures and so on.

Taking the family out for a treat is nothing new. I remember going to Lyons Corner House after watching Peter Pan at a matinee when I was a child in the 1950s and there were quite a few other family outings. I did not come from a wealthy family but though they were careful with their money, I don't think my parents ever struggled to make ends meet, even though there were three children and my mother was a SAHHW.

I didn't see the programme but when I look at some prices now, I tend to think that a good proportion of people won't be paying full price. There are so many ways to get discounts and concessions that you can easily avoid ever having to pay the full price. Memberships, vouchers, family rates, off-peak, etc etc etc.

Allira

Zoos are concentrating on conservation now.

Their costs must be massive.

Oh, I appreciate that - and I know Edinburgh Zoo (that's the one I'm talking about here) does a great job in that respect. I just hadn't realised how much the tickets were these days as it's been many years since I've been. I'm pretty sure you could draw comparisons with other popular family attractions right across the country.

I'm not in the UK currently, so I didn't see the programme, but any entertainment venue has seen an enormous increase in their own costs.

I'd rather families were shelling out to do that than buying video games for the children, though a day outside at the seaside or in the woods costs very little.

MartavTaurus

I'm not in the UK currently, so I didn't see the programme, but any entertainment venue has seen an enormous increase in their own costs.

I'd rather families were shelling out to do that than buying video games for the children, though a day outside at the seaside or in the woods costs very little.

This is true, but once they get to Secondary school it often takes a little more to sell it as a treat.

argymargy

I didn't see the programme but when I look at some prices now, I tend to think that a good proportion of people won't be paying full price. There are so many ways to get discounts and concessions that you can easily avoid ever having to pay the full price. Memberships, vouchers, family rates, off-peak, etc etc etc.

You are so right and it’s a good thing, newspapers often had/have vouchers.

Across the years I’ve used Tesco vouchers for many a treat, I was most out out though when it stopped being four times your voucher when swapping points for partner vouchers, but even at double it’s still worth doing as our household is still 6 adults so food costs mount up, so lots of points!

When i had young children I would absolutely have chosen to spend money on experiences with them rather than clothes, things for the home, etc.

I'm not sure what point the OP is making. I don't suppose parents 'feel obliged' to spend money, but if they want to do things as a family there are not always a lot of alternatives. If you live in the country or near the beach you can go outside to play more easily, but in cities and towns things often do cost money.

Children don't play in the street as much as they used to, and more households have both parents in work, as houses are expensive to rent or buy. Even watching TV together happens less often as children watch on screens. There are fewer opportunities for free entertainment.

Going out together to eat is one way to get together - yes it's expensive, but the family would have to eat anyway, and it's a way of bonding as a family and catching up with one another.

I used to take my children out to eat after school once in a while. A local restaurant had a 'happy hour', and they loved going for the experience of choosing from a menu and being waited on. I didn't 'feel obliged' to do it - I did it because we all enjoyed it.

Doodledog

I'm not sure what point the OP is making. I don't suppose parents 'feel obliged' to spend money, but if they want to do things as a family there are not always a lot of alternatives. If you live in the country or near the beach you can go outside to play more easily, but in cities and towns things often do cost money.

Children don't play in the street as much as they used to, and more households have both parents in work, as houses are expensive to rent or buy. Even watching TV together happens less often as children watch on screens. There are fewer opportunities for free entertainment.

Going out together to eat is one way to get together - yes it's expensive, but the family would have to eat anyway, and it's a way of bonding as a family and catching up with one another.

I used to take my children out to eat after school once in a while. A local restaurant had a 'happy hour', and they loved going for the experience of choosing from a menu and being waited on. I didn't 'feel obliged' to do it - I did it because we all enjoyed it.

You have actually answered my query, thank you Doodledog.

This makes a big difference: "If you live in the country or near the beach you can go outside to play more easily, but in cities and towns things often do cost money."

There is a whole new problem due to the prohibitive cost of meals out , and other activities. I wonder if neighbourhood initiatives such as play streets, and local buildings such as disused churches or empty shops could be repurposed for recreation spaces.

I wonder if the cost of such activities as a percentage of household income has changed significantly- or not?

Chocolatelovinggran

I wonder if the cost of such activities as a percentage of household income has changed significantly- or not?

I don't know. When we went to the place I mentioned it was roughly the equivalent of about £12 each in Happy Hour, which with a drink each for me and two children would probably come to £50 or so in today's money. So not something we did every week, but not out of the question.

I think the thing that has changed significantly is the cost of housing. Even with the high interest rates of the 90s (when my children were young) it was much cheaper than the equivalent today. The house we lived in then has recently sold for 5 times what we sold it for. Incomes have not gone up anything like that.

According to Google, the average UK salary in 1998 was £15085, which, if multiplied by 5 (like the house price) would be £75425. Obviously many people earned for more and far less than that, but that is true today.

The average UK salary in 2026 is £31100, so average income has doubled over the past 28 years, whilst the price of a 3 bed semi has multiplied by 5. And that is in this area - it will be far worse in London and the SE.

I don't think you can look at a percentage of household income for things like this - it is income after housing costs that matters. And if you add the cost of childcare to that it is even worse.

Recently, I offered my DGDs a takeaway meal. We had 4 pizza and two salads; no one had anything fancy. I was horrified that the bill came to nearly £90!

Costs are horrific!!

I can only recall one outing to cinema when very young with DM only. Snow white, and I apparently cried thriugh a lit of it. Was 10 ish when went to Saturday club cinema with friends. As for meals out, only once for afternoon tea, again with DM. Did enjoy wedding receptions as a meal then a party! Never taken for meals out; it was picnics in parks, bus trips but no restaurants. We were not poor but not well off either. I did see tge programme and I think given my background what the families were asked to do would not be a monthly event, more a now and again, soecial occasion type outing.

I used to take my kids to the zoo maybe twice a year, the occasional local pantomime and very little else that cost money. These days kids require entertainment apparently aand no longer know how to entertain themselves.

missdeke

I used to take my kids to the zoo maybe twice a year, the occasional local pantomime and very little else that cost money. These days kids require entertainment apparently aand no longer know how to entertain themselves.

That is what concerns me. I simply don't know if kids are or are not generally dependent on commercial entertainments.

I had hoped that quite few Grans could comment on whether modern children are less independent than previous generations.

Maybe I shall ask Chat if educationists are noticing this happening.

Here is the edited response from Chat:

"It’s not that children today are any less capable — it’s that their environment gives them fewer chances to develop those skills. When they do get the time and space, they’re just as able to be creative and entertain themselves as previous generations.

A bit of boredom can actually be a good thing too — it often acts as the spark that pushes children to use their imagination, come up with their own games, or find something to do for themselves rather than relying on being constantly entertained."

Chocolatelovinggran

I wonder if the cost of such activities as a percentage of household income has changed significantly- or not?

Absolutely it has. Energy costs, water rates, business tax take a far bigger percentage of profit than it did back in the day.

Yes, a little bit of boredom - will push children back on their imagination & their own resources.

Boredom gets a bad press these days, but rushing around trying to fill every available minute has got to be a trigger for anxiety at some point.

I think that spending a lot of money on a family meal at a chain food outlet is down to several things.

Yes, and l.know it is a break for usually the mother's not to have to shop and cook.

A lot of would be middle class families like to boast to their friends about how much they have spent on a family meal outing.

Yes we spent around £100 on a family meal with our two children at Burger King on Saturday. We take them out every week.

They are keeping up with Joneses and this is a status thing for them.

Pester power. Children are now very well drilled and brainwashed by the media and their friends on fast food. Outlets and take aways. Total spoiled brats

They play on their parents guilt many of whom may work full time.
To pay for massively over priced junk food delivered at every turn.

I think it is sad the way Children can really call the tune on their slave like parents. How did we get into this situation?

Also l.recckon you could knock. up a better than Burger King family meal with top of the range ingredients from ALDI and an air fryer.

For about half the price.